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Airport Bingo Round 2: Spot The Traveller

Anyone who has travelled has undoubtedly been stuck at the airport, train station or bus stop at one point or another. It happens: layovers, delays and unscheduled maintenance stops are just part of the journey sometimes.

But it is in these downtime hours that the joys of people-watching come to life. Whether you are stretched over three seats in a big airport like Heathrow, or knocking knees with a little old lady at a bus stop in Guatemala, humans are always the most interesting species to observe.

Some of you may remember a blog we posted some time ago, featuring the incredible game of Airport Bingo, which we got from the travel blog Here There Be Dragons. Well, it's time to test your powers of observation once again, by playing .

The aim of the game is still to make a full row. But this time you need to look out for traveller archetypes. Some will be easy to spot, others are as camouflaged as characters from the Where's Wally books. Best of luck!

Airport Bingo
First Time Traveller - lost-looking teenager drinking beer at nearest pub. Honeymoon Couple - can not stop touching one another (or arguing already). Eco Travellers - known to wear Crocs and eat pumpkin seeds. Family Tour Group - led by a very proud looking parental figure, wielding an outdated tour book. Escape Artists - shady character keeping an eye out for tax authorities or sniffer dogs.
School Field Trip - one large crowd of kids, plus one overworked teacher. Lads Sports Tour - you'll hear them before you see anything. Sings football/ rugby songs. The Purist Backpacker - tanned individuals, carrying a backpack and a tent. Occasionally bare-foot. Cosmetic Surgery Tourist - wears enormous glasses indoors and fixed pearly-white smile. The Business Traveller - taps on Blackberry / iPhone / laptop, even while dosing in uncombable chairs.
The Job Interviewee - see business traveller. Sweats profusely. The Journalist - jumpy from too much coffee and late nights working against deadlines. Unsupervised Child Travellers - smart ones will commandeer a luggage trolley and use it as an escape vehicle. The Professional Complainer - miserable by trade. Has a mouth like a machine gun. Party Travellers - normally on their way to/from Ibiza or Koh. High spirits or practically dead to the world.
Safari Travellers - wears safari hat, brown suit and camera. Deported Convict - look for shackles and police escort in tow. The VIP Traveller - seen in VIP lounges, pampering rooms and big label boutiques. The Swindler - gets into business lounge without paying. The Wild Card - defies all definition. Could be from a tribe of cannibalistic savages. Could be from Camden Town.
The Tag Along Au Pair - younger woman travelling alongside the children of VIP Travellers. The Family Tree Pilgrimage - travellers en route to the land of their birth/ ancestors. See mass-produced family crest. Religious Tourists - heading to Mecca, Jerusalem, Tibet and other spiritual homelands. Budget Travellers - eats home-made sandwiches and fills water bottle at drinking fountain. Gap Year Students - almost as rowdy as Sports Tour Traveller; better dressed than Party People.
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Clayton Truscott

Clayton Truscott

Clayton is a comfortable traveller, having grown up in a small city that was far away from everything. He spent lots of time in the car as a child, driving up and down the coast of South Africa on surfing trips with his family. After studying abroad in the United States and spending a year working in London, he moved to Cape Town, where he completed a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. He now works as a freelance writer for various travel, surfing and action sports publications.