Author Topic: Travel Snobs  (Read 9758 times)

Chesleygirl

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Travel Snobs
« on: September 29, 2017, 02:59:23 PM »
Just wondering if anyone else has ever encountered people who are travel snobs/ vacation snobs. As in, where they went, was bigger and better than your trip.

https://www.migratingmiss.com/signs-youre-travel-snob-friend-dont-know/

All your stories start with “When I was in {insert country/city other than your own here}…”. Or maybe you throw in obscure travel words which are cool but no one knows them.
When people tell you they’re going on an all-inclusive vacation or a cruise, you secretly think they’re not a “real traveller”.
When someone tells you they’re going somewhere you’ve already been you declare you are SO glad you went already because now it’s SO much more touristy now and therefore not as good.
You see someone travelling with a suitcase and wonder what’s wrong with them. Real travellers have backpacks.
You actually use the words “real traveller”.
You see people who stay in hotels as wasting money and not having an “authentic experience”.
You’ve fallen into having the ridiculous traveller vs. tourist debate with someone, and thought that clearly “travellers” are superior.
When another friend announces their engagement, new house, pregnancy {insert other important life event here} you think they’ve made a mistake because clearly travelling is the most important thing in life.
You think people who haven’t travelled haven’t lived. It’s entirely possible to travel and stay just as narrow-minded as before. I know. I’ve met some of those people.

And this is another blog that also conveys some of my feelings.

https://theplanetd.com/arrogant-travel-snobs/

My spouse recently wanted to book a trip to Disney World. I nixed the idea. Because we went there once already, and I'd rather wait a few more years to go back. It's very expensive. He has friends who go every year and I feel like he's trying to keep up with the Joneses. So we took a weekend car trip instead, an educational experience for the kids.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2017, 03:10:56 PM by Chesleygirl »

surfhb

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2017, 04:31:44 PM »
Not sure If I'm a travel snob but I do question why anyone would spend their dollars on a yearly cruise or a yearly trip to Orlando.   The world in surely filled with more than these can offer....right?   Been on a cruise once...never again.   

Kris

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2017, 04:37:09 PM »
I don’t know how much of a travel snob I am, but I definitely cringe at the idea of all-inclusives and cruiises. Both sound kind of awful to me.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2017, 04:50:23 PM »
Not sure If I'm a travel snob but I do question why anyone would spend their dollars on a yearly cruise or a yearly trip to Orlando.   The world in surely filled with more than these can offer....right?   Been on a cruise once...never again.

Cruises are cheap (for what you get), that's why many people go on them.

I've also, only been on a cruise one time. Never wanted to go again. I do think it counts as real traveling because I got to tour areas of the Virgin Islands.

However, if I was in a conversation with someone and they mentioned they'd been on a cruise, I would not diss it. I'd just say, "oh, that's nice".  I don't want to get competitive about travel. I went to college with people who could afford to study abroad for a semester in Europe; then come back and act all smug towards everyone else. I decided I never wanted to act that way.

Kris

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2017, 05:21:04 PM »
Not sure If I'm a travel snob but I do question why anyone would spend their dollars on a yearly cruise or a yearly trip to Orlando.   The world in surely filled with more than these can offer....right?   Been on a cruise once...never again.

Cruises are cheap (for what you get), that's why many people go on them.

I've also, only been on a cruise one time. Never wanted to go again. I do think it counts as real traveling because I got to tour areas of the Virgin Islands.

However, if I was in a conversation with someone and they mentioned they'd been on a cruise, I would not diss it. I'd just say, "oh, that's nice".  I don't want to get competitive about travel. I went to college with people who could afford to study abroad for a semester in Europe; then come back and act all smug towards everyone else. I decided I never wanted to act that way.

Agree. But I also think that people who would disparage someone’s choice of travel to their face would be a general dick in other ways, too. I am also a food snob, in that I won’t eat at fast food restaurants or shitholes like Applebees, but I don’t mock people when they mention having gone to one of those places. Because they did not ask my opinion. Just as I did not ask their opinion on what I choose to eat.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2017, 05:25:34 PM »
Agree. But I also think that people who would disparage someone’s choice of travel to their face would be a general dick in other ways, too. I am also a food snob, in that I won’t eat at fast food restaurants or shitholes like Applebees, but I don’t mock people when they mention having gone to one of those places. Because they did not ask my opinion. Just as I did not ask their opinion on what I choose to eat.

I had a woman friend who stopped dating a very nice guy, because he wouldn't go to sushi bars. To her, this meant he was unsophisticated. He'd take her places like, The Black-Eyed Pea restaurant (home cooking style food). Although I can't say she should have kept dating him if she didn't want to.

I have had my vacations and trips disparaged by other people, so I'm grateful to find these blogs online that give me some better coping skills for when those situations arise in the future.

iris lily

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2017, 05:47:16 PM »
I rack up  points on the travel snob scale, even more ridiculous because I don't travel that often.

