<\/a><\/p>\n

By Alexandra Bregman<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the best things about hitting the road is all the new and interesting people you meet. After all, a place is just as much about its people as it is about landscape.<\/p>\n

What defines a destination without the conversations, the artists, or the chefs? How would you check into a hotel room without a friendly face at the front desk? Of course, not everyone is an instant friend. Travel also means meeting people along the way you might not be totally in love with; whose ideas and attitudes may or may not align with your own. Yet with a grain of salt, the different types of travelers spice up the overall experience. You never know who\u2019ll make a lasting connection.<\/p>\n

1) The Memoirist<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone likes to tell a good story travel story \u2014 but some love sharing more than others . . . and won\u2019t stop. The Memoirist is constantly reminiscing about obscure destinations, even when they\u2019re in the middle of one.<\/p>\n

As interesting as a good story is, it\u2019s not half as fun as the experience itself. Besides, what\u2019s an appropriate response? Maybe the listener answers, \u201cOh yes, that reminds me of this one time in Nairobi . . .\u201d and it just becomes an awkward adventure competition. No matter how many times you recount how you hiked through the bowels of Cambodia, or danced with a Saudi Prince, I must retort that you just had to be there.<\/p>\n

The Good: Fun to talk to<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: Hard to get to stop<\/em><\/p>\n

2) The Navigator<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes travel can be overwhelming, and you just need to kick back while a confident friend takes the reigns. Lost in the Swiss Alps? The Navigator will take over. Not sure which Irish bar to stop at first? The Navigator has planned your entire pub-crawl. The Navigator is a wonderful, incredibly confident friend whose \u201cI got this\u201d can be heaven to your ears. Of course, confidence is a blessing and a curse. What happens when you want to veer off your friend\u2019s carefully chosen path? What happens when you\u2019d like to look at the map and figure things out? At worst the Navigator can make curiosity feel like an overstep.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, although the Navigator is confident, that does not mean he or she is right. When you\u2019re up a creek without a paddle (literally), then it\u2019s safe to say you\u2019ll wish you\u2019d put a little less faith in the overconfident traveler.<\/p>\n

The Good: You\u2019re not stuck making tough decisions<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: Sometimes it’s best to help make those tough decisions<\/em><\/p>\n

3) The Ignoramus<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a hypothetical situation: You\u2019re sitting in a quiet French bistro. Faint accordion music echoes through the couloirs<\/em>, when suddenly: \u201cWHO HERE SPEAKS AMERICAN?\u201d<\/p>\n

What may be intended as a harmless sense of nationalistic pride can easily deteriorate into a scandalous level of disrespect. Some travelers revolve around the expectation that everyone caters to their native culture and never truly appreciate the merits of a new destination.<\/p>\n

This is not my favorite person. Deviating from the norm is a luxury I could never trade on vacation, not for all the McDonald\u2019s in the world.<\/p>\n

The Good: Cultural dichotomy makes for great entertainment
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: Why not just stay home?<\/em><\/p>\n

4) The Casanova<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hostels can sometimes be sketchy enough place to be without being seduced by a backpacker who hasn\u2019t had anything less than a questionable shower since he left weeks ago. There\u2019s always the Casanova, looking for love in all the wrong rooms, bars, and tour buses.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a word of advice to all the self-proclaimed romantics masquerading as tourists: your soulmate is most likely not an Eastern European motorcyclist you have a chance encounter with in Tibet, nor is she the American travel writer trying to send you negative signals when you probe for personal details. Sex is cool, but please take it easy Casanova.<\/p>\n

The Good: Love is in the air<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: The results from the STD test<\/em><\/p>\n

5) The Jokester<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no better way to enjoy good times on the road than with an equally upbeat partner in crime. Laughter truly is great medicine and definitely lightens the mood. I traveled with my best friend, and there was never a dull moment in times of joy. Of course, we also got ourselves into trouble by giggling practically all the time. Apparently it\u2019s not funny to giggle at preserved cadavers in medieval cathedrals. Oops.<\/p>\n

