Don't be a tourist

[bob10]

Reading a book I have had for some time ,"Australia's Northern Outback", The driving guide, by Ian Read. 1995 edition. Each area [ Kimberley, top end, western gulf country etc] has mud maps, with places of interest, short descriptions of places along the way, but one section caught my attention. It's title is;
[ and I will reproduce it here]




" Travel with a purpose.


It might be to follow old stock routes, to appreciate the variety of outback landscapes, to experience wild and remote places. Learn everything there is to know about the country one plans to visit : its climate, its extremes, its economic pursuits, its aboriginal heritage, the nature of its bush, its landscapes and its non-aboriginal history." [ much of this is contained in the book]


" Do not just talk to other travellers and road house operators [ though they are the people to ask about the road ahead], seek out the locals. If they see you are interested in them and their country the more than likely you will be treated as a guest rather than just another tourist"


[This bit I think is relevant to many of todays travellers]


" Nobody likes tourists. Tourists are people who drive too fast, cut up wet unsealed roads leaving huge ruts that dry with razor sharp edges, camp near stock watering places , leave litter, take photographs secretively , demand immediate attention, and complain. This is still frontier country in many ways, and does not behave like the local neighbourhood. Respect the people who live there. If you are taking the effort to travel outback, put some effort into the journey's preparation and advancement.
Become a traveller. As a traveller you will be introduced to things that as a tourist you would never see".


Good advice, and I can tell you, it works. Bob

[Redback]

Might have to get this book, sounds as though he knows what he's talking about.

People have known us to be(Kerry, the other half) pedantic when it comes to travel, but her itinaries are very comprehensive, and do take quite a while to do, 3 to 4 weeks, but she leaves no stone unturned, places to see and interact with, travel times, toilet stops, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea stops, and camps, especially leaving time to look around the area we are camping in, even the overnight stops.

We especially like to buy local wares and produce, honey, jam, cheese, wine and so on, it's aways a good way to talk with the locals if you're buying goods off them, you get a good insight into where these goods are made and they are more likely to open up about places off the tourist routes and even an invite to these places.

Just having a beer or dinner in the local Pub can lead you some of the most interesting places and things to look at.

We love to travel and when we do, we like to see what's there, pedantic, yep, we'll wear that.

Baz.

[B.S.F.]

I just ordered two more of his books, including the one you mentioned. Thank you for reminding me. .W.

[bob10]

I just ordered two more of his books, including the one you mentioned. Thank you for reminding me. .W.

There are 3 in the series, I only have that one. Could you let me know who you ordered the others off, please? And yes, full of information, probably the best of its type I've seen. Cheers, Bob

[jonesfam]

You CAN talk to Roadhouse operators!
We know everything!




















& I have lived here 20 years.
Jonesfam

[B.S.F.]

There are 3 in the series, I only have that one. Could you let me know who you ordered the others off, please? And yes, full of information, probably the best of its type I've seen. Cheers, Bob

I've found them on this site. I'm sure there are more than three. .W.

AddALL Used and Out of Print book search

[bob10]

I've found them on this site. I'm sure there are more than three. .W.

AddALL Used and Out of Print book search

Thanks for that, the back cover states this is the third in a three volume " driving guide to outback Australia. "

[V8Ian]

Bob, you could also try Amazon.com.au: Shop for Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Books, Apps for Android, Cloud Drive, and Audible Audiobooks. , I recently purchased an obscure, out of print title from there. Be careful though, my experience with Amazon was not entirely happy.

[DiscoMick]

It's very true that there's a big difference between a tourist and a traveler.
It's great chatting with locals and trying to understand what it's really like to live in a place.
We often deliberately avoid tourist hotspots, which are often trashy, over-priced and fake, and go where the locals go. For example, in a foreign city the best way to find somewhere to eat is to find the place which has the biggest crowd of locals. If the locals like it, it's usually good.

[Redback]

Found this, he has five other books, looks like you can borrow it, view it online and buy it.

Australia's northern outback : the driving guide / Ian Read | National Library of Australia

Baz.