h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

All this talk of learning the language and blending in is, I think, missing the point. The topic is about how to be a successful tourist. Now, if all tourists spoke the language and wore appropriate clothing, how would we spot them ? What you lot are thinking about is a 'Traveller'. The Tourist is an altogether different beast.
To be good at being a Tourist, to become an Alpha tourist you have to have a loud voice and no command of the local language\customs\weather\ticketing system and of course stand in my way when I'm trying to get on the train.

Yes, in the words of the immortal Brain: I shall speak in the international language of tourists, very loudly and slowly as if everyone else is stupid and deaf.

Actually, for me, part of the fun of being a tourist is in feeling free to *act* like a tourist. Now, this doesn't mean being rude, or not bothering to learn important details about the culture and language in advance -- that would fall under the category of being a *bad* tourist.

However, I feel absolutely no urge to try and "blend in" when I'm being a tourist -- I enjoy running around like a dork with a camera around my neck and having my picture taken in front of anything vaguely historic or even just cute. I enjoy asking people for directions to places, or even suggestions on where to eat -- I don't blend in, but I have a better time. (Of course, I only ask people who look friendly and relaxed -- other people are likely to feel bothered by the question.)


Mikey

Having said the opposite on another thread - I will now agree with you all here. Tourists should take advantage of local people wanting to show off what their home town has to offer. You should never be shy to ask people if you can look at their Church/garden/whatever.
It all boils down to "be interested"

Conversations in Youth Hostels (in my experience) are also very informative. Other tourists who have been there a few days longer will have found out what really is worth seeing and will also recommend restaurants, cafés etc. And be able to tell you what to steer clear of. Be prepared to pass on your own experiences to others though.

I hope that the patron saint of this entry will be Twoflower, the ultimate tourist in the Disc World, who brings the invention of the camera (sorry, iconograph) to Ankh Morpork.