Tag: Challenge
The Future of Tourism
by Sean on Apr.23, 2010, under Miscellaneous
There are many kinds of people who we can define as “tourists,” no matter how hard people like me strive to be called travelers instead. The truth of the matter is that we’re all tourists, but each of us has different goals, and it’s our goals that set us apart from one another. Up until now, I’ve experienced travel in different ways: I’ve taken the short cruise with only hours of exposure to the host country, I’ve studied abroad and lived in a house with a local family, I’ve taken a guided tour with almost no freedom to explore on my own, and I’ve backpacked alone with complete freedom. Of all these experiences, I feel the most valuable ones are those in which I’m completely free to choose my destinations, when and how I get there, and what to do when I arrive. But what if you could be completely free while still living with a host?
People will surely disagree with me since everyone has their own ideas. These people might be afraid to travel alone, or unsure of what to do or how to get there, or maybe just want to enjoy the privacy afforded by a hotel room. For me, these things are part of the journey. I love meeting locals along the way, and sometimes even spending time with them learning valuable information about the area or even country as a whole. I know what tourism has been in the past, and shy away from it. It’s my hope that the future of tourism will evolve into more of a genuine cultural experience void of trinkets and ridiculous prices. Most people work hard and despite have money to spend, are unable to take long trips like myself to really enjoy themselves.
As a result, some people have turned to vacations closer to home. This is good and bad at the same time, because people aren’t getting the opportunity to learn about other parts of the world, however they’re finally taking an interest in the things surrounding them. I think the future of tourism will be one in which people have more vacation time to go off and dive into the rich cultures not only of areas nearby, but also of far off lands one used to only dream of seeing.
The average tourist today loves to stay in nice hotels to enjoy the luxury associated with these destinations, however this can not be called an experience in the eyes of us travelers. That is why I hope in the future more programs will exist to allow tourists to stay with a local family no matter the amount of money they have to spend. Even if for only a few days, tourists can have a genuine experience where they are fed local foods and see the culture for what it is, and not from a distance (the hotel bedroom window).
My richest experiences have been living with the locals as they not only help you assimilate quickly, but keep you safe from the harms that exist. In addition to that, they can provide access to the language in case people don’t speak your own. These things will allow more people to find that little hut on the secluded beach with the best seafood in the world, or the little bar in the alleyway with home brews.
The best thing about travel is finding what’s hidden from plain view, meant only for the locals. Living amongst the locals allows you to live like the locals, and if that’s not a cultural experience, I don’t know what is. It’s my dream that more people will free themselves from the fear that has handcuffed them to the country they were born in. Diplomacy between governments is a good way to improve relations, but there is so much love in the world that is waiting to be spread, and can only be done one person at a time.
18 Things I Learned From Traveling
by Sean on Feb.01, 2010, under Miscellaneous
Hitchhiking
1. The best way to enjoy an experience is to go into it with no expectations.
2. It’s great to travel on your own because you learn a lot about yourself. (Shanghai, Malaysia)
3. It’s great to travel with friends because you can strengthen your bonds and share new experiences. (Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, China)
4. It’s great to travel with strangers because you never know what’s going to happen. (Malaysia/Singapore)
5. Not all locals want to screw you over!
6. When people recommend something to do or somewhere to eat, you should listen.
7. Only eat at places where the locals are eating!
8. Couchsurfing.org is your friend!
9. You will ALWAYS regret later on the things you didn’t do but wanted to do. (i.e. sitting in the hotel with an injured foot while your mates are swimming around the island where the movie “The Island” was filmed).
10.You don’t need to be rich to travel often. (9 trips in 1.5 years to 4 countries including 11 out of 23 provinces in China for a total time of about 4.5 months at a total cost of $3,500 USD)
11.You don’t need to stay in hotels with room service to enjoy yourself. Sometimes a bus, train, or chicken truck are just as good! (33 hours by train to get close to the Vietnam border? No problem!)
12.Don’t be afraid to rent a bike/scooter and take a map and explore the areas outside of cities or towns. (2 hours outside of Krabi town has beautiful scenery and deserted white sand beaches)
13.Travel is what you make of it. (Trains are better than planes because you meet cool characters)
14.Traveling to developing or poor countries gives you a real perspective on life. (China will blow people’s minds).
15.Life is very precious, and it’s a shame that those with power and money do pretty much nothing to help those with nothing.
16.Every chance you take now is another story to tell later on. (But some stories are meant to be kept a secret!)
17.Don’t ask what the food being put in front of you is. Eat it now and ask questions later. (That was a pig’s heart? Not bad!)
18.Always have your credit card, debit card, and a backup source of funding in case of emergencies (getting robbed of all your money while sleeping on an overnight bus from Krabi to Bangkok).
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