May 1, 2024 • 25 mins
Embark on a profound journey with Andres Adasme of Kind Human and Amanda Burk of Balanced Travel, as we discuss the essence of 'rooting travel' and balanced tourism. Discover how you can forge connections with ancient cultures, and contribute to a sustainable global community.
Andres explains traveling with purpose, where each itinerary is crafted to educate the heart and nourish the soul through hands-on experiences with remote communities in the Andes. Amanda then shares her expertise on marrying adventure with social responsibility, offering practical advice wherever your wanderlust takes you.
This episode is a compass pointing toward kindness and enrichment, with memories from a ceremony in Peru to a majestic glacier, to a life-changing family trip in Germany.
Andres and Amanda honor local cultures and the environment, in an episode that helps transform not just your travel plans, but your world perspective.
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Andres Adasme is the founder and expedition leader of Kind Human, one-of-
a-kind immersions in the ancient world.andres@kindhumantravel.com
**
Amanda Burk is the creator of Balanced Travel, a digital community that encourages mindful travel experiences that go beyond tourism. Focus is on integration through local cultures, sustainability, and work-life balance.
Its collective,The Guild, connects travelers to a global group of travel and hospitality experts. Also Consider Airbnb Experiences, gorunningtours.com, athelink.com, birdingpal.org.
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Podcast host Lea Lane has traveled to over 100 countries, and has written nine books, including the award-winning Places I Remember (Kirkus Reviews star rating, and 'one of the top 100 Indie books of the year'). She has contributed to many guidebooks and has written thousands of travel articles.
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Our award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane, has produced over 100 travel episodes! New podcast episodes drop on the first of the month, on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen. Check them out.
Travel vlogs of featured podcasts-- with video and graphics -- now drop on YouTube the 15th of every month! Please follow, rate and review us.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lea Lane (00:00):
We're living in extraordinary times.
We're traveling all over theworld, but trying to keep up
with the ever-increasing pace ofnew technologies, we often lose
touch with the rhythms ofnature and also with the wisdom
of our ancestors, which islinked to those rhythms.
We're so busy taking Instagramshots that we're often unaware
of the moment, of oursurroundings and our heritage.
(00:22):
On this episode, we have twoguests who specialize in a new
type of travel and show us howto reconnect as we travel.
We'll be speaking to AmandaBurk, the creator of the tour
company Balanced Travel.
Our first guest, Andres Adasme,is the co-founder of Kind Human
, a tour company with the goalof non-touristic travel.
(00:44):
They believe in immersingyourself in the daily life of a
remote community, living thelocal traditions and
reconnecting with the roots ofour shared humanity.
Welcome, Andres, to Places IRemember.
Andres (00:55):
Thank you so much, Lea.
I'm delighted to be herespeaking about what is my
passion, what brought me here toPeru.
Lea Lane (01:02):
Well, we're delighted to have you.
I know you're near Cusco rightnow in Peru, so I think it's a
wonderful place to talk aboutspirituality and all the
beauties of nature.
I know your area well.
Now, your travel company'smission is, in its name Kind
Human.
I think of it as from humankindto kind human.
(01:22):
Why did you choose that name?
Andres (01:27):
Well, that's a great question, Lea, you know that
that is exactly what youmentioned.
It's about turning thehumankind upside down and rewire
.
So the name is coming to changethat humankind into a kind
human.
But not only that.
It's about being rooted andconnected to what we are, what
we were as human beings, and beconnected in the most pristine
(01:50):
in the beginnings of what we are.
Not ever forget that we arehumans, we are part of nature.
Lea Lane (01:56):
Now you call it rooting.
Travel rather than touring.
Please define rooting.
Andres (02:01):
Because, look, I think that touring around the planet
just strolling right is veryirresponsible in the way that
the travel industry is a very,very powerful way of connecting
with people, making contact,making change our minds.
So I believe that, instead ofjust strolling around the planet
, we should be more connectedand in this case speaking about
(02:25):
soft traveling, you know, and inthis case this is slow and soft
it's about connecting with ourroots, where we are, where we
came from.
It's more connected as a tree,bringing the roots as deep as we
can.
That is a very importantconcept that is coming from the
Andean people here in the southof Peru.
Lea Lane (02:47):
You share the belief that the smallest and most
remote communities are thekeepers of the most authentic
wisdom?
Tell us more about that.
Andres (02:54):
Correct.
You know, in my experienceliving here in Peru for the last
20 years in fact, I am Chileanby birth because of my interest,
I went to this very farsecluded community called
Choquecanta, where I made morethan just friends, I made family
and I started for many waysconnecting back with our roots,
(03:15):
and probably the most deep onewas with this community that are
450 families only four hoursaway from Cusco, and this place
connected me in that deep level.
That is being grateful, andthese people are still grateful
every day for harvesting, forseeding, for the rain, for the
(03:35):
night, for your house, for youranimals.
Go back and rewind myself interms of just moving forward.
Lea Lane (03:42):
And you use that philosophy in your tours.
You take people to smallcommunities and try to engage
with the people and help thepeople.
And how does that work with atour?
Andres (03:52):
That's exactly the point behind these itineraries in a
connection with the families andwith local people.
So the idea is that the guestsare going to receive, are going
to be enriched.
So these kind of journeys arean education of the heart.
Be sustainable, you need tolove, so these people love their
place, the main way ofconnecting back with what we are
(04:14):
.
Lea Lane (04:14):
What specifically, for example, would you be doing
during a day, part of a tour?
Would you be in the communityworking with?
Andres (04:21):
Yes, it's also working a social plan in the community,
working with yes, it's alsoworking a social plan.
So our guests are invited to bepart of that work that we're
going to be planning day by day,not only when our passengers
arrive.
