Anthony Bourdain says most of us travel wrong

Everyone should travel in their own way; see what they want to see. I'm so tired of this "my way is better than your way". Our individual ways should be suggestions. Instead of indicating how people should travel, he should have just indicated how he travels and why. If you want to go up the Eiffel tower, then do it. If you want a tour, fine. If you want to sit in one place, that's good, too. Besides, AB often travels with a camera crew, etc. That's hardly experiencing his locations... And a 6'4" privileged white man does not blend in to the masses in many places so his experience is not another's experience.

"It’s those little human moments that are the ones that stick with you forever, the random acts of kindness,” he says.

That part resonates, but the rest of it? Pfui. I'm with Wray on this. We all travel in different ways, for different reasons. We have different goals, different problems, and different joys. If standing on the Eiffel Tower gives you joy or a feeling of accomplishment, go for it. If packaged tours are your only escape from drudgery, sign up. If you love independent travel, picking hotels on the fly, seeing where your whimsy takes you, have at it, and have a good time.

And don't let anyone tell you "You're doing it wrong."

Well. I'm not sure the title fits what the article says for one thing. Its more like "here's how I travel, because I'm smarter than you". I think his advice has some nuggets of truth (and echoes of RS), but really, he's a first-world traveler, traveling on an expense account for 250 days a year, and with flunkies handling the details. Of course he has the time and money and chutzpah to linger and enjoy things that someone who may only be in Paris or Rome once in their life, can't. Its great he gets to explore remote and exotic locations like Oman, but some of us don't have that luxury. I agree with not planning every detail to the max, but travel with a spouse or another person requires compromise. If she wants a selfie with the pyramids, I'm not going to smirk at her.

Like his books and TV shows, he enjoys stirring things up, so take it for what its worth.

The only positive thing I can say about AB is that while watching his show I thought why can he visit Cuba and I can't.

Thnaks for the motivation AB.

Immediately turned off the tube and began researching.

A year later I was strolling along Havana's Malcon.

So That's how I travel Tony!

I also question the way he travels. He says he never goes to museums or "tourist traps--what we call historical or religious sites.

It seems he eats, drinks to excess and walks. What's with all the shots of him just walking? And need we forget that most of what we see on camera is set up in advance.

But I do agree people need to get their noses out of the guidebooks. Just following what one travel writer says will only get you the "tourist" experience.

It seems the arguing over backpack vs rolling was waning so I thought I would stir things up. :)

What stan said - I was just doing a reply, but it was way snarkier.

If I had his budget and the ability to travel 10 mos a year, then yeah, I might travel like that. You're darn tootin' that I'm going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower! But since I've been lucky enough to visit Paris 4 times, now I don't feel the urgency to see everything, and it's easier to get off the beaten path and relax. But when I go somewhere new, I'm hitting the highlights, and just hope I am fortunate enough to make it back someday. I'm very lucky that we can travel every year or two to Europe - others may only ever get there once and of course you want to see the iconic sites.

I also agree with Wray, Jane, and Stan but I can see how his comments might be helpful for someone who has bought into the "traditional" way to travel simply because they have not considered any other ways to do it. I generally like Anthony Bourdain, but I don't accept him uncritically. But if he nudges someone towards being more flexible with their plans while traveling, that can be a positive thing.

All in all, Rick Steves does something similar, but in a bit more friendly way. RS doesn't beat everyone over the head. I personally prefer that approach.

"You're Doing it Wrong" is a just a popular tag line to get readers attention. It is currently used for articles on fishing, watching TV, eating breakfast, watching baseball, shopping, and travel. "Try Doing It This Way" doesn't seem to push the right buttons to get you to read the article.

I agree with many of AB's points, and it has been my experience connecting with people when traveling.

And the next time I'm in Italy, I am going down to Puglia and having lunch with Francis Ford Coppola with 4 bottles of wine.

@Nicole, go ahead and give it your snarkiest. This is the kind of fun thread that invites it.

Meh. What Wray said. According to AB, I travel all wrong. Yes, I'll be going to Oman next year. But I'll be doing it on a cruise ship, and when we go out into the desert it will be in a 4WD, not on a camel. As my DD would say, whatevs. As long as you enjoy what you do, and find it rewarding, travel how YOU want to.

Pretty much all of his trips have been paid for. He can do what he wants, when he wants, and someone else picks up the tab.

However, my wife and I do pretty much follow this program. We go somewhere, we wander around, we stop and have a coffee. We did the Eiffel Tower, in 1982. We did the Arch de Triumph. But if you have not, please, do it. I am 100% for people traveling to do what they enjoy.

Last May, we were in Liverpool. My one requirement was to go to a pub to watch a local football match. We went to a wonderful pub with an Army theme on the Birkenhead side, sat, drank a couple pints, watched the game with locals. Very pleasant. In Croatia, we watched the final of the Champions league in an outdoor bar with a couple hundred Croatians, who cheered all the FRY players. Again, fun.

Pretty sure most of us would echo Wray's thoughts on all of it. Not everyone is physically able to handle independent travel, and some folks either don't have or don't wish to take the time to do the research that involves. Some travelers are uncomfortable going it alone and/or enjoy the company of others on their trips.

I'm not a foodie so the whole business of spending oodles of time digging up restaurants is not my deal but may be an important part of a trip for someone else. LOL, no we didn't have a burning desire to go UP the Eiffel but to each his own! :O)

What I do agree with is avoiding "frenzied compression". While understanding that one style isn't right for everyone, I cringe when I see itineraries that involve a move every day or every other and a list of "must-sees" that is being crammed into that time. Add two small children to that mix and...well, I will question the wisdom in that. Very compressed, inflexible itineraries can be a recipe for trouble, IMHO. As we've traveled more, we find we're much happier, absorb more and discover more of what's around us with longer stays in fewer locations. A day of nasty weather? Not the disappointment that would be if it was the ONLY day we had in a location involving mostly outdoor sightseeing?

