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AreYouaTraveleroraTourist?TaketheQuiztoFind
Out!
Posted:07/16/20135:35pmEDT

Updated:09/15/20135:12amEDT

108

ByCandiceGaukelAndrews
108
What makes a tourist different from a traveler? When recently pondering that question, I found MerriamWebster's to be of little
help.Myoldstandbydictionarydefinesatouristas"onethatmakesatourforpleasureorculture"andatraveleras"onethatgoesonatrip
orjourney."Nobigdistinctionthere.
I then took a different tack: I checked forums on the Internet where the issue had been discussed. On the Fodor's site, a commenter
identified as "nytraveler" wrote, "I'm a tourist. I go to all sorts of places independently and want to see how locals live. I go to typical
restaurantsandcafsbutIwanttoseeallthemajorsights(aswellassomeminorones).Attheendoftheday,Iwantacomfyhotelroom
with AC, room service, and TV with a gazillion channels and a good concierge. I have a friend who is a traveler. She has been up the
Amazon (in a canoe, not a river boat), has lived in a yurt in Mongolia, and stayed in a lot of small towns around the world without the
amenities(placeswithlimitedelectricityandhotwater)thatIexpect."
Anotherresponderstated,"Havingaglassofwineforanhourinanontouristysectionoftownmakesyounomoreatravelerthansomeone
whoishavingaglassofwineforfifteenminutesinthemustseepartoftown.StudyingthenuancesoftheWaterLiliesbyMonetforhalfa
daymakesyounomoreatravelerthansomeonewholooksatitforfiveminutesandwantstomoveontothenextmuseum."
"Fashionista"putherthoughtssuccinctlyinonesentence:"Atouristisanamateurtraveler,andatravelerisaprofessionaltourist."
Sincethereseemstobenopreciseconsensusonwhatmakesatouristdifferentfromatraveler,Idecidedtomakeupmyownquiz,informed
bythethoughtsofsomefamouswriterstravelersall.
So,answermyfivequestions,below,tofindoutwhetheryou'reaconfirmed,unapologetictouristoratruetraveler.And,ifyouthinkyou've
gotadefinitivewaytodistinguishbetweenthesetwotypesofwayfarers,letusknowinthecommentssection,foundafterthequiz.
108
TouristorTravelerQuiz
1.Beforeyouvisitanewdestination,doyouconductresearchandmakealistofthingstoseeanddo,sothatyourtimeonvacationiswell
spent?
Yes
No
2.Onceyoureturnhomefromatrip,what'sthefirstthingyoudo?


Start
planning for
your
next
trip
Organize
your photos
and
post
them
on
Facebook
Spend a
lot of time
thinking
about
and
remembering
the trip you
justtook
3.Whenyougetdowntimeonvacation,doyoupreferto:
Relaxintheloungeofyourhotelbyreadingabookorpeoplewatching
Wanderthenearbystreets,nomattertheweatherconditions
Takeanapinyourroom
4.Onaguidedtour,ifthingsdon'tgoaccordingtotheitinerary,doyou:
Demandarefundforthatportionofthetrip
Feelmildlyannoyed
Justgowiththeflow
5.Whendecidingwheretotravelnext,doyouchooseaplaceorculturethat
is:
Asdistantaspossiblefromwhereyoulive
Asdifferentfromyourownlifestyleaspossible
Itdoesn'tmatterhowdistantordifferent
Scoring:
1. If you answered yes to this question, you're probably more of a tourist than a traveler. If you answered no, you probably have traveler
tendencies.
Tourists typically have a mission in mind when they travel. For example, according to the National Geographic Society, 90percent of all
visitorstotheGrandCanyoncongregateattheSouthRim,snappictures,andleavewithinhours.Iwouldarguethatmostofthesepeopleare
touristsbecauseoftheirsingularfocusontheirmaincompulsiontojustseethisnaturalphenomenon.
According to the English journalist, novelist, and essayist Gilbert K.Chesterton, "The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees
whathehascometosee."
2. If you checked the third box under this question, it's safe to assume you're a traveler. Travelers tend to be a bit more reflective than
tourists.AsNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorPatConroywrote,"Onceyouhavetraveled,thevoyageneverends,butisplayed
outoverandoveragaininthequietestchambers.Themindcanneverbreakofffromthejourney."(Theitalicsaremine.)
If you checked the first box under question 2, you're most likely a tourist (see explanation in answer 1 regarding those who are mission
oriented).Ifyoucheckedthemiddlebox,you'realittleofboth.
108
3.Afewyearsago,ItookaspringtriptotheSouthwestcanyons.Ihavearatheractivefearofheights,andafteraboutourfifthorsixth
trek on narrow paths next to sheer dropoffs in sweltering heat, our group paused for a water break. I honestly didn't know if I could
physicallygoon.Ourguide,naturephotographerEricRock,toldus,"Touriststravelthroughalocationbyseeingitfromawindoworadeck.
Travelersallowthemselvestobeimmersedinthespot.Whenyouletyourselfgetdirty,wet,muddy,andcold,thenyouhavefoundaplace."
If you chose "wander the nearby streets, no matter the weather conditions" for question No. 3, score one on the traveler endpoint of the
continuum.Ifyouchose"relaxintheloungeofyourhotelbyreadingabookorpeoplewatching,"markthisonthetouristside.Ifyouchose
"takeanapinyourroom,"well,it'sawash.Weallgettiredontripsespeciallyonthatsixthhikeinhotsunonthebrinkofanabyss.

