How to travel like Anthony Bourdain

Well, the one question I take issue with is "dont wait at the gate". I have several times been caught by a gate/terminal change that would have been missed had I been off getting a massage. Maybe the bathroom comment as well.

I like one of the commenters suggesting a point he missed :

“Have an entire television network plan and facilitate every detail of your trip, including paying for 1st class airfare, transportation and lodging, then kick back and eat some great food.”

Interesting travel hints. My take:

1. Check your suitcase--I agree, though I expect many on this forum will not. It is easier to negotiate the terminal if you are not pushing or carrying a suitcase, suitcases take up too much storage space on the plane, and it is annoying as passengers who sat ahead of you battle to retrieve and carry off their suitcases. I actually think the airlines should charge for carrying a suitcase on board. I expect strong disagreement on this issue.

2. Don't Wait at the Gate--If possible, I try to do something else, though I occasionally check the gate to see whether anything has happened and I have never had an airport massage.

3. Avoid Airline Food--Yes and no. No, in that I paid for it so I figure I should get it. Yes, in that I rarely eat the entire meal. But it does kill some time during the flight. And if I wait to eat until the flight and then pick at the meal served on board, it is a way to avoid overeating.

4. Research the Local Food--Absolutely. Nearly every place does have a few dishes it does better than most other places.

5. Forget the Concierge/Hotel Staff--Disagree. Bourdain had access to restaurants that you and I don't have. Incidentally, a great source for restaurants is the very recent posts on this forum.

6. Skip the Touristy Places--Yes and no. Sometimes people go to sites because, well, they are supposed to and want to check a box. But sometimes the "touristy" site is the reason you are visiting a place. "Touristy" has some negative connotations. Your idea of what places are touristy may be different from mine.

I actually think the airlines should charge for carrying a suitcase on board. I expect strong disagreement on this issue.

I wholeheartedly agree. I can't recall the last time a flight I've been on has taken off on time simply because so many people have brought carry on luggage and it slows the whole boarding process not to mention cabin crew having to try and find somwhere to squeeze cases in.

As for not eating airline food, I invariably fly BA and on short haul flights the meagre offering of a small bag of pretzels or crisps and a bottle of water don't really count. Their business and first class offerings however are generally quite good apart from the rip off cop out that is 'afternoon tea', a couple of sandwiches and a scone with jam and cream is not a meal.

He got depressed around other exhausted travellers??? I don't think I would have gotten along with Tony B. This is the 2nd post I've read this week about things he's said and I'm just shaking my head. I'm glad I've never watched his show.

Check your suitcase--I usually fly these days with a duffel bag that I check, and a backpack that I bring on the plane.

Don't Wait at the Gate--Ha ha . I always wait at the gate for a least some of the time. I feel like something will happen if I'm not there. Sometimes we have access to a lounge and will do that for a while, but there is always some gate waiting.

Avoid Airline Food--Yes. I pretty much don't touch my in flight meal anymore. I just find all of them gross. I might eat the cheese and crackers or bread and butter, and maybe the brownie, but not much else. I just bring my own snacks.

Research the Local Food--Yes. Though as a pescatarian there are certain things I wouldn't have.

Forget the Concierge/Hotel Staff--Disagree. I would always speak to the concierge and front desk staff. My husband is one!

Skip the Touristy Places--Sometimes. I might not spend a whole lot of time at a touristy spot, or I might just pass by outside. I also might not go if it is too crowded, but I often will at least take a look.

Stan, the comment that you quoted says it all. That's exactly how I would have commented. Most of us don't, and never will, travel like the host of a travel show, with all that entails including special access to places we likely won't be able to get into. They may be fun to watch and we may be able to pick up some hints and ideas from them, but so much of what they do can't be replicated by us.

I just don't understand this fascination with how celebrities travel. Why am I supposed to give them credence? Because they have a pretty face or some velvety voice? Bourdain was free to travel however he wanted, but was someone I had little respect for.

There's a lot of truth in

“Have an entire television network plan and facilitate every detail of your trip, including paying for 1st class airfare, transportation and lodging, then kick back and eat some great food.”

then kick back and eat some great food

Well, maybe not great food...
https://www.foodrepublic.com/1545076/worst-food-anthony-bourdain-ate/

But it was hákarl — fermented Greenland shark from Iceland — that Bourdain admitted was tops on his list of the worst things he'd ever eaten, right alongside Namibian warthog rectum.

I've never really "gotten" Anthony Bourdain. This set of advisories from him doesn't advance me any closer.

