COMMENTARY, July 23 -- I love travelling. Naturally I'm not alone in that, as evidenced by the throngs of tourists wherever I go, be it the pedestrian paradise of the Shibuya Crossing or the remote mountains of Chilean Patagonia. Most folks love travelling too.

What has bugged me of late is the question of whether we are good tourists. Sure, we contribute to the economy of our chosen destinations, but do we end up taking more than we give?

Are we a nuisance that clog up a foreign city's already strained public transportation, and are we greeted by genuine smiles or by pained grimaces?

Many a time I've seen a tour bus disgorge its cargo of noisy passengers, all clogging the pavement and blocking the path of locals rushing to work or to ...