But I don't consider Disney World to be a sophisticated travel destination and while I will admit to visiting that place once,  I am also proud to say that my in-laws paid for that family trip, I did not. See? Snob points.

River cruises, specifically the Viking cruises in Europe Asia and elsewhere are travel trips that earn my respect, but ocean cruises in the Caribbean, not so much. Snob points.

We just  got back from a  European trip of a few weeks we are one of the countries we visit it was off the beaten path, Romania. ( see my review elsewhere on this site )  I spent money there on anything I wanted. The clothes I wore were all from Goodwill. Snob points.

But we lose points because we will not drive overseas, especially in the UK countries where you drive on the left side. We also do not hike although 3-6 hours of walking each day is ok.  We take small suitcases not backpacks. See? Loosing point here in the snobbery competition. :)

We cannot even keep up with our friends who are serious travelers! They are 80 and 78 years old!  They just got back from a trip to Russia. They are going to Morocco next February. They also travel several times within the United States each year, but there is always an overseas annual trip. She still works part time to fund their travel bug.


There are travel snobs and food snobs,  and sometimes people share the same snobbery, other times they are mutually exclusive. My cousin is a big traveler and  he goes many places but he doesn't eat much variety, food just isn't of interest to him.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2017, 07:56:32 PM by iris lily »

bacchi

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2017, 06:40:34 PM »
The blogger forgot one:

10. You might be a travel snob if you keep count of how many countries you've been to and slip that number into any conversation about travel. "I've been to 40 countries so far and Belarus was just the most fun...."


That said, all-inclusives are not my thing. If I wanna sleep in, I wanna sleep in; if I want to hang out longer at a cafe, I don't want an annoying tour guide telling me that "we're all leaving" and need to catch the bus.

Rachel_the_Lark

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2017, 05:38:28 AM »
10. You might be a travel snob if you keep count of how many countries you've been to and slip that number into any conversation about travel. "I've been to 40 countries so far and Belarus was just the most fun...."

Oops I might have been a part of a whole "will you hit 30 countries by 30 conversation" once.  But on the other hand I've hit most of those countries via a cruise ship (so much logistically easier) so that washes it out right?

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2017, 09:00:29 AM »
I've heard people say that if you have kids, you can't travel anymore. I haven't found that to be true at all. I traveled more after I had kids, than before I had them. But I also don't think traveling is the most important thing someone can do in their life.

And from the frugality standpoint, I think traveling too much can cut into someone's budget after a while. My dad and his wife traveled and vacationed too much, and now they're broke in their 70s. Sure, they had a good time all those years, but there's nothing to retire on.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2017, 09:03:57 AM by Chesleygirl »

Milizard

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2017, 09:40:58 AM »
I've never been on a cruise, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Some people vacation to have an adventure, others to unwind.  I'd think the cruise would be to unwind, while exploring here, there, and everywhere takes a lot of energy.  When working all the time wears you down, recharging is a nice thing to do.  Unfortunately, air travel is anything but relaxing.  So, yeah, I've been to a bunch of countries and backpacked a bit across Europe, and I'd love to try a cruise. 

As far as Orlando goes, I have young kids, and live in a Northern state.  I like Orlando.  I've been there a few times, and would like to take the kids a couple times.  I traveled to several states when I was a kid, and was obsessed with Florida.  It's very different than Michigan.  Tropical even. Palm trees and alligators.  It's not all about Disney, especially in the colder months.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2017, 10:39:14 AM »
Counting countries, that's adorable.

Filthy casuals, they probably ask for a stamp at the border too.

life_travel

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2017, 03:47:50 PM »
I'm surely is a travel snob based on her list :) We travel with carry on only , we stay at guesthoused and hostels and in local people's homes ... Yeah staying at all inclusive resorts doesn't give you the same experience of that country but I would never say it to people because it's their life and we are all different :)
However her question about getting new friends that love to travel rings true TO ME ( it may be different to others ). Finally DH and me living the life of DINKs ( kids grown up as we had them in late teens) and loving it . I never had time to myself throughout my adult life until now and I'm enjoying it .
I also find that while its not easy to make friends in general , it's even harder to find ones that don't have kids AND want to travel AND frugal as us ...

paddedhat

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2017, 06:45:46 PM »
We had this happen recently, when a few of the wive's old coworkers stopped by. They had attended a theater production a few blocks from our house, and had previously asked for a recommendation for a good local hotel. Since our county is a major tourist draw, we have about 140 hotels to pick from. I told them to look for any nearby property owned by a highly regarded local hospitality company, as all of their properties are well run, clean, and reasonable. I about gagged when they announced that they had spent the previous night in the finest five star resort in all the land. I  lobbed a polite WTF? their way, and the one who picked and paid for the room, tells me that she could never stay at some "flea bag $100 a night place" and the resort was adequate, barely. Before you get the mind picture of some blue blood with a Rolls and a driver patiently waiting outside, this older lady is a teacher's aide, single, makes a low 20K ish income, and lives in a "cabin" in a sketchy rural area.

