The summer vacation season began, and as usual, we would have gone anywhere to refresh ourselves, but Coronavirus made it difficult to travel long distances by plane or ship. So Hyundai Motor Company proposes the Microtravel Challenge; this is just to go for a 200-km drive. It is a campaign to visit the suburbs around the city by car, without having to leave this country spending a lot of time and money.
You don't have to go somewhere far every vacation. Why don’t you plan an eco-friendly trip to a nearby place!
There is one more thing that makes the Micro Travel Challenge special; it suggests a journey driving eco-friendly cars such as hydrogen-powered cars, electric vehicles, and hybrid cars. And through this, we can have a glimpse of sustainable travel that can preserve our environment, while enjoying natural sites and foods made from fresh local ingredients. Through the micro-travel campaign, Hyundai will introduce how the travel and photo influencers in Seoul in Korea, Berlin in Germany, and London in the U.K. enjoy their ‘sustainable’ vacation with the eco-friendly cars. Let's take a look at their green journey.
Stefanie Michova × hybrid Sonata @Seoul
It is Korean rapper Beenzino, and Stefanie Michova, a German model/photographer, doing the first Microtravel Challenge.
The celebrities doing the first Microtravel Challenge would be quite familiar to us. It is Korean rapper Beenzino, and Stefanie Michova, a German model/photographer who is currently working in Seoul. They are a global couple who have been together for five years, and they are casually showing affection through social media and also through a television show, even during Beenzino was serving in the military.
The hybrid Sonata helped the lovely couple’s getaway.
Using the weekend, the two left for Yangyang, Gangwon Province, riding the Sonata Hybrid which offers a combined fuel efficiency of 20.1 kilometers/l. On the way, they stopped by Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Gangchon. “As we leave Seoul, it felt as if I was back in Germany,” said Stephanie, who had been stuck in her busy life and Coronavirus.
“As we leave Seoul, it felt as if I was back in Germany,” said Stephanie.
On their way, Stephanie and Beennzino bought some snacks at a stall selling corn and fruits grown nearby and enjoyed local food - Korean traditional pizza, seasoned acorn curd, and traditional rice wine while they’re in Gangwon Province in Pyeongchang. It is part of a sustainable trip that also helps local economy. After they wrapped up their first day looking at the beautiful sunset at Samyang Ranch in Daegwallyeong, the couple headed to Yangyang and stayed at the dog-friendly guest house.
Stephanie and her dog Ggomi enjoyed fresh seafood and coffee in Gangneung, not to mention spending some time at Yangyang Dog-friendly Beach.
The endless horizon and the vast sandy beach was a perfect, peaceful place for the two and their dog Ggomi. After a cup of coffee at a famous coffee shop in Gangneung, soaking their feet in the ocean, and tasting seafood, Stephanie described the journey as a "splendid adventure,” though they only drove for 200 kilometers from Seoul.
Konaction × Nexo @Berlin
The German travel photographer Konrad Langer driving an eco-friendly Nexo went through all the cool places near Berlin.
Then, the German travel photographer Konrad Langer went through the second micro-travel challenge. Konrad, whose account name is ‘Konaction’ on Instagram, has taken wonderful pictures all over the world, but he could not continue his work because of Coronavirus. After months of not leaving Berlin, he decided to explore the wonderful areas near Berlin with an FCEV Nexo.
Imagine what you would feel when you’re looking at the scenery on the lake as the sun and fog rises at the same time.
Nexo, which can run 666 kilometers on a single charge (European standard) without emission while driving, was a perfect travel partner for Konrad, who planned a sustainable eco-friendly journey. After refilling Nexo with hydrogen the day before the departure, Konrad left for southern Berlin at 4 in the next morning. It was to see the sunrise through the mist of Lake Oderiner See.
Conrad enjoying skateboarding in the parking lot at the theme park early morning
Anybody going to Cottbus full of traditional spirit should see the pyramid in the middle of the lake.
Konrad stopped by a theme park near Lake Oderiner and headed for Cottbus. Cottbus, 120 kilometers away from Berlin, is not a famous tourist destination, but it is a place where classic Eastern European-style buildings huddle together to create a wonderful view. Konrad picked the library of Brandenburg Institute of Technology and the pyramids of Furst-Puckler-Park as the must-see attractions in Cottbus.
Konrad said the FCEV Nexo made the trip ‘greener’, hence more meaningful.
Konrad's ‘Microtravel’ ended up nearby Grebendorfer See around 3 in the afternoon. Konrad pulled over by the calm lakeside and looked back on the day’s journey. “I was surprised by Nexo’s safe and comfortable driving performance, as well as its single-charge range, which was long enough for a 120 kilometer-trip around Berlin. The fact that I only used clean energy while driving Nexo made the Microtravel Challenge more rewarding."
The Curious Pear × Kona Electric @London
The ‘pure’ Kona Electric has been selected as the third partner for the Microtravel Challenge
The final stage of the Microtravel Challenge is the Kent coast, about 130 kilometers southeast from London in U.K. And our guide to the British eco-friendly journey are travel expert Meg Abbot and a photographer Issy Croker, whose Instagram account name is "thecuriouspear". These two close friends have been traveling around the world together for 11 years, writing and taking photos of people, culture, food, and their trip. They left for the beach with Kona Electric, which can travel about 450 kilometers on a single charge.
Meg, Issy, and Dolly goes to the Kent coast with Kona Electric.
On a clear, sunny day, they headed to Coastal Kent from London with their four-month-old cockapoo Dolly. It takes only about an hour to reach the Kent coast, one of the most beautiful coasts in U.K. Meg, who wrote the travelogue, said she was excited just to see open fields or large farmland in front of her, after being trapped in London for months.
Adorable village near Kent coast
The quiet village near the Kent’s coast was full of vivid colors every corner. Meg and Issy bought local fruits, and stopped by restaurants for local cuisine where don’t even use plastic and leave no food waste. It indeed was a sustainable travel that could protect the environment and the local economy at the same time.
Every small piece of joyful memory makes an unforgettable trip.
The same meaning of the trip that the Micro Travel Challenge seeks is not the same: it empathizes and naturally blends the space and culture of the area like local residents, not tourists from Taji. Meg said she enjoyed the moment she took her sleeping puppy home, as she enjoyed the trip all day, but the distance left to her home was less than 200 kilometers.
Anyone can join the game! Microtravel Challenge
Microtravel Challenge is open to anyone. Sign up for it this summer!
The influencers’ travels from Seoul, Berlin, and London indeed have come to an end, but the Microtravel Challenge is not over yet. It is easy for anyone to travel in an eco-friendly car to help preserve the environment, enjoy local food and nature. Beautiful sceneries are not far from us. Sign up for the Microtravel Challenge this summer, unless you already have a plan for your vacation.
