Who doesn’t love going to the movies? Besides providing an endless stream of entertainment, movies are a great source of travel inspiration, giving us a glimpse of the world without ever leaving our couches. But every so often, a movie hits the screens that will scare the bejesus out of you, making you reconsider, if perhaps, it might be just better to stay home for the holidays. Remember Jaws? It took me months to get the guts to step back into the water.

Similar to the oceans, camping in the backcountry is wrought with endless mystery, potential dangers and for the things that go bump in the night; some actual, and others just the persistent hauntings of an overactive imagination.

Here are my 10 movies not to watch before camping in the backcountry – watch them at your own risk:

Deliverance

The quintessential backcountry horror adventure. To this day, this 1970’s Burt Reynolds’s helmed movie still manages to resonate and give even the most stalwart adventurer a moment of pause. What starts out as a buddy flick with the typical camping, hunting, and rafting quickly morphs into a “run for your life from murderous lunatic inbred hillbilly killing machines,” a la the more recent The Hills Have Eyes. Basically, anything that can go wrong does go wrong. There is a particularly jarring scene involving two men and the sound of a squealing pig. If you don’t know what that means, you’ll need to watch the movie.

The Message: Stay away from gap toothed hillbillies carrying shotguns in the wild

The Blair Witch Project

In 1999, the world was introduced to the found footage genre of films. Love it or hate it, the Blair Witch reinvented entertainment. At the same time, a legion of backcountry enthusiast suddenly decided to stay close to home and opt for beaches and Disneyland.  Apart from the shaky camerawork, and imperceptible grainy darkness, the pervasive theme of witchcraft, human sacrifice, and eerie children’s laughter weaves a scary enough mythology that will keep most from venturing too deep into the wilderness.

The message: Never disturb cemeteries, and best steer clear of anywhere that has coffin in its name.

Backcountry (2014)

Usually you needn’t ever fear running into witches or anything supernatural while camping in the backcountry, but bears, well, that’s a whole other story. Although extremely rare for wild bears to go on the rampage, it does happen and Backcountry gives us a peak into that most primal of fears. After watching the movie, you’ll probably be more likely to stick to the zoos to view wildlife rather than head into bear country.

The message: Stay far away from bear dens, and always, always carry a compass

The Cabin in the woods

A cautionary tale of the dangers that exist in the wild. Following the same formula as many campy teen horror movies, The Cabin In The Woods ultimately stands on its own reminding us that we all may just be pawns of a larger conspiracy – monsters, evil supernatural forces, mythology this movie has it all.  The Cabin In The Woods is an enjoyable weekend flick to watch within the comfort of your home, but surely not before heading out into the backwoods far from any rescue.

The message: Abandoned cabins are abandoned for a reason

The Evil Dead

When the Evil Dead remake was released, I could almost hear the collective cheers from the legion of Bruce Campbell fans. But whether you are a fan of the original or the remake, both versions will terrify you with its endless stream of blood, gore and demonic possessions. Don’t watch this movie if you’re easily scared. The Evil Dead pulls no punches as it unsparingly throws in all the horror stereotypes of its genre.

The message: If you happen to come across an old dusty book bound in skin, leave it alone.

Wolf Creek

As though having a broken down car in the Australian Outback isn’t bad enough, pepper in a sociopathic serial killer with too much time on his hands, and you now have a nightmare to end all nightmares. Wolf Creek is definitely not your typical backcountry movie. Everything starts out innocuous enough, but quickly ramps into a terrifying reality of how it feels to be prey. Worst of all, Wolf Creek is loosely based on a true story. I know…my thoughts exactly. This movie will definitely keep you on the roads and out of the woods.

The message: stranger danger, stranger danger!

The Edge

Even billionaires need some survival skills in the backcountry. A photo shoot gone wrong, 3 men find themselves at the mercy of Mother Nature, while also being hunted by a massive Kodiak bear. The movie stresses multiple themes, but none more so than survival. After watching this, you may start thinking trust is an overrated commodity.

The message: Be prepared both mentally and physically and choose your companions wisely.