It was quite an odd conversation.

iris lily

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2017, 07:59:27 PM »
Counting countries, that's adorable.

Filthy casuals, they probably ask for a stamp at the border too.
we do that. One afternoon we walked the mile over to
Austria to get our passports stamped, just for fun. We were staying with a relative in Switzerland.

Oh yeah, anyway the travel snobbery points: if you have European relatives who have old houses in historic cottages or sections of a citymd you sometimes stay with them,, that is worth a few snob points.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2017, 01:27:41 AM »
The blogger forgot one:

10. You might be a travel snob if you keep count of how many countries you've been to and slip that number into any conversation about travel. "I've been to 40 countries so far and Belarus was just the most fun...."


That said, all-inclusives are not my thing. If I wanna sleep in, I wanna sleep in; if I want to hang out longer at a cafe, I don't want an annoying tour guide telling me that "we're all leaving" and need to catch the bus.

I'm sorry... I'm totally a country counter and do bring it up sometimes.   The count is 84 and will be 87 by the end of November.    I'm not that obsessed about getting stamps in my passport though.  In fact I'm pissed that Israel stamped at the border of Jordan.  There are some countries that won't let me in unless I get a new passport, an it would have been good until 2023.  There is a secret location I might visit next April that may require a new passport.


Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2017, 05:05:19 PM »
I had a boyfriend years ago,  who was very Mustachian. He had a good job, was a homeowner by age 30, his house mostly paid off. He told me that he would probably never travel to Europe or anywhere else overseas; and if he did, he'd only go one time, and never again. At the time, I really wanted to travel so I just started looking at dating other people. However, I regretted it later on because other than out differences in viewpoints on travel, we were otherwise very compatible.

Cassie

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2017, 05:40:58 PM »
I like to travel and have been to Europe 4x's. I like different types of travel. We don't do tours when we go to Europe. WE sometimes take our RV and dogs in the states. We also have gotten into ocean cruises and they can be a excellent deal. We do take tours at ports because you aren't there that long to see things on your own. Besides the Caribbean we have been to New England, Canada and Alaska.  The thing we like about cruises is that all your food, entertainment, etc is taken care of for you. No thinking needed:))

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2017, 06:07:56 PM »
I had the same issue with last BF. I'm FIREd and do longish camping  road trips in the US (have dog who normally goes with me so no over seas for me right now) and want to do long backpacker overseas trips once dog is gone. He wanted to work 20 more years to traditional retirement age and was perfectly happy doing a 2 week vacation each year to Hawaii or somewhere he could surf. While I understood that I just couldn't share in that kind of life even if we were very compatible in most other ways and if he was OK with me going off on my own.


Sure, traveling overseas isn't right for everyone. and if I had a dog I'd probably wait til he/she passed before going on a long trip alone, overseas.

There are many great places in the US to tour, also Canada. I want to see Montreal and Quebec. Traveling for me, is not about impressing anyone. It's about doing what I want to do.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2017, 08:04:32 PM »
I had a boyfriend years ago,  who was very Mustachian. He had a good job, was a homeowner by age 30, his house mostly paid off. He told me that he would probably never travel to Europe or anywhere else overseas; and if he did, he'd only go one time, and never again. At the time, I really wanted to travel so I just started looking at dating other people. However, I regretted it later on because other than out differences in viewpoints on travel, we were otherwise very compatible.

I had a chance to get married once but it was his idea (or family pressure) that I would need to have a couple kids and settle in him home country.  I had never been to said country and said I would consider it if I could go on vacation for 3 weeks every year but he said that wasn't possible.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #20 on: October 01, 2017, 10:07:32 PM »
I had a boyfriend years ago,  who was very Mustachian. He had a good job, was a homeowner by age 30, his house mostly paid off. He told me that he would probably never travel to Europe or anywhere else overseas; and if he did, he'd only go one time, and never again. At the time, I really wanted to travel so I just started looking at dating other people. However, I regretted it later on because other than out differences in viewpoints on travel, we were otherwise very compatible.

I had a chance to get married once but it was his idea (or family pressure) that I would need to have a couple kids and settle in him home country.  I had never been to said country and said I would consider it if I could go on vacation for 3 weeks every year but he said that wasn't possible.

Depending on what country it is, I could move there and just visit the USA rarely.

Rimu05

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2017, 12:07:22 PM »
The blogger forgot one:

10. You might be a travel snob if you keep count of how many countries you've been to and slip that number into any conversation about travel. "I've been to 40 countries so far and Belarus was just the most fun...."


