Watching a Real Traveler Eat

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Watching a Real Traveler Eat
Mira and Wade of the blog OpenRoadSong.com are the real things, I know, I watched them choose a restaurant and eat dinner last night.

They walked into a restaurant here in Antigua, Guatemala, looked at the menu, then decided it was maybe too expensive for the menu choices.

Walked out of restaurant with no remorse, guilt or shame, yes I seen two travelers yesterday.

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Antigua, Guatemala.
One hour from Guatemala City
Friday, April 4, 2008
Andy of HoboTraveler.com --- Free Hotel Webpage
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A person on a true budget, really making their own decision, not controlled by the social forces of the world, eats what they can afford to eat. Being a Traveler is like stepping of the path all the other people of the world are walking and roaming the planet freely. However, more importantly we slowly take of the coat of fitting in, or needing to be accepted by the world. We report to ourselves, not to any social norm that says be part of the crowd.

We do not have to behave like Americans; we become slowly children of the open world, owing allegiance to no one culture.

Walking in a restaurant reading the menu, then walking out without purchasing anything is common for a traveler, tourist choose restaurants for what is on the menu, traveler choose restaurants that allow them to continue to travel, more important to afford to travel then to eat tourist priced food.

They also refused the drinks; there is nothing more expensive than sugar water with a label. I was happy, I was part of the group.

Normally I go with a few tourist travelers with backpacks, they order double to triple what I eat, and of course have to have a soda or beer, regardless of the price.

They bought me dinner, it is not cheap, a traveler is buying days of travel time when they save money. This is like being on a diet, everyone continually pressure you saying you have to eat something, they want you to be the same as them.

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Suz said on Friday April 4th, 2008 09:30:00 AM

I think that walking out of a restaurant when I figured out that I coudn't afford it for what I'd be getting was my first step towards true financial independence. I was horribly embarrassed, didn't enjoy the cheap food I ate at the next place, but my pocketbook was saved and I could travel another day. The next day I was very proud of myself but I still find it hard to buck the norm even when I know I have to.

CT_Bob said on Friday April 4th, 2008 02:43:00 PM

Funny, I have always done that, walk out of a restaurant if it is overpriced. The ability to afford it is not currently an issue, but I cannot bring myself to pay WAY too much for a meal even if I can afford it. As for drinks, I skip the sugar water, but I like beer with my meal, or anytime ^_^ but I check the price first. It is almost always over priced, but I decide how many to have ( if any ) based on the price.Maybe I am just cheap?Bob L