So the activities in the day byday.
For example, one day we'regoing to have the crops, farms,
right, and all the ancienttechniques of farming.
So we're going to spend thewhole day with a family that is
(04:43):
taking us to their field,probably an hour away from town.
So we're going to spend thewhole day with a family that is
taking us to their field,probably an hour away from town.
So we need to hike to this spotwhere we're going to get our
hands in the field, in the soil,and feel that it's not about
going only to the supermarketand open a fridge and take the
lettuce.
You put the hands.
So that's the first experience,right, and then it's sharing
(05:04):
with them the moment to be therein earth, because it's not only
about you know harvesting andgo home.
They make a little ceremony,they take care of their land
right, they know if it's goingto be rainy or not, they know
where they are, what it meansthat you understand your field,
your environment, the weatherconditions, and that is also
(05:25):
part of this experience.
Lea Lane (05:27):
Is it a difficult experience in terms of how
physical do you have to be?
I assume you have to be mobile,Look it is for everyone.
Andres (05:34):
It's not that it's going to be a really challenging
experience to move around.
No, it's not.
We're going with local familiesthat sometimes they go with
their kids, you know, in theirbags, with their animals.
So, day by day, we want toexplore these different ways
that they connect to what theyare.
You know, also, seeing the sky,right, understanding how the
(05:54):
rhythm, the cycles of the skyare also landed from these
people.
You know in the past, theirarchitecture, mythology,
symbology, et cetera.
Lea Lane (06:02):
Sounds very organic, everything together in nature
and community, which is a verynice way to learn and to enjoy.
Now you mentioned soft tourism.
I've never heard that.
It's a beautiful expression, Idon't know.
Is it popular and I justhaven't heard it, or did you
make it up?
Andres (06:18):
I think I just make it up.
I love it Soft is because Idon't want to be invasive to
this community.
It's not that I'm going to getthousands of people going there,
so the point is to protect.
It's a fine balance between howmany people should I bring to
this community.
Lea Lane (06:35):
How many people is ideal, do you think?
Andres (06:38):
I think that it could be maybe one group of 12 maximum
every 45 days, so not even oncea month, right?
One group of 12 maximum every45 days, so not even once a
month, right?
So also, it's good to go in thedry season between March and
September and October, right tosee the sky, to understand the
Milky Way, that connection withthe night is also amazing.
Lea Lane (06:57):
I know Dark sky travel is so popular.
It's beautiful, so soft.
Andres (07:03):
It's also a term right, that being not aggressive with
the community, supportive andcollaborative reciprocity.
So this is about that core ofkind human Well, I know of soft
adventure.
Lea Lane (07:15):
That's something I enjoy.
It's not too hard.
I would go like river raftingand then level three or
something.
But the soft travel here is adifferent concept that I really
like.
I know about travel slowly,slow travel.
That's a wonderful concept.
I have been doing it myself moreand more.
It's a part of the sustainabletourism family.
(07:35):
It takes you around withoutrushing.
You take in the sights, you getto know a place better, you eat
the food, listen to the music,listen to the stories.
So it's very connected to whatyou're saying and I've been
doing that.
As I said, I recently went to atown called Spello in Umbria in
Italy and spent instead ofgoing around and around all over
(07:56):
the place, we spent two weeksin one place.
It's a tiny town, got to knowthe people there, benefited from
that.
I reduced the carbon footprint,I had a deeper understanding, I
found out what the locals love.
So I am all in on this, andthis summer we're renting a
house in the Finger Lakes andstaying even longer.
So this idea of sustainabletravel and being aware is very,
(08:20):
very much on people's minds now,and it should be.
Where are you going besidesPeru?
What are the plans for futuretours?
Andres (08:28):
Well, future tours are also moving into destinations
that are going to be connectedwith the same philosophy of the
kind human in Peru.
So that means that not everydestination in the world will be
much for what we offer.
So for now, we're planningmoving along the different
cultures in the Andes, thatmeans in the Andes range, all
(08:51):
around, all around.
So we're going to start nowwith Guatemala, right?
So Guatemala and the Mayas, theheart of the Mayas and the
Petén area in the northeast.
It's very, very secluded yet,yes, beautiful.
Lea Lane (09:05):
You might see a jaguar .
(You probably can, verysecluded yet yes, beautiful, you
might see a jaguar.
You probably can see a jaguar.
Andres (09:09):
Yes, you might, yeah, you might.
So it's a very unexplored andsuper interesting area.
Of course.
Then the other one, close toMexico, right with the Aztecs
and Toltecs and Olmecs, right,and then, if you go much to
north, Anasazi, right In theborder of Mexico and planning
(09:30):
doing this saga of the Andean.
Ancient civilizations were alllooking for the roots of
humankind, so in this case, thespine of America, right.
It's intertwined andinterconnected with this ancient
site and and civilizations.
They're all also speak the samelanguage in terms of astronomy,
(09:53):
architecture, right, so they'reall connected in some way.
And then moving, you know,farther, of course, one of my
interpersonal interests from thebeginning is Egypt.
So the next destination alsowill be Egypt.
So it will be Peru, Guatemalaand Egypt as a triangle of
ancient civilizations, andfollowed by the saga of the
(10:16):
Andes, that will be Anasazi,Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayas, Incas,
Paracas and Tiahuanacos inTiticaca, Tiahuanacotas and
Mapuche in the south of Chileand Argentina.
That's the full spine.
Lea Lane (10:33):
That's wonderful.
It's a very interesting area ofthe world.
I know we have featured manyepisodes that talk about
spiritual travel, green traveland so forth.
About nature, we've talkedabout the gorillas in Rwanda,
where I went recently thatepisode 81.