Short answer: Who cares?

Long answer: I love Anthony Bourdain but it's totally misguided to use him as a yardstick for the Rick Steves crowd, some of who are not exactly adventurous travelers and some of who need and request some handholding (no offense intended here, just stating the obvious). Is this post just meant to elicit faux outrage of some kind, or to start arguments? I mean really...why would someone on this forum try to compare themselves to a professional, confident, experienced traveler/ cable tv personality/ food connoisseur/ famous chef who has almost limitless economic latitude to do anything he wants, including hanging out with Obama for lunch in Vietnam? It's a folly and waste of time to try to compare individuals who are not similarly situated, and then get some false sense of outrage over one of those person's opinions.

With that said, I totally agree with Anthony Bourdain's sentiment on the Eiffel Tower, resorts, pre-packaged tours crammed with stuff (the all-over-the-map Best of Europe whirlwind tours fit the bill here), "exploring a finite area" and "don't be afraid to just sit" and allow for some serendipity and magic in travel. The latter is absolutely spot on, and hyper planning everything just makes it less likely to have "room" for something unexpected to happen. Unfortunately, many folks budgets and other constraints don't allow for these ideals, and it's not their fault. You have to work with what you got. And if someone wants to go to Pisa, Eifel Tower, Cinque Terre or Venice in high season (or even low season), or on a cruise - then all the power to them, I personally wouldn't do any of those things and that doesn't make me any better than someone else's way of travel. To each his own, and in line with their budget/ time/ personal constraints.

To the OP - what is the rationale for posting this thread from Anthony Bourdain? People live in the real world, not the world of cable and tv personalities and their lifestyles. This whole "you're doing it wrong" (as a mere mortal, not famous tv personality) is getting really old...

Longer answer: I don't care.

Yes, Bourdain has the time and financial luxury to travel as he wishes. But I think he made a couple of good points. Whether you are a timid/first time traveler or a seasoned pro, there is something to be said for not trying to cram too much into an itinerary. Leaving yourself some time to simply wander is good advice.
As for the "tourist traps" - I guess it depends on how one defines that term. I remember a conversation with a friend about the food in Rome which she said wasn't very good and how disappointed they were. I then asked her where they ate - well, they never ventured past the "main drags" if you will and only ate in restaurants that had English menus on the sidewalks - which pretty much explained her answer. I thought at the time what a shame that was - if they'd ventured over a street or two or done a little bit of research, they would have had an entirely different experience food wise. So I think Bourdain has a point vis a vis trying things a bit outside your "comfort zone".

What do you think? Do you agree?
Of course I agree. But as Agnes and others say not everybody is in Anthony's Bourdain position. And not even in mine or many others on this forum. Since I retired I go to Europe twice a year, before since 1995 every year, usually for four to six weeks. I used to have long vacations. Established my base in the Czech Republic where I have many relatives and friends and then traveled around. But if you have one to two weeks vacation and are not experienced traveler you usually tend to squeeze too many places into too little time as we see on this forum so often. I would choose maximum 2 neighboring countries to see in one 14 days vacation or one big city per 4 days. I think that ultimately most travelers arrive at this conclusion. I buy ahead only tickets with significant savings, book only first hotel and then just as we go. With internet is so easy. You can do enormous amount of homework but you get so much more relevant information once you are there that I want to stay flexible as much as I can. I noticed on this forum that somebody goes to Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece etc., and wants to find all buses, ferries etc. right from here, in the USA. And many times it's not possible. I wait, once I am there, inquire and never problem. I always got where I wanted. So, to certain degree I also have Anthony's B. philosophy.

I think he's right

And I don't think its about money (and I don't think he was accounting for mobility), even though he doesnt have the budget many of us do. He specifically talks about how to do it for less (cheaper methods, cheaper hotels), and in fact, talks about ways of travel that require less spending. I think he's addressing the sensibility of travel, the idea that it is expansive, boundary testing and often eliminating, freeing, and that the discomfort you may experience is in direct proportion to these. If you want to remain comfortable, or cosseted on a cruise ship, you will engage with travel in a limited way, mostly by checking sites off a list and taking selfies.

That said, what RS does take into account is that we all have very different starting points, for any number of reasons. Maybe a cruise is very uncomfortable for some, and Ive seen people on this forum describe how they have taken a few tours and now they are heading off for their first trip planned on their own. Maybe they needed the modeling provided by the tours before they could ever conceive of how to travel. Or as someone here said, maybe they like the built-in social network provided y a tour. Others require much more dramatic versions of travel to obtain that discomfort and subsequent spiritual expansion, like the 80 year old backpacking through Asia. I count myself among the latter, and I am guilty of judgement. But one thing this forum reminds me of is that we are all approaching travel with curiosity and a desire to expand, and the how is as variable as we are.

Thus, I think AB's perspective is useful because it challenges us to think about the why's and how's of what we are seeking and doing, and in the end, to make our travel our own...

