Traveler v/s Tourist

“Traveler sees what he sees; the Tourist sees what he has come to see.” Yes, there’s a fine line between a tourist and a traveler, which often isn’t taken into consideration as we plan a spree. A traveler is someone who takes up trips by preaching “Safar khoobsurat hai manzil se bhi”! Following are 8 ways in which you can also avoid ‘tourist traps’ and still take out the best out of your vacation : 1) It’s okay to not have an itinerary: On contrary to the common advice of planning your trip from A to Z , always keep some space for unexpected things to happen. You can have a list of what things you’ve to cover as per your research but don’t try to write the answers of all ‘hows’ and ‘whens’ even before the trip starts. ‘Not all those who wander are lost’-J. R. R. Tolkien 1) Get local : While travelling, make an effort to communicate to locals. Find out and respect what their lifestyle and culture is actually like. Try to learn few linguistic basics from them.Ask locals for places to try some authentic local food instead of going at MCd and KFC. Commute by local means of transport by avoiding taxis to absorb most of the local beauty of the place. 2) Instead of your selfies capture moments: In today’s aura of social media, yes, it is difficult to wind up a trip without posting a dozen of selfies on Instagram. But trust me, you’ll still be socially accepted if you don’t get a picture which seems like you’re holding the top of TajMahal. Instead just try to capture its beauty in your natural cameras- eyes: that too with unlimited storage and lifetime memory! 3) Money isn’t an excuse: “You don’t need money to travel, you need courage!” Travellers never use lack of funds as an excuse to not be able to wander. You can take one day trips to nearby places to avoid hotel stays, or even start by exploring your very own city with minimum expenses! 4) Take ‘the road not taken’ – You’ve to dare to be different than the tourists who have fixed plans and visit only the “must haves” in a city. Connect with locals to stumble upon the “not on Google” places to avoid crowd and still be able to absorb the best experiences of all times! 5) Be open to some difficulties: When you travel unplanned, you are vulnerable to encounter the finest experiences as well as some difficulties at the same time. You’ve to be prepared that you might not get a fine bed to sleep in or you might have to walk in scorching sun without water for hours. 6) Pack light: For instance; if you’re going on a trek, even the inner corner of your soul also knows that you’ll not need that pair of high heels. Pack only essential stuff and the clothes that will not make you at odds with the locals of that place. 7) Don’t be afraid to travel alone: When you choose to a traveller, it becomes important to check that with whom you’re going on a trip with. And in that case, instead of taking responsibility of anyone else’s travel day, it’s always better to travel alone! However, after reading this you might find yourself as a tourist!But don’t worry, most of us are! It’s a part of process, only a sapling grows up into a tree. So as a tourist grows up into a traveller. Also, if you justly want to experience something “touristy,” don’t hold yourself back either. Being a traveller is about being true to yourself and your longings! Written by: Rhythm Instagram: rhythmkhurana_ Blog: rhythmkhurana.blogspot.in