The 10 Travelers You Meet

When it comes to traveling alone, my *humble* beginnings as a solo traveler didn’t actually start until I was a full-fledged adult: it was my summer studying abroad in Paris during university that I experienced a newfound freedom, outside my parent’s supervision, to explore Paris and see so much of it: touristy and off-the-beaten-path alike. Fast-forward a year later when I started my first year as an assistante in Normandy, and that was when I made countless solo trips to a whopping fifteen countries– since then, I live for travel.

That said, I’ve met plenty of people from my journeys. Whether through hostels, Couchsurfing events, or just random encounters, I’ve interacted with numerous individuals of different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. Some had similar reasons for traveling to “X” country, while others had different ones. All the same, they’ve left a notable impression on me, some whom I continue to be friends with even today.

Considering the sheer amount of people I’ve encountered, it has inspired me to write a “10 Travelers You Meet” list in which I offer generalizations of possible individuals you might see on your trips. Not to say that any of them are good nor bad, since we all have different ways of making the most out of our trips. Perhaps some of you can resonate as one (or several) of them– I admit, I can!

Here’s the list– let’s get to them!

1. The Over-Packer.

I’m sure that we’ve all met this person at one point in our travels…or perhaps you were that exact person to begin with. Many individuals who fall into this category are likely to be first-time or inexperienced travelers who end up overestimating just how much they need for travel; it wouldn’t be a surprise, then, to see them stuff 50 pairs of shirts, pants, and shoes into a pitiful suitcase…for a weekend getaway. They’re the ones who exceed the luggage limit at airport check-in and who struggle to maneuver the streets upon arrival. Eventually, they’ll learn, but not before countless of sore muscles (and bruised egos)!

2. The Party-goer.

Whether they’re college students living it up for the weekend or a naturally-extroverted person, these travelers are always seeking bars and clubs at every destination they visit. They’re the life of the party (literally), as they have boundless energy that’s sure to get you having fun, too. Such individuals initiate pre-drinking games at the hostel (shh…don’t get caught!) before heading out on a bar-hop around town, only to finish the night at a club (or two, or three…). It’s a “can’t stop, won’t stop” mentality, and admittedly, it can be exhausting, but it’s a great way to make exciting, long-lasting memories.

3. The Backpacker.

The name says it all: this traveler has their whole life stored away in their backpack, as they embark on a six-month, one-year, however-long journey across the world. “Nomad” is their middle name, as you see them once and never again– you might not even get their name before they leave for their next destination! Besides having a huge backpack, many of them (at least, the ones I’ve met) have huge hearts, too: they have plenty of exciting stories of sky-diving, crashing overnight in train stations, or hitch-hiking in the middle of nowhere. They’re the boldest of bold, and they won’t be stopping soon!

4. The Planner.

Perhaps you’ve met someone like this, or maybe you’re that person. Regardless, they’re the ones who organize their travels to the capital “T:” from booking specific flights to planning their itinerary hour-by-hour, they certainly don’t waste time (or money) when they travel. You can rely on them for just about anything, including directions to the hotel, how to navigate the metro, or recommended restaurants in town– if anything, they’re practically like a local! Planning certainly does have its benefits, but of course, it shouldn’t deter you from straying away from the original plan for some spontaneity.

5. The Free Spirit.

On the other hand, the Free Spirit is nothing like The Planner– sure, they book flights (and sometimes accommodations), but otherwise, they let the natural way of things take its due course. In other words, they wander, get lost, and stumble upon the hidden treasures while exploring. They talk to complete strangers, making friends with them after an entire afternoon at a cafe. They don’t let time dictate what they can or can’t see, and while they might end up overspending (or not seeing everything in town), it’s the exhilarating feeling of being in a new place that makes it worthwhile.

6. The Photographer.

Never spotted without their trusty camera, the Photographer is always on the lookout for the next beautiful landscape or architecture to document on film. They are also most likely semi-professionals who end up spending time editing their rolls after the trip, to be posted on social media to the great envy of others. Such travelers would do anything for that perfect shot, even if it means scaling a dangerous cliff for the jaw-dropping views below. While it does appear that most of their time spent traveling is behind the lens, they might break from it to enjoy the beauty with the naked eye.

7. The Model.

On the other side of the camera is the Model themselves. Perhaps they’re donning a cute summer outfit with a colorful scarf and fedora, as they look off into the distance for that dreamy, mysterious photo. The destination is their runway, as they strut their stuff through gorgeous sunsets, ancient bridges, and sweeping landscapes. Perhaps that’s the entire point of their reason to travel, as means of showing their beauty against the beauty of the destination (and to make their friends back home jealous!).

8. The Cultured One.

Call them worldly (or just pretentious), but this traveler you meet seems to have been everywhere– they’re those individuals who’ve been to six continents, 100+ countries, and millions of cities by the time they’re twenty-five, and you’re left wondering just how they do it. Not only that, but also they have absorbed much of the culture, e.g. cuisine, traditions, etc. They know each city like the back of their hand, and they have so much to share with others…and they do! Really, such individuals are the ones you strive to be.

9. The Tourist.

Now, there’s a *heated* debate over what constitutes a tourist versus a traveler, let alone which one is “better.” To be frank, I find this argument ridiculous, because not all of us travel the same way. In a way, we’re all tourists whenever we visit a new place: we visit the touristy sites, we pay for *kitsch* souvenirs, and we duck into a nearby Starbucks for Wifi when desperate. For the inexperienced, being a tourist is the right thing to do, as means of acclimatizing to a new place, new environment, new way of life. Sometimes, that cheesy pic with the Eiffel Tower or Leaning Tower of Pisa is just what you have to do.

10. The One (Who’s a Mix of Everything).

I’m sure many of us (and the travelers you’ve met before) are not just a single type of traveler, but rather a combination of several. I can say that I’m a bit of everything listed in this post, although some are more evident than others, *pst* The Planner, The Photographer…it’s the experiences we have which mold us into the type of traveler(s) we are, and that’s what makes us, along with other travelers, so interesting. No one can ever be the same as the other, so it’s a matter of knowing what we like, what we want, during our travels around the world.

 

What type of traveler(s) do you consider yourself to be? Let me know!

 

— Rebecca