1) The Empty Travelers

These travelers are never prepared. Not physically, not mentally and not even materially. Reaching the destination, they realize the lack of preparation. They end up rushing to buy thick clothing or irritating all their other companions with borrowings and later going through the rest of the days tapping resources from others. In fact these people are not travelers at all. They went empty, and came back with even less, as they may lose some friends or overspend their financial resources purchasing things that they may not have needed to, had they spent some time planning.

2) The “Physical” Travelers

These travelers are prepared physically and have also made sure the material needs are well taken care of. In fact, most times they would have gone overboard. They will have extra sweaters, long johns, and not to forget the faithful Maggi noodles and mom’s rendang. For the more well off ones, no worries about the Maggi or rendang as the restaurant in the hotel will serve all kinds of food that they are familiar with.

Unfortunately they probably forget to bring along three of the most important things; their brains, hearts and souls. They never read or try to find out about the places they are about to adventure beyond climate and food.

These are the types that love to take many pictures… with themselves as the main objects. This is to them a very important ritual as they see a need to proof that they were there. All the most beautiful sights are tainted with their physical self right in front of the pictures. Not that it is all that wrong; a few pictures of you and your love ones cuddling together are great memories on 4R Kodak paper. But, the problem is that they never did submerge in the real beauty of the place by simply looking and feeling deeply for the moment.

Honestly, these people are not travelers too. They are at best tourists. They are physically transported to another place but mentally, emotionally and spiritually never having left their place of origin. Their attendance is valid, but their learning and contribution are null and void. They too return as lesser persons … with extra Maggi noodles and spoiled rendangs. Not to mention the sweaters, extra clothing still unfolded

Poor fellows, proving their attendance to all their friends and families with the many pictures erect just like the Eiffel tower behind them. Not knowing they were never really there in the first place.

3) The Travellers

The real traveler is a person who is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually prepared. They read and try to find out about the places that they are about to experience (not just visit). For they know…. for they know that to suck the marrow of travel is not just seeing but also to participate. They are not burdened with too many material needs in their luggage as they want to be free … free to contribute and participate. They are adequately prepared in material needs but very prepared in all other ways. Their minds are not bogged down with the climate, as they are busy looking into the more important things in life.

They do not delegate thinking to the tour guides, they may even contribute. They take pictures, but not just the famous sites. They also focus on the unexpected and simple everyday life happenings. Taking note of minute details of flowers, little children, old couples holding hands, the old man keeping his garden clean. The travelers know that the popular sights do not make a country; it is the everyday lives that make a difference.

Most of all, even if they lose all the pictures at the airport, they know that the pictures taken with their eyes, nostrils, ears, sense of taste, touch, hearts, minds and souls are more permanent than what modern technology can offer in terms of films and pictures. For pictures are kept in the closets or shelves or at most framed on the wall. But, the real experiences will follow till death and after.

They are travelers. They went with a full tank, and came back with a bigger tank that cries for more. Their tanks are forever enlarging. Theirs are not just attendance but also learning. Theirs are not just physical presence but also participation and contribution. They each went as a book but came back as a library. They went as a seed but came back as a tree.

They are TRAVELERS

p/s: Can you see the similiarity between traveling and living?

Click here to read Of Means and Ends.