That said, all-inclusives are not my thing. If I wanna sleep in, I wanna sleep in; if I want to hang out longer at a cafe, I don't want an annoying tour guide telling me that "we're all leaving" and need to catch the bus.

I'm sorry... I'm totally a country counter and do bring it up sometimes.   The count is 84 and will be 87 by the end of November.    I'm not that obsessed about getting stamps in my passport though.  In fact I'm pissed that Israel stamped at the border of Jordan.  There are some countries that won't let me in unless I get a new passport, an it would have been good until 2023.  There is a secret location I might visit next April that may require a new passport.

Please keep counting, I don't even think this is snobbiness. I forever want to hear what countries other's have visited and I especially love the "off the beaten path folks." Yeah, let's be honest, you are definitely not getting the same experience in an all inclusive luxury tour as you would with your back pack.

Like while at the Maasai Mara I met a French family that drove from South Africa to Kenya and just explored countries along the way. I thought that was the most bad ass thing ever.

Mind you, I think there's nothing wrong with good accommodation. I try to find the most affordable and comfortable Bn'B, but I really like to go out on my own and explore things I like. Also like op, I want my lazy days while I'm on vacation where I pretty much do nothing. I sleep until my body is like "no more" and then I go to a café and read. I mean I've spent all year working, I cannot have my vacation be like "I must see every chapel in this city even though I won't remember any of it." Yeah, I'm not big on cathedrals and museums.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2017, 05:06:16 PM »

Please keep counting, I don't even think this is snobbiness. I forever want to hear what countries other's have visited and I especially love the "off the beaten path folks." Yeah, let's be honest, you are definitely not getting the same experience in an all inclusive luxury tour as you would with your back pack.

Like while at the Maasai Mara I met a French family that drove from South Africa to Kenya and just explored countries along the way. I thought that was the most bad ass thing ever.

Mind you, I think there's nothing wrong with good accommodation. I try to find the most affordable and comfortable Bn'B, but I really like to go out on my own and explore things I like. Also like op, I want my lazy days while I'm on vacation where I pretty much do nothing. I sleep until my body is like "no more" and then I go to a café and read. I mean I've spent all year working, I cannot have my vacation be like "I must see every chapel in this city even though I won't remember any of it." Yeah, I'm not big on cathedrals and museums.

Cool!  How's this for off the beaten track... assuming all goes well, I will be in Somaliland in less than 10 days!   Also hitting up Ethiopia & Djibouti.

I've plugged this elsewhere in the forum, but if you like travel, I started a blog earlier this year and trying to add some unusual spots (like Timor Leste earlier this year).    I've found a handful of Somaliland blogs online but none of them by women (yet!).
https://thehotflashpacker.com/

ck25

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #23 on: October 02, 2017, 06:00:32 PM »
The worst part about travel snobs to me is that they never seem to acknowledge their environmental impact. It's all about collecting countries and travel experiences without being mindful of their footprint. this is surely a generalization, but the people who I follow on social media seem to be all about hopping from continent to continent for  a week or a long weekend... it's just not sustainable.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2017, 07:37:13 PM »
The worst part about travel snobs to me is that they never seem to acknowledge their environmental impact. It's all about collecting countries and travel experiences without being mindful of their footprint. this is surely a generalization, but the people who I follow on social media seem to be all about hopping from continent to continent for  a week or a long weekend... it's just not sustainable.

Yeah, some of the bloggers that make money at it are on sponsored trips all the time.  While I'd like to get trips at some point, I can't imagine flying around like that.  My upcoming trip to Ethiopia is 7 weeks.   Eventually when I RE, I'm hoping to go for even longer trips than that.

But, some that look like they are moving around (like on instagram) might just be posting pictures from old trips.  I've been posting on instagram ("tflashpacker") all month but haven't really traveled since July.

Lance Hiruma

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #25 on: October 02, 2017, 09:24:28 PM »
Half a snob only, quite surprisingly.
Mind you, it is not country counting, it is country collecting. Get with the program :)
I love to correct these cruise addicts that --- those were not countries, they are territories. Be better with your geography.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #26 on: October 02, 2017, 10:03:58 PM »
Half a snob only, quite surprisingly.
Mind you, it is not country counting, it is country collecting. Get with the program :)
I love to correct these cruise addicts that --- those were not countries, they are territories. Be better with your geography.

I count Grenada but I don't count St Marteen/St. Martin.  I count St Lucia but I don't count St. Croix, I count Dominica but not Puerto Rico.

I also count Wales, North Ireland, and England as one.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #27 on: October 02, 2017, 10:12:38 PM »
The worst part about travel snobs to me is that they never seem to acknowledge their environmental impact. It's all about collecting countries and travel experiences without being mindful of their footprint. this is surely a generalization, but the people who I follow on social media seem to be all about hopping from continent to continent for  a week or a long weekend... it's just not sustainable.

