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Anti-Tourism
If the difference between a traveler and a tourist is that "a traveler doesn't know where he's going, and a tourist doesn't know where he is," than what is the difference between a tourist and an anti-tourist?
Anti-tourism is a phrase that has been coined by author Daniel Kalder, whose book Lost Cosmonaut will be out in the States this August. Anti-tourists, according to Kalder, embrace a different type of travel altogether. They shirk from guided tours, concierges, Parisian cafes, room service, and chocolates on their pillows. Anti-tourists embrace the down-and-dirty of travel, sucking life's grittiest experiences from the marrow of this planet's "urban blackspots" where "ordinary people choose to avoid." They mock the Pyramids of Egypt and other pseudo-adventurous tourist destinations that have become "as banal and familiar" as a box of cornflakes.
Kalder has posted a series of anti-tourist resolutions on his website that are both masochistic and admirable at the same time. These governing bylaws dictate the travel mantra of the anti-tourist. Some of them I wholeheartedly agree with (The anti-tourist believes beauty is in the street) while others I don't (The anti-tourist embraces hunger and hallucinations).
Kalder's new book, which I hope to review in the near future, is a testament to such philosophy as it chronicles his travel adventures through some of the more fascinating, but nastier armpits of Russia.
Filed under: Activism, Russian Federation, Books
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jon Mar 22nd 2006 8:30AM
According to that then, i'm definitly an 'anti-tourist'.
Though I would never consider myself any more than a tourist, no matter where I'm going or how many 'axis of evil' visa stamps I've got.
'Anti-tourist'? My god, someone has managed to find something even more pretentious than calling yourself a traveller.
Bit of a pet hate this one. I don't care how cool your dreadlocks are, how many bindis you stick to your forehead, how long it is since you went home, how much duct tape is holding your ruckie together or how many obscure illneses you've aquired in some tiny hamlet in forgotten Tibet...YOU'RE STILL A TOURIST!!!
(...and breathe...)
Adrienne Mar 22nd 2006 10:42AM
Nice one Neil. You're right about that list of resolutions. I'd love to hear the author elaborate a little on the one prefering dead things over living things. At first read it sound a bit so-so, but I'll surely be looking out for the book.
Adrienne Mar 22nd 2006 10:45AM
Oh and nice comment by Jon too! :)
Michael Mar 23rd 2006 10:34AM
I agree with Jon.. this anti-tourism bullshit.. backapcking and tourits are two sides of the same join. I expereince, therefore I am postmodern identity crises. Its harder and harderr for "real travellers" to distinguish themselves from weekend, gap year, college Spring Break, flashpackers and so ant-tourists are becoming just anti-everything.
David Mar 26th 2006 8:52PM
I've read the book (the UK edition) and it's a quality read. Kalder doesn't take himself or his anti-tourist manifesto too seriously - it is a very ironic manifesto. It's better explained as 'descriptive' rather than 'prescriptive', and throughout his entire journey he takes great pleasure in telling bemused Russians he is simply 'a tourist'; which they, of course, refuse to believe...