4 Ways To Be A Traveler, Not A Tourist

Posted by Amanda Kendle on November 23, 2007
Filed under: Features, Odds + Ends

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Tourist or traveler? The debate rages on.

Let me start with an example. The scene: a gift shop at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. It’s almost completely free of tacky souvenirs, and instead full of meaningful books, DVDs and other informative materials about Jewish culture and history, which befit this truly fascinating museum. As I stand near the counter browsing a shelf of novels, an English-speaking tourist runs in.

“Excuse me, where’s the book that everybody buys?” she shouts in the general direction of the two shop assistants, who are both serving customers. Being mid-conversation with said polite customers, they don’t respond immediately.

“Oh, so you don’t speak English? Where’s someone who speaks English?” says the rushing tourist.

One of the transactions has just finished, so a shop assistant tells her, “I speak English, how can I help you?”

“I just want the book that everybody buys. I don’t have time to look. My tour bus is waiting outside,” the tourist says loudly.

The shop assistant manages a weak smile and reaches up to a shelf behind the counter. Taking down three or four books, she briefly explains the contents.

“But which one does everybody buy?” repeats the woman. Not getting an answer quickly enough, she throws her hands in the air and says,

“Forget it, I don’t have time now,” and runs back out of the shop.

No tricky guess that these actions – and they’re real, I watched them open-mouthed – are those of a tourist, in fact of the worst kind of tourist. But if you want to be a traveler rather than a tourist – to me, that means experiencing a country and its culture from the inside, rather than simply taking pictures of it as it passes by your tour bus window – it just takes a little bit of effort.

Tip 1: Learn Before You Land

There’s no excuse these days: internet or guidebook, library or online forum, there are plenty of ways to learn something about even the most obscure destination before you travel there. In fact, I think that’s one of the best parts of traveling. As well as reading up on some of the places I hope to visit, I also love to read novels that are set in my destination or biographies of some of its most famous citizens. Depending on your personal interests, you might like to source some locally-made music, or use the internet to listen to a radio station broadcasting in your destination. As well as becoming familiar with the place and its culture, you’ll get even more enthusiastic about your trip.

What do you need to know? Most of it depends on you, but there are certain basics that I’d like to say go without saying – but you’d be amazed what some people don’t know. Check these off your list: basic geography, the name and rate of the local currency, language and dialects, capital city and major towns, unusual customs, any dangers. Get deeper in the areas that interest you.

Eiffel Tower, Tourist Scale
Eiffel Tower, Tourist Scale / © danorbit

Tip 2: What’s the Rush?

Ban this sentence: “I have to see X, Y and Z today because I might never visit this city again.” If you do rush around to all three sights you probably will never visit the city again, because you’ll have destroyed all the pleasure of traveling there.

Learn to schedule things slowly, even if you have only a short trip planned. Prioritize the sights you want to see and allow plenty of time. This includes time for sitting in an art gallery cafeteria musing over the paintings you’ve seen and deciding which ones warrant a second look, and time standing near an old castle people-watching, picking the locals out amongst the visitors, imagining what their daily lives involve.

A corollary to not rushing is not checking off lists. There is no rule that you have to ascend the Eiffel Tower when you visit Paris. When somebody asks you about it on your return home, no matter what they say, it doesn’t matter if you missed it. Your answer is simply, “No, we spent an extra afternoon at the Picasso Museum instead. He was such a fascinating man.” If your friends no longer think you’re fascinating, talk to someone else about your travels.

Tip 3: Foreign People Are People Too

While you’re traveling, make an effort to get chatting with local people. Don’t stare at locals behaving in a manner different to what you’re used to; don’t treat them like sightseeing objects; and most importantly, don’t think they’re inferior if they don’t have an iPod or have never seen a computer. Real travelers know that people are extraordinarily similar the world over.

Learning a bit of the language is an important part of connecting with the locals, even if it’s just a few words. An alternative is taking a pictorial phrase book to help start a conversation, or a paper and pen to draw pictures and maps. It works, really.

Young Nepalese Girl
Young Nepalese Girl / © febpanda

Tip 4: Get Local

One of my golden traveling rules is that there is very, very rarely a good reason to visit a fast food franchise that you know from home. If necessary, get some tips from a good guidebook for a local restaurant or eatery, ask people where you’re staying, or simply follow your nose on the streets and pick somewhere that looks interesting.

The same goes for accommodation, in my view. If I have a choice, I’ll take a no-name hotel over a big chain every time. There’s nothing worse than checking into a hotel in southern China, walking into your room, and feeling like you could be anywhere back home. You travel to have new experiences. Surround yourself with them whenever you can.

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Amanda Kendle is an Australian travel addict, writer and English teacher who's visited more than thirty countries. As well as regular blogging jobs including Jaunted, HotelChatter and Vagabondish, she writes magazine articles and is working on her first novel. She can be reached at her personal blog - Not A Ballerina.



