There are lots of reasons people like you and me like to travel. There is the freedom, the unpredictability, and the chance to meet new people. One of the biggest motivations, however, has to be doing things that you can’t do anywhere else. Life at home is fine, but the fact is it’s safe and cozy. No one wants to be safe when traveling because the journey is all about taking risks. With that in mind, here are some of the amazing things that you can only do when you board a plane with a backpack.
These are what make backpacking around the world so special.
#1: Wearing Same Underwear For A Week
Anyone that isn’t a globetrotter will look at this statement and gasp. ‘What! You wear the same underwear for days on end? That’s disgusting!’ Unhygienic it may be, but it’s very necessary. After all, there is no washing machine in the outback of Australia or the jungles of South America. When you live a basic lifestyle, it’s important to do things you normally wouldn’t back home. Re-wearing boxers, briefs, thongs, g-strings or whatever you fancy is just one way to let go. Plus, it’s pointless wasting money on laundry when there’s a nice pair of dirty underpants in your bag. Come on; we don’t have unlimited funds!
#2: Washing Clothes In Sink
Not since the days of attending university have so many people done laundry in a sink. Well, welcome to traveling my friend. Again, most people don’t have the money to spare for regular cleaning services. Yep, even a couple of dollars in quarters is enough to bankrupt some backpackers. And, it isn’t like you can wear dirty underpants for the rest of the trip. We all like to let go, but that’s just unsanitary! Thankfully, every hostel or guesthouse has a sink and running water. As long as there is soap or detergent, there is an opportunity to seize the day. Just make sure you don’t grasp the underwear with bare hands.
#3: Meeting New People Every Day
Okay, meeting new people isn’t only something that happens to backpackers. If you’re lucky, someone might walk up to you in a bar back home, or there is always an online dating app. Still, it only happens once in awhile. There is no doubt that we are creatures of habit. As such, we don’t like to go out of our comfort zone and talk to new people. It sounds sad, yet it is very true. Every time you book a new trip, you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ll meet a variety of people. Even better, it will happen almost every single day. Some people you won’t like, others you will get along with, and there are those you will love for the rest of days. But, you have to meet new characters in the first place before you can start sorting them into categories.
#4: Seeing Something Spectacular
Most of us don’t walk to the bottom of the road and see the Taj Mahal. Neither do we wake up to a glorious view of the Himalayas each morning. Sadly, these things are for the lucky few that happen to live in these areas and call them home. However, it is possible to visit if we have the courage to travel. From a safari in Africa to the Aurora Borealis in the Arctic Circle, nothing is beyond a human’s reach. Just because it isn’t within a five-mile radius of your hometown doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible. It does make these attractions harder to visit, but it also makes it a challenge, and one worth the effort. There is a reason a bucket list ranges from the USA to the Middle East.
#5: Taking Time To Recover From Illness
Traveling isn’t an endless array of picnics and rainbows. No, the experience can be a difficult one from time to time, and there’s nothing worse than getting sick. For some reason, everything from the flu to a dodgy cut of meat makes backpackers feel very unwell. And, the feeling lasts for such a long time! Usually, someone who is ill can expect to recover in a couple of days. When you travel, you can expect an insignificant illness to last at least one week. In fact, some people get ill before they leave thanks to injections and vaccinations.
#6: Drinking Copious Amounts Of Alcohol
At home, most of us like to limit our drinking. Sure, there are binges at the weekend which would put a rhino to sleep, but everything calms down during the week. The reason is simple: we don’t want a bad reputation. You see, drinking at home can lead people to think you’re a functioning alcoholic. And, there is no turning back once the rumors begin. The good news is there is no need to worry about what people think when you’re abroad. Simply put, everyone’s too busy downing shots to care. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a weekend or a weekday, either, because there will be a party. It sounds good now, but the idea of taking a break will appeal after a while. Until then, party on guys and girls!
#7: Not Reading The News
A weird thing happens when you move into a hostel. All of sudden, you lose all of your inhibitions. Yes, that does mean you might end up having sex in a bed bunk in a room full of people. By the way, add that to the list! But, less controversially, it also means you cease to care about what is going on in the world. Foreign affairs and internal politics just don’t have the same impact they did in the past. Trump might be in office and Britain on the brink of Brexit, but does anyone care? If they do, you’re not a part of the group because nothing matters other than having a good time and calling home once a month.
Okay, it might sound ignorant and selfish, but you’re allowed to be both those things. Yep, that’s traveling.