The Ruins

Ancient temples, obsessed Mayan protectors and killer sentient plants – that’s pretty sums it up. Definitely not your typical backcountry scenario, nor a particularly ingenious storyline, but the movie’s still provoking enough to give you pause. It successfully taps into that inherent fear of the unknown, crazed locals, and even throws in a good dose of ancient mythology and curses.   I doubt the movie will keep you from any temples or ruins, but I’m sure you’ll think twice before deciding to step off the beaten path.

The message: Plants can kill!

Any of the Friday the 13^th

For over two decades Jason Voorhees has chopped, strangled, and wrecked his way into our collective nightmares. The unstoppable, supernatural juggernaut, who haunts the fictitious Crystal Lake campground, has scared generations of boy scouts and campers, keeping them huddled around the campfire while wrapped tightly in their sleeping bags.   Any of the Friday the 13^th movies will have you reconsider camping as a recreational only activity.

The message: Stay Together and avoid running around the woods at night

A Perfect Getaway

Paradise is not always what it seems.   Don’t be fooled by Hawaii’s gorgeous scenery and idyllic hideaways, this getaway is anything but perfect. Taking identity theft to a whole other level, this movie has you second-guessing and questioning the motives of everyone, and in the end you may never trust anyone again!

The message: Trust no one…
What are your 10 movies to avoid before camping in the backcountry?

The post 10 Movies Not To Watch Before Camping In The Backcountry appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

I’m naturally a very animated conversationalist, and tend to move my hands and lock eyes for that dramatic effect. Throughout my travels I’ve admittedly never given too much though to the different hand gestures around the world and how they may be perceived. It took a night of hanging out with some new friends (and a lot of Ankor) while in Cambodia for me to finally discover that I had been possibly transgressing for years! Where in the U.S eye contact is seen as confident, and the use of hand gestures, like our index finger, is just part of the way we communicate, in Cambodia, both can be misconstrued as rudeness. Fortunately it wasn’t too long before a good natured local gave me the low down on the cultural social graces and in the end everyone –Dao included – had a good ribbing at my expense.

It’s never intentional, and almost always meant good heartily, but even the most culturally sensitive of us can sometimes insult an entire nation and not even realize it. Imagine finding yourself in prison for just trying to wave someone over, or worse yet, insinuate someone’s mother is promiscuous by giving them “the five fathers” (more on this below).

The reality is that language, for most travelers, is still a very realistic barrier. And in order to communicate we resort to body language and hand gestures, pantomiming clumsily whatever message we are trying to get across. And with hand gestures around the world being extensions of culture, a thumbs up may mean “all good” in one country, but just as easily “up yours” in another.

Hopefully this post can save you all the same embarrassment and avoid having to salvage your dignity like I did.

Rude or Misunderstood Hand Gestures Around the World

The moutza (talk to the Hand)– I can’t imagine any circumstance where this gesture isn’t considered rude. Particularly in Greece, the symbolic gesture of talking to the hand is reminiscent of the ancient practice of rubbing dirt and feces in to someone’s face. Not as grievous as it once was, the Moutza stills holds significant offense. Variations of this action are also deemed no-nos in Nigeria, Middle East and Mexico. Better to just avoid it to be safe.

The Five Fathers – This is an odd one, and unless we’re scraping the dirt out of our nails, I don’t see many scenarios where you’ll be caught doing this. But just for giggles I’m going to throw this one in. In Arab countries and the Caribbean the gesture of pointing your index finger at the grouped fingers of your other hand is suggestive of someone having an untraceable lineage, hence the name of “Five Fathers.” In other words, your mama has no idea who your papa is. That’s a rough one eh?

Pointing with Index finger – ok, so this one is a bit of a no brainer, but I still managed to get myself into trouble with this one. Now, I never actually point my finger directly at anyone, but I do have the bad habit of being over animated while extending the index finger. But in countries in Belgium, and parts of Asia, like Cambodia and Indonesia, even slight usage can be seen as rude. In India, the gesture is specifically reserved for the “inferior”, and they prefer to use the chin or the full hand instead. If you’re like me, it’s probably best just to break the habit and avoid the misunderstanding.