Jessica

Another thing to remember is, for better or worse, Anthony Bourdain is a "brand". Make that "BRAND" - all caps. And as such, he is always "selling" some kind of ideas, many of which may be more in line with his sponsors than his own personal opinions. I remember watching Parts Unknown or The Layover or something like that (I think back when he was on the Travel Channel), and I distinctly remember how put off I was that he was shilling for every mainstream 4-5 star business hotel (and Uber) that sponsored the show. Not exactly in line with what you normally hear him preach, it sounded like he went off-message altogether. But Daddy needs new pair of shoes, right? So who knows if you stripped the money, the employer (CNN, Travel Channel, etc), the branding away....what does Anthony really believe deep down? I don't think anyone but he really knows. Tv is not reality and travel shows are the most curated, ratings-driven stuff around. That's not to say I don't think he doesn't yield more artistic leverage than the average Joe over his shows, but I think there's still a limit and the buck stops with the sponsors that make money for the cable network. Now...what this has to do with the travelers on this Forum is precisely "nothing", as we respond to totally different currents than Tony Bourdain.

Right on Bruce!

Longer answer: I don't care.

I still have a lot of touristy things to see on my wishlist. As many people here have said, things are touristy for a reason - because people want to see them, because they are special. I want to see the things I've heard about and read about and seen in photos for years. Unfortunately, I'm not interested in just one region, like Europe. I want to see things all over the world, and the more I travel the longer my list grows. So if I spent my two week vacation enjoying every site one city has to offer and soaking in all the local culture, I would be giving up the hope of ever seeing most of the places I dream of. I would personally like to see the highlights of many different places than do a super deep dive into any one. That's just my personal preference. I thought his article presented some useful ideas, but also sounded rather pretentious and out of touch with people with limited time and resources.

Having watched several of his programs, I thought AB's way of traveling is certainly not belonging to the way I travel and saw he was wrong. If not wrong per se, then different. A good number of his destinations are not on my priority/interest list.

he does some interesting stuff but he is paid to travel and has his own opinions on how folk travel but most people are not able to travel like him.Most Americans only have 3 or maybe 4 weeks to travel each year unless they are well off or retired and well off.I do think his ideas to stop worrying about where you go and where you eat is a great idea, so many folk want the "perfect" experience they miss a lot of great places because they have to go to recommended places but in my experience places get ruined by recommendation. I now actively avoid any place that has a trip Advisor sticker on display (very hard to do these days).
I am not American I am getting on a bit and hope to retire soon but I have never been one to go round ticking off sights on a list, yeas I have been to some great tourist attractions but only if they are in the area I am in.
slowing down your travel lets you see more and experience things you would never see on many of these worldwind tours that so many Americans seem to do never staying more than 2 or 3 nights in one place.Now I did that sort of touring when I was in my early 20's (40 years ago) but I travelled on my bicycle, staying in youth hostels and cheap hotels and sometimes camping but having a great time but also being able to change my intinery on the fly.
I would not say throw out the guide book but don't use it as the word of god for your travels, get out use public transport ,walk, take yourself out your comfort zone relax and experience travel for travel sake.

Who is Anthony Bourdain?

Sewn into a sack with a wild animal?

His first series, 'A Cooks Tour', was his best IMHO (2 seasons, 35 episodes, 2002-3) . It's available on Amazon Prime now.
https://www.amazon.com/A-Taste-of-Tokyo/dp/B00B19DDOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1520877800&sr=1-1&keywords=a+cooks+tour

@stan ... The snark was turning into a bit of 'well, I'd never do a big bus tour' but then realized I was sounding like Mr Bourdain putting down how other people like to travel. So I just decided to go the other route. And god knows, someday I just may find a big bus tour appealing!

But never a cruise. Ugh. ;) (joking!)

When AB lends me his staff and expense account , I will travel his kind of "right"

Until then.... I will just keep doing it my way. My only problem is not having the $$ to do it as often as I would like.

We lived in Germany for four years and took very few group tours. Most we did on our own. We were young and it was fun; We didn't have as much money to spend and we did pretty good.

Now we are in our early 70s and still do our own thing outside of group tours, but still when going to places like Egypt, China, Russia, India, and some places in South America, it is best to take a group tour. You get to see a lot, enjoy the company of other intelligent people and have the security necessary for going to these places.

Everyone has their own style. We have done it all and tailor our trips to where we are going.
Also, we now take cruises, which we like very much. Usually, we combine seeing places prior to or after our cruise in conjunction with a cruise. We get the best of both worlds.

I strongly disagree with his categorical statements about never taking group tours. This is especially true when visiting somewhat insecure places.

"Bourdain in Beirut" is also available to purchase as a standalone episode, IIRC, and is really good television. Bourdain is at his best when he's going into iffy situations- that one, Libya, the Congo, etc. He's also really good at people to people connections and bringing out the humanity in all kinds of people. (Bourdain's like the slightly cranky and very sarcastic version of Rick in some ways)

However since the conclusion of the Beirut episode involves his film crew getting rescued by the US Military during one of those Lebanon-Israel military kerfluffles, I'm nor sure traveling like him is the best approach for my family.

I recall in one of his programs he said he was 19 when he first got to Amsterdam. That would have been 1976. We missed each other since I was not able to get back until the following summer. Since AB is seven years my junior, conceivably, I could have run into him in August/Sept 1977 on my trip then in the hostels. As solo travelers we basically don't see eye to eye, not the same travel style.

Bourdain is drunk in most of the places he visits...
And when he is eating or drinking he is 90 % of the time with other men.
I believe it is much easier for men (including RS) to travel and experience the culture than it still is for women.
I really dislike the MEN telling everyone it is so easy to travel and see the world like they do... It is not easy or comfortable to be a woman traveling in all countries.

By and large, Bourdain's way of travel is appealing to us. The pre-packaged bucket list bus tour rushing to as many places/towns as possible for us is unappealing.

