Be A Traveler, Not A Tourist

"If you're twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel - as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them, wherever you go." - Anthony Bourdain


I consider Anthony Bourdain to be one of the great voices of our generation. From his Travel Channel program No Reservations and his recent CNN upgrade with Parts Unknown, to his fascinating culinary memoirs Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw, to his various appearances all over food related authorities, one would be wise to heed the demigod's words on any available topic. The most impactful (and easiest to remember) is his mantra to "be a traveler, not a tourist."

There are two parts to pulling this off. First, you have to dispel the temptation to be a tourist. Don't follow the beaten path the whole time. Don't take a photo of every sheep you see (there are approximately 10 sheep for every 1 human in NZ). Don't fixate on creature comforts, whether it be an expensive hotel or a trip to McDonalds. Don't worry about what you look or smell or sound like, other than to maintain some level of respect for those around you. For instance, bring wet wipes if you can't shower frequently, or if your hostel's showers create more filth than they remove..

After you've deconditioned yourself from acting like a tourist, it's time to look at the world from the perspective of a traveler. You're here to see new things, taste new foods, learn new cultural traditions! Find the hidden creek or the less-famous hiking path. Talk to locals and other travelers - I have found that firsthand accounts are more trustworthy than just about any guidebook. Ask questions. Trust strangers. Everyone has the potential to be a creep, but then you can't run around being scared all day, can you. Be wise, but open. Be flexible. Just because it's called English doesn't mean they speak the same language. Adopt new lingo - including measurements (curse you, imperial system)! If you can learn to be more of a traveler than a tourist, then sweet as, cuz! You'll eliminate the rubbish no one's keen on hearing, and I reckon you'll have heaps more craics along the way.

"..That without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions, and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, moribund." - Anthony Bourdain


Admittedly, I spent the first month on the tourist track. Stray bus took us to all the main stops, a few lesser known extras, and Karlyn provided us with the few true traveler opportunities. After running around on my own unaided, it was time to see NZ from a local perspective. I arrived back in Christchurch while the Lion's Den Men were busy with school and work. A fantastic excuse to explore the city, camera in hand.

It's taken me a while to be comfortable with a camera in my hand. Despite actually having studied photography (admittedly not extensively, but much more than 98% of today's self-proclaimed photograpers), I have somehow managed to guilt trip myself every time I bring my camera out in public. I'm making a lot of progress, and I'm grateful that this trip has forced me to overcome the unfortunate guilt and fear. Mostly I've just stopped caring what anyone on the street thinks of me, but I've also come to recognize that taking photos - thoughtful, meaningful photos - is a way of honoring each place you visit.

I feel closer to the heart of Christchurch, after sharing intimate moments with nothing but a lens between us. Portrait photography is a personal and unmistakably invasive process. You want the subject to relax, to trust, to be comfortable.. so you can then capture and exploit their raw human emotion. And just because a city doesn't have a face doesn't mean that it doesn't move and grow and reproduce. It has soft sides and dark sides and a history littered with scars. I'm just as grateful and honored to capture her beauty as I would be a human soul - perhaps more, considering that she is a collective of the countless souls she has housed and inspired.

I specifically enjoyed spending time and money in Christchurch - the honest reason I was so intent on coming here. If I've come to this country to spend dollars and collect memories, what better place than somewhere to whom those resources can be most helpful? After the earthquake in 2011, I have been magnetically drawn. My first life-changing experience with the marriage of independence, wanderlust, and service took place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and it has left a permanent mark on me in more ways than one. Christchurch was ready for me, and on my one day in town they surprised me with a full Arts Festival that ran until midnight. Vendors made up a "Lost and Found" market, street performers entertained with flames and straight jackets, and finally, massive friar puppets controlled by 4-5 people each haunted the streets after dark. An eerie tribute to a city named Christ-church with its cathedral in ruins.

"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt." - Anthony Bourdain


Utterly pleased by my fortunate travel timing, I made my way back to see Marek and Alex. After taking them back downtown to see the tail-end of the fest, we ended the night with pizza box calligraphy and Louis CK brilliance. Almost missed my flight the next morning on account of seeing a ghost.. Kinda wish I had.


From Christchurch, I stopped in Taupo en route to Rotorua. I had lined up a Work For Accommodation situation in Rotorua - I would be cleaning toilets in exchange for a free bed each night. (Please don't tell my boss back home that I'm skilled in cleaning now..) Before my commitment, I had a few days to see Taupo through the eyes and windows of a local. Higgs was gracious enough to offer me his home and his city, while I spent my days sick in bed with the cats. Animals always have a way of popping up when I need them most. Everything helps except those pesky puppy dogs. I wanted to maintain respect, but too many red flags left me eager to board the next bus. I had left a piece of myself in Christchurch, and I knew I needed to go back after Rotorua and claim it.


What's that saying about the necessity of cracking a few eggs if you want to make an omelet?

"The way you make an omelet reveals your character." - Anthony Bourdain

It takes a few missteps, a few broken hearts, and more than a few scars to travel along your path. But if you're willing to get dirty then I think you're better able to own that dirt. To own your mistakes. To celebrate your triumphs. To be proud of where you've gotten. More than learning to be a traveler overseas, I think we must fight the temptation of remaining a tourist in our own lives. So you struggle with something personally? Educate yourself, come up with some strategies. So you want to see if he's the real deal? Go find out. So someone in your life deserves an apology? Deny your pride. Be a key player on your own path - be an active traveler, not a tourist being helplessly dragged along.


And go read some Anthony Bourdain.. "What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?"


P.S. Christchurch photos will have their own post eventually.

Woodfire stove in the Re:START section of Christchurch.

The eye of Sauron is always watching.

Animals when I need them most.

Catching up on Breaking Bad!

One of many encouraged, even commissioned, works of graffiti.