I feel similar way about youth mission trips. I feel some of these kids just want a free or subsidized vacation somewhere when they are raising funds for the trips. I feel that money could be put to better use, to help people in poor countries. Not to send upper-middle class American teenagers on trips.

libertarian4321

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #28 on: October 03, 2017, 04:43:36 AM »
Half a snob only, quite surprisingly.
Mind you, it is not country counting, it is country collecting. Get with the program :)
I love to correct these cruise addicts that --- those were not countries, they are territories. Be better with your geography.

I count Grenada but I don't count St Marteen/St. Martin.  I count St Lucia but I don't count St. Croix, I count Dominica but not Puerto Rico.

I also count Wales, North Ireland, and England as one.

I've been to all of those and a lot more (did you count Scotland?).

I don't "count" any of them.

Why would I?  Is this some sort of "Keeping up with the Jones'" nonsense?

Enjoy the trip.  Enjoy the food, the people, the whisky (or whiskey), the sights. 

Don't use it as "snobbery."

Because frankly, anyone with internet access and reasonably high IQ could easily "fake" having gone to those destinations more convincingly than someone who'd actually been there...

I've never been to Tokelau, but give me 15-minutes on the internet, and I'll bet I could fake it convincingly enough to fool 99.5+% of the populace.

And I just saved $3,000...


JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #29 on: October 03, 2017, 08:07:39 AM »

I feel similar way about youth mission trips. I feel some of these kids just want a free or subsidized vacation somewhere when they are raising funds for the trips. I feel that money could be put to better use, to help people in poor countries. Not to send upper-middle class American teenagers on trips.

My home church had a dozen people go to Kenya to build a shed and a mud hut for a family.  With that money they probably could have had multiple homes built by local people for the same price as their flights.  But these mission trips are more about fundraising than anything because then these dozen people come home and try to raise money for the school that's being built there.   Alot of charities are like that... at work they encourage us to work 1-2 days per year at various charities so we can see first hand what it's like so we donate more money to United Way.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #30 on: October 03, 2017, 08:10:56 AM »

I also count Wales, North Ireland, and England as one.

I've been to all of those and a lot more (did you count Scotland?).

I don't "count" any of them.

Why would I?  Is this some sort of "Keeping up with the Jones'" nonsense?

Enjoy the trip.  Enjoy the food, the people, the whisky (or whiskey), the sights. 

Don't use it as "snobbery."

Because frankly, anyone with internet access and reasonably high IQ could easily "fake" having gone to those destinations more convincingly than someone who'd actually been there...

I've never been to Tokelau, but give me 15-minutes on the internet, and I'll bet I could fake it convincingly enough to fool 99.5+% of the populace.

And I just saved $3,000...
[/quote]

I didn't count Scotland because (a) I haven't been there and (b) it's also part of UK. 

Anyways, I count because people always ask how many countries I've visited.  Would I go a little out of my way for a small amount of money to get another country?  yes.   Would I go way out of my way for a short stay?  no.

elaine amj

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #31 on: October 03, 2017, 09:16:55 AM »
It sure strikes a nerve :)

As for me, I like what I like and I'm good with that. I've discovered most of the time I don't care for cities too much. And to be honest, while I love to travel, I have little interest in backpacking, etc. I just want to go to see places and do things that *I* am interested in. Sometimes that's the major tourist traps, sometimes that's off the beaten path. I don't want to be pigeonholed into one type of trip or whatever. I like cruises, one day plan to do an all-inclusive vacation where I'm trapped within a resort, crowded amusement parks...and AND camping in the wilderness, rustic cabins with no running water, traveling independently by public transit/car, cool AirBnBs, laidback cottages, etc etc.

Am I not a cool, cultured traveler because I have little interest in "living like a local"? Am I not "worthy" because I don't want to go backpacking through the tropical rainforest? Because I'm not interested in "collecting" countries? (although I do want to have a world map with pushpins)

sparkytheop

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #32 on: October 03, 2017, 09:30:33 AM »
I don't consider myself a travel snob, but some things check some boxes.

When on a train (with only a carry on and small bag each--purse for me, laptop bag for DS), I'd watch people struggle with huge suitcases, or multiple suitcases, and be secretly thankful that we took the minimal luggage approach.  Especially since we were spending 5 weeks taking a train or bus to a new location every few days.

I want bonus points for staying with distant relatives in southern France :P  They picked us up at the train station, welcomed us into their home, took us on a few day trips (Conque, Belcastle, etc) and drove us to where my Great-Great-Gramma was raised (the house is now almost half rubble, but you could still see a window and a door.)  They are simple country people, and even though I barely speak French, and they barely speak English, we did well.