I'd say, prior to following the "Check your suitcase" advice (which I generally follow), is BOOK DIRECT FLIGHTS whenever possible. When checked baggage goes sideways, it is often because a hand-off at a connecting airport goes awry. The less complicated the flights, the less likely your bag goes somewhere else. And, of course, carry-on the "important" stuff you need at your destination. I'm a firm believer, for European travel and many other places, in the idea that you can generally arrive somewhere with only your small carry-on and get up and running with a visit to a store or two (and an adventure will ensue :D ), so lost luggage is nothing life-changing. But, of course, I like my bags arriving with me to the destination. :) I do see a huge advantage - for a time crunched itinerary - to being the first through Passport & Customs controls, though. You can sometimes get a 20-30 min jump on the rest of the plane by traveling light (ie carry-on only) and skipping the luggage carousel waiting game.

And "skip the touristy spots" is just horrible advice. And meant - at the time - to be "controversial". The better advice is "use your time wisely" and as Bourdain was commenting pre-Covid and before the now ubiquitous "timed entry online ticketing" available, no one should be wasting a day for an entry to any spot - touristy or not. If you view the time in/at the Louvre or Versailles as "wasting time", then that's a different story, because nowadays, while there are lines everywhere, folks can still see and do a lot in a single day even with those "touristy spots" in the mix. Plan your time wisely, and even better, plan your trip timing better.

@Tom R Love this take. That is, to take Tony's wisdom with a grain of salt given that 1) he was a celebrity traveling with a full production team and 2) he passed away over five years ago and COVID changed a lot of things.

Personally, I grew up on his shows. I read Kitchen Confidential in college. My first solo trip in my early 20's was to Turkey after seeing an episode of No Reservations set in Istanbul. I was thrilled by his adventures in Colombia in season 1 of Parts Unknown and visited Bogota and Cartagena next. But I don't think the strength of his work was creating an itinerary for others to follow. What Bourdain did so well was "open the door and clear the floor." Other than Samin Nosrat in Salt Fat Acid Heat, I've seen few other TV personalities that so effectively amplify others' experiences and stories to build interest and compassion amongst American viewers.

Sometimes I think people go looking for something to be negative about.

The link takes you to this, and I haven’t got much disagreement with his attitude.

Check your suitcase. He suggests it as a way to be polite to other passengers on the plane. Are we faulting an effort of politeness?

Don’t wait at the gate. The gentleman chooses a distraction as opposed to sitting with the masses? I don’t see a problem with that.

Avoid airplane food. He is a foodie and he says he wants to show up hungry. Whats wrong with that?

Research the food. Well, that’s what a lot of RS folks do here ever day. Its part of the purpose of the forum.

Forget the concierge. Yes, it can be they have some sort of inducement for their recommendations. And if not, they might just play it safe. Some may be good. I suspect A.B. would approve of any source you look to in order to find the “local” place; even a RS forum.

Skip the Touristy Spots. I will give him the assumption of making a gross overgeneralization to make a point. If you spend 4 hours waiting to get into something you sort of lost the day. But it might be worth it for you.

Then we have the criticism that his trips are professionally planned. What do you think you are getting on a RS Tour?

I don’t use or bother with Facebook, so I am just going off the six points that have already been posted here –

1. Check your suitcase – Okay, so check your suitcase. You are after all free to do as you please and I do not know why this is such a passionate discussion. I’m capable of determining for myself what I find easy, and I just don’t get annoyed at the folks ahead of me retrieving their luggage. Why let others affect your emotions? Take care of yourself and I will take care of myself.

2. Don’t wait at the gate – okay?

3. Avoid airline food – Why? Right, you’re going to fly 8-12 hours and skip meals? Fascinating how so many make such a production out of proclaiming how bad airline food is. It’s large-scale catering, stored for transport and re-heated for service at a later point in time. It is cafeteria food. Maybe moderate expectations?

4. Research the local food – All food is local. If you want an Irish pub, then you must go to Ireland and if you want Indian food, go to India, otherwise everything is local. I enjoy the interpretations and takes that locals have. Chicken and Potato Waffles was cool and interesting to learn that pepperoni and jalapeño is an “American pizza” and I have absolutely enjoyed the London take on BBQ. Tried nachos in the Netherlands and learned that when the menu said chili sauce it meant an Indonesian style sweet chili sauce. That was interesting.

5. Forget the concierge/hotel staff – Why? I’ve never stayed at a hotel with a concierge. But the hotel staff is local and will have local insights.

6. Skip the touristy places – Why? Why is tourist or touristy such a bad word? Why do people recoil at the thought of being a tourist? I live in a tourist town, do tourist things in my own town, last night I took my evening walk up to Colonial Williamsburg and enjoyed the rumbles of thunder and the misty rain at such a touristy place. I even have a season pass to Busch Gardens.

Avoid airline food – Why?

he said why. Not hard to understand that It's based on getting the most out of his travel interests. He didn't critize the airline food.