There are some things I agree with Bourdain, but I well know that there is no one 'right' way to travel. Just spending some time on these or other travel forums is proof enough. I know I don't ' agree with Rick all the time either, even though I read these forums almost every day. One of my friends is a wonderful person, but I know she'd never consider any trip except an all inclusive resort or a cruise. This would bore me to tears, but to each their own.

Skipping museums makes sense only if you're not a museum person. I'd hate to see someone dragging themselves to the Louvre or the Prado just because they think they have to.

On the other hand, I've never seen the point of taking selfies at famous landmarks. I don't need to prove to anyone that I was there, and I'd much rather have a picture of the landmark itself.. I don't need to see myself, with blurry eyes from jet lag and a reminder that I should have passed on that last pint of ale.

I do feel sorry for those who try independent travel and end up hating Europe because of poor planning. I have a couple of friends that have tried to 'save money' by staying outside of the city centre. While staying in the burbs can sometimes make sense in American cities, it is almost always a bad idea for Europe.

I do agree that in many cities, it is a good idea to take the occasional time to linger over a coffee, pint of beer, or glass of wine. Trying to follow a sightseeing schedule with military precision can be exhausting and lead to museum/cathedral fatigue. But, Rick properly advises about not skimping on the sightseeing budget. I'll never forget being cheap on my first trip to London and not seeing the Tower of London because I thought it was too expensive. What was I thinking? I've spent years watching every single documentary on the Tower of London and I felt guilt because the admission was around 25 Pounds? What a dumb decision!.

My husband and I used to watch Rudy Maxa as he travelled from one 5-star hotel to another ... we DID get to those hotels on occasion, just to walk around the lobby and gawk at it on our way to our pension/B&B. A chacun son gout (et son budget.)

What's with all the shots of him just walking?

Frank II, that cracked me up. Clearly he likes the shots of himself just walking. Maybe it's in front of a green screen and they just change the background.

I was a cook and when I read his book, though I identified with many of the things he wrote about how things are in a kitchen, for me he is simply an annoying drunk. Being a woman in a kitchen though, is a different story and he has absolutely no idea how that is for us.
Having tried to watch his TV shows, nothing much has changed about him other than he is a bit more mature. He is still arrogant. Why would his comments about how to travel be of any importance to me? He is a meaningless person.

If I had unlimited funds and vacation time, my trips would be vastly different than how they are today. Seems like that is the point he is trying to get across, but forgets that we aren't him.

The only reason I know who he is, is that I watch a lot of CNN. I've seen a few promos of him with Anderson Cooper (who I'm absolutely smitten with), but the promos alone turned me off AB. I have better things to do with my time, like playing solitaire on the computer.

Now if you all will excuse me, I'll get back to it . . .

Chani, Lol!

Laura B: I had never heard of Rudy Maxa until he was booked as a speaker for a lecture series we attend. His presentation, scheduled for next week, is "The Eight Most Common Mistakes Travelers Make." Maybe we don't stay in enough 5 star hotels? I'm curious to hear what he has to say.

Evidently Rick was a speaker at this same lecture series several years ago, before we started subscribing.

Our Sun mornings from 11am-noon consisted of watching Rick and Rudy Maxa on PBS so we could dream about travel (before we took the plunge in 2008). Def diff travel styles. We were just cleaning out some old VCR tapes last year - and there were my taped episodes of RS and RM! I think I had a half dozen of them, filled with ideas.

Ha! I remember those Rudy Maxa PBS shows (watched them with my parents). Rudy Maxa is like your wealthy preppy uncle parading around with his pastel sweater tied over his shoulders just so and popping into his BMW rental to get to his next destination (not that I don't like BMWs mind you - very fun to drive). I much prefer Anthony Bourdain (even though he did take way too many drugs and he smokes like a chimney). His spirit and attitude are more my speed and style. I'd like to see Rudy Maxa navigating in some place that isn't Europe or a first-world country...he just won't fit in, and it would make for an awkward show.

For the most part, I do like Anthony Bourdain and his shows are entertaining - for every pit roasted goat he eats, it's also interesting to see him sit down with some of the top chefs in the world and eat at some really fancy places - but it's more entertaining when he goes to some neighborhood mom & pop restaurants to eat local.

As far as this article and video, I agree with his concept that over-scheduling and sticking to a strict itinerary of sightseeing can be grueling and doesn't help you stumble across something unexpected that might be a really memorable experience for you. I agree with his "don't be afraid to just sit" theory, and with taking time to wander.

The "mansplaining" I find a little annoying is “We tend to be overconcerned with safety and with cleanliness in ways that stand between us,” - this coming from someone who stays at 5 star hotels. C'mon, Anthony - when I see you on camera waking up in a 12 bed hostel dorm with bed bug bites on you and taking a shower wearing flip flops, then you'll have the street cred to make that remark. And the reality is that there are still countries out there that are simply much more difficult for a female to travel (particularly on her own or even with another woman) because of the culture without being harassed or seen as a harlot if not accompanied by a man or showing a little skin. So when Anthony grows a set of breasts and goes to one of those countries and tries to walk through a public market without an accompanying security and camera crew following along, then he'll have earned his right to mansplain to women why they shouldn't be overconcerned with safety.

Bourdain does have women on his crew. I can remember one of his producers getting a fair amount of camera time in Saudi Arabia because they wanted to show some women's life there and she was also part of the scramble to try to get them out of Lebanon when there was mortar fire overhead.

Anthony Bourdain is very much an acquired taste. Though I've acquired some of that taste, I still often find him pompous and insufferable. He does take viewers to many places they probably haven't been and experiences them in ways that many of us are unlikely to share. Despite his "gritty" persona, he travels in a privileged manner quite different from what most of us will ever experience. That doesn't mean it's not interesting to watch.

