Are you a Traveller, or a Tourist?

It took three, long hours to get to the temple.   An hour of that was figuring out which bus to take, negotiating the ticket, and finding directions to the correct platform.    Five people were crammed into a seat built for three, and although there were no live animals, there was a freshly slaughtered chicken.   It was hot, it was uncomfortable, it was intense, and it was vivid.   This is travel, and this is all worth it.  I hike up the hill, and there it is, a beautiful stone temple, glowing in the sun.   I take a deep breath, pull out my camera, and then I see them.  Over a hundred tourists, wearing name tags, following a red umbrella.  Ladies and gentlemen:  begin the debate!

Travellers carry towels, never iron their clothes, and freak out when there’s a schedule.  Tourists stay in nice hotels, look forward to going home, and typically pay the set price.   Travellers discard guidebooks, tourists clutch them closely to their chests.   Travellers need a holiday when they return home, tourists leave home for a holiday.   Or vice-versa. ​

The Traveller vs Tourist is a timeless, heated debate.  Many backpackers make proud, public announcements so nobody might confuse them with being a tourist.  Many tourists seem compelled to sheepishly justify their package vacation, while others would never dream of leaving the comfort bubble of a tour bus.   Never mind that both groups are united in the same purpose – to leave their homes and discover something new.   And never mind that tourists don’t seem too bothered by the whole debate in general – it’s usually travellers, sitting in a dive bar, scratching the dirt from under their fingernails, scoffing at the thought of seeing anywhere from the comfort of, dare I say it, a brightly coloured tour bus. ​

I get queasy when I read or hear others talk about what makes a real traveller.   Writes one popular blog: “A real traveller avoids hotels or restaurants.  A real traveller does not buy souvenirs because a real traveller never goes home.  A real traveller only carries two pairs of underwear, knows more than the guidebooks, and never goes where the tourists go.”  To which I say: “Real Traveller, you also sound a like a real idiot.”

At the root of this inane rivalry is the assumption that one experience is better, more authentic, and more valuable than the other.   I love it when I meet “real travellers” and the conversation goes like this:
Them: “Have you been to Bolivia.”
Me: “Yes, I’ve spent three weeks in the country.”
Them: Did you go to [insert obscure destination here].
Me: No, I would have loved to, but focused on [insert second obscure destination].
Them: Oh, then you haven’t seen the REAL Bolivia!
Me (under my breath): So many stupid people, so few asteroids.

Every single one of us is different, and every single one of us will have a different experience, even if we’re in the same place.   Further, by definition, anyone who travels can be called a traveller.  Some travellers like comfort, peace of mind with their security, being told where to go, and even what to wear.  Some travellers like crowded buses, smelly toilets, sleeping in dorms and bargaining for everything.  Seriously, they love this stuff!   Judging someone by the experience they choose (with little thought to decision-making factors like budget, time, health, or personal preference) is like judging someone because of the colour of their skin, religion, or personal belief.  ​

There, I’ve said it.   The old debate is nothing more than thinly veiled racism, which, like all racism, is steeped in ignorance, fear, envy, and several ounces of basic stupidity.  Still, I don’t see the argument ending anytime soon.    As I watched the busload of Japanese name-taggers descend on my (my!) hard-fought temple, having being comfortably dropped off by their luxury air-conditioned bus, I couldn’t help but feel they had missed out on the best part of the journey.  And when I told them what I could expect on the long road home, they wondered why anyone in their right mind would put themselves through such an ordeal.    It felt rejuvenating to be independent, but I was jealous as hell of their comfort. ​

There’s no right way to apply ketchup to your fries,  scratch an itch, or smile at a stranger.  While we can always and should learn from the advice of others, there’s also no right way to see the world. ​

There is only your way.