Here at Backstreet Nomad I try and focus on the road less travelled and finding exquisite locations that are generally outside the realm of the average travel guide. But today I thought it might be fun to actually embrace these moments when being an epic tourist gets the better of us. Because lets face it, sometimes you do just want to be a tourist.
I’ve sourced a collection of epically touristy photos from around the travel blogging space.
Taylor from Once Were Young
Taylor: We traveled all the way to Asia for the McXperience of a lifetime. Where else do you have the chance to enjoy a Maharaja Mac or wai with Ronald?
Courtney from Jet Set Brunette
Courtney: I was clearly WAY too excited to show everyone I was in Sydney (awkward?)
No way Courtney – just pretend it was Australia Day. You would have fitted right in.
Lexie from Steps to Follow
Lexie: In 2013 I had my first adventure in Rome. I was in Heaven: cheap and delicious food and wine around every corner, ancient Roman architecture that I only dreamed of while flipping through my Classics books in University. I must have lost my mind somewhere in-between all this because I found myself posing with “Spartacus” in a gory violent Gladiator photoshoot battle in front of the Colosseum which ended in our demise (see photo) for an epic €20.00! Normally people decline this sort of stuff (and with that price tag no kidding!) but we fell for it and loved it! It was a quirky and hilarious souvenir to bring home. We still talk about this photoshoot today!
Simone from The Aussie Flashpacker
Simone: A few years ago I worked in the US as a summer camp counsellor and when camp finished, seven of my friends and I did a epic road trip from Miami to Las Vegas! We stopped at every single state sign to get a group photo with it , but we missed the Nevada one, so decided to pull over & make our own version of the sign, using our best yoga moves! N E V A D A
Don’t worry Simone, I’ve been to Vegas 3 times and I’m still yet to see the time. Maybe on my 4th I’ll make the effort.
Barry from Tools of Travel
Barry: This photo was taken at Angkor Wat temple, probably the most well-known and touristy temples in the world.
While staying in Siem Reap, Cambodia for one month earlier this year I booked a temple tour. The tour saw our tuk tuk driver take me and a travel buddy to visit all the main temples in Siem Reap over 3 days.
Now when it comes to travel memories I’m not normally a fan of holiday style photos, but this image always makes me smile just because how touristy it is. Not to mention my travel buddy looks like a hostage!
Ása and Andri of From Ice to Spice
It would seem that all Ása and Andri did in Cairo was take cliché travel photos. They sent me a collection and here are 3 of the best:
Ása/Andri: We were a group of 10 and our guide for the day spent most of the time making us pose in different positions. We found it all very awkward as he insisted that we should “kiss the Sphinx” and pose like old Egyptian gods in front of the pyramids. Anyway, today it’s amusing to go through these photos and have a good laugh about it.
Luke from, well here
Continuing with Ása’s theme of Egypt, I have one of my own. This is taken at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, around the corner from the Valley of the Kings. I’m not sure why but it just seemed to lend itself to tacky poses. It sure was a lot of fun though.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
No post of this nature would be complete without someone holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Since no one contributed such a photo I found this one below on Flickr. Thankfully there are always tourists to hold up the tower otherwise it could well have fallen down by now!
It’s great to get off the beaten track and explore places untouched by tourists or other visitors. But sometimes you just want to pick up your map and follow the crowds to the front page of your travel guide. And that’s ok too. There are no rules, just have fun and laugh.
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Hey Luke, thanks for including me! I’m surprised no one picked the Pisa pose photos! I was going to send you mine but figured everyone would send that one and opted for another!
Cheers,
Lexie
I was equally surprised! No post of this nature would be complete without it.
Thanks again for including us Luke! Cannot believe no one sent a Pisa photo in, I didn’t even think of that! lol
Simone | The Aussie Flashpacker