And I'll give Bourdain major props for his visit to Trattoria Da Romano on Burano. Because of that episode, we splurged for lunch there and the seafood risotto was every bit as sublime as promised. Will I ever visit the North Pole and submerge myself in the culture of the scientists and workers stationed there, as he did in a truly fascinating show? Not likely. But I was able to experience that risotto on Burano thanks to Bourdain. Sure, I might have found out about the restaurant from any guidebook, but seeing the way he portrayed it made me want to go. So it's perfectly possible to glean useful bits of information and insights from him that will enhance your travels without buying into his whole shtick.

I'm biased against AB. It's because I spent a significant part of working my way through college cooking in various restaurants and later owned my own restaurant. When I see him chain smoking and downing shots it rubs me the wrong way, "That guy killed his taste buds, how can he know if his cooking is any good?" So when he starts giving me travel advice, he's barking up the wrong tree.

I agree that we each have our own preferences regarding travel. I personally prefer pre-1500 history. I like old medieval centers, churches, ruins, museums related to those periods. I don't value luxury or lazy vacations at all.

The last thing I'd want to do on vacation is lose half a day to a hangover or start my day with some "hair of the dog".

Other people won't like what I like. Not because one of us is wrong. We each have our own tastes. The only way someone is doing it wrong is if they're missing the things they'd really like to see/do because someone told them they have to see or do something else.

"...waking up in 12 bed hostel dorm...." That sounds like my experiences staying in HI hostels in Germany in the 1970s and '80s but definitely no bed bugs...didn't even know what they were then. The largest dorm room I was in was that in the Cologne HI hostel which held tens bunks, ie, 20 guys slept in that room. Every bed was taken. Those were the days.

I finally went to read the article and at the bottom is a note that AB Season [whatever] begins in April. To me, this says the entire article is meant to drum up business for the TV show.

Having said that, I travel just fine for me. If my budget, tastes and/or interests change, then I may swap that up a bit.

I think he has some great points. Yes, of course people should travel the way they want to - but it’s good to consider things first. For example, most of us here are always cautioning new travelers about doing too much (the 7 countries in 8 days thing).

As for “tourist traps” that’s where my issue with the article is. If you appreciate art, the Louvre is not a trap. But it’s true many people put sights as must-sees that the don’t REALLY care about. For someone who doesn’t like museums or art who goes to the Louvre because you “have to”, yes it’s a tourist trap for her.

I simply cannot see the Louvre as a tourist trap. A reluctant visitor may feel “trapped” into going to the Louvre but the museum delivers what it promises .... some of the world’s finest art. A tourist trap is one which offers, but does NOT deliver, something enticing and worth the money.

I agree with just about everything in the AB article. Slowing down, making personal connections, and not feeling that the must-sees are contractual obligations are great pieces of advice. I would add this, at least for more experienced travelers: stop it with the over-planning.

The internet is great, but one cancer it has spread is the compulsion to plan every last travel detail. I don't mean research into options in various towns you plan to visit; that kind of planning is smart. I mean the actual booking of every hotel, every museum, every train, meal, concert 6 months in advance and then fretting over even finer details like specific locations for doing laundry. Some of that is fine and can save time (like buying an advance ticket to the Eiffel Tower), but the over-planning crushes any possibility for serendipity. You cannot plan to have an adventure!

Looking back at the 12 or so overseas trips I have done, the ones which were most fun were the ones where I winged it most of the time because it's the adventure part of vacation that is truly fun, invigorating, and memorable. And by "wing it" I mean it's Monday and I still have not decided in which city I will be sleeping on Tuesday. I was in Istanbul and my partner and I were planning on visiting Konya the next few nights but had not yet booked a room. Then we met a doctor on a ferry across the Bosphorous and he invited us to have dinner with his family in Ankara 2 nights later and to watch his grandson's soccer match. We accepted and it was a great experience. We weren't planning on visiting Ankara because the guidebooks were all "meh" about it. If we had our trip all planned and booked, we would have declined his generous offer and missed that experience because, you know, we just absolutely HAD to be in Konya on those dates because a piece of paper we wrote said so.

I understand some people are anxious about accomodations and they want to be sure they get the hotel they want on the dates they want. I used to be like that and then I learned there is no way Paris or any other town is going to get completely booked up even in peak season. Sure, your dream hotel might get booked up but there are lots of other perfectly safe, clean, affordable hotels if your first choice is full. And if by chance Paris is truly completely full, just go one town over. It's not the end of the world. If you absolutely have to be in Paris on a certain date for a business meeting or to catch a flight, then that's a different story. Book ahead!

So, loosen up and try winging it for a part of your next trip. And if you're still nervous about it, remind yourself that you're not going to the moon, you're visiting Europe. There are hotels, restaurants, pharmacies, groceries, markets, and kind helpful people all over the place. What's the worst thing that is likely to happen?

"Nothing unexpected or wonderful is likely to happen if you have an itinerary in Paris filled with the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower."

Utter nonsense.

I am a Type A personality to the letter. I plan out every detail of our trips because I love researching and finding out so much about the place we are going to see. I feel prepared and informed and ready for my adventure (especially since unlike AB, I don't travel 10 months of the year, and no one foots the bill for my travel, so my 3 weeks of vacation a year are very special to me).

When we went to Paris, we went up the Eiffel Tower three times, all scheduled.

Nothing wonderful? Our first trip up fulfilled a dream for me and my daughter. I was thrilled, and it was so beautiful. We approached it walking through a lovely neighborhood in the early evening, and it was amazing.

We went to the Louvre. Also scheduled.

