quote:

Originally posted by Alex Conway:
I guess that I see two distinct styles of travel when I look at someone on the big red boat Disney cruise and someone Yacht Hitching. And I believe that because those travel styles are different they should have different names. I think that some of the people on this thread don’t want to fall under the stereotype of being the backpacker who is obsessed with going out of his/her way to avoid “common” travel (which is also a travel style, not good not bad, just preference), or bashes tourist. So they proudly proclaim they are tourist hoping to overcome a stereotype that they may or may not fall under. Of course I don’t really know their motivations for claiming to be a tourist. Trying to overcome that stereotype is the only reason that I can come up with for denying distinctions between types of travel that are obviously different. I know that the distinction is not a fine line and is open for interpretation, but I do believe that there is a distinction. And please, don’t think that I am saying that one travel style is better than the other; I understand that it’s just preference. I think that some of you think it is snobby or condescending to say there is a difference between travelers and tourist. But it is only condescending if you presuppose that being a tourist is a bad thing. Wow, I don’t know where I am going with this and I have an irate customer screaming into my headset because I am ignoring him so I am just going to end it here.

I would have to say that I agree with you... In essence, a traveller IS a tourist by the definition... HOWEVER, there is a difference between someone who travels on a tour bus and someone who travels with locals... Once, while hitchhiking around Ireland, I was given a ride with a tour bus of Americans... and they were all going from one destination to the next and talking only about going to a casino when they got there... Is that experiencing the culture of the country? I think there is a distinction, with whatever grey area in between, but still... and "grouping" them into different names seems logical... we do it all the time in order to make sense of our world...

To end with, I don't think tourist is a bad word... It is a different style of travelling and not everyone can drop everything and spend months in another culture... going for a vacation and having fun is one thing... I am open to different ideas on this, but I still find it hard to just say "I am a tourist" without specifying the different areas of it...

quote:

The truth is that many travellers I have met are very predictable, very transparent. Twenty somethings, university educated, Caucasian, 'concerned about poor people,' etc. It is all very cliche.

Perfect example:

I was in India on a train, filled with some beautiful scenery, sitting next to two people of the description above. We passed what looked to be a garbage dump. Their reaction:

"Oh, finally we see the REAL India!"

There are also some very good people who travel. I believe it's in the nature of most 20 something's to be self absorbed. It's just the age of self exploration. It's good they get to see some poverty, and realise that when they get home, they really don't need that third toaster or the top model jaguar to be happy. Everyone travels to broaden their mind in one way or another. Some people are naturally broader than others, so one can't expect your idea of perfection in anyone.

Belch.

That's my response to anyone who finds it important to distinguish between traveler and tourist. Guess what? Clown pants and dreadlocks don't make you Thai, and your ostentatious morning yoga on the beach impresses no one. People who insist they are travelers and not tourists are distinguishable only by their relative lack of hygiene, their pretention and self-importance, and the relatively small amount of money they pump into the local economy.

"My travel cock's bigger than yours, mere tourist."

By the soi-disant travelers' standards, the truest travelers are Mormon missionaries. Those kids learn the local languages fluently, they don't make asses of themselves in backpacker bars, and they associate almost exclusively with locals. They can only call home once a week - a far cry from the "travelers" who spend an hour and up daily in the Internet cafe.

Belch.

Do I want to miss out seeing Eiffel tower in Paris or Pyramid in Egypt or wild Safari in Kenya or the great wall in China, simply because it's a "touristy spot" and "every tourist goes there" and "once you are there, you'll be labeled as a tourist yourself?"

NO.

If I want to see it, I want to see it. Why "being a tourist spot" and "millions of tourist go there" would be the reason I shouldn't go and see whereever?

I used to be the type who prefered the laid back style travel. I used to simply wander off and get lost and see what I could find. But lately, I realized I've been missing out too much by travelling like that. I even got to the point where I started to consider about the package tours.

As a friend of mine stated, "time is a luxury I don't have." I often work 12+ hours a day. My off-duty travel time is very precious and I don't want to waste it wandering off out in the middle of nowhere doing nothing. I need to study guidebooks. I need to follow suggestions. Often I don't have time to even do my research. It could be all simple touch and go. That might make me a "tourist" but hey, at least I got out. At least I saw stuff. At least I nutured my wanderlust despite in a haf-ass way.

Some can mock me as "ha ha, you've never got away from all the tourist spots," but hey, some don't even have time to get away from tourist spots. So what, then? Get away from it, miss out all the fun stuff I could see or do, and sit around in some shitty part of town drink beer with the locals? Hell, I might as well do it right in the comfort of where I live, if that's what I'd do.

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by Joey:
aboslutely... I am considering focusing my attention on eastern europe BEFORE doing asia since eastern europe is undoubtedly going to change over the next decade.

Interesting idea. I find it really hard to believe that eastern euope will change faster than asia over the next decade. But maybe you are right.

as for the tourist and traveller thing - are we still discussing that?? I thought we agreed a long time ago that its kind of a silly debate

quote:

Originally posted by Felix:
Belch.

"My travel cock's bigger than yours, mere tourist."

Belch.

haha very true re travel cock.