Since leaving New Zealand 4 years ago, I think of myself as a traveler rather than someone who takes long holidays.
I am starting to wonder what the difference is?
Is a traveler somebody who goes to a new country to understand the country better? While the holidayer goes for the weather and food?
I am planning to go to Greece for the weather and food.
Am I no longer a traveler?
My girlfriend and I are starting to book hotels rather than dorm rooms. We still have backpacks, all though we have arrived home to crushed souvenirs and thought about taking a suitcase on the next trip.
I can’t remember the last pub crawl I did. I flew over Everest rather than climbing to base camp and I only speak one language.
Can I still call myself a traveler?
And does it matter?
I need some inspiration here.
Maybe it is a natural landscape vs city thing?
The holiday goer books an all inclusive stay in a gated resort where they eat, swim and sleep in.
The traveler stays in a hostel and searches on Trip advisor for a different restaurant every night. Is that enough to split the two?
Maybe they don’t need to be defined. Perhaps the words are used by different people because they know the feelings it conjures up in the other person.
“I am going on holiday”
In our minds: somewhere sunny, gone for ten days, will come back with a tan
“I am going traveling”
Around the whole world, for who knows how long, will come back with a tattoo and a new partner.
Maybe it is a matter of time.
0 comments on “Am I a Traveler?”