In Elizabeth Gilbert’s biography of rediscovering life in ‘Eat Pray Love’, a particular paragraph evoked some thoughts in me, as she defines a ‘good’ traveler:
‘Truthfully, I’m not the best traveler in the world. I’ve met people who are great at it. Real naturals. I’ve met travelers who are so physically sturdy they could drink a shoebox of water from a Calcutta gutter and never get sick. People who can pick up new languages where others of us might only pick up infectious diseases. People who are the right height and complexion that they kind of look halfway normal wherever they on.’
‘I don’t have these qualities. First off, I don’t blend. Tall and blond and pink-complexioned, I am less a chameleon than a flamingo. I’m bad (or rather, lazy) at researching a place before I travel, tending just to show up and see what happens. And, oh, the woes that traveling has inflicted on my digestive tract!’
— Elizabeth Gilbert
Although Elizabeth’s wicked sense of self-teasing humor amuses me, I honestly don’t think you could define how ‘good’ a traveler one person is. Whether you are a long-term traveler, one who’s experienced or one who’s just taken your baby steps into vagabonding, there’s no measure to how ‘well’ you travel.
Can you ever measure how ‘well’ one travels?
Amusingly I fit her bill of a ‘good’ traveler, I’ve never suffered a serious case of food-poisoning despite the funky food I eat (Alberto was never this fortunate) and I have no problems picking up local languages and always manage to amuse the locals. I tend to blend into the crowd, and not stand out too much looking like a lobster-tanned tourist.
On the contrary, I am a careless absent-minded traveler, I forget my passport all the time, air-tickets, hostel key, anything you could think of. I have missed several flights in my life, mostly due to negligence (i.e. forgetting departure time, not bothering to double check). Like an elementary school child, I need Alberto by my side to check if I remembered my malaria pills or band-aid.
But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy myself getting lost in the night markets of Cambodia, or running through the busy streets of Cairo to catch our train to only miss it by a second. They become stories we would look back and laugh at. Similarly, a traveler who is too lazy to research on a place, like Elizabeth, enjoys her perks of uncovering secret alleys that most guidebook-reliant travelers might miss. A tourist who stands out as a foreigner, might get approached by the friendliest locals, and in turn experiencing something you might miss out on.
For one, if we could ever loosely define how ‘well’ one travels, I would say these points are what make a ‘good’ traveler.
(I am far from that perfection, but let’s just say, I’m working on it.)
A ‘Good’ Traveler…
Has an open mind and welcomes any form of adventure! I think this is quintessential to maximizing one’s experience while travelling. If you’re too afraid to try the local exotic food (grasshoppers!) or have qualms about visiting the Tannery (too smelly for you?), then you really might be missing out on some great stuff!
Respects other cultures and is genuinely interested in a different heritage. I have met many world travelers who surprisingly shock me with mocking remarks on certain traditions and customs they are unable to accept.
Speaks politely and blends in. You see them everywhere, the bunch of loud-mouthed teenagers talking at the top of their voices at the Piazza, the group of drunk Brits on the beach of Ibiza slurring loudly, they stand out like flamingos, and no the locals don’t usually like them.
Understands cultural differences and does not expect others to speak in her/his language. Many English-speaking travelers make the mistake of assuming that everyone speaks English too, and gets frustrated when they don’t. (I used to be one. Damn I’m ashamed.)
Socializes with the locals and not only fellow travelers. I’ve seen hordes of backpackers clustering together like a herd of sheep, yet they shudder at the thought of making a local friend. Learn to say ‘hi’ in the local language, and I’m sure you’ll be the talk of the town.
Is humble and modest. I believe traveling is a never-ending learning process, and everyone always has something new to learn. So stop being a snob even if you’ve seen the world, there’s always something you don’t know.
Can always laugh it off. Someone who doesn’t get too serious about life, someone who laughs at himself and can share her whimsical outlook of life with others, probably makes the ‘best’ traveler as she touches others magically.
Related Posts:
- The Ups and Downs of a Nomadic Lifestyle
- Moving on: A New Life
- Why Should I Travel?
