Daily Hits of Happy: October 28, 2019 - 45

Monday, October 28, 2019

October 28, 2019 - 45 - "The Journey"

Two Types of Travelers

I talk to people all the time on flights about their travel experiences. It seems there are two sorts of travelers:

Type 1 Traveler-The Explorer:

This sort of traveler will tell you excitedly about where they went, what they saw, the interesting people they met, and the fabulous things they ate.

They will say things like: "I can't wait to try this dish we had at home. The chef at the restaurant gave us the recipe. Isn't that nice?'

Or: 'We stayed at an Airbnb and our hosts were wonderful. We're going to miss them. Oh, and their dog would go for walks on their property with us."

Type 2 Traveler-The Homebody:

These people will tell you: "Hardly anyone spoke decent English!" (This always reminds me of Steve Martin talking about going to France and saying the people were being so rude: "Boy, those French: they have a different word for everything!")

Homebodies will say:   "You couldn't get a good hamburger (or iced tea...) anywhere!"

If asked if they tried any of the local food they will mention the 'weird spices' in things. They will discount a cuisine thousands of years old as somehow inferior to whatever McFoods they enjoy at home.

They will say the hotel rooms aren't like home. The beds were so small.

They will remember this one guy in the market who seemed to be trying to rip them off. They will say the other members of their tour group were a pain.

If you ask about the countryside, or museums, they will say: "Oh, yeah. We saw...? Uh, what was that old building we went to? You couldn't even get at it for all the damn tourists!"

Vive la difference!

I struggled to find another word for the non-Explorer types. Homebody isn't quite it.

I mean, hell, I'm a homebody. But when I make the choice to go somewhere I want to have new experiences, meet new people, eat new things.

I do try to create my own little comfort zones in a way. I make sure to have extra layers of clothes in case of cool temperatures, or a good book to read in case of delays. But beyond that I'm there for the journey.

Recreating my life at home seems to defeat the purpose of travel.  If we don't want to broaden our horizons...why go? Why go somewhere and avoid experiencing what the locals do, and eat. and enjoy? Why avoid interactions with locals by being in large buses, in huge tour groups?

Maybe it's the 'growth' or 'fixed' mindset again?

Maybe it's just optimists versus pessimists?

There have been a few times when I was sick, or so exhausted, that I took the path of least resistance and had a fast food meal where I knew I could just point at the menu. Those times usually happen on work trips where my stays in foreign lands is short, and my energy level is low. Even then I try to go for a local fast food place.

Usually I want to soak up the local sights, customs, and all around vibe, like a sponge. This adds so much richness and dimension to my life. Even after I'm back home, the moment's experience lives on in a new way of looking at something, a new food to try, a new word to express something English doesn't quite capture.

What's your travel style?

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"Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something is not to your liking, change your liking."

-Rick Steves, on travel

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"See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask for no guarantees, ask for no security."

-Ray Bradbury

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"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world."-Gustave Flaubert

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"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind."