I was chatting with a girl on some dating app. She bombarded me with questions inquiring into my socioeconomic status. That’s why I always have my CV updated and ready on my phone. I was not sure if her English was poor, she was not so bright or she was just like this. But the conversation was obviously going nowhere. At a certain point during our exchange, I deducted that she was only in the city temporarily. I said “Aah, so you’re a tourist”. Her answer cracked me up “No, I’m travelling here”. Ladies and gentlemen, being a tourist and a traveller is apparently not the same.
The distinction between the two is really a silly way to self-apply a coating of cultivation to your own self-image. A layer of powder on your face may have you appear more attractive but at the end of the day, you’ll still have to bear the consequences of #nomakeup. Let’s just admit that travelling is a privileged way of spending time and money. In the eyes of the locals, you’ll always be a tourist. No matter how many passport stamps you collect, selfies you take (or don’t take) or ukukuleles you carry in your backpack. Just like I’ll always be a second-class citizen and expat here in Dubai no matter how long I’ll stay, how much I earn or how well I’m integrated.
Besides, usually people get their information on the so-called hidden gems, off the beaten path things, local obscure place this, local authentic that from three sources: Tripadvisor reviews, Lonely Planet guides and the “local” guy from the Free Walking Tour (someone who moved 6.9 years ago to a city “fell in love with it and wanted to share the beauty and treasures of this place with everybody who wants to listen”. This person knows how everything works on the ground so well that he hasn’t been able to secure a steady income and instead begs for tips from a bunch of people who are too lazy to do their own research on what to visit. – Was this too harsh? Don’t get me wrong, I love Free Walking Tours and all respect to its guides.). Afterwards, selbstverständlich, the most sacred of secrets must be reshared with thousands of people across social media platforms and travel blogs/vlogs.
During this date, there were two highlights. One was having the luxury of a personal “local” tour guide and second, bringing a towel with me to wipe of my sweat. It’s clear that my body has not acclimatised yet to the high levels of humidity. Have you ever seen those “satisfying pimple popping” videos? It was more or less like that but just with saline fluid rushing out of my pores. A date doesn’t have to be more than this. Simply having a shared experience together while uncovering secret spots in one’s minds and hearts. You explore and get lost. You enter a bubble of connection and then you enter a shop with AC. You zoom in on each other’s background. Literally, making a cheesy photo and figuratively, a mental note.
Whatever you may call it. A date, hanging out, a sex interview, Phase 1: Initiation of the Future husband/wife-father/mother project, the essence remains the same. It’s a starting point of two people getting to know each other better. Whether it’s tourism or wanderlust, you basically are doing the same thing: exploring new places, cultures and experiences.
I know you’re all dying to know what we visited as tourists travellers. Well, it was Al Seef, a charming area near Dubai Creek, where old meets new. Water taxi? Yes.
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