Conseirge? I assume, based on his interests he would rather not be dependent on a stranger.

The skipping of long tourism lines I presume is so he can pursue his interests.

Read it in context and it all makes sense. We spend a lot of time here saying every travel interest and style is legitimate... why would this be different?

Don’t wait at the gate. The gentleman chooses a distraction as
opposed
to sitting with the masses? I don’t see a problem with that.

To preface this; I've never seen an AB show before and only know of him from second-hand stories of things he ate. However that "don't wait at the gate" because it "depresses" him to be among other exhausted travellers, had me rolling my eyes and thinking he was quite the drama queen. I moved on to what I thought were more credible comments from more credible people.

I wait in a bar for roughly the same reason. I imagine the massage improves the quality of his airport experience, as the bar does for me. Others might feel too anxious to be away from the gate. That's fair too.

Sorry but I happily don't traveler like AB.

Don't wait at the gate. Maybe for frequent flyers who can get into lounges, but the plebs like me usually like to sit at the gates and wait. Better than sitting in some restaurant that isn't by the gate.

I always do carryon and I'm always the first on to public transit instead of waiting and waiting for your bag.

Waiting by exhaustive travelers made him depressed? No comment
And sorry but when I take a 7 hour flight I'm going to eat the meal. But then I usually order the special meals and not just the usual.

And the old skip the "touristy" places. Which is patently false. Why go to London if not to see The Tower or Paris to see the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. AB probably visited these countries enough times. For first time travelers-go to those places if you want.

I do roll my eyes at all the celebrity tips about how to travel when they always travel in First Class and have limos pick them up from the airport. They definitely don't ride public transport to and from the airport or stay in budget hotels.

Read it in context and it all makes sense.

I don't think it is possible to read a patched together image of six "points" in context very easily. AB wrote a LOT. AB spoke a LOT. And AB changed over time like all of us. Those six suggestions could be put in context with regards to the person who created that image & collection, but if we're trying to dive into the context for each one according to AB, there'd need to be a whole lot series of citations and the full video/transcript/article to get where AB was coming from or trying to convey.

CHECK YOUR SUITCASE "I don't want to be that guy trying to squeeze my bag into the overhead bin while everyone's waiting to get on the plane," he says.

This has many totally different interpretations or understandings depending on the context we aren't given. Keep in mind, the quote is NOT around "check your suitcase" but rather around not squeezing a bag into the overhead bin. There are multiple ways that quoted bit could be contextualized - eg I move out of the aisle and into my row as I place my bag in the bin "since I don't want to be that guy trying to squeeze my bag into the overhead bin while everyone's waiting to get on the plane."

There are lot's more ways to imagine (with no citation) where that quote came from and what it means. It DOESN'T, by default, mean "check your suitcase".

The points of the FB image are not, on the whole, awful but I think they're also a bit in the "stir the pot" category as well. I like that they get folks here to think about them and give a good pro/con argument. It's no fun having no opinion on stuff and just sleepwalking through life - or worse...sleepwalking through travel!

Read it in context and it all makes sense.

Like I said, I do not use Facebook and have no account, I am not able to see the particular page and I remarked based on posts on the forum.

he said why. Not hard to understand that It's based on getting the most out of his travel interests.

I'm sure it worked for him. He was a frequent traveler as part of his work.

We spend a lot of time here saying every travel interest and style is legitimate... why would this be different?

Sure, we are all free to experience travel as we please, but as Tom R indicated these are probably AB's quips assembled into a graphic by another and with that we have moved from how AB personally traveled into the realm of a third party suggesting how others should travel from an argument from authority based on AB's celebrity. With that, I get to ask why and be skeptical.

Like I said, I do not use Facebook and have no account, I am not able
to see the particular page and I remarked based on posts on the forum.

Now I understand.

Fascinating thread worth the price of admission. Well, I eat the airplane food because, yes, it's something to do, and heck it's a once or twice per year thing at the most.

I do tend to hang around the gate and read, and snack, because I'm a nervous Nellie I guess. At least in that regard.

Touristy sites? Well, Versailles is certainly touristy, but I'm glad I saw it in person. Just one of dozens of examples off the top of my pinhead. The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are touristy. C'mon. Maybe kissing the Blarney Stone is over the top.

And yeah, Mr. Bourdain didn't exactly travel like most of us, but I did enjoy his show. He sure could turn a phrase.

p.s. Paving the roads with asphalt in Colonial Williamsburg is a travesty! I mean, that doesn't exactly get you into the spirit of the times lol.

Call me antisocial, but I prefer to hang out at an empty or near empty gate. I pick one close enough to my own that I can hear the announcements.

NancyG, yes, me too if it's possible.