The “V” – For us in North America, many parts of Asia, and even Bulgaria, the “V” sign signifies Peace or Victory. Popularized by 1960’s counter culture, and now prolific in photos everywhere, the “V” is usually quite benign. However, in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom and South Africa it can be taken as an insult, especially with the palm facing inwards. Some places it could just mean the number 2.

Head Shake – Ready to test the limits of your coordination? Trying saying “yes” while shaking your head side to side, or saying “no” while nodding. If you ever find yourself in Bulgaria or Greece you just might have to get comfortable it. The head shake or Head nod mean the complete opposite of what we are familiar with in North America and most other parts of the world.

Horns: Rock on, but not in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Colombia, Brazil and the Baltic’s where it implies your wife is cheating on you!

Come on over (the come hither)- In certain places in Asia and the Pacific, like Hong Kong and the Philippines, the gesture of beckoning someone while curling your index finger into your upturned hand is incredibly offensive and typically seen as a way to address dogs. The Philippines takes the insult so much more personally, that you can actually be arrested. Let’s just say this is not the best way to make friends.

Crossed arms – We’ve all crossed our arms at one point, either because we were cold, or simply had nowhere to put our arms. Well, in Finland, crossing your arms, might very well get you into some unexpected fisticuffs and can be seen as a sign of arrogance.

Hand Shake – A common form of greeting in most parts of the world, you would think the typical Hand Shake is hard to mess up. Well, believe it or not, there are rules: in France, light and quick are preferred over strong and vigorous; In Guatemala, a gentle handshake is proper; In Germany, shaking hands with one hand in your pocket is rude; In Iran, shaking hands with a child shows respect to the parents, In Bangladesh, men will never shake the hand of a woman, while in Denmark, on the complete opposite of the spectrum, it’s proper to shake the hand of a woman before the man. Some cultures even forgo handshakes altogether for other forms of greetings like the eyebrow raise in Philippines, or the Namaste prayer or “wai” in India, Thailand and Cambodia. Best way to approach this is just greet others how they greet you.

Feet Gestures – Not a Hand Gesture,  but still very important to know!  You can pretty much bet that, besides in your own home, propping your feet up on tables or even chairs anywhere in the world can be deemed rude. In certain countries though, like Turkey, and virtually everywhere in Asia, pointing or exposing your “unclean” soles or feet at anyone, is liken to the greatest form of contempt.   The feet are considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the human body and should never be exposed. This includes crossing your legs knee over knee as opposed to ankle over knee. On a side note, never step on anyone in India.

Thumbs up: Another easily misconstrued hand gesture, this innocuous symbol in most countries in the world means “it’s all good,” or the number “1,” but in Greece, Australia, Latin America, parts of Africa and the Middle East, the thumbs up denotes the more graphic meaning of “up your butt”.

Ok Sign- in most of Europe and the CIS (commonwealth of independent states) the “Ok” gesture, means anything butt – literally.   Flashing this symbol in Greece or Spain is implying someone is a butthole, and in France it means the equivalent of Worthless. An upside version of it is offensive in Brazil and Uruguay. Interestingly enough, in Japan it can denote money, as in coins.

Eye contact – Most of us have been told that good eye contact is both polite and displays confidence. Although true in most places like Brazil, Spain and of course North America, you’ll find that in Zimbabwe, Ghana and parts of Asia, like Cambodia, it’s seen as rude or even defiant.

Chin Flick or chin stroke: Flicking your chin with the back of your hand in Italy, France, Belgium and Tunisia is pretty much equivalent to the ubiquitous middle finger. But before you totally write off this gesture, in Portugal and Paraguay, it simply means, “I don’t know.”

The Fig gesture – Got your nose, got your nose! A children’s game for most in North America, and a gesture for good luck in Brazil, the Fig in Turkey, Russia, Indonesia and Costa Rica is both offensive and symbolic of the female genitalia.   Talk about mixed messages!

Finger cross – We all could use a little luck, especially if you end up using this gesture in Vietnam or Paraguay where it’s considered offensive. In Vietnam, the crossing of the fingers is believe to resemble female genitals and is particularly egregious if directed at someone. It’s probably safer to just carry a rabbit’s foot around.

