Some travelers always make some rules which have to be followed at all times… but the truth is that there is no fixed rulebook for traveling. Everyone should have the right to travel the world as per their wish, without caring about anyone’s opinion. If you are a backpacker and are tired of being judged all the time, then this article is for you!
1. You will never give money or sweets to children
This rule is a great suggestion of NGOs, because the truth is that children should go to school instead of wandering on the streets and asking for money from tourists. If we give them money, we encourage such work.
Sweets are a different matter… we think that instead of giving money we will give them sweets, but we do not think what effect this “sweets” will have on the teeth of children.
But it is not always easy to follow this rule. Who knows what is right and what is wrong for these children? Who understands their story and situation so well that he can say that nothing should be given to them?
When we think that some of these children are orphans and live on the streets without anyone’s support, it seems that not giving them anything sometimes feels very cruel…
Yes, every traveler should keep in mind that their money can cause problems in the lifestyle of the children. But I don’t think we should point fingers at anyone who gives something to a child (for whatever reason). Because we cannot always follow the same behavior, and not everything is ever “absolutely right” or “absolutely wrong”.
2. You will not throw your waste here and there
It is important to save nature. Our planet is dying, and it is our duty to protect it! Travelers should never throw their waste anywhere. They should be responsible and aware of nature. I have also written about this in my article “Travelers, your waste is polluting the oceans!”
But in reality, sometimes the situation catches us… Has it ever happened that you are in a country where there is no garbage dump to throw garbage? Or where the land itself seems like garbage dump? In India, for example, garbage is dumped on the ground and is rarely sorted or recycled. So what is the best place to dump garbage in India? When you are travelling, you might want to answer “in the middle of another garbage dump” – because that is what feels right in the end!
And if the garbage from the garbage dump falls on the ground, what is the use of dumping it? I still think…
3. Maintain smile and politeness at all times
While travelling, it is important to be open-minded, sensible and polite with the locals. There is nothing worse than a traveller becoming rude and treating the locals like animals…
But those who travel regularly know that in some countries, anger and trouble sometimes take over us! Attempts by scammers, stubbornness of street vendors, harassment of Tuk-Tuk drivers, and feeling all the time that you are just a “walking wallet”… These are all the reasons that force the traveller to be rude to the locals.
Can we blame those travellers who sometimes lose control? Have you ever done something like this out of anger while travelling?
4. You will forget the overly touristy circuits
When you travel a long distance, you have to find “alternative” ways to visit and see the must-visit places. You should stay away from tourists and avoid organized trips.
But every traveler is a tourist (by definition, “tourism means travelling to a place where we do not normally stay, and this journey is for fun, which includes staying in a hotel or booking a transport ticket” (source: Wikipedia).
Still, many long-distance travellers or “round-the-worlders” do not consider themselves tourists. They feel that they are in a different category…
But do you think that locals will know the difference between a typical tourist and a tourist on a world tour? I don’t think so! Then why should we avoid tourist excursions? Is this our happiness? Are they not designed for this?
5 You will like other travelers
When you are traveling in some other corner of the world and meet a traveler from your own country, then the chit-chat starts very quickly. It seems as if we should understand, support and listen to each other. As if the traveler is a different species who roams well with his companions…
But I do not agree with this. When you are traveling, it is not necessary that you want to meet people from your own country all the time. And not Australians, English or Germans!
We go to a country to understand a new culture, to learn its customs and traditions… If we go to Cambodia, we go to meet Cambodians. We don’t spend the night drinking alcohol with other travellers there. So is it necessary that we should worry about a French traveller who is lost in a city? Not in my opinion…
6. You will exchange with the locals
Every traveler who considers himself intelligent, is looking for “The Encounter”. That meeting which can change his day, and why not his life too! It is important to talk to the locals, cross the language barrier and spend long moments with strangers.
This is the real purpose of travel. Without encounters, there is no life in a journey… but meeting people is not always easy. Fatigue, language barrier, lack of motivation, shyness, etc. Any of these can be the reason that slows down the meetings!
But does your day get spoiled if you don’t talk to any local? You only talked about the price of your food or place of residence? So what happened…
Encounters are beautiful only when they are natural! Those travelers who try to meet people every now and then, without thinking about the shame or embarrassment of the locals, in my opinion are better than those who don’t meet anyone.
7. You will always negotiate on the lowest price
To save, one should always save! With this you can travel more often, for longer periods, and feel that you have never been cheated. To travel safely, a traveler is ready to use every trick and technique.
But one should not forget that money is just money… there is no need to trouble yourself for a few euros. If you are travelling, it means you have its advice. So do not try to negotiate everything all the time!
Pay the price that you feel is right, and if you feel that the seller is dishonest, then do not buy anything. Negotiating everything for cents and making it a habit is absolutely foolish!
8. You will eat local food
If we travel to a place other than our country, we get to explore new views, new thoughts and new ways of eating! It is important to try local food and eat in cheap restaurants that are popular among the locals.
But after traveling for several months (or weeks), we don’t always want to eat local food!
It’s true, we do miss Western Food and sometimes McDonald’s will do. That’s why Western restaurants are so popular abroad (even if they are more popular than local food). Who has the guts to eat only rice for 6 months?!
I can say with guarantee that no matter how much you like the local food, there will come a time when you will crave for cheese, spaghetti or fries!
9. You will not be afraid of animals and diseases
A traveler should be fearless and innocent! Neither afraid of diseases (he is vaccinated), nor of poisonous animals, nor of insects. Did a cockroach enter your room? No big deal, it is your companion… While eating in a restaurant, did a rat run away from under the table? Hmm, a rat is not that bad…
But not everyone is that sensitive towards small, bad animals or insects… Some people have phobias (spiders, snakes etc.), but this does not mean that they cannot travel or enjoy those places.
According to me, I hate bedbugs and will always be! This is not a phobia or a “childhood” fear. I just get scared thinking that these small insects will eat me in the middle of the night.
So there is no shame in being afraid of mosquitoes, rats or cockroaches, you have this right!
10. You will never complain about your adventure
It is important to understand that a traveler has no right to complain! He is in the other corner of the world, exploring magical places and having unique experiences… he is a privileged person who has decided to leave everything and go on an adventure, without looking back!
He should appreciate everything and value his journey… He should get up early, stay up late, and take full advantage of the new world that has been offered to him.
But journeys are not always rosy. Sometimes journeys get tiring and we get bored seeing the same things all the time (personally, I no longer get particularly excited seeing Buddhist temples, as I have seen many in Thailand and Southeast Asia). We have the right not to like a destination!
We have the right to complain if we are tired, bored, hungry or feel the lack of our loved ones… after all, we are humans…
And you? Do you have any preconceived ideas about travel and travellers that bother you? Don’t you think that we should stop idealising travellers and accept that sometimes travelling can be really troublesome?!