A coworker found out about one of the trips I took shortly before transferring to this location, so he liked to talk about travel with me.  He kept recommending cruises, even though I said I wasn't really a "cruise person, but maybe when I no longer like to travel the way I do."  Because-- oh, they have clubs open late at night, and you can walk on a track if you want, etc.  When I explained that we only really used a room to sleep, and that we'd do "weird stuff" like go to a local theater to see a play in a foreign language, walk for miles, visit museums, find cemeteries to wander through, eat at small little restaurants, buy food from the markets, etc, he finally realized that a cruise vacation really wouldn't suit my "wants".  But, I agreed that it sounded perfect for him and his wife, and that it would be a great way for them to travel when he retired (he just did).  It may not be my thing, but I completely get why people prefer it.

I like to hear about people's experiences, the kind of food they ate, interactions with the locals, etc, more than just "I went to x".  I love other people's travel stories.

Oh, and if anyone else is interested in some Maginot Line stuff, or staying in a castle, I highly recommend going to Sedan France and taking a tour with Tucker Tours.  He is a fun guy and very knowledgeable, he'll cater his tour to you and your interests, reasonable rate, he's an Englishman who has lived in France for years, teaching English.  He had my very-serious son literally skipping down a dark gallery at Ouvrage de la ferte (where he has his own set of keys so doesn't have to stick to their schedule.  And where he let my son dry-fire one of the 88mm artillery weapons.)

Seriously though, I'm not a travel snob, I just really enjoy travel!

iris lily

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #33 on: October 03, 2017, 10:20:29 AM »
Sparky, We stayed in a castle, twice. I am obsessed with
Scottish baronial architecture, and this was a restored castle built in the 1650's, small and late for castles. Stuart Castle near
Inverness, now closed for overnght stays.

The experience was exquisite.

On that same trip we did a week on the
Shropshire-Union canal.  Both experiences were on my bucket lidt. The canal trip was sweet but very sloooooooooooow moving. Been there, done that, wont do it again.

Now that I think about it, we stayed in another "castle" in Dormach but it was u interesting, too kuch modernization.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #34 on: October 03, 2017, 12:14:17 PM »
Sparky, We stayed in a castle, twice. I am obsessed with
Scottish baronial architecture, and this was a restored castle built in the 1650's, small and late for castles. Stuart Castle near
Inverness, now closed for overnght stays.

The experience was exquisite.

On that same trip we did a week on the
Shropshire-Union canal.  Both experiences were on my bucket lidt. The canal trip was sweet but very sloooooooooooow moving. Been there, done that, wont do it again.

Now that I think about it, we stayed in another "castle" in Dormach but it was u interesting, too kuch modernization.


I stayed in a haunted castle in Ireland (15 EUR for a creaky hostel bed).


Anyways, on a facebook post just came up from a woman I met at a blogger convention... a picture of her updated tattoo.  She has tattooed the 3 digit country code for every country she visited and just added 7!   They are pretty much taking up her whole inner arm from elbow to wrist now.


bacchi

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #35 on: October 03, 2017, 12:34:02 PM »
I don't "count" any of them.

Why would I?  Is this some sort of "Keeping up with the Jones'" nonsense?

Enjoy the trip.  Enjoy the food, the people, the whisky (or whiskey), the sights. 

Word.

Instead of indirectly comparing salaries or wealth via cars or house square footage, counting countries is done through comparing "experiences" and, apparently, the actual number (no matter if it was just an airport or a bump across the border).

How does that work? Is it a blunt, "Sooo, I've been to 93 countries. How many have you been to?" Is that then followed by a condescending, "Oh, bless your heart. Maybe you'll get there someday."

Do people who have been to >50 countries only hang out with similarly "well traveled" people? What about those who have been to >150? Do they go to exclusive conventions and talk about getting the remaining 45?

This a subculture of which I know nothing.

PoutineLover

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #36 on: October 03, 2017, 12:55:13 PM »
I really enjoy traveling, so I make it part of my budget, but I won't sabotage my future for it. I try not be a travel snob, but I catch myself saying stuff like [in response to a shoe compliment] "thanks, I got them in Madrid", or "I really like this spa, but it would be even better if it was like that nude one I went to in Munich". Oh shit, maybe I am a snob! I also count countries I've been to, but it's more for myself than to brag, I'll only tell someone if they ask and I don't use that number to judge anyone.
Some people enjoy travelling, others like staying home. I think any kind of travel can count, weekend camping trips, in-country road trips, cruises, off the beaten track overseas trips. It's not about making yourself look cool or being better than others, it's about having experiences that you enjoy. I personally don't like all inclusive resorts, but I've gone twice because it was the cheapest flight+accommodation combination I could find, and I spent as much time as I could off the resort, doing my own thing. I'll travel with a suitcase or a backpack, it depends on the type of trip. Travelers can be snobby just like foodies can be snobby, but it's not necessarily inherent in the label, it's only if they use it to make themselves seem more important or put others down for their preferences.

boarder42

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #37 on: October 03, 2017, 01:16:40 PM »
i'm a travel hacking snob when someone tells me they cant do X b/c it costs too much(see your post about disney OP)  then i say you should travel hack.  Traveling shouldnt be limited by cost for a good mustachian.  They should be gettnig miles and be limited by their imagination and their PTO days at work.

sparkytheop

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #38 on: October 03, 2017, 01:39:18 PM »
My travel snob "I've done this"...  I have urinated in a WWI bomb crater (I'd been holding it for hours, and there were no restrooms anywhere!  But I found a spot behind the trees where apparently some others had had the same issue.)  This would be less impressive for a guy, since the world is their bathroom.  Us females usually have to work at it a little harder to avoid exposure/getting bit by something/peeing on our jeans/shoes.

