A short and easy guide to how a 20-something can fit their life into a backpack and travel for weeks on end.
Backpacking is something every young person should experience. It is something that takes courage, stamina and acceptance. As a 20-something in college, I know there are few opportunities for exploration, so when an opportunity to travel arises, take it.
I have backpacked through Eastern Europe with four friends, one backpack, a passport and a surge of adrenaline, and I suggest to everyone I know that they should do the same.
So, after you have convinced yourself you can do it, convinced your two best friends to go with you and convinced your parents that the movie "Taken" is not legit, book your trip!
The first step to the art of backpacking: you all must agree on a route. Everyone has their preferences so you must find a middle ground, even if that means you will only be able to stay a day in a city you really wanted to visit. You will remember every moment, so make sure you pick memorable places.
My trip consisted of a three week tour through France, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands. This covered many different cultures and areas of historic value. It was perfect. I urge you to attempt to put as much diversity into your trip as possible, who knows if you will be back again.
Remember that backpacking doesn’t only exist in Europe! The Home of the Brave is also a very backpack-able country. Every state offers a different scene. I would suggest either a western route (Wash. to Ore. to Calif.) or an eastern one (Mass. to N.Y. to Va.). Each would provide both rural and urban destinations and plenty of new sites and experiences await you.
Once you have picked your desired route, do thorough research in all regards. Make all travel accommodations before in order to make it easier. If you’re living a more bohemian and free spirited life, try going to your first destination and deciding where you will go at the last minute. Everyone needs spontaneity. Use airline websites like kayak.com, studentuniverse.com or cheapoair.com for cheap student flight rates. Don’t forget about trains and buses as forms of transportation, sometimes they can be cheaper.
After you have chosen destinations and how you will get there, now you need accommodations. In my experience booking in advance is always helpful so you can find places closest to the city center. Hostelbookers.com and hostelworld.com are very good sites to find hostels and hotels in cities around the world.
If you would rather try a form of free housing, I urge you all to become a member of the couch surfing community (couchsurfing.org). People will open their homes, couches, beds, floors, etc. to roaming travelers for zero cost. It may seem creepy, but all of the members are verified through the website. In my experience, I couch surfed with my friends in Austria and we stayed with a group of Austrian hippies who were working with the Occupy movement and loved making cookies. It was fantastic, free and eye opening.
The next issue, of course, is packing. How do you pack for a month-long trip when you know you can’t be carrying a duffel or two suitcases around? Easy, a back pack. Go to your nearest camping store or Sports outfitter and you will find a huge array of travel backpacks. I was able to fit three weeks of clothing into a heavy duty JanSport bag and it was so easy and convenient that I have no regrets.
Yes, you will be wearing the same clothes. You will be making strange combinations of clothes because you are tired of wearing the red T-shirt with the black pants. You will smell a bit, but that is the life of a traveler, get used to it. There are laundromats everywhere and most hostels have laundry rooms for your use, so don’t have a heartache over dirty underwear just yet.
All of this planning will be worth it, I promise you. You will come home with a new perspective, a new appreciation for life and culture and a love for clean clothes.
Those are the basics to the art of backpacking and my general guidelines stay tuned to this blog for more to come on travel, safety tips and experiences.
