Location: Ecuador
I am in Ecuador. Where a USA dollars buys twice as much, and a room cost 3 dollars and 50 cents. I think the basis for long term travel could be separated into 2 categories.
- Underdeveloped Nations Travel
- Developed Nation Travel
Some people use the term “Third World Travel”, but my research compels me to believe this term is essentially racist. So I am traveling in underdeveloped countries. The disparity between the cost of living of developed and underdeveloped makes me become a rich man in comparison.
I read the book the Ugly American. It was not what I was expecting, and a professor warned me that the book was not the same as people use the term. In the book the Ugly American, the actual “Ugly American” is a hero. What happened? They made a movie and changed the concepts. I did not get to see the movie. I think Marlon Brando is in it. I am quite fortunate to have lots of intelligent friends that I would call real intellectuals to guide me. There seems to be a rift in the world, that if you have a strong opinion you are therefore intelligent also. hmmm?
The term “Ugly American” is loosely in my definition a person that travels selfishly. Wanting the country to adapt their culture and they do not have to adapt. I would earmark these people by the ones that do not learn the language, and are always telling you about the restaurants they went to, and the places the seen. Never talking about the people they met, and if they do talk about the people they always say they were so nice and great. Not ever getting to know the good and the BAD of a country. Staying in the cocoon of their people, customs, and hotel. Always taking the tour and being helped by the locals to avoid reality. In the end, they develop an unreal or they become “Ugly” because they are not listening or learning what is real. A make-believe world. Where everyone tells them what they want to hear. I estimate about 90 percent of the travelers, and tourists are like this. Including myself way too often. I would also say the “Ugly Europeans” because only about 5 percent of the traveler international are people from the USA. It appears that the world groups any white person in the same group. “Americans”…. hehehe.
Ecuador is a beautiful country, and full of good and bad things. Europe is very difficult to travel in, and South America is very easy. Mainly because it is too cheap. Here I take a taxi, in Europe I walked. Here I stop and get a room, in Europe I got a reservation. You must plan very well. Here it is sort of haphazard on planning. This makes life very comfortable. I will talk more about Ecuador in the next section. A taxi from the airport was only 5 dollars. I never took a taxi in Europe.
I wanted to go to Thailand but felt I would be trapped in a 4 country region. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. I could not go north because it would cost too much, and I could not go into Indonesia because of the large population of Muslims. They do not seem to be very fond of people from the USA right now. Kind of a love/hate relation. They want everything from us, but do not like us. This is normal. But really they like the USA for the most part. “Emulation is the greatest compliment”
Well, the war on terrorism is moving along good. We are killing all the bad guys, and I think this is good. People that want to walk around killing random people need to be removed from the earth. I could say this in more diplomatic words, but I really want them dead. The world will never be safe until this type of abusive thought and actions is removed by the good guys.
DANGEROUS thoughts of lots of people: All rich people are bad, and corrupt. All poor people are good, and do not have the opportunity. I am always smarter than my father and mother. All war is bad. Anything big is bad. NONE of these are true statements!
These beliefs cause me to laugh, but I must take them very seriously. These opinions are what caused this stupid war. Some oil-rich people (Arab Nations) got a lot of scared and hungry people to displace the blame off them onto another nation. How dysfunctional can you be?
I keep thinking of a Jim Croce song: The words said: Don’t spit into the wind. Don’t Tug on Supermans Cape Don’t pull the mask off an old dog ranger. and don’t mess around with Jim.
WHAT I EXPECT ARE KNIGHTS A Knight is sworn to valor His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His words speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked.
Movie: DRAGONHEART Dennis Quaid – Sean Connery
Maybe it will help you to… PLAN YOUR ESCAPE… Be a hobo, and leave your mark.
X Hobotraveler.com was HERE!
Life is good.
The Hobotraveler.com