The Good: Giggles all around<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: Not good to laugh in cemeteries and churches<\/em><\/p>\n

6) The Linguist<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amidst the many ignoramuses fraternizing around the world, there\u2019s the chance exception of an absolutely brilliant chameleon. If you think you haven\u2019t met such well-blended traveler, that might be because you have and didn\u2019t notice. The Linguist flawlessly picks up languages and mannerisms, discreetly absorbing culture so quickly that even locals forget they\u2019re a tourist. How do they do it?<\/p>\n

The answer lies in the discerning expertise of locals and fellow Linguists. Although the Linguist is an uncommon phenomenon, unfortunately, the skill may not be as cultivated as it appears to be. There\u2019s a good chance the Linguist slips up from time to time, even as other tourists balk at the standard of excellence. Perfection is highly, highly unlikely.<\/p>\n

Also, someone so smart can often let talent devolve into arrogance. You mean you don\u2019t know how to say \u201cThank you for the kimchi, it\u2019s delicious,\u201d in Korean? Unacceptable.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I respect the Linguist\u2019s attention to detail. It\u2019s not every traveler who makes adaptation a priority. Good call.<\/p>\n

The Good: A God among travelers<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: They know it<\/em><\/p>\n

7) The Pack<\/strong><\/p>\n

One friend is a good thing. Two are still good. Three even . . . but seven? Eight? Thirteen? Thirteen in matching outfits that each say \u201cKatie and Brian\u2019s Wedding\u201d across the pink windbreaker? When a large group of tourists busts into your hostel, emotions (and laundry piles) run high. It can be a blast to tag along with a group of rowdy teens or excitable 20-somethings, hitting up the nightlife in a whole new crew.<\/p>\n

Of course, the downside to making so many sudden bonds is the missed opportunity for local color, or for meaningful connections tied to the destination. How can you talk to locals when you\u2019re always out clubbing with a pack of collegiate alcoholics?<\/p>\n

However, I generally don\u2019t mind this method of travel because I think the people you meet along the road characterize the destination as much as so-called natives. I met some really wild Australians in Amsterdam well-suited to the experience, and had some really meaningful conversations about Indian Diaspora on a long boat ride in Greece. Sometimes the crazy nomads you meet along the way teach as much about travel as the destination itself. So regarding the Pack, no tears shed.<\/p>\n

The Good: You\u2019ll never be lonely with so many new friends<\/em><\/p>\n

The Bad: It’s much more difficult to meet the locals<\/em><\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

By the end of a trip, it\u2019s safe to say you\u2019re going to have pictures with strangers and a list of adventurers to add on Facebook. No matter who you meet, good or bad, likeable or unlikable, the different types of travelers enhance any journey.<\/p>\n

If you see yourself in any of these personas, do not be worried. We all embody elements of these overriding characters because they are the traits of travel: we all love to tell stories of when we took control or learned a language, laugh with our friends and keep an eye out for romance. The true travel experience is in the overlaps.<\/p>\n

Best of luck as you encounter one another on the road, you might never know who you meet, but with these general guidelines, you may have a better idea.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alexandra Bregman has written for The Expeditioner<\/a>, Beyond Race, poetic and academic publications. She has a traveler’s spirit, big dreams post-Smith College graduation, and can be followed at @alixbregman.<\/em><\/p>\n

[Barcelona Tourist by Chad Allen\/Flickr<\/a>; Where Next by Gary Salmon\/Flickr<\/a>; Laughing at The Pink Palace in Greece by EuroKeith\/Flickr<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alexandra Bregman One of the best things about hitting the road is all the new and interesting people you meet. After all, a place is just as much about its people as it is about landscape. What defines a destination without the conversations, the artists, or the chefs? How would you check into a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2049,1,2578],"tags":[844,1735],"yoast_head":"\n