In the summer of 2023 I moved to Scotland from Aotearoa, New Zealand and that same summer I travelled throughout the UK and France entirely via buses and trains.
This was a complete novelty to me. I couldn't believe there were so many incredible places I could access despite no longer owning a car.
Getting to and from almost anywhere in Aotearoa requires a car, and our inter-city bus services dwarf in comparison to the likes of Megabus or Flixbus (both in availability and price). Not to mention we don't have the luxury of having cities and towns interconnected by rail in the same way the UK and Europe do.
I've had the joys of gazing at the moody Scottish highlands through bus windows, crossing the Minch to the Outer Hebrides by ferry and gliding past the lochs and mountains of the West Highland Way via ScotRail…
I've had the joys of gazing at the moody Scottish highlands through bus windows, crossing the Minch to the Outer Hebrides by ferry and gliding past the lochs and mountains of the West Highland Way via ScotRail. And that's without scratching the surface on the European flight-free holidays I've taken! Then in August last year my partner and I decided we wanted to be more immersed in the land that we've come to call home, so now you can find us slowly pootling around the coastlines of Scotland in our van Freida.
I have pledged to go flight-free in 2025 because it aligns with the values that I was raised with. I myself am Pākehā, but I am proud and fortunate to have been raised with mātauranga Māori as a unique part of my identity.
Mātauranga Māori refers to Māori knowledge in its broadest terms. One principle in particular, kaitiakitanga, has been a guiding value of mine throughout my life and one I hold close to me now that I no longer reside in Aotearoa. It cannot and should not be simplistically defined. However, it can be described as the guardianship over land, sky, water and other natural resources for future generations. Te Ao Māori acknowledges that we are a part of te taiao (the environment) and thus should manage our relationships accordingly.
If the principle of kaitiakitanga truly informs my decisions, then it only makes sense for me to pledge to stay grounded in 2025 (just like our namesake, the Kiwi bird does).
It makes sense for me to pledge to stay grounded in 2025 just like our namesake, the Kiwi bird does.
To anyone reading this who has had the privilege of being raised on a continent with extensive grounded transport routes: yes they may be more expensive than we’d like them to be… But, the simple fact that you CAN reach so many places without even having to get in a car (let alone a plane) is incredible.
I hope that reading about flight-free travel from my perspective can inspire you to fall in love all over again with the buses, trains and ferries you have access to.
