What Kind Of Traveler Are You?

How well do you know your travel style?

Like any tribe, we wanderlusts are a varied lot: old, young, rich, poor, introvert, extrovert, wild, not so wild, and everything in between.

Some of us wouldn’t think of leaving home without a Smartphone and laptop. For others, tossing off the technological tethers is the very essence of a vacation. One traveler’s heaven can be another’s hell.

At best, knowing what kind of traveler you are can be liberating. At the least, it can save a marriage, friendship or a family holiday.  

So, what kind of traveler are you? Take this quiz to find out.

1)   Baggage

a.             The size and heft of your luggage is a running joke in your family. No matter how good your intentions, you still end up paying out at check-in.  

b.              Where you once saw the wisdom in packing for every condition your trip may require, rising baggage fees and lost luggage stats have you down to a reasonable one checked bag maximum.

c.             You are a carry-on only kind of traveler and could teach seminars on how to travel light. You load up the travel vest, slip on your security-friendly shoes and snub your nose at those lesser mortals still schlepping their yesteryear coffin-sized suitcases.

2)   Action

a.              You worked 360 days for this weeklong vacay and you plan to enjoy every minute of it. From the breakfast buffet to the afternoon museum exhibition and midnight tango lessons, you didn’t travel halfway across the world to just hang out. Just sayin’..

b.             You like to enjoy your vacations as you would a good whisky – slowly savored with attention to each intricate sensory nuance. In your opinion, there’s a fine line between crafting a gently rich experience and going heavy handed on the trend du jour.

c.             Kicking-back is what you do best. Sidewalk cafés, coffee houses, park benches, public transport, farmer’s markets, and local beaches; these are the places you interact and connect with the people who inhabit the places you visit. It’s the everyday routine of a destination you sync with.

3)   Comfort

a.              You like it. Period. It’s first-class and five-star, end of discussion.

b.              For the sake of your marriage and your bank account, you’re willing to compromise.

c.               You’re in for the true blue authentic experience. It’s local transport – packed ferry, overloaded third-class bus, pigs and all – or a no go.

4)   Technology

a.              You wouldn’t think of leaving home without your Blackberry or an iPad. Gotta stay connected!

b.              Sure, you carry a digital camera and tune in to your iPod en route, who doesn’t? But for you, electronics are only brought along if they enhance the travel experience. Anything work related stays home.

c.               You’re a purist. Your vacation is a techno-free zone. No email from the office, text from your cat sitter, or voice mail from your boss is going to ruin your vacation.

5)   Transport

a.              It’s all about the destination. A to B, baby. You just want to get there.

b.              You like little more than a good old-fashioned road trip. So what if it takes twice as long to get there, that’s half the fun.

c.               Your idea of a vacation is best experienced on a walking tour, cycling holiday or anything else that gets you out from behind the glass. It’s fresh air and local flavor only for you.

6)   Dress code

a.             Versace tote, Armani suit, Bulgari timepiece, Louis Vuitton luggage. At home or on the road, fashion is essential.

b.              Comfort rules. If it’s not made of quick-dry, wrinkle-free, breathable fabrics, it’s not in your wardrobe.

c.              What you wear is what you get. Mix and match is your mantra. You’re a minimalist and proud of it.

7)   Planning

a.              You like planning your vacation almost as much, if not more, than the actual trip. You’re the person that friends and family turn to when they need travel planning advice.  Frequent flyer miles, hotel programs, credit card deals, you know and love to work the system.

b.              Leave the details to a trusted travel planning professional. What you love best is reading up on a place, learning the language, and introducing yourself to the food and music, long before you leave.

c.                The less you prepare, the better. Open-ended plans leave you open to serendipity. You will not subject yourself to the tyranny of an itinerary.

8)   Home

a.               You can’t imagine life without travel, but you’re a nester, too. Home is a safe refuge between adventures.

b.              A perpetual romantic, you fall in love with each new place. “I could live here,” is a common sentiment. You love setting up house somewhere new.

c.               Home is wherever you are at the moment.  You’re a nomad at heart.

Scoring: Add up the total value of your answers i.e. One point = ‘a’ response; Three points = ‘b’ response; Five points = ‘c’ response.

If your score is:

• Less than 10:  FIRST CLASS FLYER. Intelligent and self-assured, you value excellence. You have little patience with inefficiency or downtime. Comfortable with the finer things in life, you enjoy discovering the best a place has to offer.

• 9 - 24: AT HOME IN THE WORLD: You live in a world of possibilities and are passionate and curious about people and places. You place no importance on details and adapt easily to change and new experiences.

• 25 - 40: EASY RIDER: Intent to enjoy the view, you experience the world at your pace. You’re open-minded, flexible and able to appreciate the present moment.

My score? 24. My husband’s; 32. You?