Monday, January 5, 2009

eco honeymoon


we have not been able to take a honeymoon for three reasons:

one:  work.
two:  travel (airplanes, more specifically) is a huge pollutant.
three:  we donated the money that we had saved for our honeymoon to the NO ON PROP 8 campaign.

now that i can take a break from work in march, obstacle one is out of the way, so lately i've been dreaming about a honeymoon again.   i really feel like i would like to get away from los angeles, the car, the dogs, work, the tv, computer, etc. but i'm very torn about travel.  that brings me to obstacle two: 

travel is the worst for the environment & although i know we can buy carbon credits, it still makes me weary to fly and contribute to all that pollution.  i've looked into amazing places in our own state (we do live in beautiful california, after all!) that we can drive to (i run my car on biodiesel, so not as much of a pollution concern) or that we could take the train to.  i've always wanted to take the train, maybe just up the coast to santa barbara...

that said, i've been dreaming about visiting these lovely eco cabanas in tulum, mexico.  they are free from phones, tv's, internet and no electricity.  they are very rustic, right on the beautiful beach.  i've visited tulum before, for one day when i was in cancun scouting and i've always wanted to go back.  i've also had friends who've visited there and even lived there & they have raved about it and they were the ones who recommended cabanas copal.  there is an on-site spa, where they do in-room massages and yoga on premises every morning at 7:30 am.  dreamy.  (they are even gay-friendly!  they've performed same-sex marriages at their resort & they have a gay flag on their website.)  patty has never been to mexico & i've shown her the website--she thinks it looks great.  she's not as excited about the no tv, but it's our honeymoon, after all.  and it's fairly inexpensive, which brings me to obstacle three:  money.

i've searched all over for something similar in hawaii, but anything comparable is at least three times as much.  we have a trade worked out with someone for taking care of our dogs, so we don't have to worry about that expense.  we could afford the eco-cabanas, too since they are so reasonable, and i know from experience that mexico is very affordable.  we even have airline miles we can use.

so while i'm very hesitant about the airline travel, i'm really seriously considering the tulum vacation.  i really want to get away from it all, no tv, electronics, etc.  and i think the only way to do that is to completely remove ourselves...while i'd love the train trip, we would still be here with our computers, cell phones, tv's, etc.  i haven't taken a break from work in at least three years and patty and i have NEVER taken a trip like this together...

so i guess i have to look in to carbon off-sets...

9 comments:

Two Chicks Nest said...

We're in the process of trying to figure out our honeymoon too so thank you for your post. I am intrigued by Eco Tulum. What are the places in Hawaii that you mentioned?

Rebecca said...

wow, the cabanas look beautiful! one of my big resolutions for 2009 is to have more fun and encourage others to as well--I hope you two get to get away and enjoy!

christina said...

n, that's part of the problem. i can't really find anything comparable. the closest i can find is this place:
http://www.konavillage.com/Default.aspx

but it's very expensive. most everything i can find in hawaii is either VERY rustic, like small b&b's (not excited about that if not gay-friendly) or big hotels. it's also hard to find nice beachfront places in hawaii...but i'll let you know if i find anything!

Two Chicks Nest said...

Thanks for the info. We started out wanting to go to Curacao, but it's quite pricey coming from the West Coast though very gay friendly. Lately, we were thinking Hawaii, but it's expensive. The last time we visited we camped, this time I want luxury. We hadn't really considered Mexico, but now that's on our list too. No wonder I didn't want to think about this when planning the wedding. This is hard!

Anonymous said...

These photos are wonderful

cara said...

Oh I'm so jealous that you are so close to somewhere as stunning as Mexico. And that you live in California for that matter. If the carbon it would take for me and the husband to get from Scotland to those cabins wasn't equal to that used by one of the smaller African nations in one year I'd be there in a shot.


One and two are the reasons we haven't had a honeymoon. Neither of us can bear to fly but I'm so desperate to go somewhere warm that it hurts.

Anonymous said...

These look simply stunning, and it sounds like you've really done your research to make your honeymoon as environmentally and financially feasible as possible. though I do completely feel you on the airline travel dilemma...

still, I hope that you guys take the trip as you really do deserve the time away. this past fall was so tumultuous, and think of all the lifetime memories that such a journey would create for the two of you!

oh, and p.s. if you go, can I stow away in your suitcases? i promise once we get there i'll just disappear to the beach the whole trip...you'll never even know i'm there ;)

christina said...

@n: yes, i feel like planning the honeymoon is almost more difficult than the wedding itself!!

@rebecca: thanks!!!

@peonies: well, you do have spain & italy, which is where we'd LOVE to go...but like you said, the crazy carbon off-sets for the trans-atlantic flight!! thanks for reminding me to be grateful for what we do have here, close to home!!

@anne: thanks, good point! i didn't even think of all our emotional drama we had this fall. great excuse to get away!! counting my blessings...
and my suitcase is HUGE, i'm sure i wouldn't notice, i'm such an over-packer!!

comfies said...

you're such a good example of how to live mindfully. and i'm very interested in your views on what's happening in the world, politically and otherwise! i know this was originally intended as a wedding blog, but i'll gladly take whatever you decide to dish up...oh and happy new year!
xox.