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #39 on: October 03, 2017, 02:03:49 PM »
My travel snob "I've done this"...  I have urinated in a WWI bomb crater (I'd been holding it for hours, and there were no restrooms anywhere!  But I found a spot behind the trees where apparently some others had had the same issue.)  This would be less impressive for a guy, since the world is their bathroom.  Us females usually have to work at it a little harder to avoid exposure/getting bit by something/peeing on our jeans/shoes.

I'm not going confess what I had to do once.  I still feel guilty 13 years later.

marty998

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #40 on: October 03, 2017, 02:49:15 PM »
Interesting thread guys, yes I suffer from the "count the countries" syndrome :) I even have a scratch off map that I can colour them in :)

To the poster above who counts Scotland and England as one country I can tell you they are absolutely not the same.

The Scots are a different breed, they value their history and culture much more than the English, who, in London especially, seem to have completely lost their identity.

Perhaps that was a factor in Brexit.

Anyway... the question is, those of you who have been to Spain, do you have to go back there in a couple of years time if/when Catalunya is established?

 

JoJo

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #41 on: October 03, 2017, 02:54:06 PM »
Interesting thread guys, yes I suffer from the "count the countries" syndrome :) I even have a scratch off map that I can colour them in :)

To the poster above who counts Scotland and England as one country I can tell you they are absolutely not the same.

The Scots are a different breed, they value their history and culture much more than the English, who, in London especially, seem to have completely lost their identity.

Perhaps that was a factor in Brexit.

Anyway... the question is, those of you who have been to Spain, do you have to go back there in a couple of years time if/when Catalunya is established?

I know Scotland & England are very different, but they are part of the UK which is counted as 1 country by the UN.   I could argue that Tahiti and France are very different too, but still counts as 1 country.

ck25

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #42 on: October 03, 2017, 04:00:37 PM »
The worst part about travel snobs to me is that they never seem to acknowledge their environmental impact. It's all about collecting countries and travel experiences without being mindful of their footprint. this is surely a generalization, but the people who I follow on social media seem to be all about hopping from continent to continent for  a week or a long weekend... it's just not sustainable.

I feel similar way about youth mission trips. I feel some of these kids just want a free or subsidized vacation somewhere when they are raising funds for the trips. I feel that money could be put to better use, to help people in poor countries. Not to send upper-middle class American teenagers on trips.

Omigosh, yes. Not even just youth missions trips. I have several acquaintances on social media who pay money to go volunteer at an international orphanage for a week. Then they post about it to show what a "good person" they are. That actually sounds more judgmental than I probably mean to be - maybe they actually think they are doing a good thing. I am almost certain that a rotating cast of people with no childcare experience is not ideal for those children. There is a reason why most children in the US are placed in foster care instead of orphanages... instead these international orphanages make a business of keeping children like exhibits at a museum.

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #43 on: October 03, 2017, 04:35:39 PM »
Omigosh, yes. Not even just youth missions trips. I have several acquaintances on social media who pay money to go volunteer at an international orphanage for a week. Then they post about it to show what a "good person" they are. That actually sounds more judgmental than I probably mean to be - maybe they actually think they are doing a good thing. I am almost certain that a rotating cast of people with no childcare experience is not ideal for those children. There is a reason why most children in the US are placed in foster care instead of orphanages... instead these international orphanages make a business of keeping children like exhibits at a museum.

That is disturbing in some ways. Do they do background checks on these people, at least?

If I did go overseas to "help people", I wouldn't pose in photos with them and put it on social media. I feel like that's exploiting those people to post their pictures online. A violation of their privacy, I guess. Hopefully they are doing something good with their volunteer work.

Rachel_the_Lark

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #44 on: October 04, 2017, 05:03:23 AM »
I really enjoy traveling, so I make it part of my budget, but I won't sabotage my future for it.

This  Now I'll admit I am currently still sorting out what kind of future I will not sabotage.  I was always on track for a solid "traditional" retirement at 59 1/2 but am now wanting to move up that date with more intentional budgeting on the stuff that I don't enjoy nearly as much as travel.  But I guess that's why this is all a work in progress and not a one-and-done manual to follow.

