I am the Renegade Tourist. The name is something that I came up with on a beach in southern France almost 15 years ago. At the time it was just a combination of words that I thought sounded cool, but over time it has developed into a sort of concept for a character that I aspire to be. As I see it, the Renegade Tourist character is a traveler who, just like a tourist, goes to different places to experience the things that are special about those places, be it seeing the sights, tasting the food or just taking in the atmosphere. However, the Renegade Tourist stands out from the crowd because he doesn’t just follow the standard tourist routs; he travels independently and avoids guided tours, he seeks out less known, more unique sights and experiences, and whenever he can he takes the road less traveled. Moreover, he is more respectful to the locals than the stereotypical tourist: he tries to learn a bit of the local language, is willing to try local food and customs, and doesn’t expect to be treated like a prince.

I don’t think I’m quite there yet, but I try to live up to those ideals. A large part of this blog is focused on my travels and my observations of life (called Frozen Moments), all done in the spirit of the Renegade Tourist.