Safaris in the Serengeti inepisode 26,.
Green travel in episode 12.
(10:53):
Gardens in episode 68.
Parks in 63.
Regenerative travel in episode45.
We've given many examples offestivals in episodes 8, 19, 31,
and 43, and spiritual travel inepisode 30, for example.
So I am very interested in whatyou're doing and I think it's
(11:14):
important in this busy world ofours to stop to think about our
past, to appreciate nature andhonor it, and we can achieve it
through tours like yours.
So thank you for Kind Human.
I would like to ask you thoughthe name of the podcast is
Places I Remember.
So, Andres, do you have onespecial memory you want to share
with us of travel?
It could be anything at all inyour life.
(11:36):
We'd love to hear it.
Andres (11:37):
Well, I have to say that , in terms of what it connected
me with this place in the Andes,a little beyond traveling, just
exactly what we offer in KindHuman is an experience that I
have here in the Andes that Iwas invited to a Carpay.
Carpay is an initiationceremony in the feet of a huge
(11:58):
glacier in the south of Peru,close to Cusco, that is called
Auzangate.
So I was invited by a localpampamisayo, that is a Nquero,
local shaman.
It's, in worldwide words,shaman which is rough, but it's
a Nquero, a pampamisayo, that isa Nkero, a local shaman.
Okay, it's in worldwide words,shaman which is rough, but it's
a.
Lea Lane (12:14):
Kero, okay, a Pampamisayo, a spiritual leader
of some sort?
Yes, exactly.
Andres (12:17):
And I was led by him to the feet of this mountain.
For one day I spent half of thenight myself in the middle of
nowhere, connecting with notonly the big glacier.
That was no moon night,absolutely dark but not only
that I was looking at the mostbeautiful constellations and
(12:40):
Milky Way, because that was adark, clear night as I never
seen in my life.
And, of course, being there bymyself in the feet of this huge
mountain, close to 18,000 feethigh, it makes you feel so tiny
but so humble at the same time.
So it was a huge memory in myhead about going to a place that
(13:03):
is new for me but at the sametime so close and connecting me
in an even deeper level to whatbeyond this is still alive.
This is part of the ancientculture, you know, part of the
ancient culture.
Lea Lane (13:16):
What a beautiful memory.
Thank you for sharing and thankyou for creating Kind Human
Travel.
Andres (13:23):
Thank you so much for the invitation.
Lea Lane (13:33):
We've just talked about kind travel.
Now let's talk with hospitalityprofessional and travel blogger
, Amanda Burk, the creator ofBalanced Travel, a digital
community that encouragesmindful travel experiences that
go beyond tourism, with a strongfocus on local cultures,
sustainability and work-lifebalance.
Welcome, amanda, to Places IRemember.
(13:53):
Thank you for having me Welltell us about your company.
What does it do exactly?
Amanda (14:00):
Well, actually we are looking to foster a strong
community where we bringlike-minded individuals together
that enjoy traveling and moreimmersive experience.
So really getting your feet wetand learning about the
destination that you're in, thatmeans something a little bit
(14:22):
different for everyone.
Some people it does meanactually volunteering.
It means checking out thegrocery stores, seeing the
schools or going to farmer'smarket.
Immersive means somethingdifferent for everyone, but I
think really the goal is puttingtogether like-minded
individuals that want to kind ofbring more to travel than just
(14:44):
what the brochures might say.
(Balance travel is that how youwould define it?
Sure and balance the way thatword came about when we were
brainstorming for the name forthe blog.
I come from the luxury travelmarket and sometimes that word
can turn people off.
I think balance is a luxury andthat just kind of evolved from
(15:07):
that because, while luxury doeshave certain connotations, for
some people like me, just havinga comfy bed is luxury.
I may not need a butler service, but you know, and it's very
important, I think, when we'retraveling, to find that balance,
finding that connection withourself, and we're getting
something to bring back to ourlives and to our day-to-day
(15:30):
interactions, bringing peopletogether and building a
community around like-mindedindividuals that are interested
in exploring more, a new way totravel and you do learn so much
more.
There's so much to learn aboutdifferent communities and people
.
Lea Lane (15:47):
Let's further discuss your three major elements of
balanced travel.
First, ecotourism.
What can travelers do to reducethe negative impact that
tourism can have on theenvironment?
Amanda (15:57):
Being more aware of the destinations that you're going
to.
We recently spoke and did ablog about sustainability
practices with just toiletryitems and just like when you go
to a hotel and you think, oh,I'll just bring back all those
lotions and shampoos and things.
Those bottles are not able tobe recycled.
(16:20):
A lot of hotels now you'll findare going to vessels or larger
items that can be refilled and Ithink just being a little more
mindful of something as simpleas that is don't bring back 20
bottles, and that might soundsimple, but it all adds up.
A perfect example of whatecotourism can be just awareness
, and you can compliment a hotelor a lodge that does it, or ask
(16:44):
one that doesn't do it to do it.
Lea Lane (16:46):
Exactly that's what you can do, just in a tiny way.
Amanda (16:49):
You don't have to change the world in one little step,
and in our community, we're notabout preaching to people or
telling people they're doing itwrong.
It's just sharing like-mindedideas and principles and
learning from each other and howwe can do better and how we can
make a difference.
And that's a great point, Likeyou said, letting businesses
(17:09):
know what you like and what youdon't like.
All of this together.
No one has one correct answer.
Lea Lane (17:16):
Exactly, I think.
When you have a tour operator,you can ask for green hotels,
that kind of thing.
Just speak out, be mindful, beaware.
Now tourism has become anessential aspect of economic
growth and development.
Many places rely on tourismdollars to survive.
How can travelers practicesocial responsibility when they
travel?
