One meets fascinating people on the beaten path

“This is the travel platitude to end all travel platitudes: it’s not about the place, it’s about the people. Agreed. So let’s not forget that even on the tourist trail — especially here, come to think of it — you can meet all kinds of people who are interesting and worldly and not at all the stereotype of the shallow sightseer. Improbable kindred spirits you would not otherwise encounter but who will be more than worth your while. And — this is important — because they are often on leave from the military or in town for a conference or just short on vacation time and planning energy, they’re precisely the sort of fascinating people who you won’t meet if you follow only the road less traveled. They’re all the more interesting precisely because they’re not jaded eternal travelers — they have full, rich lives back home, and travel serves as an ice-breaker, not the entirely of the conversation. Some people mock tourists as roving bands of people who are all the same, and though there’s an ounce or two of truth to that, the reality is more complex — they may not be locals, but there’s actually a fair amount of diversity, especially at the big landmarks where everyone wants to go.”
—Doug Mack, Europe on 5 Wrong Turns a Day (2012)