If all else fails, and you forget this list of helpful hand gestures around the world, just smile, because I’m sure that’s universal. Now go forth and don’t do like I do!

Did I miss any? What are you experiences?

The post 16 Hand Gestures Around the World That Won’t Make You Any Friends! appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

I hate flying. I know, for a dedicated traveler this is borderline blasphemous. But before you leave and blast the twitter sphere calling me out, let me explain; first, I’ve yet to meet anyone that enjoys the whole ordeal of arriving 2 hours early, stripping down for security, being irradiated by a vertical MRI machine, and sardined into economy only to finally be stuck in a canister for hours on end; second, flying is boring!! The best part about flying is landing. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, you’ll probably never catch me on a plane.

Traveling overland is my method of choice! I take every chance I can to travel by bus, boats, trains, and automobiles. For anyone who has seen the Motorcycle Diaries, you’ve probably dreamed of your own epic road trip. Granted Che had his La Poderosa, but the idea’s still the same; the exploration of idyllic towns, pristine landscapes and unsullied coastlines all while uncovering adventure at every mile.

If getting off the beaten path is your goal, then road tripping is your only option. But lets be honest, road trips can sometimes be overly romanticized. Five hours into your twenty hour train ride, and that silent montage repeating itself outside your window can drive you a bit mad and you’ll be wishing for some fun things to do on your road trip.

So here are some fun things to do on a road trip to keep your mind sharp, your enthusiasm overflowing and make your adventure an awesome one. Remember, it’s the journey not the destination:

Fun Things To Do On a Road Trip

1. Talk to neighbors:
   Those around you are a great source of info and stories. Don’t wake them up to engage in a long drawn out conversation, but chances are, they won’t mind a break from the doldrums.
2. Games:
   If you’ve ever been in a car, you’re probably familiar with at least one road trip game. Some suggestions: The Alphabet game (choose a topic and run down the alphabet starting with A. Take turns listing anything starting with that letter until you hit Z. Add a time limit to really turn up the heat), and the license plate game (look for states, numbers, or even letters in the license plates of other vehicles).
3. Read a book:
   You might be thinking, “Duh, this ones a no brainer,” but seriously, you would be surprised how many travelers tote a book with them but forget to crack into it. Don’t carry the weight for nothing, get past the first chapter, and you’ll be surprised how many hours a good read will eat up.
4. Read up on your destination:
   Besides your guidebook, hopefully you took the time to print out some tidbits from Wikipedia or something like that. Brushing up on your local knowledge during a long overland trip is a great way to hit the ground running.
5. Catch phrase:
   This should probably be in the games section, but being that it’s one of my favorite games I gave it an honorary section all its own. You’ll need to customize it for the road, but the idea is thusly: think of a word/phrase and shoot out some clues without saying your chosen word/phrase, and have your road mates guess it.
6. Cats cradle:
   A blast from the past! You’ve read my list of paracord uses right? One of the often overlooked uses for paracord is the ability to play cats cradle. If you’re not familiar with the game, check it out here: http://www.momsminivan.com/how-to-do-cats-cradle.html
7. Choose your route wisely:
   Some roads are purely utilitarian. The sole objective is to get you from point A to point B. Try choosing a path that, although might be a bit longer, has better scenery where you can plan stops along the way. Break up the monotony with some side adventures.
8. Write in your journal:
   This is a good habit to get into regardless. Take advantage of the down time and catch up on documenting your trip. You’ll be glad you did.
9. Learn the language:
   Sometimes guidebooks will include a rudimentary dictionary or common phrases, but even better, purchase a book or download a language-learning app.
10. Watch a movie, or listen to music:
    If you have a great data plan, then you’re set; you can watch movies, email, chat or search for cat vids. If you’re traveling internationally, load up your devices with movies, music, and books-on-tape for hours and hours of entertainment.

