Sums it up for me, no matter how 'heroic' I think I look.:laugh:

Bloke on a bike
 

I think it depends on what we mean by all these terms (but I would say that I'm a linguist). So for me:

• Explorer - someone who sets out to map a particular area and find out what's in it - Livingstone
• Discoverer - someone who sets out into the unknown to see what's there and finds new things/knowledge and brings it back - Columbus
• Expeditionary - someone who sets out with a specific goal in mind or a specific place to reach - Burke and Wills
• Adventurer - someone who goes looking for excitement and who likes to test themselves by not taking the easy road - McArthur (Dame)
• Traveller - someone who moves on from place to place seeing what's there and experiencing what goes on in everyday life - Me
• Tourist - someone who goes to see the sights, eat the food, drink the wine, lay on a beach, stay in hotels - My mum and dad
• Backpacker - someone who goes to the see the sightsn, eat the food, drink the wine, lay on a beach, but doesn't have the cash to stay in hotels and so stays in hostels instead- Me, when I was a student.

So I seriously doubt many of us are Livingstones, Columbuses, McArthurs, Willses or Burkes (especially not given what happened to those two) although we may be berks. I like to think of myself as a traveller as I'll rough it with the best, and I don't like to hang out in groups of my fellow countrymen(women) that much.

That said, I've been an explorer in my own small way, making my own mental maps of places I've been to or lived in; I've certainly been a tourist when I could afford it and felt the need for loos that flush and showers and beds, and I know I've been a backpacker seeking out places where fellow Europeans hang out at times. I'll occasionally even be an adventurer, when I'm feeling the need to push my envelope and get out of my comfort zone - haha.

About the only thing I can safely say I couldn't argue with is - bloke on a bike.

Google 'mid-life crisis' - it explains everything.

Enjoy the ride!:mchappy:

I was called a drunk lout one or twice. But I see my self as a traveller.

I like your list, and I agree with how you've described different types of travellers. But when you doubt that many of us are Livingstones and Columbuses etc, you are almost certainly correct to the degree of these particular peoples achievments, especially by everyday modern standards. However you are not necessarily correct in terms of people who use this site to plan their trips, because I would have thought that a great number of them were at least explorers and expeditionaries - isn't that what adventure motorcycling is all about?

When I was younger I was, at times, a backpacker. But I have since been a tourist, a traveller, an adventurer, and expeditionary and an explorer all to varying degrees, but still within your definitions. I have yet to become a discoverer (unexplored places are becoming harder to reach - but they're still out there), but have every intention of discovering something, somewhere or someone... somewhen!

As for Dizzie's original post, I have to agree that some people who call themselves adventurers etc are just glorified backpackers or tourists. But in many cases, that is as close to being the real thing as they're ever going to get, so I reckon we should let them have their glory.

Yeah, that'll do.

But here's a question for you all. Is the most important thing for you:

a) the travelling, or
b) just being on a bike

Too Easy
 

For me that is way easy.. it is: A:thumbup1::thumbup1: The Travelling!!!!

the bike is just my preferred means, I would still want to travel if I was unable to ride:(:helpsmilie:.

Put them together and I am in heaven :clap::palm::mchappy::mchappy::mchappy::mchappy::m chappy::Beach::D:D

This has probably been said already but in my opinion the adventure riders are bike enthusiasts whereas the backpacker is just giving it a go.

All 100% subjective but to me (coming from a backpacking background):
* backpacking = the freedom to go where you want and do what you want carrying everything you need on your back
*adventure motorcycling = the above but with everything you need strapped on and an engine to do the leg work

Both are going to mean hugely different things to different people. Backpacking - 2 day walk in the lake district staying in a pub overnight or 3 year trek round the world? Drinking nightly in a bar with your mates or learning the lingo with the locals?

Who cares, anyone doing either has :thumbup1: from me!

hmm a picture tells a thousand words:

http://www.backpackers-au.com/bk/_bo...COOTER%201.jpg

is different too



http://www.superplushsuspension.com/...dventure04.jpg