Why We Love Backpacking

Why We Love Backpacking And You Should Too

Idell and I have traveled around Asia for the last few years. It was the most exciting and memorable year of our lives. Backpacking opened our eyes to different kinds of adventures: from sky diving to mountain climbing, surfing to snorkeling, hiking active volcanoes, and exploring ancient temples. It wasn't just the death-defying activities we did that were unforgettable but the lessons learned too. It's the journey and struggles towards our destination which made a remarkable mark in our hearts. We have written a post together to share our insights about how we learned to love backpacking in our travels. Let's go!

1. The Adventure

We love the fact that the word adventure is written all over the bag, even on our faces and our whole being when we're traveling. While you're still young and active get those huge bags of yours and explore the world. The exciting thrills of traveling will fill your days with magic, friendship and love for life. One bus ride always leads to an exciting location, wrong stops mean new friends along the way, and sleepless nights mean a glorious morning and a skipped lunch for a bountiful feast. An unexpected moment lurks around the bushes when you're backpacking. Things you've never thought of doing slap you in the face and places you've seen in laptop wallpaper welcome you the very next morning. 

Here's a favorite quote that speaks loudly to the number one reason for our love for travel. 

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine. 

2. The discovery 

Every page of the book is different. In every adventure we had, we discovered something new, we discovered places and we discovered part of ourselves. It's the newness of different things we want to experience that keeps us packing. The newness that will surely contribute to the person we become, realizations that deeply touch our hearts to live our lives fully. Being grateful every day for the things we have that others are just wishing for. Backpacking gives us these experiences if we keep our hearts open. Just like a book, it is not just enough to read it but also you have to learn from it.

3. Being on the road 

As much as I don’t like getting lost I love it when it happens, it's a love-hate relationship.  Even thou it means more hours of walking under the sun or in the rain, a prolonged lunch break or another expensive tuk-tuk ride. We focus on the brighter side, going off track shows another side of the road, and the unfamiliar route always brings undiscovered beauty and excitement.

4. The people

It is just an amazing feeling being surrounded by people you don't know and they don't know you too. The feeling of being totally free: away from a person that pulls you down and from the people that will judge you for who you are. On the other hand, backpacking gives you the opportunity of meeting new people, people that will inspire you, believe in you and encourage you in many ways.

5. The backpack

I just love the feeling of flying with my backpack rather than luggage. I think, for me, it symbolizes a true adventure, always ready for whatever comes the way. Bring only the things that matter most which push us to be creative, when needed. As the saying goes, if you wish to travel fast and far, travel light.

6. Courage

Courage is like standing at the edge of a cliff, you know the risk of falling so you stand firm and eyes on the horizon to keep your balance. However, there will be situations wherein you have to fall headfirst. It doesn't mean you have to crash and burn, it only means you'll just have to learn to fly.  It takes an ample amount to get out of our comfort zone. The main reason for this is we are used to the norms of comfort and security. Backpacking gets rid of both factors along the road, you'll learn to cope with the limited resources that you have, even learning to trust other people. 

Take a leap of faith, hope for the best, and believe everything will work out just fine. 

7. The Misadventures

Yes, I love misadventures. These are the things that make us stronger. We can't always expect a perfect journey but instead, prepare for any misadventures along the way. We need to embrace it as it comes along, pick up the lessons and move on.

8. Self Discovery

The adventure was not just about seeing new places, new experiences and meeting new people; it was also about self-discovery. It's a good way to know yourself better: how you manage stress in difficult situations, stay calm in emergencies, and even know your weaknesses. No wonder people would say "Buy a ticket, travel and find yourself." Backpacking will train your senses about map reading, money conversions, bargaining, dealing with abusive people and reading people's motives. It enhances your math and time management capabilities too. Aside from all the skills, you'll learn to develop when you're backpacking, traveling will also open up your perspective on life and how you see things. It's amazing how a person returning home changed after a great backpacking experience. 

9. The company 

The most important factor in backpacking is not the place or the activities but the person we traveled with. It is fun to travel solo but is more fun to travel with someone. It always feels better to share your feelings with others in times of happiness and sadness - a person that understands everything that you're feeling, a person who listens, a person who has the same interests as yours and a person with whom you can share the experience.

10. Low cost

Lastly, the most alluring aspect of backpacking is that it's a low-cost kind of traveling. You don't stay in fancy hotels instead you booked for guesthouses around your destination. It's not always because we don't have enough money. One reason, which is true, the most gorgeous sunsets are high on top of the mountains, or the most exquisite beach is on a remote island, commercialized establishments can't be found in those areas. Advance booking is made for hotels too while hostels and homestays are more flexible with dates. Besides, it’s a great opportunity to meet fellow travelers and has short meaningful friendships. 

When it comes to transportation, a backpacker travels the long route. It's not about being cheap, sometimes; it's also about experiencing the best things in traveling. For instance: a better view, a stopover means a food trip means trying out new delicacies and simply absorbing the wonders you feel. The sceneries along the way are worth seeing; an hour's flight ruins the experience. Hopping from one bus to another and waking up in another city the next day marks a real travel adventure. 

This is our first official co-written post together. We hope it inspires you to go backpacking, venture on your first solo trip, or go on an adventure with your friends. Happy Traveling Everyone! 

Have fun and be safe ^__^

Do you want more adventure?

An adventure is more exciting if you have someone special with and here's Why you should travel with your partner before saying I do 

Where am I going next?
My next adventure is to Los Angeles, California and I have here a survival guide on how to go around the city.