Comments on: All Travelers are Created Equal

By: NomadicMatt

NomadicMatt — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:41:13 +0000

On the same lines, I like this quote “Your choice is who you choose to be and if you’re causing no harm then it’s alright with me.”

By: Brasilicana

Brasilicana — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:08:15 +0000

“If you really want to live like a local, buy an apartment and get a job.”

That’s what I did. Except I didn’t buy, I rent. Life in Brazil has its ups and downs just like anywhere else, and sometimes it’s really hard… which is why I get impatient when visitors (my term for tourists/travelers/whatever) say “OMG OMG you LIVE here, you are soooooooo lucky!”

By: Cassie

Cassie — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:59:50 +0000

Great post! I think a lot of passionate travelers have these same biases that we have to fight. I’ve just recently come to terms with my objection to organized tours, realizing there are some wonderful small group operators that can teach you a lot and help you experience a culture or community in a very enlightened and responsible way.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:05:29 +0000

P.S. (Re: A Cook Not Mad) . . . very nicely said

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:13:37 +0000

I started traveling in ’79, have been hearing and reading and seeing all this since Day 1. Seems to me it’s all word-play, definitions, redefinitions . . . even the word “quality” . . . who’s to define that? . . . I’ve traveled to one country in particular over the years (have almost three years there over the course of five trips), have chosen (for my own reason) NOT to learn the language (and for the reason I’ve chosen, it’s worked for me) . . . Go . . . on a cruise . . . Go with a group . . . Go by yourself . . . learn the language . . . don’t . . . count countries . . . don’t . . . Go . . . simply Go . . . enjoy this amazing this amazing world . . . Go

By: A Cook Not Mad

A Cook Not Mad — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:10:11 +0000

Great post, I don’t care how many countries you’ve seen or how long you stayed in each. My opinion is that travel should be about learning about where you are and respecting where you are. If you choose to travel across the world to sit at a McDonald’s or never get out from behind your camera to experience a new place, that’s your choice. What gets me is the tourists/travellers who disrespect cultures and places, littering or blatantly disregarding signs, that gives a bad name to all tourists/travellers.

By: NomadicMatt

NomadicMatt — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:49:36 +0000

Like they say, it’s all about quality not quantity.

By: Heather Carreiro

Heather Carreiro — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:25:15 +0000

Interesting to read this being an expat myself and having never been a ‘long-term traveler.’ I think there is a benefit to staying in one place for a longer period and living like a local (ie getting a job, finding a place to live, having local friends, learning the language). Although you will find that the basics are the same (desire for security, kids to succeed, etc), there are so many fascinating differences and nuances to discover in other cultures when you stay long term in one place. For that, learning the language is key.

I’d rather have the experience of living in a several different places than to say I’ve seen 100 countries. Among expats it doesn’t seem to be as much about the numbers, although there are some people who take new contracts every 1 to 2 years and move on.

By: Ross C

Ross C — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:42:14 +0000

Matt-

Loved your post. Really makes you think. I’m 6 weeks into an 8 week trip through SE Asia and after 7 or 8 countries, I’m quite sure I’ll be more content to see more of less on my next adventure. Keep up the good work. I’m new to your site but am already a fan.

Cheers,
Ross
New Yorker in Bali

By: Dee

Dee — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:04:55 +0000

Hey Matt!

Met a person in a hostel common room that reminded me of this great article you wrote. They hit every single point and I could just feel the tension in the room of everyone else wishing they would just shut up.

So far in our journey, most of our stand out best times have been when we fork the money over for some sort of “tourist trap” tour. We feel we learn way more history about the country when we take a little tour rather then wandering through things by ourselves and wondering what something says and/or what that is for.

Mind you we also love to speculate and make up our own descriptions for some sights we see just for fun! So to keep within budget since tours can get real pricey real quick, we just choose which cities we feel we should get more info on by taking a tour and which to just wander on our own