Backpacking is more than just a journey; it’s a lifestyle. It’s not about just throwing a bag over your shoulder and heading off into the unknown. It’s about immersing yourself in the world, embracing the unexpected, and challenging yourself. It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone, trying new foods, meeting new people, and skipping the luxury resorts.
When people ask me what kind of traveler I am, I always say I’m a backpacker. It’s not just a travel style for me, it’s part of who I am. And even as I age, I still identify with it.
But how can you tell if you’re a true backpacker at heart? Here are some signs:
- You’re stumped when asked for your permanent address.
- You’re unsure what to put down as your occupation on customs forms.
- Pasta has been your go-to meal for months in the hostel kitchen, sometimes spiced up with some chicken.
- You live on a diet of rice, trail mix, and other budget-friendly foods.
- You can wear the same shirt for a week (or longer) and the same jeans for two weeks.
- You do your laundry in hostel sinks.
- Everything you own fits into one pack.
- You’re comfortable sharing a room with a stranger you just met.
- Hot water, a comfy bed, a bathroom in your room, and air conditioning are seen as luxuries.
- You’re willing to sleep anywhere as long as it’s cheap and bed bug free.
- You have a skewed sense of cost. A three-dollar room? Bargain! A three-dollar meal? Ridiculous! A five-dollar Uber? You’d rather walk the extra thirty minutes.
- When you return home, you find it strange that you can’t haggle over prices.
- You can’t sleep without earplugs anymore, even if it’s quiet.
- You haven’t slept alone since you left home.
- You often forget what day of the week or month it is.
- You’ve become a pro at using hand signs and pantomiming to communicate.
- You ask people where they’re from before asking their names, and remember them by their home country.
- No matter where you are, the beer is never cheap enough.
- You have permanent flip-flop tan lines on your feet.
- You find it strange when everyone around you has the same accent.
- You can say "cheers" in more languages than you care to admit.
- Finding toilet paper in the bathroom is a pleasant surprise.
- A good shower to you just means running water.
- You’ve learned how to say "beer" in 10 languages.
- You stuff your pockets with as many bread rolls and jam packets from the free breakfast as you can for lunch.
- You haven’t showered without flip-flops in months.
- Your budget revolves around how much alcohol you can afford in one night.
- You plan your travels around getting free accommodation on a train, plane, or bus.
- You’re willing to spend a night in an airport to save money.
- You can tell someone’s nationality just by looking at their backpack.
- You’re always tired.
- You see a television as a luxury and a waste of time.
- But if someone has a Netflix subscription, you instantly want to be their best friend!
- You still think the three shirts you’ve been wearing for the past 6 months are in style.
- You own fisherman’s pants.
- You know what a "visa run" is and how painful it can be.
- You consider a dorm with "only" 8 beds a luxury.
- You’re disappointed when you enter a new country and don’t get a stamp.
- You swear off flying Ryanair, until they show up as the cheapest flight on your next search.
- You promise yourself you’ll never take an overnight bus again, but you do it anyway.
- As you get older, you swear off dorms, but then book one for the next night because it’s so cheap!
- No matter where you are in the world, you know it’s exactly where you’re supposed to be.
So, are you a backpacker at heart?
