Travel Journals

Observations of Those On the Road
by Matt Superfisky

That Smile
by Claire Rogers

Key West
by Sandy Summers

Prague: Pivo, Prosm!
by Ellen Kamilakis

From Umbria to Le Marche
by Jackie Goyette

Avoiding Travel Scams
by Julie Vick

A Hunger in Berlin
by Abha Iyengar

Flickering Yellow Flame
by Marlo Desjardins

An Italian Library
by Jackie Goyette

Zuppi Santi (Soggy Saints)
by Corrie Cook

Isadora—Street Queen of Yogyakarta
by Barrie Lie-Birchall

Storefronts
by David J. McLaughlin

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Travel Journals

Observations of Those On the Road
by Matt Superfisky

It's truly wonderful to be out and about in the world, to take a look around, inhale different air and watch different people. Different people include more than the locals. It means others on the road as well, regardless of where they are from. Many months, more miles and a passport full of stamps (from Disneyland to Bangkok) have yielded the following observations:

The Scheduled Vacationer. They've never actually left wherever it is that they came from. So precise is their itinerary they might as well be working. In a sense, their goal is to create lists of places and landmarks just to check each item off, one by one, without the slightest thought except "Been there, seen that. Here's a photo and passport stamp to prove it." Their photos will have that annoying date stamp that inevitably obscures the most interesting feature in the photo. It's the precision of the exact date that detracts from the romance of leaving one's own environs. These are the people who look for places that are described as "your home away from home." Why they ever leave is beyond me, possibly to have a chore away from work? Eating at the Bangkok McDonald's does not constitute sampling the local cuisine even if they do order a supposedly localized menu item such as the Samurai Pork burger. They have been to Disneyland and have the embroidered mouse ears to prove it.

The Transient Traveler. These are your backpacker, shared-dorm-room and common-bath-oriented types, usually draped in loose-fitting, multi-colored clothing they believe to be indigenous. Their repeated, annoying, faux-sincere attempts to fit in with locals mostly fail because the Transient Traveler has a tendency to smell bad. They posses the ability to smell as if they haven't showered in days or weeks even if they have just bathed. Washing amongst this group is a rarity and considered bourgeois and decadent or unnecessary. Yet they cannot survive without access to ATMs, email and the web. Transient Travelers tend to clump together like hair in a shower drain. Often found at make-shift sidewalk bars and food stalls or anywhere there is free pool. These are the travelers who call themselves travelers. They have been to or will tell you they have been to or know someone who has been to the place you are going to visit next. Often they are full of shit, just regurgitating what they have read in Lonely Planet. At some point during their travels they will have experienced a situation that they will most likely describe as "magical," "spiritual," or "way intense." Telltale characteristics in addition to odor include henna and other forms of temporary tattoos, dreadlocks that have been styled in, hemp jewelry and piercings—rebellious tokens that can be removed before the parents are met upon return. The Transient Traveler has value too. They will often know where to get the cheapest beer and food. They went to Disneyland with their parents as children. They were the ones who were always crying and throwing fits when they lost their helium balloons. Their mother's have saved the embroidered mouse ears.

Those That Belong. These are the people that you never meet at home. They posses a certain presence or sense of being at ease amongst the chaos. These are the amazingly interesting people that seem as though they have been in country for months or years and yet they may have just arrived. They too will know where to get the cheapest beer and food. They will also know where to find the best of both — not not necessarily the most expensive either. Those That Belong tend to chance into unique experiences, everything from being invited to dinner with a local family to crashing after-hours, locals-only establishments. Non-pretentiousness is the modus operandi for Those That Belong. They can be overheard mocking the previous two groups of interlopers. They will also mock themselves and the local eccentricities. The root of this mockery, from which nothing is safe, is the basic understanding of how things work and how things get done. Those That Belong understand the value of knowing whose palm to grease. If they have been to Disneyland, they did not purchase the embroidered mouse ears.

The Lifers. These are the people that are generally considered to be expats. This does not always mean that they are sedentary. Their circumstances for being here are as varied as the countries from which they come. Some will never go back; others can't. Some own businesses, some have jobs or pensions; others exist mysteriously. Lifers tend to be either standing out or hiding out. The Lifer will know how to get things done. They will know who to talk to and who to pay and how much. They are the solvers of problems, so long as the problems aren't their own. Lifers will exaggerate and complain about the trivial (football matches) and trivialize the catastrophic (typhoons). A close nit group, The Lifers are an invaluable source of gossip and serve as a bellwether for the political climate. Spend enough time with a Lifer and you will have the dirt on the other Lifers in the community. You will also run the risk of becoming one yourself. Lifers know where to get the strongest drinks. The Lifer will tell you expat life is grand and there is nothing that they miss. They will also know where to acquire imported food from home and get sentimental about hot baths. They're not an accurate source for tourist information for major attractions; they don't care and are apt to show you something off of the beaten path. The Lifer probably has not been to Disneyland and if he has, there's small hope that he remembers it.

There isn't a "right" type of traveler. It's enough just to go. Open the mind, enjoy your travels, ink your passport, and try something new. It sure beats staying home.