 |
I hate being a tourist. I really do.
But let me explain myself a little more clearly.
I hate being treated like a tourist. Being ignored by some and sought out by others.
Street vendors swarm around you trying to sell worthless babbles and trinkets-the same ones in nearly every city.
Locals and shop owners give tourists a certain, knowing look, recognizing them for what they are from a block away.
I hate only seeing what the other tourists see and never seeing the real city and meeting the real people.
I am horrified when tourists flock to a picturesque house or building and photograph locals tending their gardens, playing with their children or hanging laundry to dry.
This typical tourist behavior smacks me as extremely rude and disrespectful.
Luckily, it is possible to travel and not be a tourist.
It is even possible to hide among the locals, even to be mistaken as one.
And I have figure out a few tricks to succeed in this.
-First, ditch your stuff and dress like a local. Don't swing your large camera around your neck, swing it casually over your shoulder or keep it in a nondescript bag (this also keeps it safer since it's not clunking around and safer from pickpockets if it is not so obviously expensive). Don't wear tourist shirts ('Czech Me Out' in the Czech Republic or other such nonsense...If you have to have one at least wait until you leave the country) or American flags. If they care to pay attention, people can often tell you are foreign from the little things that just don't fit into their culture, you don't have to advertise it. As for ditching your stuff, most train stations have Luggage Rooms if you haven't booked a hostel yet. And hostels do as well. Even if your hostel won't let you into your room until a certain time of day, they understand you don't want to be carrying all that stuff around so they often let you store your bags until check-in time.
-Second, get a grip on where you are and where you're going by grabbing a small map and examine it. I know that most modern day phones have GPS or some kind of mapping app on them but sometimes maps are just too important not to have. Hostels or information centers in or near the train stations almost always have free ones so never pay for one. When I said a small map, I meant small. I fold mine until they are small enough to hide in a pocket or in my hands so I am not standing on the street struggling with a map the size of a shop window. And examining maps can give you a vague sense for the layout of the city which means you won't have to stop and check it on every street corner. Having an idea of what the city looks like can really help with getting around (I often keep the location of the river as the center and when I get lost I head to it, knowing I can find my way back from there).
-Third, walk quickly-don't gawk about-and walk confidently, even if you aren't 100% sure if you are going in the right direction. Just remember that getting slightly lost is an amazing way to discover a new city or new elements to one you already kind of know. Besides, walking at a more normal speed rather than tourist speed means you get to see more while still enjoying the sites and this combined with even perceived confidence means you will be less likely to be stopped by every vendor throughout the city. Just think how often do the local vendors in your city stop you if you are obviously in a hurry, running to the metro or walking to the corner store for a quick snack. Often times they don't, often they can tell you don't have the time and aren't interested.
-Fourth, if you are interested in street vendors, wait until your last day or so in the city to buy from them. For one this gives you the opportunity to check out the competition and see if someone else has something better or for a better price or even in a different color. Also falling into the trap of vendor shopping makes it obvious you are a tourist (how often do you buy key chains of your hometown) so ignoring them until you are about to leave means they are less likely to harass you to buy more the next day.
-Fifth, wear headphones. It may seem odd but if you are travelling alone headphones can end up being more useful to you than half the stuff you have crammed into your pack. A. They keep people fishing for tourists from bothering you (why approach you if you can't hear them) and B. Again, you appear more confident In a country where few speak English it can get lonely and tiring not knowing what anyone is saying to you so listening to music allows you to feel that you are not so alone.
-Sixth, don't talk. Ok, you can talk but try to use as much of the local language as possible. The locals will most likely recognize a foreign accent before you've finished you're first sentence but it will totally trick other tourists. Also, don't travel in large, obviously touristy groups.
-Seven, yes this deserves a spot all it's own, please for my sanity's sake, don't carry your backpack strapped to your chest-that's just asking to be robbed if you ask me.
So good luck and don't be a dumb tourist!
"Come along Life, take my hand, let's have an adventure together."
~KrystleLyric
No comments:
Post a Comment