There’ll come a time in your life when you’ll feel the call of the wild, or have obsessive urge to explore another culture and you will have this burning desire to escape your everyday life and go on an adventure. That’s when you know it’s time to be a traveler and not a tourist.
A tourist stays in predictable hotels, visits monuments and museums, takes selfies with locals, and buys souvenirs from their travels as tokens of their adventures abroad. A traveler is someone who leaves behind all those things that make one a tourist. They don’t stay at the usual hotels but in unique boutiques, local brands or ben a rented apartment instead; they don’t visit famous spots but rather explore new places; they don’t take pictures with locals but become friends with them; and they don’t buy silly T-shirts as mementos but rather adopt traditions and cultural practices into their lives as more than just memories.
So how do you become a REAL traveler? Here are some tips on how to be a traveler not a tourist.
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Go off the beaten path
Before even embarking on your trip, make sure you research places where tourists don’t go. The best way to travel is by going off the beaten path and discovering places away from the masses. Sure, there’s something to be said about visiting the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China, but those are just tourist attractions. Going off the beaten path means going to the Eiffel Tower but also going to the suburbs of Paris where you’ll find locals who don’t visit the tower and even prefer their own lives to the excitement of tourists. Going off the beaten path requires one to be open-minded to new people and experiences. It means going to places that are off the normal tourist itinerary and exploring to your heart’s content.
Eat with the locals
It’s always important to eat with the locals while traveling. Doing so not only gets you familiar with the food of the country you’re visiting but also lets you experience the local culture. When you eat with locals, you are not just eating their food but also spending time with them and learning about their lives. You’ll get to know more about the country you’re visiting as well because you’ll be able to ask them questions about their culture and traditions. While eating with the locals, you can ask them about their favorite dishes or specialties. You can even ask them about their lives or work. This can help you learn more about the culture or traditions of the people you’re eating with and make your visit to the country more memorable and meaningful.
Adopt local customs and traditions
Not only should you eat with the locals but you should also adopt their customs and traditions into your own life as you visit their country. This can help you get to know the locals and make friends with them. It can also help you better understand the culture of the country you’re visiting. This doesn’t mean that you should give up your own cultural background and become a part of theirs. What it means is that you should try their foods and wear their clothes. You can even go to their events or festivals. By doing so, you’ll be able to experience the country you’re visiting in more ways than one. You’ll also make friends with the locals and be able to ask them questions about their cultural practices.
Travel by foot or bicycle
When you travel by foot or bicycle, you’ll be able to see the world in a whole new way. You’ll be able to see things from a different perspective and experience the world in its purest form. Walking or cycling around a city or town means that you’ll be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and see places as they were meant to be seen. You’ll be able to appreciate architecture better and see nature in its full glory as well. When you travel by foot or bicycle, you’ll be able to see the world in a less rushed manner and be able to experience it to its fullest. You’ll be able to see things that other travelers miss because they’re too busy rushing from one place to another.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re traveling. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of travel and forget that you can’t do everything on your own. When you travel, you’ll need to ask for help from time to time. You’ll need to ask for help booking a flight, find a place to stay, or even ask for directions. It’s important not to be shy about asking for help when you need it. You don’t want to miss out on an experience or miss your flight because you’re too proud to ask a stranger for help. No one expects you to know everything about a country before you visit. In fact, many people will be happy to help you out if you ask for help.
Conclusion
Traveling is an amazing experience, and there’s no better way to immerse yourself in other cultures and new ways of life than to travel abroad. It’s important to remember, however, that visiting a country doesn’t make you a true traveler. There’s more to travel than just visiting new places. You need to be open-minded to new people and experiences. You need to go off the beaten path, eat with the locals, adopt local customs and traditions, and travel by foot or bicycle if you want to become a traveler and not just someone who visits new places.
