The luxury of the Vat Phou river cruise
There are several “what type of traveller are you?” type of quizzes out there. They are usually good fun to complete, with some interesting and humurous scenarios where the answers are used to attempt to determine your travelling type. The trouble is, I’ve never quite managed to fit myself into a category and always end up thinking I’m a bit of everything. Am I alone in this, or are most of us a hybrid of travelling styles?
When I was a student and would set off for a few months’ adventurous hitch-hiking with almost no money and a small set of summer clothes in my father’s old kit bag, I would very firmly fit into the budget traveller/backpacker camp. But now both my wife and I have worked for many years, our trips are shorter and we have more disposable income to spend on our travels, I don’t quite know where I sit. Here are just a few of the contradictions that muddy my attempts to stereotype ourselves, based solely on our last month in SE Asia:
1. We stayed in nice hotels in Bangkok and Luang Prabang costing $100, but also in guest houses in small town Cambodia that cost $10.
2. We splurged on business class long-haul flights, then took a $4 sawngthaew (glorified pick-up truck) ride for four hours across northern Laos.
3. We ate $1-$2 meals for much of the trip, then splashed out in an upmarket restuarant in Bangkok.
4. We flew internally in Laos to cover long distances and save precious travelling time, yet took three days to travel between southern Laos and Phnom Penh, an 8 hour straight run by bus.
5. On consecutive days I shared beers with wealthy retired Americans on a river cruise and hard-core backpackers in a one-horse town.
6. We booked most of our accommodation in advance, but also turned up at the Cambodian border with no onward travel or lodging plans.
Room for one more! 24 of us squeezed in for this sawngthaew ride
Backpackers? We carried backpacks but maybe our luxurious moments exclude us from this club. Flashpackers? Short trip, large budget yes, but almost no gadgetry (an $80 camera and a $200 netbook) so probably not. Tourists? Well yes, that goes without saying. Who isn’t?
However our travel style is labelled (suggestions are welcome) it was nice to flit in between the different stereotypes of travel. In a previous 501 Places post I wrote about the tourist/traveller debate, and I would add the following observations:
Both the fanny-pack wielding Americans and the thread-bare backpackers that we befriended were there because they wanted to experience the magic of this beautiful region. They both loved the food, were blown away by the kindness and hospitality of the people and were savouring the joys of travel, albeit in their different environments. Both spoke with passion and joy about their trips to date and their future plans, and were keen to share tips and recommendations with us and others, however different this advice was.
In short, the two diverse groups were really not as different as their outward appearance or choice of transport/accommodation might suggest. Whether they were labelled tourist or traveller, they shared remarkably similar joys and frustrations, and had the same spark in their eyes at the thought of discovering something new of the world, and in that process of themselves too.
Great article! We often feel somewhere in between too. I agree, the important thing is people getting out there and traveling no matter what style, budget or gadgetry. Thanks for sharing.
Love your blog, and the whole concept of what you’re doing; linked to it in my most recent post: http://www.health-conscious-travel.com/2010/01/new-years-goal-12-months-12-peak.html
I appreciate your recent Twitter support too. (I’m @healthy_travel)
Seems like we’re on the same wavelength as they say. Happy travels!
Hi Andy, interesting post. I carry a backpack but also have a small 22″ carry on with wheels when I travel for months at a time. I converted from just a large backpack mostly because it is impossible to get on a bus or train with it on your back. There’s just not enough room and I was constantly banging into and aggravating people. I travel independently, usually with only vague plans and no reservations, but I am technology heavy, with laptop, camera, lenses, video, etc. I prefer cheap hostels but every now and then splurge on nicer accommodations – usually when the stress of long term travel (it happens) sets in and I need to take a couple of “down” days. But despite how we travel, there’s really no need for labels. We’re all just citizens of the world.
Beautiful words. I feel the same way — I’m not 100% a backpacker because I don’t mind splurging for the occasional comforts, but I’m not in the flashpacker range either because I *do* mind when the prices get a little high. But yeah, at the end of the day, we’re all tourists