PoutineLover

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #45 on: October 04, 2017, 07:47:55 AM »
Omigosh, yes. Not even just youth missions trips. I have several acquaintances on social media who pay money to go volunteer at an international orphanage for a week. Then they post about it to show what a "good person" they are. That actually sounds more judgmental than I probably mean to be - maybe they actually think they are doing a good thing. I am almost certain that a rotating cast of people with no childcare experience is not ideal for those children. There is a reason why most children in the US are placed in foster care instead of orphanages... instead these international orphanages make a business of keeping children like exhibits at a museum.

That is disturbing in some ways. Do they do background checks on these people, at least?

If I did go overseas to "help people", I wouldn't pose in photos with them and put it on social media. I feel like that's exploiting those people to post their pictures online. A violation of their privacy, I guess. Hopefully they are doing something good with their volunteer work.
Nope, there's very little good being done on those trips. Either they mess up the kids by having a constantly rotating cast of "white saviors", they do shoddy work that is redone after they leave by locals, they take jobs away from locals who could be doing it instead, or they encourage "orphanages" to buy children to use as props in their businesses. If you want to go on vacation, be honest about it, don't pretend it's some kind of humanitarian mission, because more likely than not it's causing more harm than good. Certain people with in demand skills can actually be helpful abroad (doctors and engineers without borders come to mind), but that only works if you have something valuable to offer, and if the program is structured in a way to give lasting benefits and not just week long photo ops.

Debonair

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #46 on: October 05, 2017, 07:15:11 AM »
I want to suggest one that I came across when researching an article on passport ownership rate for my blog.

Only travel to another country counts.

As for cruise I think their great, my sister loves them. I get seasick so my one cruise was memorable in the wrong way.

MrThatsDifferent

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #47 on: October 08, 2017, 04:39:11 AM »
Travel snob: guilty.  People who have suitcases are freaks to me and deserve all of the misery associated. ;-)

Chesleygirl

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #48 on: October 08, 2017, 11:35:15 AM »
Nope, there's very little good being done on those trips. Either they mess up the kids by having a constantly rotating cast of "white saviors", they do shoddy work that is redone after they leave by locals, they take jobs away from locals who could be doing it instead, or they encourage "orphanages" to buy children to use as props in their businesses. If you want to go on vacation, be honest about it, don't pretend it's some kind of humanitarian mission, because more likely than not it's causing more harm than good. Certain people with in demand skills can actually be helpful abroad (doctors and engineers without borders come to mind), but that only works if you have something valuable to offer, and if the program is structured in a way to give lasting benefits and not just week long photo ops.

I feel the same way. Especially the part about taking jobs away from local people who need the money. But if you try to raise any of these objections with a church member who promotes missions, they're going to go on the attack. I'd probably be flamed up and down if I brought this up. I might even be kicked out of my church. Seriously.

But yes, I think if someone wants a vacation they should just be honest about it. The "youth" mission trips seem to be geared towards giving the young people a great life experience. Like a Rite of Passage. They come back and talk about how great it was for them. Never talk about what they accomplished that might have benefited anyone else.

PoutineLover

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Re: Travel Snobs
« Reply #49 on: October 08, 2017, 12:02:30 PM »
Nope, there's very little good being done on those trips. Either they mess up the kids by having a constantly rotating cast of "white saviors", they do shoddy work that is redone after they leave by locals, they take jobs away from locals who could be doing it instead, or they encourage "orphanages" to buy children to use as props in their businesses. If you want to go on vacation, be honest about it, don't pretend it's some kind of humanitarian mission, because more likely than not it's causing more harm than good. Certain people with in demand skills can actually be helpful abroad (doctors and engineers without borders come to mind), but that only works if you have something valuable to offer, and if the program is structured in a way to give lasting benefits and not just week long photo ops.

I feel the same way. Especially the part about taking jobs away from local people who need the money. But if you try to raise any of these objections with a church member who promotes missions, they're going to go on the attack. I'd probably be flamed up and down if I brought this up. I might even be kicked out of my church. Seriously.

But yes, I think if someone wants a vacation they should just be honest about it. The "youth" mission trips seem to be geared towards giving the young people a great life experience. Like a Rite of Passage. They come back and talk about how great it was for them. Never talk about what they accomplished that might have benefited anyone else.
I wouldn't last long at your church, I really don't like these sorts of missions. People would do more good by volunteering their time in their own communities if they want to help, and donating money to charities abroad(preferably effective and ethical ones).
My former church had an especially disgusting example of voluntourism gone wrong actually. The priest and some church members would raise money to go down south once a year to provide "aid". Once there, the priest would trade food and money to young local boys in exchange for sexual favours. Luckily he was caught and went to jail, but I shudder to think how many kids he hurt, all under the umbrella of the church. I know that particular circumstance is rare, but it does make me realize that there need to be measures in place to prevent exploitation of the kids involved in the mission trips as well.