I have a problem with having to buy bottled water when traveling to some countries. At home, I always try to drink tap water since bottled water is becoming such a burden on the environment, but I don’t see how to get around it in China or Egypt, for example. Is there? I don’t think those pumps are a way to go…
I have to admit, sometimes I get a mild form of travel-phobia. As much as I am addicted to it, I wonder if traveling is actually good for us. Yes, through traveling we become more cosmopolitan, open-minded and all that. At the same time, with so many people traveling and globalization, places are becoming so uniform. Cafes in Europe often seem like museums of lifestyle than an indication of real lifestyle. No matter how much ones tries not to “ruin it”, every traveler leaves a mark. Speaking of marks, there is also the carbon footprint we leave, as Neil points out. All in all, traveling seems a little self-serving sometimes. What a depressing thought…