Travel is a wonderful way to open one’s self up to new experiences, unexpected finds, and memories that will last a lifetime.  That being said, there are certain people who don’t enjoy the pleasure of discovery in a new destination, whether it be domestically or (heaven forbid) in another country.  To them, a vacation to somewhere else is just a big hassle and is something to be avoided.  To be fair, travel isn’t for everyone (and that’s OK), but if that’s the case, make it easier on the rest of us and just stay home.  There’s nothing worse than going on a trip and ending up with one of the types of people mentioned below.

 

The Complainer

I mention “complainers” quite a bit when discussing dining, but they are also prevalent in travel as well (and are usually the same people).  You know the ones I’m talking about.  They complain about the transportation (“A train?  What year is this – 1870?”), the weather (“it’s so hot here in the Amazon”), the hotel (“What do you mean there’s no hair dryer?”), and other aspects of the trip.  A complainer can poison the travel experience for everyone else involved.  They are the ones who won’t eat from the food truck, complain about the cell phone service at the mountain cabin, insult the waiter on the first night of the cruise, or who want to stay in the hotel room and watch HBO for the entire trip.

 

The Introvert

Travel challenges participants to explore.  It’s not for the timid.  One has to be willing to take a chance and talk to people.  Locals take great pride in their regions, their heritage and their craft (and are more than willing to talk about it, if asked).  If you’re not willing to say hello to the person next to you at the German Biergarten, walk into that dusky carpet shop in Morocco, or ask the cowboy about his horse in Arizona, you’re really missing out.  Travel memories are not only based upon the places you visit, it’s also about the people you meet and interact with.  Trust me, later in life you’ll fondly recall that time you got that crusty fisherman in Greece to show you how to tie a proper half-hitch knot or learned how to sing the “funny drinking song” at that crowded pub in Dublin.  Don’t be the ones who say “we had a drink and left – it was too crowded and noisy.”

 

The “Routine” Robot

Travel is about new experiences, new cultures, and fresh opportunities.  If I’m in Paris, I want to sit in a local café, drink a glass of wine, and people watch.  I’ll be the first one to taste the smelly fish in Norway.  I want to play bocce ball with the old guys in Italy.  The “Routine Robot” wants to do nothing but the things they know.  They are the ones eating at “McDonalds” in Japan.  They are ones in bed by 9:30 p.m. and missing out on that late-night tango lesson in Madrid.  They are the ones who won’t get up early to see the sunrise from the lighthouse in Maine.  They are the ones looking at Rome from behind the glass of the tour bus window (that just drove by the Coliseum on the way to somewhere else).  Wow, that sounds like a great time.  If I wanted that bland of an experience, I’d have watched a TV special on PBS.

 

The Patriot

Listen, I love the USA.  Believe me, it’s great.  There are times; however, when traveling with a bit of discretion allows one to not only blend in with the local culture, but is also safer.  That red, white, and blue fanny pack you’re sporting in Rio de Janerio (or even downtown Chicago, for that matter)?  You might as well wear a sign that screams “tourist”.  Tone it down a notch, Enos.  The “Patriot”, when traveling abroad, is loud, obnoxious (by local standards), and carries themselves like they’re in the front row of a Lee Greenwood 4^th of July concert.  They pull such classy moves as not even attempting to speak in the host country’s language (even if it is just something simple like “please” and “thank you”).  If anything, they speak louder and slower, like the person they are addressing has some sort of ailment (“I said, DO-YOU-HAVE-COOOOOFFFFFFFEEEEEEE?”).  Americans have a reputation for being loud, boorish, and inflexible when traveling abroad – and it is well deserved.  Do us all a favor.  Turn down the volume knob, leave the American flag T-shirts at home and take five minutes to learn a phrase or two of the lingo.  You’d be surprised how it changes every interaction (and in a good way).

 

The Schedule Freak

Some of the most memorable things that happen during travel are the result of what I call “happy accidents”.  If you’re on a trip with someone who has to have everything mapped out (down to the minute), that inflexibility will often lead to missed opportunities.  The “Schedule Freak” is always stressed, because they are either behind on their time table or are rushing to get somewhere else early.  They are constantly harassing everyone else to “hurry up”.  You know what?  If you had five minutes to spare, maybe you would have stopped and seen that herd of bison come out of nowhere in Yellowstone, watched the local artist paint a picture along the Seine in Paris, or enjoyed the sun slipping below the horizon In Key West while sipping on a margarita.  Calm down.  Loosen up that schedule a bit.  Roll with the punches.  Treat every destination as if you’ll come back again someday, and you’ll be amazed at how that takes the pressure off of trying to “see everything.”

 

Know of any other types of personalities that shouldn’t be traveling?  Drop me a note in the comment box below.