On the third day of the trip, my London agenda was plesantly interrupted by warm, wonderful, weather. I just could not face the idea of spending time in a museum or gallery, so I went for a walk in Hyde Park. It was glorious and it was then I realized there is a difference between being a traveler and a tourist.
There's nothing wrong with being a tourist of course. Heck, the main reason we go cool places is just because they are cool places and we stand in a line with a bunch of other people, pay an entrance fee and look at the famous thing. Being a tourist can be really enjoyable especially if you're on a Carribbean Cruise. But I didn't want to feel like a tourist everyday for 2 months trekking around Europe so I decided that I would be a traveler to balance out my tourist experiences.
Although I planned a large part of my trip in advance, on most days I was spontaneous with my schedule. My goal was to spend significant time away from the crowds of tourists and close to the locals. Truthfully, I got the most enjoyment from wandering around and being drawn towards the water and a boat tour, a park, down a snickleway or a close (alley way) to some historic landmark building with astounding architecture or a little square or even some small out of the way museum that no one really knows about. Away from the crowds and tourist shops, I felt like a real person exploring another part of the world. A traveler. I had fun being both a tourist and a traveler and keeping that balance became really important to me. A small but important distinction.
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