Because I researched, we went to the Louvre on a Friday night. Nothing unexpected happens when you schedule? Really? Because I thought it was pretty unexpected to watch my six year old sit directly in front of the Mona Lisa for half an hour and sketch in her journal because she loves museum sketching. Because it was so quiet, she was able to do so, and because although I plan, I am flexible, we were able to sit and chill and wait for her. To see her so inspired by da Vinci, so enthralled to see a painting she had waited two years to see (yes, she had been wanting to see the Mona Lisa since she was 4), was amazing and it wasn't just a quick glance in a crowd, but a luxurious long study in relative quiet.

I don't like overly scheduled vacations, but I do like planning and then allowing room for surprises and random side journeys. But to say visiting the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower means nothing wonderful or unexpected will happen is just not true.

Then again, I am not a single, wealthy individual with endless travel time and experience, so my travel is going to have to be different from someone who is.

Where did Aauthur's comments disappear to from this morning? Did someone get upset that he had the gall to disagree with the majority and had his post removed, or did I miss something? That's not right.

In fairness to Bourdain, he does not use the phrase 'travelling wrong' in the video interview or in the article (blame the article editor or gushing writer), and I do prefer Bourdain's style of travel, if not the places he visits. My three week jaunts to Europe involve one or two bases. On the other hand, Bourdain (and not just him) can sound self-important when putting people down for not having the time or money for not being able to travel as he does. He could have phrased his points better, again it may be down to editing. It is a ridiculous notion for him to suggest that a person living in North America, who has a once or twice in a lifetime opportunity of travelling abroad, should base for an extended period in some of the places he raves about. You are going to find magical experiences in Paris, London, Vienna and Rome: you have to go out of your way not to. I would never visit all four cities in two weeks, but if that was the only opportunity provided me I might think otherwise. Whilst I may not possess Bourdain's Rambo-type courage (a McChicken meal twice a year is the extent of my bravery), a camping holiday in Oman or the Congo is out of the question for me, not out of any lack of fortitude - I simply have no interest in going there, no matter how cheap it may be. Whilst Bourdain, and the late A.A. Gill, may convince themselves that they prefer dining on goat with the bedouin on a sandy table, as opposed to a ploughman's lunch in a Stow-on-the-Wold pub, they will never convince me.

And enough with the blanket statements (again, not just Bourdain) :
Uraguay, a wonderful place to visit: "Affordable, great food, great people" - not so according to a family friend, who dreads going to Montevideo on business. More to do with safety and filth. Maybe not such an issue if you are with a crew.
“Drink prices are stratospheric, particularly in Europe." If this quote is aimed at North Americans, it is completely misleading. Where and what is Bourdain drinking?

My own blanket statement: - There is no shame in feeling safe in a city or going back to a clean room at the end of the night.
This is a novel for me. Hey, that's given me an idea.........

Perhaps Aarthur deleted his own post, deciding not to cast his pearls before swine. Oink, oink:-)
Like I said, "You're Doing It Wrong." is an internet meme.

My post was too harsh in it's tone and language and for that I apologize to any it may have offended, especially to the OP. it was not my intention to offend. And it was removed.

I would like to add though that the real problem I see here with this video and the response to it in this thread is that all too often much of what is on the web is just like the interview with MR. Bourdain. In other words Completely misleading. And only meant to generate "Clicks".

This is what happened:
Someone takes a reasonable interview by a well known and opinionated personage, edit out the interviewers questions, take it completely out of context, top it with an inflammatory and misleading headline and then sit back and watch the clicks come in ( this is cash in internet terms). And what happened? It was re-posted here and at least 40-50 people went and clicked on the site ( = even more money) and I think some came away with an entirely wrong impression of the interview.

I agree with 90% of everything Bourdain had to say. Much of it is the same as said by RS. I think in this case as in many many other similar cases one has to be very careful and look closely at the entire package and ask some hard and skeptical questions about what they see and hear. From what I heard and saw Tony was expounding on HIS PERSONAL philosophy of travel...but those that wrote the headline wanted you to think otherwise.

I have some great hostel experiences. Free parking in Salzburg meant wedging my car into a space without even two inches on each side of the car and climbing out the hatchback. Coed bathrooms in St. Goar meant walking into a room full of college age girls in various states of undress at 7 am. The biggest dorm was in Verona, I think 20 beds per room but maybe more. In Dinan, there were lots of beds but I had the room to myself.

It's a good point about women travelling alone. I would never suggest a woman travelling alone wander into an unfamiliar neighborhood and down multiple shots of the hardest local liquor available.

I like his programs and think that, for the most part, we get to see a real, flawed individual who is appreciative of and thankful for the opportunities he's worked hard to experience. And I have no problem with his opinions and have come to appreciate being able to slow down and soak in the local culture instead of sprinting through a city / country in a mad dash to complete my sightseeing checklist.

That said, a busy, well planned itinerary that includes the Louvre and other "predictable sights," while incorporating as much "natural cultural interaction as possible," sounds like an ideal compromise.

To each their own?

Some women (and guys too I've met) won't travel alone, whether they are millennials or in their 60s and anything in between, not even to England. I wonder why? If health and money are the paramount concerns, ( most understandably), then there is another reason. I know of a woman teacher here, mid-60s, retired, would never go on vacation to Europe alone...no health/physical issues here...and told me so "not at this age." Maybe so, but then I said, "you wouldn't have gone solo in your 30s or 40s either."

I observe on my trips the locals traveling solo , those women (millennials or middle age) eating alone at breakfast in a Pension or hotel, taking the night train, or day train, at a museum solo, or at dinner at the train station or restaurant, or one city tours, etc.

How many researchers and assistants does he have in his service ?

Not more than a dozen.

