I must admit that I was stricken by a comment made by my friend Shawn at +Coastlines and Tan Lines when he said, "Be a traveler, not a tourist."
When we travel, we do it in one of two styles.

This makes it a bit of a challenge to work your way into their culture in the few days that we have to experience all a destination has to offer.
Often times, I like to travel to destinations where we have a “Local Connection.” Often times, that means hooking up with a twitter pal or someone who follows this blog to show us the local scene.
Once in a while, it means traveling with someone who is experienced with a destination, and occasionally it’s both.
When we traveled to St. John in January, we were lucky enough to be with a couple who had spent some time on the island, as well as with +RumShopRyan - Caribbean Escape Blogger , a man who may love this island more than any place on earth. Sometimes seeing a location through the eyes of another is quite rewarding!

When traveling places like Hawaii, I like to do the “Tourist Trap” excursions. I love going to a Luau that picks you up at the hotel, takes you on a bus ride with a smart ass host, telling jokes, tossing in bits of local history and culture, pointing out a few local landmarks along the way and informing you how to get through the luau with the least amount of effort.
When you arrive, there is plenty of photo opportunities to have your picture taken with a “Local” wearing a grass skirt and coconut bikini top (Or a tea leaf covering the man bits) and plenty of cheap rum drinks to lubricate your wallet for the ride home.

When being a “Tourist” I actually like that the sidewalks are pressure washed every morning, the flowers along the street are checked and replaced daily and the coconuts are removed weekly. I just like the pure escape of being a tourist.
But even when traveling as a tourist, I never fail to soak in culture and local flair.
Check in on Tuesday for the rest of this story, and more photos!
~Cheers
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