The Tourist Maifesto

Now I love to travel.  Amongst my travels I have heard a word thrown around.  The word "tourist".  It has very very negative connotations.  I'm not even talking about locals using the word to describe out of towners, that doesn't bother me one bit.  What I don't like is when my fellow travelers use the word tourist like it is something negative.

"I don't want to act look like a tourist."  "That place is where tourists eats."  "That's just a big tourist trap."

Despite your political views, I resent this using of the words "Tourist Trap"

 From the sounds of it, the worst thing you can do while traveling is to be a tourist.

I wanted to take a moment to say that I am PROUD to be a tourist.  Why do we need to convince ourselves that we are not.  You can convince yourself you are not a tourist and instead a sophisticated world traveler, but you are cheating yourself.  Traveling is supposed to be fun.

I am proud to head straight for tourist traps and eat up with a spoon the culture they want to sell me.

I will believe ridiculous local legends that make my trip more interesting.

I WILL eat at restaurants just because I saw them on TV.

I will walk around with a camera the size of my head hung from my neck.

I will spend inordinate amounts of money on t-shirts, postcards, and shot glasses and whatever other cheesy nonsense they want to sell me.

I will take the exact same picture of a landmark that everyone else has, because I want my own.

And I will always stick my head in the hole!

I say we leave our pretension at home.   Say it loud.   Say it proud.   I am a tourist!

The Carpetbagger

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