Im with you Arthur. I wasn't offended at all. Ive been giggling at how indignant people are. I didn't think AB's travel ideas have to do with how much money he has or how many assistants. I think what he was getting at was a sensibility, that travel is about immersion and boundary transcendence, and less about sites ticked off a list. Of course, Im certain he has been to all the sites, and I can say that being in front of David is immersive and transcendent. As I said before, its relative to your psychic starting point isn't it, as to what awakens us and enables us to transcend our personal social/emotional/physical/historical/cultural borders. I think AB is offering a mindset, not saying you are wrong. As a person who has been a drug addict, and seeks intense experience (speaking of AB), of course he is drawn to intense, visceral travel to provide him with that feeling of being awake, of transcendence. He's just one model.

Who travels wrong?

Bordain has a dedicated staff setting up all of the interactions you see in the shows. He has a carefully picked local fixer who manages to get him into places most of us can only get to in a large and plodding group if at all and handles any communication issues with the locals. He has a budget way beyond what someone on vacation has. He has had entire restaurants close just so he can dine there for the filming of his shows. He drives rental cars that cost more for one day than most people rent for an entire vacation (while his crew follows in separate vehicles). I could go on.

So, he is basically traveling as a high dollar group tour with only one tour member - him. And that just seems wrong to me.

His shows make for some great entertainment and I do watch them when I can catch them. But who is really traveling wrong?

I'd like to tell you about a 1 or 2 degree of separation between Anthony B and myself. (I can never get the degree right.)
While onthe B of Adriatic RS tour, we visited Mondo Restaurant in Motovun by ourselves. I had done my research on this area and it included Rick's video and also Bourdain's video on this area and in particular this restaurant and it's specialty .... truffles.
We visited Motovun just 2 days into truffle season (and having done a little research, I knew to ask the right questions). Well, we were lucky to get a very small table for 2 very near the wait station. The owner/ manager/server.. was there and after a few questions and some small talk... Boy did I get the low down on A. Bourdain and his crew. Also I was so fortunate to now know much more about truffles than ever before. White... Black.... and the owner, who also hunts truffles with his dogs brought out a black truffle the size of my fist that he just found that morning.
If it wasn't for A. Bourdain's show, we would have never met these very fine people of Motovun.

Oh, we also heard the owner's entire life story... including the time of the Yugoslavia breakup. If you have never considered traveling to the east coast of the Adriatic... You are missing a great trip.

Tammy,
Thanks for sharing your story in Motovun. To me, this is what travel is all about. Finding those unexpected moments and "traveling as a political act!"
We look forward to having dinner there in September!

"Neither is doing it out of the goodness of their hearts."

I don't typically weigh in, and there are certainly parallels between Rick Steves and Anthony Bourdain, but I respectfully disagree with this assessment -- at least as far as how it pertains to Rick -- and I'd like to do so with an opinion as someone who works for him. I work for Rick Steves precisely because I find the approach to be genuine in encouraging travel and making it accessible for those who might not otherwise think it's possible. This includes explaining how to travel. Some receive this as if it's dogma, but it's not to say it's the only way to travel. Rick makes the argument that you need to find your own way... which is the basis of Rick's "Europe Through the Back Door" approach. If I can speak for many if not all of my co-workers, I think they'd agree. Are we still a business? Of course, but I'd say that our mission statement accurately captures what we're about.

And for those of you thinking I'm writing this to score points or something, believe me that no one here at my office is looking 70 posts down in a thread about Bourdain to see if I'm a dutiful employee. ;)

Emma,
I'm not sure I understand your point either, even after the clarification. Every business and every person has a point of view or a mission or message of some kind that they push out to their customers or the world (no one is unbiased or completely a blank slate, nor should they be). A point of view is not "an ulterior motive", it's more like a "hook" or something that distinguishes one business's message from another in a competitive environment...it's not hidden. Every person in the work force also "sells" their skills (including interpersonal) to their employer. But what does that have to do with "doing it out of the goodness of their hearts"? Work is not charity, unless you're strictly in a charitable organization/role and are classified as such. Also, you said both Bourdain and Steves are not one-man shows and have a team behind them. So their "message" is not solely theirs, it's a collaboration with their entire team to set business strategy and relevant messaging so they can accomplish their financial and other goals for the company. They are simply the public face of that message and yes, of course, they are there to "sell" it. But what's wrong with that? Someone's gotta do it in every business. I think where things get off track is when people forget that Rick is a businessman and they start treating him as a friend who would/should freely do things for them...that's an indication that he's totally succeeded in getting people to give him their trust (as they would a friend). I prefer to have a more arms length and treat both Steves and Bourdain as savvy businessmen who are selling their brands to largely different audiences (but with some overlap).

PS. I predict this thread, silly as it is (especially the way it is framed at the outset), will reach 100 responses despite the fact that most on this forum don't watch or like Bourdain.

The AB programs I've watched concerned those places that interested me, esp those on Japan and China, those programs on places visited not in the least of interest to me I did not watch for their own sake, mostly those were places in the 3rd world. Obviously, I was discriminating on the choice of his programs.