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Comments

Carlene duBois
November 23rd, 2007 - 5:56 pm

I never eat the pastafazool when I could have some ethnic McDonalds in every country I visit for 8 or 10 hours.

Actually, I wish cruise lines would learn your lesson. We’re landing in Venice and you all have 6 hours to see the sights then we’re on to Santorini. Come to a port and stay for two days. Give a small chance to experience the place. Have some ‘non-canned’, non-cliche guided tours arranged. A visit to a local family or a school.


Kirsty
November 23rd, 2007 - 6:37 pm

Oh god, not this old chestnut. You can do all of those things but you’ll still be a tourist… just a less annoying one. Actually I take that back, you’ll probably be more annoying because of the whole surperiority complex going on and I’ll probably want to punch you in the nose. But I won’t.


Blush
November 24th, 2007 - 12:24 am

While I prefer staying in a “local” hotel / inn, I have seen the benefit of staying in a Marriott/Hilton. When you’re overwhelmed by trying to get around when you don’t speak the language, there’s a comfort of returning to my hotel at night and KNOWING that I’ll hear English and signs I can read. Then I stayed in a small town at a local inn where there was no English, and I couldn’t find anyone to help direct me around.


Mike
November 24th, 2007 - 11:07 am

Kirsty: Yeah, it’s an old debate. Amanda’s reviving the proverbial dead horse, but I think it’s still interesting.

For me, it’s not about calling myself a “traveler” just so I can feel superior over the less-informed, ignorant “tourists”. I’ve been a tourist on plenty of occasions. After all, taking a cruise really doesn’t allow you to absorb the local culture. It’s about hanging out in the sun, drinking, and … that’s about it.

The difference is simply a state of mind. It’s about recognizing that being a traveler entails blending with and absorbing the culture a bit more.


Mike
November 24th, 2007 - 11:11 am

Blush: That’s entirely understandable. There’s nothing inherently wrong with staying at a Hilton, et. al. while traveling. But if you’re traveling long-term and plan on holing up in four and five-star hotels for the duration, I think any rational person would agree that you’re not truly experiencing the local culture. At some point, you have to step outside your comfort zone - it’s at the heart of travel.

For my own RTW trip, I plan to start off in “easier” backpacker locations like Europe or Australia before diving right into India or SE Asia. Baby steps, baby steps.


Noah Kern
November 24th, 2007 - 11:13 pm

i travel internationally for work. the locals in macau, made fun of me for eating mcdonalds all the time. but you know what? i didn’t get sick like i did in korea. i had some local food, that didn’t look fresh from the fish tank, or was chicken foot soup. in response to other items, my itinerary is not my own, so every spare hour i get i am out and seeing stuff. and i do have to hit the highlights, sometimes, if i get a day off, i usually just walk for the whole day. in my work, i interact very closely with the local people for a long time, so i really feel like i make connections, there are some people who i have had as friends for a couple of years now. as far as hotels go, i don’t make those choices either. but i will say that i am really glad when i walk up to the counter and they speak english.


Stacy
November 25th, 2007 - 12:32 am

Tourist or Traveler, it’s all just labels. The important thing is showing good manners and being respectful of other cultures while you learn something new.


Amanda
November 25th, 2007 - 4:06 am

Yep I think Stacy’s said that every well. I don’t care for the tourist or traveler label either (there’s so much caught up in them) but being respectful of other cultures, whichever way you’re traveling, is the key thing.


Karen
November 25th, 2007 - 8:28 pm

Traveler versus Tourist the endless debate (a timeless classic)…
During a trip to Paris, France, I stopped into a souvenir shoppe to browse and I overheard an elder couple’s conversation. The wife was pointing out the Eiffel Tower memorabilia to her husband in a all too loud voice she repeatedly criticized the makers for spelling the name of the Eiffel Tower wrong on the items. As she boisterously persisted, I slowly walked over to her and enlightened her of the fact that indeed the manufactures can spell and they spelled the name correctly, IN FRENCH! The Eiffel Tower in French is called La Tour Eiffel.


Boris
November 26th, 2007 - 6:05 pm

Why bother with discussing if you’re a tourist or a traveller? It’s wasted energy. Stacy put it very nicely…


Mike
November 26th, 2007 - 6:14 pm

Boris: Just to frost the arses of other bloggers. ;)

I’m kidding of course. I completely agree with what Stacy said above. It’s all semantics, but still fun to discuss nonetheless.


