Tourist vs traveller lol

Regarding #8, I love chatting with other Americans when the opportunity presents itself. I never just start talking to someone randomly -- I want to respect them and let them enjoy the same site/scenery that I am. However, I did strike up a conversation on my last trip when I saw someone holding the same Rick Steves' guidebook that I had in my backpack!

these are known as "listicles," they come up with some semi-random number of items and make a list. They just want you to click on their site and ideally get all steamed and post comments. All while noticing the ads, of course.

Read and enjoy.

This was a somewhat hilarious read!

I was thinking of this "debate" recently whilst reading The Accidental Tourist since the main character writes travel books to pretty much replicate home for the reluctant business traveler. It was funny to think of the main character as the antithesis of Rick Steves.

Nicole, that is such a funny article. Really clever.

I love #5 because it so reminds me of my Mom who died at 94 only regretting she did not make in on safari or to the Great Wall. She always wondered why people tried to go off the beaten path...because she said, there's nothing there. That's why there is no path...there is nothing interesting there.

Thanks for posting this Nicole. I loved it and it was so right on!

Haha I think I fit somewhere in between. Can I call myself a "tr-ourist"? What about a "tour-valler"?

I'm def more tourist with a touch of traveler thrown in...I love seeing all the on the beaten path things (I mean...that's why they are great!)...but...I do tend more towards staying in slightly off the beaten path places at times...give me the five villages of Cinque Terre...I chose to stay in Corniglia both times (the smallest and least touristy - if you can call it that). We stayed on the Amalfi Coast, and I chose the little village of Atrani...when we went to North France, we could have stayed in Caen, but we stayed with some lovely people in another tiny village (just a speck of a place) called Amblie...but give me a big city and I want to be in the middle of it all! It's all good when I'm on holiday!

The best article I ever read written by a "traveler" suggested that real travelers skip Rome altogether because it was too crowded with tourists.
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As with most humorous things, there's a grain of truth. While I avoid packing every second of my itinerary, I do try not to waste time because there's more to see and do than time available to see and do it - a tourist doesn't mind just hanging out and relaxing.

I don't travel with reservations or eat at touristy places - but I spend minutes rather than hours booking lodging (because the hours were spent pre-trip identifying options) and finding local eateries.