Amanda (17:35):
Being very aware of the communities and the areas that
you're going to, perhaps knowingthere's things that they need.
If you're going to anothercountry, for example and it's
not about being the savior.
Big businesses are trying tomake a difference.
Some hotels, for example, dooffer programs like Pack for
(17:57):
Purpose, and if you're goinginto a certain country, they may
have items or things that theyneed that you can bring with you
on your program or even Amazonlists.
Some smaller communities, likeAcomal, where I'm in now in
Mexico, the schools are fundedmainly by donations, and so
there's things that you wouldn'tnecessarily know about unless
(18:19):
you've already been to the area,or you know someone that's been
to the area.
But they have an Amazon listfor things that the kids need at
the school.
So throw some crayons in yourbag or some construction paper
are ways that we can make adifference.
We are going for vacation andit does mean something different
for everyone.
There is spend some time on thebeach dropping off some donated
(18:42):
items at a school.
It makes everyone feel good.
Lea Lane (18:45):
Absolutely.
Schools love when you come inand spend a day speaking English
or whatever language with thestudents.
I've done that in the DominicanRepublic.
Small thing, but it makes youfeel so good too.
It balances out your trip.
You can have the most luxuriousor wonderful trip, but it adds
to it when you help out.
Amanda (19:02):
It does, and it's a great thing to expose our son to
.
We've been very blessed thatwe've really exposed him to the
world abroad.
I mean we've traveled since hewas born.
I feel like the immersive, thekind travel that you've been
speaking as something that we'vereally just become very
passionate about in these pastfew years.
Lea Lane (19:22):
It's wonderful.
The third element of balancedtravel, as you say, it is local
culture, focusing on it.
How do we focus on it?
What can we do?
Small things again to go local?
Amanda (19:33):
Sure.
To speak of Mexico and where Iam.
I have just been so blessed tobe surrounded by the Mayan
community here.
When you allow yourself to beimmersed in a culture -- not
everyone has several months orseveral weeks to spend on
vacation -- If you know thatyou're going somewhere and
(19:56):
reading up and educatingyourself on the history
somewhere new, educate myself onthe history and the people and
the cultures.
If you are able to talk topeople that have been there, ask
the locals what three things doyou wish tourists or visitors
knew before they would come intoyour community?
What do you wish that we knewor what could we do better, be
(20:18):
better visitors.
Lea Lane (20:19):
I think it's always good to learn a few words of the
language.
'Thank you, 'Please.
That sort of thing, that's forsure.
But learn a little bit more.
Even it would be wonderful, andI think when you get there, if
you just shop at the localvendors and eat the local food
and stay in the local haciendasor wherever, rather than the
chain hotels.
These are small things onceagain, but it starts with just
(20:40):
being aware and mindful.
Let's hear some specific tips.
I know that I love to go tolocal festivals and participate
in the cultural activities.
There's nothing better than tojoin in.
And again, you might have tolook up when the festivals are
and choose to travel during thattime to find the time when
there are wonderful things tosee and do and immerse yourself
(21:01):
in it.
These are traditions thatpreserve the culture for future
generations.
Balanced travel We've talkedabout this a lot -- to choose
trains over planes and bikesover cars and try to keep the
carbon down and just be aware ofthat.
And if you're going to abeautiful place, balance it with
a little bit of an off thebeaten path.
You don't have to rough it, butif you balance it out a bit
(21:22):
it's more fun.
You don't always have to gohigh end or even low end.
Just maybe one day change, feelit more.
What about other things you canthink of specifically?
Amanda (21:31):
Sure you mentioned festivals.
One of the things I'm a foodlover.
I love street food in farmer'smarkets and one of the easiest
ways to connect with a communityand make friends is with food.
It doesn't matter where you are, what part of the world good
things.
Lea Lane (21:47):
Nothing more beautiful than a farmer's market or a
great market in a town and thecolors and the smells and the
feeling of happiness when peopleare walking.
You can find out about placesto share food at Airbnb
Experiences.
It links travelers with localswho want to share a meal.
That's another way to do it.
If you could go into a home,there are places that will
connect you.
We'll have these links in theshow notes.
(22:08):
Food is your thing.
Also, if you have a local guideand tell them your interests,
they can try to connect youbefore your trip.
Maybe you like to birdwatch orrun or whatever it may be.
There are groups likegorunningtours.
com or athelink.
com birdingpal.
org Fun to do things with othersall around the world that share
your interests, and I wouldlove people to follow my blog.
Amanda (22:34):
That's what we're looking to as well, because a
lot of these things, like youmentioned, you don't necessarily
know where the best streettacos are because he doesn't
have a website.
Right, we have our Instafollowers and then our blog as
well to have this community.
Hey, I'm going to Akumal.
Where's the best street tacos?
Oh, it's the third stall, pastthe turtle.
Like-minded individuals.
You can pop questions into thegroup, Because a lot of the
(22:56):
things that are very immersivethere aren't necessarily
websites and things.
So that's what I really want tohave a diverse community where
you can pop in and ask questionsand find about a festival that
you stumble upon.
Word of mouth is how we canstay loci.
Lea Lane (23:16):
And your blog, balancetravelcom.
The name of the podcast isPlaces I Remember.
So, Amanda, would you pleaseshare one of your special travel
memories?
Amanda (23:24):
You know.
I thank you for asking becauseI think this memory is what
started my love of travel.
It means a lot to me to be ableto share this.
My grandmother took me toEurope when I was seven years
old.
It changed my life.
I went to Europe to visit myfather for the first time.
He was stationed over there.
(23:45):
We flew into Germany.
I'll never forget being alittle girl and seeing the tile
roofs.
I grew up in a really smalltown in East Texas and I had
never seen.
