Why Is Backpacking The Better Way To Travel?
Anyone who has even a little of the travel bug will know that backpacking is always one of the most popular options for long-term travel. Chances are, you know at least a couple of people who have been backpacking at some point. So much so, that over the years it has become almost something of a cliche among certain circles. However, all cliches are born out of something true, and there is a number of reasons why people still love backpacking after all this time. If you’re hoping to see a lot of the world as soon as possible, you might decide to backpack. If you’re still not convinced, then take a look at the following. Here are some fantastic reasons that backpacking is the way that pays.
You Learn A Lot
There is only so much you are ever going to learn from books, the Internet, David Attenborough documentaries, and the word of mouth of your friends. To actually learn a lot about the world, you need to get up off of your sofa and go out and experience it. This is something that we all know deep down, and yet sometimes it is difficult to integrate into our understanding fully until we have tasted a little of the backpacking life. If you want to learn as much as possible about the world, then travel is essential. And backpacking in particular is the one kind of travel which will force you to go out of your comfort zone and learn as many new things as possible in a short space of time.
You’re Not Alone
Probably the main fear that people cite when they are giving reasons why not to try backpacking is that they don’t want to be alone for a long period of time, or they are worried about their safety or what to do once they are going. The good news? Plenty of people have done what you’re doing, and that means that advice abound everywhere. Whether it’s online resources like this blog, or magazines that you pick up along the way, or people that you meet on the travel itself, you are never actually alone. Knowing that others have done and are doing it will give you a sense of security more than you could imagine. And you are bound to meet like-minded travelers on the trip as well, just to be safe.
You Can Travel For Longer
All-inclusive holidays are nice, but their major drawback is the way they suck your financial resources. With long-term backpacking, however, you do tend to cheap it out a bit. This means that you’re not getting luxury, of course, but it also means you will be able to travel for much longer as a result of that. This is one of the main reasons that many people actually decide to go backpacking at all. Often, you will be able to see much of the world in a very short space of time, and this can be a fascinating and invigorating way to get around the world.
Culture Shock Is Good For You
When you travel off the beaten path a little, you are not so protected by tourist traps, and this means that you tend to have a much more genuine experience as a result. Most people fear culture shock, but if you are doing it right then it is going to happen – and actually, you should be glad if it does. A little bit of culture shock is good for you, so long as it is enough for you to handle. It widens your view of the world, of humanity and your own life, and encourages you to adopt a much more relaxed and open worldview on the whole. If you really want to make the most of your travels, you might actually want to go out of your way to bring about a little culture shock at certain point – and it is much easier to do this when you are backpacking than when you are travelling in more style.
You Will Help The Economy
Many places you will visit on your backpacking travels will be the kind of nations that rely heavily on tourism for their economy to remain stable. Therefore, you are actually often doing a good thing for the countries you visit. Even when that is not the case, the act of travelling around the world like this helps to stimulate the global economy more than many other pastimes. With backpacking, this is even truer, as you are travelling for longer and in many more locations over a period of time.