Boris
November 26th, 2007 - 6:59 pm

Yeah, it’s one of those topics where everybody wants to add their two cents, innit?…lol…


Mel
November 29th, 2007 - 12:21 pm

#4 - On my first international trip, I was fifteen and in Paris, my friend and I were lost after a very long day at the Louvre, it was cold, it was raining and we were hungry and tired. We couldn’t find any local restaurants that were open. We saw a McDonalds. No. Absolutely not. We’re in PARIS for crying out loud, I’m not eating at Mickey Ds. I don’t even eat at McDonalds at HOME. But then, hunger won. We went inside.
I now make it a point to visit one American fast food join in every country I visit. There’s something about seeing something that is supposed to be one way, and seeing it interpreted by a different culture. The food tastes different, the menu looks different, but only slightly. Those slight differences are so not what you are expecting that you notice them more.
So yes, I ate at a McDonalds in Paris. And I enjoyed my Happy Meal and Beer, thank you very much.


gill
November 29th, 2007 - 4:55 pm

Your tourist was clearly American not English, get your facts straight!!!!
Same language different species!!!


Sam
November 30th, 2007 - 3:02 pm

I’d say there is a difference between a traveler and a tourist. A tourist is on a guided tour, hence the name. but smartmouth comments asideWhen I was in Japan for about a month and a half (I was lucky enough to have a friend teaching English there, so no hotel bill) and had lots of time to explore Small town Japan. Ono Cho in Gifu has about 25,000 people. I know that Japan is probably the most westernized of the Asian countries, but it was still vastly different in culture. I loved going to the local Tomidaya to buy groceries. Of all things, the Avocados and Chicken were fantastic and cheap. I think people thing the cost of living in Japan is high because most go to Tokyo, Nagoya, etc…
Also Having a conversation about ancient egyptian spirituality with a Japanese woman who barely spoke english, while I barely spoke Nihongo using a japanese english, english Japanese dictionary, was one of the coolest things I have ever done.
I say, if you get a chance to go to a country, go small town and stay as long as you can.


Scott McNeely
December 1st, 2007 - 11:06 pm

My take is, these labels are real AND meaningful, at least at the extremes. When traveling abroad we’ve all encountered people (even worse: they’re from your own country) acting obnoxiously and inappropriately, insulting the locals either intentionally or not. This is the real crux of the tourist vs. traveler debate. Of course, it’s hard to know if you are guilty of this type of behavior, it’s not the sort of thing you can control, I guess. All I can say is, just don’t act like you’re at the mall ordering a grande no-fat frappuccino with extra foam at Starbucks. If you avoid that mindset (just keep reminding yourself, I am NOT at the mall ordering a grande no-fat frappuccino with extra foam at Starbucks) then my guess is, you won’t embarrass yourself when traveling to a foreign land.


Amanda
December 4th, 2007 - 6:17 pm

gill, I just said she’s English-speaking: as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t matter what her nationality was. There are good and bad tourists from every country (including mine, Australia).
Sam, you’re totally right about getting out of the big smoke, and your experience in Gifu sounds fantastic, I’m jealous!


ioni
December 5th, 2007 - 6:25 am

there is very, very rarely a good reason to visit a fast food franchise

Oh really…
In this world learning that the country is basically part of the Muslim world is to check with the legislation for alcohol and drugs policy (smoking rules, if you prefer), gay rights (well, for me, really), places to meet people et cetera. Now I shall also add - check the religious holidays as well – this year I have arrived to Morocco only to find out that Ramadan just started and – really – there is no other way to eat during the day – unless you go to Mac, for instance..
Well, now it is on my check list every time I go off…


Amanda
December 5th, 2007 - 6:54 am

ioni, I have to agree, there are not many good reasons to visit a fast food spot. It always makes me think of the girl I met in Krakow, Poland, who wasn’t complaining about there not being a MacDs open for breakfast - tragically, there was - but she was complaining because the breakfast muffin she was used to in her home country was different in Krakow. I went off seething and calmed down in a little Polish cafe with some yummy bliny (pancakes) for my own breakfast.


ioni
December 5th, 2007 - 7:23 am

True :)

In Warsaw I had a lovely place in the old town - and I just happen to know the owner - so I would rather have pirogi rather then blini, but I suppose this comes close to the tastes that differ :)

However, thinking of Warsaw - on one lovely morning, at about 7 o’clock, Mac was the only palce in town that was open - and I was jsut off the train and hungry as hell! Well, a lovely walk and has helped me to pass about 1 hour and get to the local coffee shop - and spend there about four next hours!

Am being a tourist or a traveler after easting in Mac when I feel compelled to? :)


Amanda
December 5th, 2007 - 7:34 am

ioni, I guess that comes under the heading of a very good reason, when nothing else is open. I’ve also been inside “those places” when the very good reason is that I need to use the bathroom! I don’t think we have to be labeled as “tourists” for these small indiscretions … but some would probably argue that point!!


ioni
December 5th, 2007 - 7:39 am

Amanda, totally agree!


