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Backpacking is about enjoying the “journey” as you move in the direction of your chosen “destinations”. As a first-time backpacker, you may be excited about the thrill. Of course, it is fun to explore famous tourist places in India and abroad on your backpacking expedition.
Just imagine backpacking around Goa for one month straight. Staying at a cute little hostel, munching on Goan seafood, heading to all tourist places in Goa, and exploring the less known interiors that you didn’t even know existed is a wholesome experience in itself.
However, the planning process might seem a bit overwhelming since you are trying out something new for the very first time. Of course, you do not want to keep any room for mistakes. Going well prepared is no doubt the first step towards having a fulfilling backpacking trip.
To help you overcome the butterflies fluttering in your stomach, here are a few go-to travel tips that will come in handy for a first-time backpacker.
Backpacking quite literally means going around places, covering top destinations with a backpack loaded with all your essentials. Make sure to go light on your urge to pack more.
You may assume that you require every second item that forms a part of your home. You, my friend, are overthinking.
A white tee for the morning, a pair of jeans in the afternoon, a funky piece for the evening, and a night suit while going to bed may not be necessary.
Your purpose with backpacking is to allow mysteries to unfold. Face last-minute challenges and come up with realistic solutions. Meet new people and visit less known territories. You can repeat your clothes, but repeat visits to that destination may be slightly difficult. Thus, you should make the most of it.
First-time backpacking can get a bit unpredictable. As long as you put your clothes, basic electronics, and essentials together, you are sorted.
High-end gadgets, such as iPhones, smartwatches, or other high-priced items, may not be necessary. Since you will be on the go, there are chances of you misplacing your valuables.
Just remember that the gadgets will be around once you return, which means you can leave them behind when backpacking. Remember, you are out there to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience and not immerse yourself in electronics.
When you start your backpacking trip, you would be paying a sum towards your stay, food, and other amenities. You will be happy with the cost-effective choices you make.
However, as you continue your journey, you will be able to crack better deals. Enjoy fatter discounts. The lesson here is don’t shy away from bargaining.
Remember, experiences make you smarter, with every move, you will be making a smarter decision. Backpacking would redefine the position and value of money in your life. Make sure to get your facts right around money.
Say you want to see the Eiffel Tower and other famous tourist attractions in Paris. You get on a flight to adorn the beauty of this monument. Make sure to find meaning in your visit by getting to know the intricate details.
The true beauty of backpacking lies in the fact that it encourages ground-level travel. You get to hop on to local modes of transportation. Visit interiors and villages where no flight can reach. Take a train between destinations and lose yourself to the beauty of the landscape that smiles back at you from the train windows.
Do not skip such experiences because they help you in gathering memories.
Your backpacking experience will become wholesome when you back suggestions given by the Internet with your own research. Through your research, you may come to know the local aunty, who sells steamed momos in the interiors of Northeast. This is in addition to what the internet has suggested.
Backpacking allows you the opportunity of designing your custom itinerary on the go. You spot a tiny stall that serves masala tea; stop by, sip on it. You bump into an array of never seen before birds, sit down and spend some quality time bird watching. These are experiences you bring together for yourself.
Just like you, many backpackers set out on journeys to explore the unexplored. While you may prefer to uncover the unknown territories all by yourself, there may be someone who would want to accompany you throughout your travel plan.
No doubt, it is good to meet new people and allow friendships to flourish. However, a fine line separates a good company from a clinger. Don’t take it upon yourself to pamper the need of the clinger.
Some of the best ways of steering clear are by letting the clinger know that you are interested in going solo. If you do not wish to be that straightforward, you can simply tweak your itinerary and head to some place different. When you repeatedly ignore the clinger, your message shall reach loud and clear.
Remember, you are backpacking solely to spend some quality time with yourself. Recollect your purpose and let the clinger know that now is not the right time for that person to accompany you. Exercise firmness, come what may. This is your time, live it.
The life of a backpacker is highly unpredictable. One night you may be staying at a hostel, while the other night, you will find yourself on the airport floor.
Unpredictability and insurance are the two sides of the same coin, which means when you go backpacking, you need to secure backpacker insurance. This shall take care of your life and property amidst all the uncertainties.
With travel insurance, every backpacker enjoys additional protection against financial losses. Such insurances cover everything from stolen belongings, interrupted trips, and medical aid.
Backpacking is all about unravelling the unknown and the less known. This means there is a possibility of you getting lost when trying to reach a place, based on directions you have gathered from a local or by your understanding.
When something like this happens, you need to stay calm. If you panic, it will become even more challenging to find your way back. Moments like these help you to overcome challenges and become confident about your journey. Try speaking to someone around or keep looking for cues until you reach your desired place.
As a backpacker, you may be having food or drinking water at random places. Going around in the scorching sun can work out to be equally tiring.
There are chances of you falling sick, wherein you can do with regular medicines. Make up for such medical emergencies by having a first-aid kit handy.
Being a tourist in an unknown region has a limited scope. You only see the cream of the region and come back holding notions about that place, which may not entirely be true. You miss out on the roots and realities.
Backpacking allows you to go beyond the zone of being a tourist. This one-of-its-kind experience opens up new avenues for you. You develop skills that you may have once assumed to not be your cup of tea. You come back a changed person, a person who has changed for the good.
If you have been sitting on the idea of going backpacking, now is the time to set into action. While you do so, put these tips to use.
Ans: Make the most of your backpacking experience by packing light. Pack only those many clothes and essentials that are necessary. The rest becomes manageable en route.
Ans: Backpacking is about seeing the real side of the place you are experiencing. Reading between the lines and seeing the unknown. You cannot miss the view of the landscape that local transport offers.
Ans: Backpacking is what you make out of it. From the place you begin your journey to the point your trip comes to an end, you learn to optimise your spending. Backpacking is usually cheaper than fancy travel.
Ans: You will meet new people and make friends while backpacking. However, it is not necessary to continue your journey with every new person you meet.
Ans: Backpacking is about setting out on a journey where you allow the unknown to unfold, which means travelling without a pre-decided itinerary should do the job. Here, it is more like an on-the-go itinerary that you prepare.