It absolutely changed my lifethe next morning when I woke up
and realized that there was apastry truck that drove around
and brought you fresh applestrudel.
From that moment that I gotback, I knew I was born to
(24:09):
travel and I haven't stoppedtraveling since.
I'm so grateful to mygrandmother for that very first
trip.
I hope that I've done the samefor my son.
He has a very well-usedpassport.
I think her taking me on thatvery first trip has set the
course for everything that I am.
Lea Lane (24:27):
Beautiful memory and I'm sure your son will have some
of you as well.
Throughout the episode, travelexperts Andres Adasmi with Kind
Travel and Amanda Burke withBalance Travel have shown us
that by reconnecting to our pastwe can better shape the future,
and by being mindful andmoving just a bit out of our
comfort zone, we can experiencedeeper pleasures as we travel.
(24:48):
Thank you very much, Amanda.
Amanda (24:50):
Thank you for having me.
Safe travels.
We're living in extraordinary times.
We're traveling all over theworld, but trying to keep up
with the ever-increasing pace ofnew technologies, we often lose
touch with the rhythms ofnature and also with the wisdom
of our ancestors, which islinked to those rhythms.
We're so busy taking Instagramshots that we're often unaware
of the moment, of oursurroundings and our heritage.
(00:22):
On this episode, we have twoguests who specialize in a new
type of travel and show us howto reconnect as we travel.
We'll be speaking to AmandaBurk, the creator of the tour
company Balanced Travel.
Our first guest, Andres Adasme,is the co-founder of Kind Human
, a tour company with the goalof non-touristic travel.
(00:44):
They believe in immersingyourself in the daily life of a
remote community, living thelocal traditions and
reconnecting with the roots ofour shared humanity.
Welcome, Andres, to Places IRemember.
Andres (00:55):
Thank you so much, Lea.
I'm delighted to be herespeaking about what is my
passion, what brought me here toPeru.
Lea Lane (01:02):
Well, we're delighted to have you.
I know you're near Cusco rightnow in Peru, so I think it's a
wonderful place to talk aboutspirituality and all the
beauties of nature.
I know your area well.
Now, your travel company'smission is, in its name Kind
Human.
I think of it as from humankindto kind human.
(01:22):
Why did you choose that name?
Andres (01:27):
Well, that's a great question, Lea, you know that
that is exactly what youmentioned.
It's about turning thehumankind upside down and rewire
.
So the name is coming to changethat humankind into a kind
human.
But not only that.
It's about being rooted andconnected to what we are, what
we were as human beings, and beconnected in the most pristine
(01:50):
in the beginnings of what we are.
Not ever forget that we arehumans, we are part of nature.
Lea Lane (01:56):
Now you call it rooting.
Travel rather than touring.
Please define rooting.
Andres (02:01):
Because, look, I think that touring around the planet
just strolling right is veryirresponsible in the way that
the travel industry is a very,very powerful way of connecting
with people, making contact,making change our minds.
So I believe that, instead ofjust strolling around the planet
, we should be more connectedand in this case speaking about
(02:25):
soft traveling, you know, and inthis case this is slow and soft
it's about connecting with ourroots, where we are, where we
came from.
It's more connected as a tree,bringing the roots as deep as we
can.
That is a very importantconcept that is coming from the
Andean people here in the southof Peru.
Lea Lane (02:47):
You share the belief that the smallest and most
remote communities are thekeepers of the most authentic
wisdom?
Tell us more about that.
Andres (02:54):
Correct.
You know, in my experienceliving here in Peru for the last
20 years in fact, I am Chileanby birth because of my interest,
I went to this very farsecluded community called
Choquecanta, where I made morethan just friends, I made family
and I started for many waysconnecting back with our roots,
(03:15):
and probably the most deep onewas with this community that are
450 families only four hoursaway from Cusco, and this place
connected me in that deep level.
That is being grateful, andthese people are still grateful
every day for harvesting, forseeding, for the rain, for the
(03:35):
night, for your house, for youranimals.
Go back and rewind myself interms of just moving forward.
Lea Lane (03:42):
And you use that philosophy in your tours.
You take people to smallcommunities and try to engage
with the people and help thepeople.
And how does that work with atour?
Andres (03:52):
That's exactly the point behind these itineraries in a
connection with the families andwith local people.
So the idea is that the guestsare going to receive, are going
to be enriched.
So these kind of journeys arean education of the heart.
Be sustainable, you need tolove, so these people love their
place, the main way ofconnecting back with what we are
(04:14):
.
Lea Lane (04:14):
What specifically, for example, would you be doing
during a day, part of a tour?
Would you be in the communityworking with?
Andres (04:21):
Yes, it's also working a social plan in the community,
working with yes, it's alsoworking a social plan.
So our guests are invited to bepart of that work that we're
going to be planning day by day,not only when our passengers
arrive.
So the activities in the day byday.
For example, one day we'regoing to have the crops, farms,
right, and all the ancienttechniques of farming.
So we're going to spend thewhole day with a family that is
(04:43):
taking us to their field,probably an hour away from town.
So we're going to spend thewhole day with a family that is
taking us to their field,probably an hour away from town.
So we need to hike to this spotwhere we're going to get our
hands in the field, in the soil,and feel that it's not about
going only to the supermarketand open a fridge and take the
lettuce.
You put the hands.
So that's the first experience,right, and then it's sharing
(05:04):
with them the moment to be therein earth, because it's not only
about you know harvesting andgo home.
They make a little ceremony,they take care of their land
right, they know if it's goingto be rainy or not, they know
where they are, what it meansthat you understand your field,
your environment, the weatherconditions, and that is also
(05:25):
part of this experience.
Lea Lane (05:27):
Is it a difficult experience in terms of how
physical do you have to be?