- 7 Steps to Sustaining Long-Term Travel
I loved Eat, Pray, Love and I enjoyed your take on her definition of a good traveler. If the ability to drink bad water makes one a good traveler then I'm certainly not one! But hopefully I am a bit closer to what you think of as a good traveler.
I think I"m a great traveler, and a bad expat! Being an expat really gives you practice at being open to other cultures because you are living among them; still working on that!
Nice post. I have to say I'm not a fan of the book, but she did have some great quotes in it that I took my highlighter to!
I have never read her book but I like your first definition of a good traveler.. Being an open mind and welcome any form of adventure, I think is a key to enjoying your travel. I believe it's too narrow-minded to just categorize one type of traveling to be better than another. Traveling is more like personal choice. So one person way of travel (being a backpacking, or luxury crusing) is different from another. So as long as you enjoy and happy during your trip, I think that's what the main goal. Any form of traveling is better than staying at home.
I never read that book but I read your post and loved the definition of a good traveler. I think I am of a middle of the road good traveler I can laugh it out but sometimes I just don't feel like it because I want it this way not that.
I love this post! I think a good traveler is also someone one who can take a little piece of the places visited and incorporate into their own life somehow… otherwise, why travel in the first place? this could be anything from gaining some different life perspective on the trip to simply bringing home spices to cook with.
Beautifully written. I certainly try to be a good traveler, but I have a long way to go. I burn badly in the sun, both Dave and I have been very sick at times and sometimes I just can't laugh it off. I try very hard to learn the local language, but I am not very good I have to admit. But people always get a laugh out of my bad pronunciation. That is not to say that I am not great at other things. I love talking with local people, I love all adventures and I love to explore new cultures. Food, I will try anything set in front of me and I will try my hand at the traditional dance or meditation, sport or art. I love it all.
Ok, reading the first half of the article, I thought… no, I'm probably the worst traveller! However, I felt much better after your points came up. Phew! I'm a good traveller after all! Another fab article from you! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Keith
I love the quote from the book (though I;ve not read it). Nice summary of what makes a good traveller, though I think open-mindedness/tolerance rates first, second and third above all others. I always admire language skills of folks who seem to naturally absorb a language simply by sleeping in a foreign hotel – I rcall having breakfast with a Dutch backpacker in South America who told me he thought a few words of Spanish would be useful so he went ot an evening class and three weeks later he found he could speak the language. I was ashamed that I'd spent six months going to a weekly class and couldn't do much more than mumble "thank you" and count to ten – certainly not dictate how the eggs should be cooked for my breakfast.
EXCELLENT post!!! Wow, I feel like this should be the 1st page of every travel guide. I hope this enlightens some people.
Thanks Andi for your kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
Beautiful post!!! I always thought I would be a good traveler but since I live in eastern Europe I know that I am not. I still have a lot to learn! Thanks for this inspiring post.
I am so a good traveller. What I am not good at is picking the right people to travel with. They always want to do the opposite to everything I want to do.
Well, it is hard to estimate yourself, how good a traveler you are. But I don't quite think that you can blend in anytime because I don't think any European can blend in Asia but this doesn't make him/her a bad traveler. On the contrary, the curiosity is the main feature of a good traveler.
Great post idea! I of course am a huge fan of Elizabeth, Eat Pray Love was exactly what I wanted my life to be when it came out, since then I've been working towards my dream of being an expat! 6 months & counting, loving your blog!
great idea…
As a vacation homeowner (learned everything I know about the job by joining the Vacation Homeowner's Guide on Facebook), I've experienced both good and bad travelers. I'd say your list is pretty darn accurate.
Well said! While there are certainly no hard and fast rules of what makes a good traveler, I think respect (and you touch on this in a few of your points) certainly is the largest factor. Show common respect for locals, fellow travelers, etc. and you are already half way there.
I think I am a good traveler. In fact I wrote a post about this awhile back. I always try to get off the tourist path and meet people. I have an open mind when it comes to new experiences and I find that the approach you mention makes for a great experience. One of my rules is don't be stuck up. Talk to everyone from the hotel staff, the waiter the cab driver and even strangers. You meet some really great people and they can turn you on to some places and things most other would never see.
You have had good qualities really. When visiting outside home country one should adapt such approach like respecting other culture and beliefs. This approach would help you make new friends even in stranger country.