November 17, 2013
The Common Traveler
For most the term traveler can be described as the adventurer, or to go to new exotic places frequently, or as the person who moves from place to place and never settles down. In order to track down a true traveler one has to seek out these common elements. To begin, one must determine what a traveler actually is. A good way to find out what a traveler is would be to look it up in the dictionary, ask a friend or do some research. A definition in the dictionary tends to be precise and simple, however it is only explained in more detail when there is an example of a traveler. The next step to finding a traveler is to cancel out other forms of travelers, such as tourists or sightseers. The final step into understand a traveler is to describe famous travelers throughout history. The common traveler is obsessed and finds comfort with discovering the unknown and traveling the world.
A Traveler can not so easily be defined in the few words like the dictionary. The dictionary will always provide a few sentences, which will present a precise definition. For example, Webster’s online dictionary defines a traveler as “someone who is traveling or who travels often” (Traveler, Merriam-Webster). As this maybe a short and precise way to define such an elaborate term, a traveler has many different meanings. Some of synonyms of a traveler include; tourist, vacationer, sightseer, pilgrim and nomad. Many make references on how different travelers and tourist are, but in fact they have the same meaning. While Webster’s definition is accurate and precise, a traveler can’t be defined to only one particular definition.
Almost everyone would like to consider themselves as a true traveler, however it would be very difficult to compare to Amelia Earhart or Christopher Columbus. I try to take two weeks out of the year to drive to all the National Parks possible so I can check them off my map. As well as camping in a