I assume you have to be mobile,Look it is for everyone.
Andres (05:34):
It's not that it's going to be a really challenging
experience to move around.
No, it's not.
We're going with local familiesthat sometimes they go with
their kids, you know, in theirbags, with their animals.
So, day by day, we want toexplore these different ways
that they connect to what theyare.
You know, also, seeing the sky,right, understanding how the
(05:54):
rhythm, the cycles of the skyare also landed from these
people.
You know in the past, theirarchitecture, mythology,
symbology, et cetera.
Lea Lane (06:02):
Sounds very organic, everything together in nature
and community, which is a verynice way to learn and to enjoy.
Now you mentioned soft tourism.
I've never heard that.
It's a beautiful expression, Idon't know.
Is it popular and I justhaven't heard it, or did you
make it up?
Andres (06:18):
I think I just make it up.
I love it Soft is because Idon't want to be invasive to
this community.
It's not that I'm going to getthousands of people going there,
so the point is to protect.
It's a fine balance between howmany people should I bring to
this community.
Lea Lane (06:35):
How many people is ideal, do you think?
Andres (06:38):
I think that it could be maybe one group of 12 maximum
every 45 days, so not even oncea month, right?
One group of 12 maximum every45 days, so not even once a
month, right?
So also, it's good to go in thedry season between March and
September and October, right tosee the sky, to understand the
Milky Way, that connection withthe night is also amazing.
Lea Lane (06:57):
I know Dark sky travel is so popular.
It's beautiful, so soft.
Andres (07:03):
It's also a term right, that being not aggressive with
the community, supportive andcollaborative reciprocity.
So this is about that core ofkind human Well, I know of soft
adventure.
Lea Lane (07:15):
That's something I enjoy.
It's not too hard.
I would go like river raftingand then level three or
something.
But the soft travel here is adifferent concept that I really
like.
I know about travel slowly,slow travel.
That's a wonderful concept.
I have been doing it myself moreand more.
It's a part of the sustainabletourism family.
(07:35):
It takes you around withoutrushing.
You take in the sights, you getto know a place better, you eat
the food, listen to the music,listen to the stories.
So it's very connected to whatyou're saying and I've been
doing that.
As I said, I recently went to atown called Spello in Umbria in
Italy and spent instead ofgoing around and around all over
(07:56):
the place, we spent two weeksin one place.
It's a tiny town, got to knowthe people there, benefited from
that.
I reduced the carbon footprint,I had a deeper understanding, I
found out what the locals love.
So I am all in on this, andthis summer we're renting a
house in the Finger Lakes andstaying even longer.
So this idea of sustainabletravel and being aware is very,
(08:20):
very much on people's minds now,and it should be.
Where are you going besidesPeru?
What are the plans for futuretours?
Andres (08:28):
Well, future tours are also moving into destinations
that are going to be connectedwith the same philosophy of the
kind human in Peru.
So that means that not everydestination in the world will be
much for what we offer.
So for now, we're planningmoving along the different
cultures in the Andes, thatmeans in the Andes range, all
(08:51):
around, all around.
So we're going to start nowwith Guatemala, right?
So Guatemala and the Mayas, theheart of the Mayas and the
Petén area in the northeast.
It's very, very secluded yet,yes, beautiful.
Lea Lane (09:05):
You might see a jaguar .
(You probably can, verysecluded yet yes, beautiful, you
might see a jaguar.
You probably can see a jaguar.
Andres (09:09):
Yes, you might, yeah, you might.
So it's a very unexplored andsuper interesting area.
Of course.
Then the other one, close toMexico, right with the Aztecs
and Toltecs and Olmecs, right,and then, if you go much to
north, Anasazi, right In theborder of Mexico and planning
(09:30):
doing this saga of the Andean.
Ancient civilizations were alllooking for the roots of
humankind, so in this case, thespine of America, right.
It's intertwined andinterconnected with this ancient
site and and civilizations.
They're all also speak the samelanguage in terms of astronomy,
(09:53):
architecture, right, so they'reall connected in some way.
And then moving, you know,farther, of course, one of my
interpersonal interests from thebeginning is Egypt.
So the next destination alsowill be Egypt.
So it will be Peru, Guatemalaand Egypt as a triangle of
ancient civilizations, andfollowed by the saga of the
(10:16):
Andes, that will be Anasazi,Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayas, Incas,
Paracas and Tiahuanacos inTiticaca, Tiahuanacotas and
Mapuche in the south of Chileand Argentina.
That's the full spine.
Lea Lane (10:33):
That's wonderful.
It's a very interesting area ofthe world.
I know we have featured manyepisodes that talk about
spiritual travel, green traveland so forth.
About nature, we've talkedabout the gorillas in Rwanda,
where I went recently thatepisode 81.
Safaris in the Serengeti inepisode 26,.
Green travel in episode 12.
(10:53):
Gardens in episode 68.
Parks in 63.
Regenerative travel in episode45.
We've given many examples offestivals in episodes 8, 19, 31,
and 43, and spiritual travel inepisode 30, for example.
So I am very interested in whatyou're doing and I think it's
(11:14):
important in this busy world ofours to stop to think about our
past, to appreciate nature andhonor it, and we can achieve it
through tours like yours.
So thank you for Kind Human.
I would like to ask you thoughthe name of the podcast is
Places I Remember.
So, Andres, do you have onespecial memory you want to share
with us of travel?
It could be anything at all inyour life.
(11:36):
We'd love to hear it.
Andres (11:37):
Well, I have to say that , in terms of what it connected
me with this place in the Andes,a little beyond traveling, just
exactly what we offer in KindHuman is an experience that I
have here in the Andes that Iwas invited to a Carpay.