American writer Daniel J. Boorstin once penned, "The traveler was

active he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of
experience.Thetouristispassiveheexpectsinterestingthingsto
happentohim.Hegoes'sightseeing.'"
4. If you checked either of the first two boxes on this one, you're a tourist.
Because you are missionoriented (see answer 1), your main reason for
traveling is to see the places and take part in the events you've always
dreamedofseeinganddoing.Ifthisdoesn'thappen,itwillbeannoyingand
notwhatyouexpectedtogetoutofthetrip.
If you're a gowiththeflow type, then you're probably a traveler, as
MerriamWebster'sdefinesit,who'sonajourney,whereveritleads.
The 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature recipient John Steinbeck said, "A
journeyislikemarriage.Thecertainwaytobewrongistothinkyoucontrolit."
5.Agoodfriendofminewhoisanavidtravelerrecentlysentmeanemail.Init,shewrotenewsofherandherhusband:
"Inourcurrentstateof'notgettingaroundmuchanymore,'ourwildlifeviewingismostlyinourbackyard,wherewehaveaplethoraofbaby
birds,rabbits,andsquirrels.ThatmakesitahappyhuntinggroundforthegorgeousmaleNorthernharrierthatoftensitsonthesupporting
poleofoneofourbirdfeeders,abouttwentyfivefeetfromourpatio.Wehavehadharriersinouryardbefore,butneverquitethatclose.We
have Carolina wrens nesting in our defunct gas grill, and cardinals reposing in a hanging plant on our front porch, preventing us from
wateringit.Wehopetheyfledgeintimetosavetheplant."
Thisfriendlymessageremindedmethatifyou'remoreofatraveleratheartthanatourist,yourjourneyshaveawayofcontinuing,evenif
physically,youhaven'tgoneveryfar.AsAmericaniconandauthorHenryMillerstated,"One'sdestinationisneveraplace,butanew
wayofseeingthings."Iwouldaddthatadestinationcouldalsobetoanotherseasonorclimate.
IfyoucheckedeitherBox1orBox2,you'reatourist.IfyoucheckedBox3,you'reatraveler.
Whichevercategorymostofyouranswerstendtofallunder,therearetwomorequestionsit'sworthwhiletoaskyourselfwhiletraveling.
ThesecomefromRachelCarson,authoroftheclassicbookSilentSpring.Shewrites:
"Onewaytoopenyoureyesistoaskyourself,'WhatifIhadneverseenthisbefore?WhatifIknewIwouldneverseeitagain?'"
Safeandhappytravels,
Candy
PhotoCaptionsandCredits:
1.Onlyabout10percentofGrandCanyonvisitorsgototheNorthRim.JohnT.Andrews
2.Travelersandtouristsshouldaskthemselves,"WhatifIknewIwouldneverseethisagain?"CandiceGaukelAndrews
3."Whenyouletyourselfgetdirty,wet,muddy,andcold,thenyouhavefoundaplace,"saysnaturephotographerEricRock.EricRock
FollowAdventureCollectiononTwitter:www.twitter.com/adventucollectn
MORE: AmazonTrips QUIZ Traveler TravelTips RachelCarson RachelCarsonSilentSpring Travel TravelQuiz MongoliaTravel Tourist
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