The post 10 Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

Joanie had such a great time putting together her article “10 Personalities you will Meet While Traveling” that I just had to join in on the fun and do my own 10 personalities! And I know you’ve seen them; the haggling backpacker, the cantankerous ex-pat and the Bintang Brigade. If you have circled the globe for more than a few months these different personalities tend to pop out in your experience.

I feel traveling brings out your true personality. Being pushed into uncomfortable situations makes the true you shine through. Whether you’re a haggler intent on not being taken to the cleaners by a shrewd hawker or you want to pound a few more Singha’s at the local pub you probably fall into a distinct category of traveler.

No worries though; contrast makes the world go round. We all fall into one category or another, even if you don’t see yourself on this list.

Let’s dive in to the fascinating travel personalities you’ll see on the road.

Here Are 10 More Travel Personalities

1: The TechTonic Type

I often see couples sitting across from one another at:

• airports
• restaurants
• various tourist spots

typing away on their mobile devices. Conversations between the 2 are WhatsApp’ed, or Facebook’ed, or Tweet’ed. No human interaction occurs.

This traveling species is known as the TechTonic. The earth shifts and rotates around tech, for these globetrotters. You know you’ve spotted a TechTonic if their eyes are regularly glancing down at a roughly 30 degree angle at a tablet, iPhone, iPad, or at their mobile device of choice.

2: Bingtang Brigade

This species is endemic to Bali. Members of the family/personality Bintang can be spotted by their:

• Bingtang tank tops
• farmer’s tan
• beer predilection (think, “Bintang”)
• nightly habits (think, “Going out to drink Bintang”)

This species/personality is rare, around the world, save Bali. Don’t put them on the endangered list yet though; the Bintang Brigade is thriving in Bali, with plenty of Bintang as a viable prey source.

As you might imagine if you love to party – in Bali – the Bintang Brigade is the crowd to hang with.

3: Haggling Backpacker

I recall seeing an all too common scene in backpacker neighborhoods everywhere around the world; the Haggling Backpacker fighting over the price of a $1 USD sandwich. Nobody would give in on the last few cents. No bartering on the Baht. No reasoning on the Rupiah.

The Haggling Backpacker knows a bargain when they see it. You better believe it, because the HB’s of the world survive through each carefully measured transaction.

Hagglers have loads of entertaining travel stories to share. Get to know them. They’re good people.

4: The Digital Nomad

Digital Nomads can usually be spotted by the number and quality of selfies uploaded to their social media sites. Digital nomads are full time traveling, professional online entrepreneurs. This traveler hits the road indefinitely with a full time source of income at their disposal.

Digital nomads are huge on spreading the proof of their lifestyle; enter the avalanche of quality selfies.

5: The Cantankerous Ex-Pat

Every traveler who’s been on the road for more than 2 months has met a cantankerous ex-pat. You know the guy or gal who only sees what’s wrong with the world, including:

• annoying short-time tourists
• annoying, corrupt governments
• annoying drinking buddies

The crotchety ex-pat doesn’t make for a good conversation partner unless you’re big on complaining. Or unless you’re eager to learn about the wide range of experiences – mainly negative – one may encounter on the road.

6: The Struggling Pantomime

Some travelers believe that mixing charades with alcohol is the best way to speak English to a local person. Or at least it looks that way.

The Struggling Pantomime is a well-meaning traveler who slows down their English to a crawl, who enunciates every syllable, and who could receive an Oscar acting out each syllable of each word.

Note; this traveler may use a similar approach when communicating to native English speakers. Old habits die hard.

7: The No Shoes No Shirt No Service Crowd

Some laid back travelers feel that it’s okay to visit:

• banks
• grocery stores
• department stores

sans shoes or shirt. The No Shoes No Shirt No Service crowd benefits from the Face Saving concept practiced in Southeast Asian countries and other areas where people are rarely if ever embarrassed or challenged intentionally.

This personality is easy to spot: look for the topless guy indoors.

8: The Wake and Bake Crowd

This traveler hits the beach at 8 AM. No sun block. Just tanning lotion. Expect to see Wake and Bake’rs at the beach from sunset to sundown. Or perhaps they’ll take a break for lunch to let their tan seep in.

If you want to travel with a beach partner the Wake and Bake personality type is probably at the beach already.

