Are you a tourist or a traveller?

Is there a difference between them in your opinion?
What kind of image appears in your mind whether I say tourist? And traveler? I think is a bit different, right?

When I think the word “tourist” there is an image of a group of people with trolleys, summer hats on heads, little backpacks on shoulders and they are looking through the camera viewfinder at a famous monument in the center of a big famous city, maybe on the typical red-sightseeing-bus.

When I think the word “traveler” I imagine a single person with a big backpack on shoulders, camera on chest, sunglasses and summer hat in an unspecified point of the planet.

Here some differences:

Which one mostly suit you?

Actually, most of the people suit in both of them, you can pending in one side or the other but usually, you do something of this and something of that. It’s normal and maybe even better 🙂

Judging: the worst thing to do

Now everyone wants to be a proper traveler because it sounds cooler than a tourist. I don’t understand the reason, there is nothing wrong with having a proper bed in a room all for you every night or do an organized “7 days tour in the x country“. Don’t be a snob, it is difficult to be a tourist for an inner traveler and to be a traveler for an inner tourist. Don’t judge someone else because he/she approaches the travel in a different way than yours.
This is a topic that I care a lot about because I was judged SO many times for my decisions, people always told me that I’m crazy or I will die if I will do it. Initially was almost sweet to be different than most of the people, but it started to be a bit annoyed. After, I understood the reason. I was surrounded by people who are completely different than mine. I’m pending more in the “traveler type” and all people who I knew were pending more in the “tourist type”. So when I traveled with them or spoke about it I felt a strange person.
Now, thanks to my experiences, I know more people “like me” who encourage me instead of telling me that I shouldn’t do it. Sometimes, it’s very important to find someone who can support you.

Try to understand the inner reason why someone do an action, don’t judge just seeing the action, please.

Thoughts about traveling

Started with stereotypes I want to finish with a thought.

There are people who travel to fill their Instagram of beautiful places, who travel to have the thrill of exploring, who want escape from a difficult situation, who volunteer to help people or improve an environment, who travel for work purpose, who want switch off the mind and relax, who want party all nights … etc … I think you get it. Each of this is good, if it feels good for you.
There are many little shades in how people approach themselves in traveling. More precisely I think there are around seven-billions-and-a-half of them. Everyone has a personal way of seeing The Journey.
The most important thing to understand is this: there isn’t a good or a bad way, there is only a happy and a sad way to travel. The happy way is the modality where you feel comfortable with. The sad one is when you don’t feel that is correct for you, and you alone. If your feelings during your travels are not very happy and excited, you have to do only one thing: be brave and CHANGE!!
It’s not important to define if you are a tourist or a traveler or something in the middle. The only thing that matter is to be conscious of why you’re traveling, which is your PURPOSE.

A formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.

Tim Ferriss

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Always curious, keep exploring, Wo/a\nder

Francesco

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