What Kind of Adventurer Are You?

A few weeks ago, I was reading an article that was trying to define how we choose to label ourselves and our explorations. The premise of the article was that as explorers and adventurers, we fall into two categories. The tourist and the traveler.

The author went on to explain their definition of the two terms:

• The tourist is defined as the individual who plans their trip based on locations that they’d like to see. The tourist has a schedule and an itinerary. They have picked out where they will stop for lunch, stay the night, and they have a list of sites to see and photographs to take. The tourist ensures to visit, see, and do the most that is possible on every trip.

• The traveler is defined as a natural wanderer. There is only the vaguest of plans. The tourist may not have an idea of where they plan to stop for breaks or even where they might sleep. The tourist has a loose understanding of the path but defines the journey along the way. They are more apt to immerse themselves in the experience and let the experience guide them along the way.

Now the romantic in me looks at the traveler and sees the epic adventures that await. There’s a wanderlust of youth and the unknow that calls to me. I’m reminded of the childhood fascination of a magical world of yesterday where the only limitation was your imagination. This is probably similar to the calling that thru-hikers feel before they set out on a 2,000-mile journey into the unknown.

The husband and father in me, looks at the tourist and thinks, this is the logical and responsible way to explore. Time is precious and safety is paramount. Lists and agendas are critical to ensure you are able to see the sites, make the memories, and have enough time to get back to your commitments and obligations.

As we age our priorities change and we slowly push that wanderlust of youth to the bottom of our ever-growing list of responsibilities. Life is busy and full of obligations. There’s swimming lessons and soccer practices. Community service commitments, Sunday Mass to attend and the ever-present daily responsibility of mortgage payments and yard work. It’s because of this that at some point we all fall into the category of the tourist. We continue to have the desire to explore and seek new adventures but understand that there has to be a balance.

For me, I find there can be a healthy symbiotic relationship between the tourist and the traveler. If I’m out on a multiple day adventure, then i make sure to leave room for the unknown. Perhaps instead of having a committed location to stay for the night, I might have two or three options depending on where the day’s journey takes me. If I am visiting a specific area, then I leave room in my day to step away from the list of ‘must see’ spots so that I can explore and wander a little.

Yes, I schedule time to be free and explore. Now it may not be as romantic as the true traveler letting the fragrance of wanderlust guide you but it’s a fair compromise. Who says growing up means having to put aside your adentureing spirit? Afterall, isn’t that what we secretly dream of while encourage our children to do the same?