9: The Quick Connector

After spending 30 minutes at the local airport a Quick Connector has already made friends with 5 people. Lodging is taken care of. Travel costs are covered. The QC knows where to get everything, from food to clothes, at the cheapest price.

Note; Quick Connectors are a subspecies of the Haggling Backpacker family.

10: The Lonely Planet Guide

Some travelers masquerade as guides. They know where to visit, when to visit, where to eat, how to travel and anything you need to know about any one country or region.

The Lonely Planet Guide may be either a well-meaning, positive maven or stubborn know it all. In either case it usually doesn’t hurt to listen to their experiences for your own due diligence.

Your Take

I wrote this post from a playful space. All in good fun!

Are you any one of these travel personality types?

The post 10 MORE Travel Personalities (Which One Are You?) appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

You never know what to expect when you are traveling, from the sites you visit to the food you eat there is always an element of surprise. This is also the case when it comes to the people and personalities you meet on the road. Everyone travels differently and their personalities will affect how they respond to their adventures.

Here are some personalities that you may have come across while on the road.

1)  The Planner: These travelers have been preparing for their adventures for weeks, or even months, in advance. Hotels, hopper flights, and tours have all been booked and paid for. Every facet of the trip is carefully considered, most likely documented in the form of an itinerary and emailed out in advance. Planners will execute their plan with military-like precision and they also have contingency plans in case the original plan goes sideways.  When things don’t happen according to plan, Planners usually become frustrated. A Planner’s inflexibility may impact other fellow travelers, who feel that they too cannot deviate from the plan for fear of upsetting the Planner and as a result, may end up going to places or doing things they really don’t want to do during their trip. On the other hand, with the amount of pre-trip planning that takes place, the Planner significantly reduces the risks of things going completely awry.

2)  The “Fly by the Seat of Your Pants” Traveler: In contrast to the Planner, there are some people who prefer to leave things to the last minute, including packing for the trip. In their minds, the only things they really need are their passport and credit cards – everything else can be purchased on the road. They are generally impulsive, sometimes to their detriment, but usually optimistic that things will naturally work themselves out.  Traveling with such a person can be frustrating, unless you share the same attitude.  The probability of something going wrong is much higher, but the “Fly by the Seat of Your Pants” Traveler views these types of situations as an adventure.

3)  The Duo: Some people, whether friends or couples, need the company of a companion when traveling.  Most things are done together and they are never really far from one other. When there is a disagreement, the Duo will likely come to a compromise relatively quick since they still have to travel with one another. It seems that Duos gravitate towards other Duos, and it may be difficult for another personality to “tag along” with a Duo. The best part about traveling as a Duo is you get to share the experience with someone else – whether spouse, partner, or BFF they are with you through the good and bad!

4)  The Lone Traveler: Many people prefer their own company and like to travel solo style. This allows them to do whatever they want, when they want, and they aren’t accountable to anyone but themselves. This doesn’t mean that the Lone Traveler is opposed to meeting people on the road, on the contrary, I actually find that when I travel by myself I actually meet more people since I am usually the one to approach others and introduce myself. Traveling can be a bit more difficult for the Lone Traveler as there is no one else to look out for you and you can only rely on yourself, so sometimes simple tasks such as going to the bathroom at the airport can be quite the ordeal since you have to lug all your bags with you. The best part of solo traveling is you get to learn a lot about yourself – your strengths, weaknesses, and what you are capable of and chances are, you will be pleasantly surprised

5)  The Tag Along: Tag Alongs can be great.  You never know who you will encounter and it’s entirely possible that you will become fast friends. Tag Alongs can add to the adventure and can be seen as a breath of fresh air, mixing up the dynamics and adding some new energy. That being said, there is the other side of the coin where a Tag Along can quickly become an irritant – especially if they have “overstayed” their welcome and rather than contributing to the traveling experience, they just “mooch” off of you. When you are handcuffed to a Tag Along it can be difficult to extract yourself, but the best thing to do is to be honest with the person. If that doesn’t work, well introduce them to someone else!

