In honor of the US premiere of Doctor Who this week, I wanted to share a few travel tips I got from watching the series.
Don’t let the fact that this post is based on the British Sci Fi series scare you off. First airing in 1963, Doctor Who is the longest running travel show on television. It’s not much different from watching Samantha Brown, only with time travel, talking cats and evil trash cans. It is the kind of show that can appeal to people of all ages from children who like playing with action figures to adults who enjoy a game at poker.de. It will make you laugh, get excited and sometimes even cry. If you’re interested in a primer, here’s some info.
Here are a few things I’ve learned from The Doctor.
Hard to believe the show pre-dates hippies.
Set out to have fun
The Doctor travels for no reason other than the joy of it. Though he may get side-tracked into saving aliens, worlds or even the universe, at the core it’s about having fun – exploring things you haven’t yet seen and meeting people you don’t know. How much purer a motive can you have?
Spin the dial and see where you end up
It wouldn’t be an adventure if it’s all planned. The unpredictable nature of the TARDIS can take you anywhere in time and space, but the best times can be when you leave your destination up to the universe.
Help people
Even if you’re in a strange place, you’ll have chances to lend a hand. You don’t have to save a planet by frying a Dalek’s circuitry with your sonic screwdriver. You can simply help an old lady cross the street. Or even a young lady.
pssst! Freema, call me!
Discover companions along the way
Don’t let a love of solo travel keep you from joining up with people to share in some of your adventures. Whether you meet in a hostel, hotel bar or a hospital that’s been transported to the moon by the Shadow Proclamation, it’s fun to pick up travel mates for a while.
London is the center of the universe
Okay, I’m not sold on this one, but marauding aliens certainly seem to end up there a lot. I always figured the center of the universe was the place ice cream was invented (China, in case you’re curious).
You don’t need to pack a lot of clothes
The beauty of always meeting new people is there’s no one to notice that you wore that same shirt yesterday. And the day before. And apparently every day.
Don’t judge people by your own standards
The Doctor may have a strong moral compass, but he understands that everyone is entitled to their own culture and traditions, no matter how strange they may seem to us. The fact that the Ood hold their brains in their hands is still kinda creepy, though.
Be a bit of a show-off
You’re going places most will only dream of, so whether it’s through photos, stories, recipes or helping Shakespeare write the Tempest, share the uniqueness of the journey with others.
There’s no time like now
Even if you can travel through it, wasting time sucks. You can’t regenerate into a new body when you die, so don’t blow it sitting around and staring into the time vortex.
I’m always working to convert the uninitiated. If you’d like to know more about The Doctor, the latest incarnation airs Saturday nights on BBC America starting on Saturday April 17, 2010. To catch up on old episodes, I’d recommend downloading from iTunes: Blink, The Christmas Invasion, The Waters of Mars, The Girl in the Fireplace. Those are all from recent seasons. I’d definitely suggest diving into those long before you look at the classic series.
This post is sponsored, in part, by poker.de
Great idea for a post and all good points. I have to say I am rather fond of his new companion…
The minute Kirsty see’s this expect a long doctor who discussion, she is a little bit obsessed with the program.
Ha, I’m sure we could go on for hours. I honestly haven’t made it backwards through the original series too much yet. Amy is great, although Martha is still my favorite companion.
Mine’s Donna Noble – I don’t Martha got many good story lines. And I didn’t like how she had to always obsess over the Doctor!
.-= Kirsty – No Place To Be´s last blog ..Picture Special! Mount Snowdon, Wales. =-.
Agreed – I just thought she was hot.
And much better when she came back in Series 4 for guest appearances.
Haha Great Post! I’ve never seen Dr. Who but I might check out the show now.
.-= Jackie Rose (@letssitoutside)´s last blog ..I am not my injuries. =-.
It may be an acquired taste, but I’ve become a huge fan over the past couple of years. It was my Halloween costume last year.
Shoot, I need to post a pic!
Poi predicted right. I am a big Doctor Who fan, and I think I am just about converting Poi to it too…. I think we are one week ahead of you, but I think the new doctor and Amy Pond are really really good. The beast below (the next episode) is very good and cements their relationship.
One of my favourite episodes is Blink – it’s really well throught out. They’re coming back this season too… supposedly scarier than ever! I’m not as keen on waters of mars, but I think this is more because I thought it would give hints about Tennants Doctor’s demise….
My other favourites is the library eps, (Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead) where the Shadows are not all they seem and midnight.
I’m glad you are able to mould all the lovely teachings of Doctor Who into a travel post. I agree with all of them – although i am still going to find it hard not packing lots and lots of clothes!
It does seem that everything happens in London (us British thinking we’re the centre of the universe again), although most of it is filmed in Wales. I’m not sure if you get the behind the scenes stuff in the US but it is well worth checking out if your a bit techy and love to know how they film some of the stuff.
