Rick Steve's Travel Philosphy

The title of my blog is ripped from Rick Steves, one of my travel heroes. Here's his reprinted travel philosophy that very closely mimics mine.

"Travel is intensified living - maximum thrills per Knute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom. It's recess, and we need it.
Experiencing e real Europe requires catching it by surprise, going casual...'Through the Back Door.'
Affording travel is a matter of priorities. (Make do with the old car.) you can travel-simply, safely, and comfortably-nearly anywhere in Europe for $120 a day plus transportation costs (allow more for bigger cities). In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you came to see. Europe is a cultural carnival, and, time after time, you'll find that its best acts are free and the best seats are the cheap ones.
A tight budget forces you to tracheal close to the ground, meeting and communicating with the people, not relying on service with a purchased smile. Never sacrifice sleep, nutrition, safety, or cleanliness in the name of budget. Simply enjoy the local-style alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants.
Extroverts have more fub. If your trip is low on magic moments, kick yourself and make things happen. If you don't enjoy a place, maybe you don't know enough about it. Seek the truth. Recognize tourist traps. Give a culture the benefit of your open mind. See things as different but not better or worse. Any culture has much to share.
Of course, travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something's not to your liking, change your liking. Travel is addictive. It can make you a happier American as well as a citizen of the world. Our Earth is home to six and a half billion equally important people. It's humbling to travel and find that people don't envy Americans. Europeans likes us, but, with all due respect, they wouldn't trade passports.
Globe-trotting destroys ethnocentricity. It helps you understand and appreciate different cultures. Regrettably, there are forces in our society that want you dumbed down for their convenience. Don't let it happen. Thoughtful travel engages you with the world - more important than ever these days. Travel changes people. It broadens perspectives and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. Rather than fear the diversity on this planet, travelers celebrate it. Many travelers toss aside their hometown blinders. Their prized souvenirs are the strands of different cultures they decide to knit into their own characterl the world is a cultural yarn shop, and travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry. Join in!"