6)  The Talker: Let’s face it some people love to talk.  Sometimes it’s because they want to strike up a conversation, boast about something, or they just like to hear the sound of their own voice. For a short period, Talkers can add to the travel experience and give you some helpful information, but after a while when you realize that they have no intention of stopping – even when your body language clearly says you are done with the conversation – it can be frustrating. This is especially the case when you find yourself in a confined space (on a plane, train, or even automobile) with a talker, it can be trying, particularly if you are not in the mood to converse.  If this happens to you, you may either want to close your eyes or listen to your iPod. If you enjoy the chatter, continue to talk with the Talker.

7)  The Constant Complainer: It doesn’t really matter where you travel to it is almost unavoidable that there is going to be something to complain about. There are some personalities though who relish in the art of complaining and use this as a form of communication. What is a minor annoyance for some, for instance waiting too long for a table at a restaurant, can become a complete rant for the Constant Complainer who sometimes can’t see past the negative. Constant Complainers can cause extremely awkward situations for their traveling companions and be a complete killjoy and dampen the mood. I have met some Constant Complainers during my travels and the best way to deal with them is to laugh it off or give them something to smile about. The benefits of having a Constant Complainer around is that if something bothers you too, chances are the Constant Complainer will bring it up so you don’t have to.

8)  The Party Animal: There is almost always a Party Animal in the group and they can be a lot of fun. Sleep is never an issue for them – either they don’t sleep (in their minds, sleep can wait until you get home) or they can sleep anywhere (on a train traveling from one place to another). Depending on which type of personality you are, being around the Party Animal is not for everyone, especially in situations where it isn’t appropriate to get your party on, for example while touring a museum. Like the Duo, Party Animals tend to attract other Party Animals, which often result in . . . a party!   Of course, certain destinations or events, such as Oktoberfest, are more conducive to the Party Animal so you need to expect that type of personality when you go there.

Image courtesy of Mixtribe.

9)  The Spender: Some people like the “five star” experience when they travel. This means first class flights, five star hotels, and five star restaurants. While on the trip, money is not an issue and they will spend what is required in order to experience the best of the best. Spenders sometimes feel that other travelers should be like them and not be afraid to spend the money, which can be alienating in some ways because most travelers have a budget. Spenders can be quite generous though and they are good for showing you a different perspective of traveling.

10)  The Germaphobe: The Germaphobe will bring antibacterial wipes and meticulously wipe down the airplane, bus, or train before sitting down – from the tray in front, the seat, the seatbelt, the hand rest (including volume and channel buttons), the head rest, and even the help button – everything gets a once over. A Germaphobe’s preferred travel wear usually consists of a hoodie with a nice big hood, so they can wear throughout the flight and not have to touch the headrest – even though it has been cleaned you can never be too sure. The Germaphobe will make sure to carry at least one bottle of hand sanitizer and liberally use it. Germaphobes also freely offer their traveling companions the use of their hand sanitizers, because after all what’s the point of being “germ-free” when the people you are with are germ carriers? When the Germaphobe enters a hotel room, the first thing they will do is bring out the latex gloves, slap it on and wipe down the remote control with an anti-bacterial wipe. After that, it’s off to the bathroom for a thorough cleaning, one that could actually put the housekeeping staff to shame. No surface gets missed, not even the toilet handles and the doorknob. Germaphobes often travel with disposable slippers, something they can wear inside the room as they do not want to be caught walking around barefoot. It goes without saying that a Germaphobe’s traveling companion will also get a pair of slippers too, especially if they are sharing the same bed because if only one person’s feet are clean than . . . you really aren’t clean! When calling for an elevator, Germaphobes will press the button with their knuckles rather than their fingers since you are more likely to touch your face with your fingers than knuckles. That concern is short lived because immediately after the button is pressed, the hand sanitizer is brought out. Although access to hand sanitizer is sometimes appreciated, traveling with a Germaphobe can try most people’s patience, especially because there is the constant reminder to “clean yourself” and it can be seen as a killjoy when you have to wait for the Germaphobe to clean every surface space (even though the clean environment is appreciated).

Which personality have you come across on the road? Which personality are you?

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