Ok…. I’ll stop now!!!
Here’s the pic of me last Halloween:
http://freedoniapost.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/joel-doctor.jpg
I’d love to chat more about the show. Blink is by far my favorite episode, but I tried to pick episodes that were “newbie-friendly.” I love Forest of the Dead, but it might be a bit more to absorb for a new viewer!
Cardiff is in my travel plans largely because of Doctor Who and Torchwood (and because Sean says it’s great).
There’s a doctor who exhibtion in Cardiff! Although I must admit, I have only been there for a few nights out with a uni friend…. Are you a fan of Torchwood too? I’ve not seen many of those. Did they screen a week long special where all the kids started speaking in unison in the US? I think that was the last ever Torchwood… or billed like that. I do love Capitan Jack, I’m looking forward to seeing him in Desperate Housewives (or John Barrowman anyway!!)
Yeah the library episodes prob aren’t that good for newbies. I think any of the eps introducing the doctors are good… I’m not such a big fan of the first series with Chris Eccleston though.
How do you like the new series, or what you have seen so far from the first episode? I think Doctor Who and a few other TV programmes are something I will miss when I’m travelling! (Sad…)
.-= Kirsty – No Place To Be´s last blog ..Picture Special! Mount Snowdon, Wales. =-.
Yes, Torchwood: Children of Earth was fantastic. So much better than the regular series was.
Oh and I LOVE that pic!
I reckon i could make myself into the new companion…. I wouldn’t even need to dye my hair!!
.-= Kirsty – No Place To Be´s last blog ..Picture Special! Mount Snowdon, Wales. =-.
Hehe, what a great post! I haven’t watched much Doctor Who, but now I’m going to have to find a few episodes.
I had a conversation with some travellers not too long ago about how backpacking was like Star Trek, this reminds me of that night.
.-= Catia´s last blog ..The True Threat to Travellers – The Shower =-.
Yep, I can totally see a similar article about Star Trek. Original series or Next Generation? I’m a bigger fan of the latter, but the former certainly had more of a subtext.
love that you recc’d BLINK. i recc that to allll my friends whom i think might like DW (esp. those that love LOST:-)).
second the recc!
Thanks! Yeah, ironic because it’s got far less of the Doctor in it than most episodes, but the story and characters are awesome.
When I saw that Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan) was nominated for an Oscar, I had to brag even more about DW to everyone I knew.
I think having the Doctor in the episode less is a good thing for new viewers. You aren’t loaded down with background and mythology of the whole series.
Plus it’s not a whole “history” themed episode, just a really good stand alone one!
This is fantastic!
I love this post very, very much!
The Doctor is indeed the BEST traveller, why did I never think of it before!
One last point; the centre of the universe would appear to be London but it’s actually Cardiff in South Wales – where they film the documentary that is – Doctor Who!
.-= Sean´s last blog ..Double dipping…really? =-.
They may film both programmes there, but I associate Cardiff much more with Torchwood. I have to go to meet Gwen!
Damn, am I mixing up fiction and reality again?
I have no idea what this show is BUT so true about not having to worry about wearing the same thing twice since no one is going to see you!
It’s always fun looking at photos of people on an RTW because it looks like they circled the globe all in the same day because they’re always in the same outfit!
Hey Joel,
Thanks for holding me up as an example of someone who can’t cross the street by herself.
Just kidding! I really appreciate the shout out. I won’t forget it!
.-= Sabina´s last blog ..Springtime in the City – New York’s Central Park =-.
Haha –
It was a great story! Obviously it stuck in my mind when I was writing.
Cool points! I am in the midst of meeting people right now in prep for my trip. If you’re going to be anywhere on this itinerary, maybe we’ll meet up. Peru => Hawaii => Auckland => Sydney => Japan => Thailand (depending on political situation) => Malaysia.
.-= Dave´s last blog ..Surfing in landlocked downtown Munich! =-.
Sydney, Thailand, Auckland and Malaysia will definitely be on my list sometime. Probably the November – January time frame.
It’d be great if that worked out.
Most a fascinating post and supporting comments here. I would like to point out that other sites have made a varying angle, particularly in terms of travel tips. Has anyone here run across supplemental information on the Internet, and will you give me some direction?
The initial show of the new series, broadcast on Saturday, featured a kissogram, a naked Doctor and a “sexed up” Tardis.During the special 65-minute episode, The Eleventh Hour, in which Physician Who had 20 minutes to save Earth from aliens known as the Atraxi, his new companion, Amy Pond, was revealed as a kissogram dressed in a skimpy policeman’s outfit, complete with mini-skirt and handcuffs. In 1 scene, Amy, played by the actress Karen Gillan, told the Doctor that her kissogram repertoire also included nuns and nurses’ outfits. Locate out additional at Sci Fi Fan.