Emma,
I agree. That's the problem when everything is so personality driven. People think they really know the person somehow based on the image they project. All I can say for sure is Bourdain has many more visible tattoos and he's got his own fanboys/ fangirls, like Rick. I think Rick doesn't rub people the wrong way like Bourdain because he has very friendly, non threatening, trusting almost Mr. Rogers persona that really appeals to people who may be intimidated to travel abroad. Bourdain is too easy of a target just based on his attitude, former drug use, etc. Although I like Bourdain's more raw persona better. But it's just a persona, and entertainment isn't knowledge. Bourdain's opened up my world a lot more though in terms of food and travel though and I really enjoy living vicariously through his shows. I grew up in (Eastern) Europe so I just don't need Rick as much to bring Europe to my door. I do like his straightforward writing style, even though it has some mighty cliches at times...for the most part, the benefits exceed the faults. It's obvious that many Rickniks have a really hard time thinking beyond Rick's books and go into panic mode when he hasn't written about an area that they want to visit (Iceland, Sicily, etc). He's definitely been successful at getting people to follow his guidance and to prioritize his "wisdom" over other travel book writers. I do always recommend his books to newbies because they are so "accessible", for lack of better terms.

But if there's one overlap between both of them it's a common message to put yourself into others shoes when you travel...get down and try to understand other people and how they live without prejudice. And create some space for sponteinty to happen. Those are good messages.

Aside from food, I would take anything a recovering drug addict with multiple, horrible tattoos suggests with a grain of salt. I used to be a fan of his until I realized how negative he was.

Keep in mind though, I was a huge fan of Rachael Ray's show $40 a day and love her and he hates her. :)

But come on, you guys, admit it, Bourdain is really quite sexy in a rough bad-boy way.

omg, the giggling is turning into chortles

On the nerd scale Rick is way above Michael Palin!

Emma, I do like Michael Palin, too, I must say. Haven't seen one of his programmes for a while.

But come on, you guys, admit it, Bourdain is really quite sexy in a
rough bad-boy way.

Yep. He could hog economy-seat space next to me any day. Not that he flies the cheap seats.

If, as emma surmises, Michael Palin just got too old to continue with his travel programmes, I do think that was very thoughtless of him. And a bit rude, too. (I don't do emojis.)

I've known people who interacted with Bourdain and they've said a lot of the persona is just that- in person he tends to be softer spoken and not as confrontational. And I think he means it when he talks about how important it is to be a good guest when someone invites you into their home and puts a lot of time and treasure into sharing their food and culture with you.

I suspect that if Bourdain and Rick found themselves at Schiphol waiting for the same flight that got delayed, they'd end up going back into Amsterdam, toking up together, and having some good talks about the world.

Palin said a couple years ago the BBC execs were too controlling and bureaucratic, so he probably won't make any more programs. Of course nothing is stopping him from going to another network???

The void is easily being filled by other presenters like Michael Protillio, Simon Reeve, Kate Humble, Richard Ayoade, Chris Tarrant, Levison Wood, and Ben Folge.

Today there's a long profile of Mr Bourdain in one of New York's newspapers -
https://www.wsj.com/articles/anthony-bourdains-globalist-mission-1522247193

edit: It appears the article is now restricted to only subscribers.

Bourdain - Sexy? Uh, no, not in my personal book. He might make someone elses socks go up and down, but not mine.

Lol Ms Jo. That literally made me choke on my nice pino grigio.

Same with me Ms. Jo.

I am not a fan of Bourdain. Especially after I read what he said about other celebrity chefs and how terrible they are.

But this I can promise you....when I'm on my deathbed and remembering my many trips across the world, I certainly won't be thinking "I wished I wasn't wrong...and lived my life the Bourdain way....".

To hell with him and his ordinary opinions.

I'm with you Jo, but one girl's prince charming is another girl's frog. For me, he's more of a frog.

Frank II - you really stirred the pot this time! LOL!

equestrianesse - Bravo!
Scheduling and research help a traveler see/accomplish what he/she wants within the limits of time and resources, including allowing for 'free time'. I've been to Paris several times, gone up the Tour Eiffel once and intend to again sometime, but I don't need to do it every time I visit Paris. But to go to Paris and never the Tour Eiffel because it is a typical tourist site? Not me!

aarthurperry - excellent explanation of the intentionally misleading sensationalism of articles/commentary online, in broadcasts and in print. Thank you.

People are complex. Everyone has good and less than good in them. Everyone is different and has different eyes and brains.
And of course, neither Bourdain, Steves, Maxa or any other traveler visits the same place in exactly the same way as any other traveler, nor in exactly the same way that same traveler visited that same place on a previous trip. People grow and change over time and experience.

We can also 'like' someone because of their outward personality and not respect everything they say or do. I've worked with many people whose company I enjoyed but whose work ethic or skills I felt were lacking, and some whose work I admired but were never 'friends.'

To a couple of commenters above - as an adult, I don't appreciate any person, man or women, my sex or not, telling me what to do or assuming I have to accept their opinions or be wrong. Every person is an individual. Being offered assistance, however, is appreciated, even if not accepted.

I try to keep my mind open and use my own judgment to use the good from others and ignore what would be negative to me. I have my own experiences, values and intellect to guide me in selecting what will be useful to me.
Bourdain shares some good insights and travel/cooking/eating experiences that I enjoy, as well characteristics and behavior I don't.
The same with Rick Steves; I use his company's website, books, and tours because he offers generally very good travel advice and well-organized tours with (so far over my 5 tours) very good guides, and still feel free not to agree with him about everything.

Bottom line: I enjoy traveling and will select to try whatever advice I feel is suitable, and then reject or retain it based upon my experience.

Oops - I think I've gone over my allotted 2 cents ...
Back to you, Frank II.

I'm reminded of what Uma Thurman once said (paraphrasing from memory), "I don't consider myself good looking at all but when people see you up on the screen they think you are beautiful."

If you really want to shake your head, get hold of a copy of The Solo Travel Handbook from Lonely Planet. I don't want to say some of the advice is antiquated or bad but some of the advice is antiquated and bad.

I didn't buy it but was able to get a copy. I found myself shaking my head while reading it.

Well, poop. Now I have yet another book I need to read this week!