Peter Siljerud asked:
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” – G.K. Chesterton
Going away from the tourist trail
Extending your traveling experience does not necessarily mean traveling to every small town there is. Instead being curious, outgoing and asking people you meet all sorts of questions can give a lot in return. By approaching people yourself you usually get in contact with “ordinary people”, as opposed to the touts that usually approach you with various offerings with the only interest of getting as much of your cash as possible.
Close to the beaten track
You do not always have to stray far to experience extraordinary things. Just walking in a randomly selected direction can lead to surprising encounters of all kinds. Perhaps you are guided by a group of children who wants to learn better English, or perhaps a proud tobacco farmer will teach you the basics of growing crop.
Do not be afraid to ask people to explain what they are doing or if you can join them. You would be surprised how open and friendly people are to those requests. Many people will be thrilled to get to show their work or hobby to someone else. Pride and vanity can be strong drivers. You have spent a fortune to get there, so do not be shy!
Being close to the beaten track can also mean that you choose something else than the standard tourist excursion. As an example, if you intend to climb Kilimanjaro, there are several different routes to choose from. Instead of joining the caravan following the “Coca-cola route”(so named because everybody uses it), there is a number of other less traveled routes. For instance the Rongai route that comes from the Kenyan side offers great scenery and almost no other tourists.
Off the beaten track can also mean traveling in backpacking style to a charter destination. Besides screaming kids and old ladies with blue hair, beware that there may be restrictions though. In Nassau, Bahamas for instance you are not allowed into the country unless you have a hotel reservation. This can be arranged at the airport, but leaves little room for spontaneity. Or to check what the rooms look like. If you are forced to make reservations directly, try to book for one night only.
Personal Experience – The Kaohsiung Courtesy
Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1996 me and few friends had heard about a factory where they built supertankers. We took a taxi there but were met by a walled area and lots of guards. But instead of being discouraged we talked to one of the guards who called down the manager. When he heard that we were interested in ship building he proudly offered to show the factory and took us on a guided tour of the area in his own car!
Personal Experience – The Magadi Miracle
In Kenya 2004 I went deep into Masai land where not many tourists ventured. I hitchhiked with a freight train to a small town called Magadi. I asked some students on the train if they could recommend a good hotel and they stared at me saying: “There are no hotels in Magadi. “But the creeping anxiousness soon left me as one of the guys offered me to stay in his family hut. I spent three days living with the masais and was guided all around the surrounding area. They even sacrificed a goat for my sake (against my will). I still have contact with three of the guys and talk to them on the phone now and then.
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” – G.K. Chesterton
Going away from the tourist trail
Extending your traveling experience does not necessarily mean traveling to every small town there is. Instead being curious, outgoing and asking people you meet all sorts of questions can give a lot in return. By approaching people yourself you usually get in contact with “ordinary people”, as opposed to the touts that usually approach you with various offerings with the only interest of getting as much of your cash as possible.
Close to the beaten track
You do not always have to stray far to experience extraordinary things. Just walking in a randomly selected direction can lead to surprising encounters of all kinds. Perhaps you are guided by a group of children who wants to learn better English, or perhaps a proud tobacco farmer will teach you the basics of growing crop.
Do not be afraid to ask people to explain what they are doing or if you can join them. You would be surprised how open and friendly people are to those requests. Many people will be thrilled to get to show their work or hobby to someone else. Pride and vanity can be strong drivers. You have spent a fortune to get there, so do not be shy!
Being close to the beaten track can also mean that you choose something else than the standard tourist excursion. As an example, if you intend to climb Kilimanjaro, there are several different routes to choose from. Instead of joining the caravan following the “Coca-cola route”(so named because everybody uses it), there is a number of other less traveled routes. For instance the Rongai route that comes from the Kenyan side offers great scenery and almost no other tourists.
Off the beaten track can also mean traveling in backpacking style to a charter destination. Besides screaming kids and old ladies with blue hair, beware that there may be restrictions though. In Nassau, Bahamas for instance you are not allowed into the country unless you have a hotel reservation. This can be arranged at the airport, but leaves little room for spontaneity. Or to check what the rooms look like. If you are forced to make reservations directly, try to book for one night only.
Personal Experience – The Kaohsiung Courtesy
Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1996 me and few friends had heard about a factory where they built supertankers. We took a taxi there but were met by a walled area and lots of guards. But instead of being discouraged we talked to one of the guards who called down the manager. When he heard that we were interested in ship building he proudly offered to show the factory and took us on a guided tour of the area in his own car!
Personal Experience – The Magadi Miracle
In Kenya 2004 I went deep into Masai land where not many tourists ventured. I hitchhiked with a freight train to a small town called Magadi. I asked some students on the train if they could recommend a good hotel and they stared at me saying: “There are no hotels in Magadi. “But the creeping anxiousness soon left me as one of the guys offered me to stay in his family hut. I spent three days living with the masais and was guided all around the surrounding area. They even sacrificed a goat for my sake (against my will). I still have contact with three of the guys and talk to them on the phone now and then.
Tags: Excursion, Fortune, Tobacco Farmer