Carpay is an initiationceremony in the feet of a huge
(11:58):
glacier in the south of Peru,close to Cusco, that is called
Auzangate.
So I was invited by a localpampamisayo, that is a Nquero,
local shaman.
It's, in worldwide words,shaman which is rough, but it's
a Nquero, a pampamisayo, that isa Nkero, a local shaman.
Okay, it's in worldwide words,shaman which is rough, but it's
a.
Lea Lane (12:14):
Kero, okay, a Pampamisayo, a spiritual leader
of some sort?
Yes, exactly.
Andres (12:17):
And I was led by him to the feet of this mountain.
For one day I spent half of thenight myself in the middle of
nowhere, connecting with notonly the big glacier.
That was no moon night,absolutely dark but not only
that I was looking at the mostbeautiful constellations and
(12:40):
Milky Way, because that was adark, clear night as I never
seen in my life.
And, of course, being there bymyself in the feet of this huge
mountain, close to 18,000 feethigh, it makes you feel so tiny
but so humble at the same time.
So it was a huge memory in myhead about going to a place that
(13:03):
is new for me but at the sametime so close and connecting me
in an even deeper level to whatbeyond this is still alive.
This is part of the ancientculture, you know, part of the
ancient culture.
Lea Lane (13:16):
What a beautiful memory.
Thank you for sharing and thankyou for creating Kind Human
Travel.
Andres (13:23):
Thank you so much for the invitation.
Lea Lane (13:33):
We've just talked about kind travel.
Now let's talk with hospitalityprofessional and travel blogger
, Amanda Burk, the creator ofBalanced Travel, a digital
community that encouragesmindful travel experiences that
go beyond tourism, with a strongfocus on local cultures,
sustainability and work-lifebalance.
Welcome, amanda, to Places IRemember.
(13:53):
Thank you for having me Welltell us about your company.
What does it do exactly?
Amanda (14:00):
Well, actually we are looking to foster a strong
community where we bringlike-minded individuals together
that enjoy traveling and moreimmersive experience.
So really getting your feet wetand learning about the
destination that you're in, thatmeans something a little bit
(14:22):
different for everyone.
Some people it does meanactually volunteering.
It means checking out thegrocery stores, seeing the
schools or going to farmer'smarket.
Immersive means somethingdifferent for everyone, but I
think really the goal is puttingtogether like-minded
individuals that want to kind ofbring more to travel than just
(14:44):
what the brochures might say.
(Balance travel is that how youwould define it?
Sure and balance the way thatword came about when we were
brainstorming for the name forthe blog.
I come from the luxury travelmarket and sometimes that word
can turn people off.
I think balance is a luxury andthat just kind of evolved from
(15:07):
that because, while luxury doeshave certain connotations, for
some people like me, just havinga comfy bed is luxury.
I may not need a butler service, but you know, and it's very
important, I think, when we'retraveling, to find that balance,
finding that connection withourself, and we're getting
something to bring back to ourlives and to our day-to-day
(15:30):
interactions, bringing peopletogether and building a
community around like-mindedindividuals that are interested
in exploring more, a new way totravel and you do learn so much
more.
There's so much to learn aboutdifferent communities and people
.
Lea Lane (15:47):
Let's further discuss your three major elements of
balanced travel.
First, ecotourism.
What can travelers do to reducethe negative impact that
tourism can have on theenvironment?
Amanda (15:57):
Being more aware of the destinations that you're going
to.
We recently spoke and did ablog about sustainability
practices with just toiletryitems and just like when you go
to a hotel and you think, oh,I'll just bring back all those
lotions and shampoos and things.
Those bottles are not able tobe recycled.
(16:20):
A lot of hotels now you'll findare going to vessels or larger
items that can be refilled and Ithink just being a little more
mindful of something as simpleas that is don't bring back 20
bottles, and that might soundsimple, but it all adds up.
A perfect example of whatecotourism can be just awareness
, and you can compliment a hotelor a lodge that does it, or ask
(16:44):
one that doesn't do it to do it.
Lea Lane (16:46):
Exactly that's what you can do, just in a tiny way.
Amanda (16:49):
You don't have to change the world in one little step,
and in our community, we're notabout preaching to people or
telling people they're doing itwrong.
It's just sharing like-mindedideas and principles and
learning from each other and howwe can do better and how we can
make a difference.
And that's a great point, Likeyou said, letting businesses
(17:09):
know what you like and what youdon't like.
All of this together.
No one has one correct answer.
Lea Lane (17:16):
Exactly, I think.
When you have a tour operator,you can ask for green hotels,
that kind of thing.
Just speak out, be mindful, beaware.
Now tourism has become anessential aspect of economic
growth and development.
Many places rely on tourismdollars to survive.
How can travelers practicesocial responsibility when they
travel?
Amanda (17:35):
Being very aware of the communities and the areas that
you're going to, perhaps knowingthere's things that they need.
If you're going to anothercountry, for example and it's
not about being the savior.
Big businesses are trying tomake a difference.
Some hotels, for example, dooffer programs like Pack for
(17:57):
Purpose, and if you're goinginto a certain country, they may
have items or things that theyneed that you can bring with you
on your program or even Amazonlists.
Some smaller communities, likeAcomal, where I'm in now in
Mexico, the schools are fundedmainly by donations, and so
there's things that you wouldn'tnecessarily know about unless
(18:19):
you've already been to the area,or you know someone that's been
to the area.
But they have an Amazon listfor things that the kids need at
the school.
So throw some crayons in yourbag or some construction paper
are ways that we can make adifference.
We are going for vacation andit does mean something different
for everyone.
There is spend some time on thebeach dropping off some donated
(18:42):
items at a school.
