Death of the Sociable Traveller

......oh and if receiving new messages infuriates you so....there's the "Stop watching Topic" button right below ok?

Tomkat...enough of your nonsense. Stop trying to say I said something I did not.

Hey! This is a site for travelers, and I want to think I can post something without proofreading it ten times to make sure I haven't said anything that'll make the word monkeys howl. I want to know other people's opinions and experiences. I don't want to read arguments full of rage and indignation because somebody posted something you don't like. Why don't you send your angry comments to Fox News? They seem to like that sort of thing.

#26 - I had the same experience during my recent stay in Zambia at a backpacker's hostel. There were many friendly people to talk to. My bf and I met people from all over who shared their travel experiences and offered advice on other places to travel. The hostel was set up to faciliate that kind of comaraderie. I also found the some thing when staying at a backpacker lodge in Durban, South Africa. This was my first experience doing so, and I really enjoyed it. I met people in the communal kitchen and also in the dining area. Generally speaking, travellers love to share their experiences and talk to fellow travellers.

I also saw plenty of people with their head burried in their blackberries and computers, but that is to be expected in this age of technology. To each his own.

Hey Muselin.....you are really out to lunch. Sounds like you are taling about yourself. Why not respond to what I wrote instead of just criticising me (like a typical ......forget it, I don't want to get to that level).

pmaclell177 - name-calling isn't encouraged on TT. In fact, it's positively discouraged and you could find yourself banned for such behaviour.
I'm sure, as a new member, you wouldn't want to lose the benefits that being a site member can bring (which is why i haven't reported you for it - yet!)
Most of us here are happy to agree or disagree with a post above. That's our right. And on the OT branch we like to feel we're mature enough not to behave like spoiled kids.

Wow, what a can of worms that opened people... In my humble opinion, there is a definate 'dumbing down' of people travelling these days. Cultural ignorance, arrogance and a lot of unfriendly people, but these qualities are across the board, having nothing to do with age and it saddens me....
I have met ignorant young people (particularly culturally ignorant) but that has always been the case; give them some leeway for having a lot to learn about life still, set a good example yourself and, where applicable, I feel it's good to kindly speak up sometimes. (Young girls wearing very sexually revealing clothing in culturally sensitive areas or where it's not safe to dress like that, is very uncomfortable for local people and makes problems for all of us girls, regardless of our age!)
However, my greatest sadness comes from ignorant/unfriendly older travellers.
I have lost track of the amount of older people I have passed while walking in the Himalayas, who have almost knocked me out of their way, as they've passed me with eye's glued on their trekking poles, not even seeming to be aware of the view...
I think maybe it's because relative affluence has brought a greater diversity of people out into the world of travel, who wouldn't perhaps in the past have travelled and, with all of the technology that there is now, mobiles, internet EVERYWHERE, the 'fear factor' of travelling has diminished somewhat and it's not as 'big a deal' as it used to be..
But, hey, lets lighten up a bit....there are a LOT of lovely people out there, just getting the most out of their short lives and making the world a better place with their smiles, so let's be a part of them and cut the grumpy buggers some slack, beacuse it takes all types to make the world turn...right?!...haaa

Nice summation ethicalnomad. I agree with every word. Cut the kids some slack and don't be too quick to judge people---that is where we should all be.

...."Hey Muselin.....you are really out to lunch."

- this is maclell being " not too quick to judge people" ??

Aw - we all have our off-days, Tomkat. Let's give the fella a chance (for now) to show he's a real grown-up.

(Mind you, pmaclell, an apology to the poster would be very nice.)