The world may be a little crazy right now, but there is still a whole world out there that is relatively untouched by you that needs to be explored. There is so much to see and so many things to do that if you aren’t mentally planning all the travelling you’ll do when the pandemic has passed, you’re behind already.
Whether you are 18 and choosing whether to go to college or take a Gap year, or you’re 30 and deciding that now is the time to seek out the meaning of life, you need to go backpacking at last once in life. You can still take this guide from Troypoint to stream the shows you want to stream while you’re staying in a hostel, so don’t panic you could be missing out on anything. Sure, it may be defined differently without the camping in the wilderness that some people go for, but why can’t you start planning your next adventure? Below, we’ve got six reasons to absolutely go backpacking - no matter how old you are!
- You get to see the world when you choose to backpack. Backpacking means seeing more than one place: it’s not the same thing as taking a luxury vacation when you stick yourself to one location and go with it! You get to see the world on a lower budget, and you will make some fantastic memories.
- Travelling gives you more confidence than you know as it enables you to experience a new culture and meet new people. You have to put yourself out of your comfort zone when you travel, and that’s a huge deal if you’re not used to doing that. Being on the road is going to enable you to have a whole world of new experiences you may not have before.
- You will be able to learn how to live without a lot when you backpack. Sure, you’re going to be living with the things you have in the bag on your back, but you will soon learn you don't need eight suitcases and a handbag wherever you go! You’ll also learn how to camp and stay in shared accommodations instead of luxury hotels - which may be a new experience for you.
- Oh, darling, you’re going to have an adventure. We are not born to work our fingers to the bone and never have time to do anything else. This time you take to seek out new opportunities is an adventure for you and you get to do whatever you want with it. This is the adventure of a lifetime, so make your goals and go after them!
- You are going to make so many more friends than you think when you seek out fun around the world. There are others out there doing the same thing that you are and you will make some firm friends when you are out there in the world.
- Being a backpacker for a while allows you to be more open-minded about the world and how you think in it. You will approach life differently when you return home, though who knows how long it’ll be before you book your next adventure!
*Post contributed by Laura Smith, a peer travel writer and an avid backpacker in the U.K.*