Rayven
December 9th, 2007 - 1:04 pm

This post really made me smile, and brought out the wanderlust. And though I have never heard the “tourist” vs “traveler” debate before, it really made me feel better to know that my plan to take the kids to Europe and “see stuff” when they are teens is not as odd as some people in my family are saying it is. I don’t want a plan. I just want to see whatever we are interested in, and really jump into the culture of where ever we are.


Amanda
December 10th, 2007 - 8:48 pm

Rayven, glad to make you smile! And I cannot emphasize strongly enough: your plan to take your kids to Europe without a strictly planned itinerary is PERFECT! Not only will you discover all kinds of things that you might not find in the tourist brochures, I’m sure that your kids will also get more out of the trip if they know they’re part of the decision-making process. In fact, my parents did something like this with me and I’m sure it really shaped the rest of my life (in a good way!).


Rob
December 13th, 2007 - 5:02 pm

The assumption that tourits are ruder than ‘travellers’. Is wrong I have met numerous long time, slow moving etc. ‘children of the world’ who are just as ignorant/insensitive as a weekend tourist. I think the main difference between the two is the egotisitcal superiority complex of the ‘traveller’. Not over local people, but over short term tourists. And another point, some people are not fortunate enough to realise that french etc. is a language whats the harm in them learning the hard way! should they stay at home forever and never widen their expereince, probably limited by no fault of their own.


Daniel (danorbit)
December 14th, 2007 - 12:35 pm

Thanks for putting my photo to illustrate your text! But, I don’t consider myself as a simple tourist as I always study about the places I’m planning to go, experience their culture, language and everything when I’m there. And I like to take pictures of course… but this one specially was only for fun! So I think that I didn’t like the ‘label’ you put in the caption…


bhaktapurgirl
December 21st, 2007 - 3:54 am

I just said she’s English-speaking: as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t matter what her nationality was. There are good and bad tourists from every country (including mine, Australia).
Sam, you’re totally right about getting out of the big smoke, and your experience in Gifu sounds fantastic, I’m jealous!


Robert
December 21st, 2007 - 4:20 am

Or, stay at home at get to know yourself. After all, everywhere you go, there you are.


josel
December 23rd, 2007 - 4:40 am

I think this is a very interesting web. I consider that the debate between tourist-traveler can be a little disturbing for some people but I think your advices are really good in order to experience another places and to make very nice memories. I honestly feel sorry for those who wont experience the world, only will tour 6 hours in foreign countries. I liked your web.


mike
December 24th, 2007 - 2:48 am

have enjoyed all of the comments. For what it’s worth, I have been to bucket loads of countries and been seriously off the beaten track. And you know what? I am still a tourist. :)


[…] 4 Ways to be a Traveller not a Tourist on the Vagabondish blog advises on how to ditch your worst tourist traits and don the mantle of the more acceptable traveller. I wholeheartedly agree with tip 2: not being in a continual rush and taking time to soak up the local atmosphere. This approach is described by travel writer Jan Morris: “The best way to find out about a place is wander around. Wander around, alone, with all your antennae out thinking about what’s happening and what you see and what you feel.” Vagabondish is a multi author blog with features about offbeat backpacking, and news, advice, tips and tales about travel. […]


[…] Pristine Wilderness Dusseldorf: Museum Kunst Palast 4 Ways to be a Traveller not a Tourist […]


Spuds
January 3rd, 2008 - 2:52 am

Great post. I am definitely a traveler.


[…] 4 Ways to be a Traveler, Not a Tourist on Vagabondish. […]


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Alexis
February 18th, 2008 - 8:57 am

I think the good way of traveling is being a good balance of both, such as going to the popular places, yes, but acting typically touristy rude, NO!

I’ve found that the best way to experience a place is to stay with relatives or friends, if possible, who live in the area. Ask them to take you to some places they would recommend, and to take you to local places as well, like restaurants, supermarkets, theatres, that they (and other locals) frequent. Join in on whatever they do, or sit in a table and relax, watching locals go by.

Whatever you do, just don’t act like the woman in the first example, all hassled and rude.


Amanda
February 18th, 2008 - 5:38 pm

Alexis, I agree fully. Whenever you have the chance to stay with some locals, you’ll get a much better insight into a new destination. It doesn’t always have to be friends or family - I’ve been to Russia a couple of times and found some homestay placements, and some of the women I stayed with told me all kinds of secrets about the cities there, and about life under communism, too. Very interesting.


cHaki
April 13th, 2008 - 5:58 am

Excuse me, in my opinion, i think this article really has a point. I’m only 14 years old and i have been to many places already with my family. I want to be a traveler someday when i grow up. And this article about comparing a traveler from a tourist really helped me in what i have to face in the future. Thank you for the tips. And please send me some other tips on how to be a great traveler. Thanks!


Joe
June 3rd, 2008 - 3:37 pm

its so stupid. who cares if your a tourist or not. let people be what they want annoying knowledgable whatever. it does not matter.