There are two types of travelers in this world...

The first set is like my friend Kim. Aggressive. Adventurous. Inclined toward public transportation. Scoffs at FAA recommendations to arrive at least one hour before departure at the specified gate. Learns of the best museums, restaurants and sites to see not from yelp.com but from new friendships made along the way with people named Christophe, Jaime, or Kwan.

At the other end of the check in line is the second group. Passive. Sleeping in. Inclined toward concierge recommendations. Waiting for pre-arranged airport transfer in the lobby, 30 minutes ahead of schedule, nibbling away at her cuticles wondering if she tipped the bellman enough. Not afraid to try new things, but a bit unsure about how to go about trying them in the first place. Maybe we should research that a little first. Safer to just check urbanspoon.

Travel might be a lot like studying; some students are crammers. Others are neatnik, color-coded flashcard neurotics.

But if they both end up with the same grade in the end, does it really make a difference?

This weekend's trip to NYC: A+.