Road To Sustainability

Travel vloggers Ronnie and Barty recount their sustainable travels across Manali with a road partner that inspires one to care for the planet.

The word sustainability has a newfound meaning in our vocabularies. While some might use it interchangeably with ‘going green’ and ‘low carbon footprint’, in a broader sense, it means using our resources to fulfill our current needs while leaving plenty behind for future generations. And keeping in mind the significance of being sustainable in today’s day and age, Travel + Leisure India & South Asia, in collaboration with Hyundai KONA Electric, brings Road to Sustainability, a three-part sustainable living series with thought leaders from the fields of travel, food, and lifestyle.

In Part I, we make our way to Manali with the travel duo—Ronnie and Barty—to understand their view on sustainable travel, and how it’s the little things that make all the di erence.

Conscious and Sustainable Travel

“Living a sustainable life isn’t easy, but I think it’s worth the e ort. Through travel and our channel, we get to meet so many di erent people who have varying views of what being sustainable means. People sometimes forget the most basic things that can be easily solved by being conscientious [in our choices],” says Barty. “We’ve travelled extensively over the

last decade and witnessed the beauty this great blue planet has to o er us and are often reminded of how it’s our job to take care of it, the same way it looks after us,” adds Ronnie. This is why the travel vloggers decide to take a road trip through the beautiful landscape of Manali in the Hyundai KONA Electric. Expressing their excitement about driving an electric vehicle through the serpentine roads, Ronnie says, “The Hyundai KONA Electric is like having a personal chariot that transports you to beautiful corners of the mountains you haven’t discovered.” And for this duo, being sustainable and mindful about the way you travel, is non-negotiable.

Why Hyundai KONA Electric?

When it comes to travel and sustainability, Hyundai KONA Electric, India’s first All Electric SUV is the perfect partner to explore any picturesque scenery, including a destination like postcard-perfect Manali. “Since the car can go up to 452 kilometres seamlessly in a single charge, we can literally go anywhere and set up shop and enjoy the view,” emphasises Ronnie.

Travel and Sustainability

When it comes to travel, food is an integral part of the experience. And keeping in mind sustainable practices, local food is an inevitable part of the conversation. A trip to Manali is incomplete without sampling the traditional dishes. And on that note, the couple heads to Kalzang Dhaba. Run by a local couple, the dhaba has been in existence for a long time. Ronnie smiles, “The really special thing [here] is that they grow their own vegetables, even forage for ingredients, and make authentic Himachali cuisine with it that you will probably not find anywhere else.”

Barty chips in, “I think it’s about committing to a decision and then making small choices that hopefully add up. One such choice is finding hidden gems like these that are run by locals.”

As the day of adventure, fun, and exploration comes to an end, and the sun makes a slow exit leaving behind the chilly air, the couple is comfortable in their front ventilated seats.

For the night, the couple checks into GlampEco Manali (glampeco.com) once again choosing a property that’s sustainable and eco-friendly. On a stroll through GlampEco, Ronnie explains, “[At GlampEco], all their wet waste goes to feed the cattle, the lights are powered by solar, and they have almost no usage of single-use plastic. They also have bio-digester units, which are basically toilets that have their own waste disposal system. So essentially, they are not using septic tanks.”

As we bid adieu to the breathtaking landscape of Manali, Ronnie and Barty conclude, “We all have a part to play in keeping our planet safe, so electric vehicles are the most obvious choice for the future—there are electric vehicles already in use for shorter distances in Manali. In a place like this, the Hyundai KONA Electric is a game changer.”

For more info, go to hyundai.com/in

Hyundai KONA Electric is India’s first All Electric SUV and perfect for sustainable journeys. Below: Ronnie and Barty explore Manali in the vehicle.

GlampEco is a sustainable and eco-friendly property in Manali.

Clockwise from above: Sustainability is a non-nogotiable for the travel duo; the vehicle can go upto 452 kilometres in a single charge; Ronnie and Barty explore Manali in the Hyundai KONA Electric.