A new species of Homo Sapien??
 

After two recent trips : one to Iceland and one to Cape Town, I'd say that an off-shoot of Homo Sapien is developing at a pace that would make Charles Darwin's hair stand on end.

I've labelled this new species "world tourist" and their behavioural traits include :

1. Through rapid genetic mutation they are evolving a fifth limb, it's called selfie stick and it's getting longer as each month passes.

2. They dump their hire cars anywhere in the car park of a famous site, blocking your car in for 30 minutes while they amble around then just respond "huh" when you point out the error of their ways.

3. They have a complicated nodule on the end of their selfie stick, it's called a smart phone, which they use to blare music out when your contemplating peace and quiet.

4. They stop in the middle of 3 carriageway highways to play with their hire car's GPS.

5. The more social "world tourists" don't use hire cars but form mega pods. In the past they travelled in coaches, now their coaches travel in formations of 10, this mega swarm of the species is dumped off at any given site. In a worst case scenario, multi mega pods form on things called cruise ships, whole towns are devoured.

6. They carry five bottles of water, 16 items of electrical "toys", scissors, knives, aerosols and 13 types of unlabelled pills up to the security check at the airport then wonder why the line has slowed down so much.

7. They talk with the volume turned up to the limit.

8. They wear Canada Goose coats that have never before been out of the mall, seen rain or temperatures less then 65oF.

9. They sit anywhere on the plane and then complain when someone tries to "take" their seat.

Just wondering whether anyone else has noticed this rapidly evolving sub species and can identify any other behavioural patterns.

(Sorry just getting a little p***** off with anti social travel behaviour.

Live and let live, it takes all kinds etc. etc. Not the end of the world.

You forgot:
10. They weren't paying attention in their biology class. The species is called »homo sapiens«, with a »s«.

Lord have mercy!

When I travel, I'm pretty busy minding my own business--or maybe just being oblivious. I don't pay much attention to my fellow travelers. From time to time I probably see behaviors like the ones you list, but I can't say that they are as ubiquitous as you seem to think.

I have to admit that other people sometimes irritate me, too.

you're on your way to becoming as grumpy as I am...

I was seriously thinking that maybe we should join some tours just so we are part of the crowd and not being mowed down by it. For example, when we were at Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily...the tour groups claim ownership rights, and it's almost impossible for the independent traveller.

Sounds like the old homo sapiens to me!

To quote your very own self, apparently you lost your sense of humor when you started drawing your pension.

"Just wondering whether anyone else has noticed this rapidly evolving sub species "


No.

Meh. These sorts of rants have to be a lot wittier to be amusing. On a serious note, travel has been democratized--deal with it.

My butcher says 'la critique est aisée le lard est difficilé'
However the rant is not without humour.
So ne jetons pas bébé avec l'eau du bain.
The last word goes back to my butcher : God saves the couenne !