Travel Blog

The concept of travel is shaped by things with meaning and love.

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ABOUT ME

Hi I'm Sue Quelch!

As the author of Sue Q's World.
It is my personal blog about
travel, extraordinary destinations, our environment,
sustainable concepts
and everyday moments from all
over the world.

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Environment Blog

The Earth is what we all have in common.

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Environment, Travel

What a Juxtaposition!

South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Whale Conservation – Versus – Iceland Begins Whale Hunting as of 1st September 2023!!

This week marks the safe return of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Quest crow’s nest, to its home in the crypt of All Hallows by the Tower of London, following its exhibition travels to Athy, Ireland and Grytviken, South Georgia.

While we celebrate that return along with many of man’s GREATEST qualities that are to be found in the Shackleton endeavours, with an event that supports the continued conservation work of SGHT largely including whales, I can’t help but contemplate the juxtaposition of the Icelandic governments decision to go forward with the whale hunting this season, eliminating Fin whales in a most barbaric and cruel way. The WORST of man’s qualities around this decision!

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Travel

Scotland: 10 Five Star Hotels (mostly), 22 days (Part 6) – The Good!

Champagne Greeting and Welcome Smiles

Find out why some of the most expensive hotels in Scotland aren’t always good value. Read up on hotels that have taken action to be more sustainable, and those that still have a way to go. Use the information to help plan your own road trip up the west coast of Scotland.

‘THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY’

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Travel

Scotland: 10 Five Star Hotels (mostly), 22 days (Part 6) – The Ugly!

The Torridon – When a 5 Star should be a 3 Star!

Find out why some of the most expensive hotels in Scotland aren’t always good value. Read up on hotels that have taken action to be more sustainable, and those that still have a way to go. Use the information to help plan your own road trip up the west coast of Scotland.

‘THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY’

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Environment, Travel

Landaa Happy Eggs

… multi-international chickens, beautiful gardens build staff moral

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 7 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

A fun topic for this last in the series, but still has purpose. Four Seasons have a very rounded approach, its not just the environment they have a commitment to but people as well and they are well known for the emphasis they put on their staff welfare.  Here is a little insight into one of the staff areas at Landaa Giraavaru and how they came to have Landaa Happy Eggs!

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Environment, Travel

Eliminating R22 Gas…

… and a 22% energy saving

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 6 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

Always looking for ways of becoming more energy efficient, essential air conditioning for the staff quarters, installed over 14 years ago was a potential advocate for significant savings. But a considerable undertaking when you consider they have approx 450 permanent staff plus external third party staff to accommodate.

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Environment

The Collapse of Antarctica …

One of our most precious continents. Subject to and suffering from the increases in temperatures to both oceans and atmosphere. Such significant consequences to so much and so many, as sea levels rise and the Southern Ocean’s currents change with the ice melt from what is the planet’s greatest freshwater reserve.

This short ‘teaser’ film is meant to draw your attention to the dramatic effects that are happening right now.

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Environment

Lets Celebrate the Return of the Whales, but Not Forget Our Past

Why the Grytviken ‘spirit tables’ sculpture is important – a visitors perspective!

Future generations cannot learn from history if we eradicate the visible signs and monuments – that’s my belief. Nothing was more pertinent and obvious to me in South Georgia. The juxtaposition of the beauty and extensive wildlife on its beaches and surrounding ocean, compared to the remains of the Grytviken whaling station, where we nearly wiped out entire whale species, is a case in point. This place has much visible evidence of human devastation on our wildlife. Combining the ‘then and now’ is tricky, but it seems ‘art’ might provide a solution – a way of expressing history, AND showing hope.

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Travel

Scotland: 10 Five Star Hotels (mostly), 22 days (Part 5)

Stepping into the shoes of Queen Victoria

Inverlochy Castle Hotel – 10 out of 10 and a gold star!

Find out why some of the most expensive hotels in Scotland aren’t always good value. Read up on hotels that have taken action to be more sustainable, and those that still have a way to go. Use the information to help plan your own road trip up the west coast of Scotland.

‘THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY’

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Environment, Travel

Being a Good Neighbour, when it comes to Plastics

… 16.7 tons of it!

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 5 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

You couldn’t really say Landaa Giraavaru has neighbours, not in the traditional sense of being right next door! There are some mainly residential islands that are reasonable close though, with Kamadhoo the closest at just under 3 kms away, Kendhoo and Dhonfanu 11kms.  

Which makes it even more noteworthy that they help their neighbouring islands when it comes to plastics.

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Environment, Travel

A New Use for Scrap Glass?

… the ultimate ‘recycling and re-using’ idea!

Sustainable Tourism at Four Seasons Maldives Series, 4 of 7

I am ‘shouting out’ about resorts where I can see they are truly focussed on leaving the world better than they found it. 

Removing much of the ‘stuff’ that creates waste, especially plastic waste, is the strategy at Landaa Giraavaru. The Landaa Spring – covered in the previous blog and video in this series – is a prime example, fresh island water in refillable glass bottles = no single use plastics from that source. Swapping out plastic bottles in guest bathrooms for cute refillable containers and removing plastic bottles from mini bars, means they already have made big headway into reducing waste, with little coming from guest rooms. But at Landaa Giraavaru they go a lot lot further than this.

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