It makes everyone feel good.
Lea Lane (18:45):
Absolutely.
Schools love when you come inand spend a day speaking English
or whatever language with thestudents.
I've done that in the DominicanRepublic.
Small thing, but it makes youfeel so good too.
It balances out your trip.
You can have the most luxuriousor wonderful trip, but it adds
to it when you help out.
Amanda (19:02):
It does, and it's a great thing to expose our son to
.
We've been very blessed thatwe've really exposed him to the
world abroad.
I mean we've traveled since hewas born.
I feel like the immersive, thekind travel that you've been
speaking as something that we'vereally just become very
passionate about in these pastfew years.
Lea Lane (19:22):
It's wonderful.
The third element of balancedtravel, as you say, it is local
culture, focusing on it.
How do we focus on it?
What can we do?
Small things again to go local?
Amanda (19:33):
Sure.
To speak of Mexico and where Iam.
I have just been so blessed tobe surrounded by the Mayan
community here.
When you allow yourself to beimmersed in a culture -- not
everyone has several months orseveral weeks to spend on
vacation -- If you know thatyou're going somewhere and
(19:56):
reading up and educatingyourself on the history
somewhere new, educate myself onthe history and the people and
the cultures.
If you are able to talk topeople that have been there, ask
the locals what three things doyou wish tourists or visitors
knew before they would come intoyour community?
What do you wish that we knewor what could we do better, be
(20:18):
better visitors.
Lea Lane (20:19):
I think it's always good to learn a few words of the
language.
'Thank you, 'Please.
That sort of thing, that's forsure.
But learn a little bit more.
Even it would be wonderful, andI think when you get there, if
you just shop at the localvendors and eat the local food
and stay in the local haciendasor wherever, rather than the
chain hotels.
These are small things onceagain, but it starts with just
(20:40):
being aware and mindful.
Let's hear some specific tips.
I know that I love to go tolocal festivals and participate
in the cultural activities.
There's nothing better than tojoin in.
And again, you might have tolook up when the festivals are
and choose to travel during thattime to find the time when
there are wonderful things tosee and do and immerse yourself
(21:01):
in it.
These are traditions thatpreserve the culture for future
generations.
Balanced travel We've talkedabout this a lot -- to choose
trains over planes and bikesover cars and try to keep the
carbon down and just be aware ofthat.
And if you're going to abeautiful place, balance it with
a little bit of an off thebeaten path.
You don't have to rough it, butif you balance it out a bit
(21:22):
it's more fun.
You don't always have to gohigh end or even low end.
Just maybe one day change, feelit more.
What about other things you canthink of specifically?
Amanda (21:31):
Sure you mentioned festivals.
One of the things I'm a foodlover.
I love street food in farmer'smarkets and one of the easiest
ways to connect with a communityand make friends is with food.
It doesn't matter where you are, what part of the world good
things.
Lea Lane (21:47):
Nothing more beautiful than a farmer's market or a
great market in a town and thecolors and the smells and the
feeling of happiness when peopleare walking.
You can find out about placesto share food at Airbnb
Experiences.
It links travelers with localswho want to share a meal.
That's another way to do it.
If you could go into a home,there are places that will
connect you.
We'll have these links in theshow notes.
(22:08):
Food is your thing.
Also, if you have a local guideand tell them your interests,
they can try to connect youbefore your trip.
Maybe you like to birdwatch orrun or whatever it may be.
There are groups likegorunningtours.
com or athelink.
com birdingpal.
org Fun to do things with othersall around the world that share
your interests, and I wouldlove people to follow my blog.
Amanda (22:34):
That's what we're looking to as well, because a
lot of these things, like youmentioned, you don't necessarily
know where the best streettacos are because he doesn't
have a website.
Right, we have our Instafollowers and then our blog as
well to have this community.
Hey, I'm going to Akumal.
Where's the best street tacos?
Oh, it's the third stall, pastthe turtle.
Like-minded individuals.
You can pop questions into thegroup, Because a lot of the
(22:56):
things that are very immersivethere aren't necessarily
websites and things.
So that's what I really want tohave a diverse community where
you can pop in and ask questionsand find about a festival that
you stumble upon.
Word of mouth is how we canstay loci.
Lea Lane (23:16):
And your blog, balancetravelcom.
The name of the podcast isPlaces I Remember.
So, Amanda, would you pleaseshare one of your special travel
memories?
Amanda (23:24):
You know.
I thank you for asking becauseI think this memory is what
started my love of travel.
It means a lot to me to be ableto share this.
My grandmother took me toEurope when I was seven years
old.
It changed my life.
I went to Europe to visit myfather for the first time.
He was stationed over there.
(23:45):
We flew into Germany.
I'll never forget being alittle girl and seeing the tile
roofs.
I grew up in a really smalltown in East Texas and I had
never seen.
It absolutely changed my lifethe next morning when I woke up
and realized that there was apastry truck that drove around
and brought you fresh applestrudel.
From that moment that I gotback, I knew I was born to
(24:09):
travel and I haven't stoppedtraveling since.
I'm so grateful to mygrandmother for that very first
trip.
I hope that I've done the samefor my son.
He has a very well-usedpassport.
I think her taking me on thatvery first trip has set the
course for everything that I am.
Lea Lane (24:27):
Beautiful memory and I'm sure your son will have some
of you as well.
Throughout the episode, travelexperts Andres Adasmi with Kind
Travel and Amanda Burke withBalance Travel have shown us
that by reconnecting to our pastwe can better shape the future,
and by being mindful andmoving just a bit out of our
comfort zone, we can experiencedeeper pleasures as we travel.
(24:48):
Thank you very much, Amanda.
Amanda (24:50):
Thank you for having me.
Safe travels.
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