I’m KBT — a veterinarian who fell in love with travel after living in St. Kitts, West Indies for veterinary school. That experience cracked open my worldview and made me realize how big, complicated, and culturally rich the world really is beyond the American bubble. Since then, I’ve been chasing perspective, conversations, landscapes, and the kind of moments that shift how you see people and yourself.
I’ve visited 36 countries so far, aiming for 40 by 40 and eventually every country I can reach. I travel with my soon to be wife Jamie, while our animals Addy, Ares, and Pigeon (Sun Conure with an attitude, not a pigeon) get spoiled by our best friends. Our dream is to live in an RV in Europe for a while and wander until the road runs out (perhaps donating time to helping animals in need along the way). This blog is where I write about what I learn along the way.
This is probably where I should insert a disclaimer. This blog is, first and foremost, a diary. Our travels have taken us far enough that the small details blur, and I don’t want to lose them. Writing is how I remember the places, the conversations and the feelings that don’t show up in photos. What you’ll read here is my experience, filtered through my perspective, at that moment in time. These are my observations, my interpretations, and my reactions. These posts are not universal truths or definitive takes on any country or culture.
Travel is subjective. Two people can stand in the same place and walk away with entirely different impressions. If something here doesn’t align with your worldview, that’s okay. This space isn’t meant to convince or convert; it’s meant to reflect. If it resonates, I’m glad you’re here. If it doesn’t, I won’t be offended if you move on.
I named this blog Be a Traveler, Not a Tourist for a very specific reason.
A few years ago, we were in the Dominican Republic, staying at these stunning treehouses tucked into the landscape (still one of my most favorite destinations). When we arrived, we were greeted with the usual welcome speech. You know the kind: where things are, how the property works, what time breakfast starts. Then something unexpected happened: they handed us a contract to sign.
Not a liability waiver. Not a damage agreement.
A promise.
The contract stated that by staying there, we agreed to be travelers, not tourists. Naturally, we asked the hotel manager what that actually meant. His answer stuck with me long after we checked out.
A tourist, he explained, passes through a place and consumes it – the sights, the food, the experience – without engaging with what already exists. A traveler arrives with curiosity. A traveler listens. A traveler respects the culture, the people, the land, and understands that they are a guest in someone else’s home.
Tourism asks, What can this place give me?
Travel asks, What can I learn here?
That conversation reshaped how I move through the world. It’s the reason I pay attention to grocery stores, overheard conversations, customs that don’t make sense at first, and histories that aren’t comfortable. It’s why I try to understand a place before I judge it, and why I believe travel should change you — even slightly — when you do it right.
This blog exists because of that contract.
Because I don’t want to collect destinations. I want to understand them.
Good Energy and Good Vibes Always ❤ KBT
Be a Traveler Not a Tourist 