4 Tourists We DON’T Want to Travel With

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at sschlichter@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Sarah Schlichter

I usually love meeting fellow travelers. They’ve pointed me in the right direction when I was lost, translated for me in places where I couldn’t speak the language and livened up long plane rides with fascinating conversation.

But not all my fellow travelers are such exemplary citizens. Woe be unto you if you’re trapped on a train or tour with one of the four types of travel boors below. Which ones do you recognize?

The Name Dropper

This is the tourist who can’t appreciate the place she’s in now because she’s too busy showing off where else she’s been. “This temple is almost as impressive as the one we saw in Cambodia last year!”

The Royal Pain

“Does the Mediterranean salad come with iceberg lettuce or mesclun? … Mesclun? Okay, I’ll have that. But with shrimp instead of chicken. No tomatoes or olives, but lots of extra cheese. Goat cheese though, not feta. Oh, and can you put the dressing on the side?” Oh, and can you say high-maintenance?

The Know-It-All

If you’ve ever heard someone asking a tour guide questions just so he can expound upon the guy’s answers, or been subject to an unsolicited lecture on the flora and fauna of the Costa Rican rain forest, you’ve encountered this all-too-common travel bore — er, boor.

The Traveler Who Never Leaves Home

Oh, sure, he may have flown a couple thousand miles, but he still expects all his usual creature comforts: climate control, familiar foods (“Where’s the nearest McDonald’s?”) and people around him who speak English, no matter where in the world he goes. Friendly hint: If you want all the comforts of home, just stay home.

Which travelers would you add to this list?

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