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"Backpackers" and the stigma they carry

"Backpackers" and the stigma they carry

Old May 25, 2005, 10:54 am
  #16  
 
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I echo Stut. When I was in Australia for 6 months, however, I did my utmost to avoid contact with my fellow Brit backpackers - I just don't like them when they go abroad. Some of them seem to lose their manners in a different country. Bondi Beach in Sydney in particular seems to be overrun by British backpackers from every part of my country. Anyway, instead of staying in Brit-filled hostels I found a quiet residential house to share with some lovely Kiwis and Aussies. I don't have a problem with backpackers, I fully agree with Analise, but when I go abroad I would rather meet backpackers not from my country.
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Old May 25, 2005, 11:09 am
  #17  
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Well, like in any group of travellers, there are good ones and bad ones , but in my experience, the backpackers of today (the last ten years) are much better than the ones in the 80's. At that time, there was too much drugs involved and the not washing, beer drinking type was the majority. Things have changed radically. I meet some, have invited some at home and was pleasantly surprised at how well educated, well behaved they are.
I found out that many of them, although going very carefully with their money, were also spending a dinner or a drink out of reciprocity.
Rather a backpacker around than a package tour tourist. Anytime!
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Old May 25, 2005, 11:11 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by alanR
because half of them are following the herd and don't see much of where they are travelling to, preferring to spend time with their mates getting drunk, high & laid.
Sounds like 90% of all travelers.
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Old May 25, 2005, 11:22 am
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Originally Posted by magexpect
Rather a backpacker around than a package tour tourist. Anytime!
The stigma works both ways. I've encountered way too many "backpackers" who have lectured me about "not getting the real experience" simply because I choose to stay in nice hotels/western owned chains/etc.

Experiencing a new country is not about how much you spend, but about what you do when you're there.
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Old May 25, 2005, 12:32 pm
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The risk is very much that you hang out with other people from the same country in areas where things are geared to tourists and never see the REAL country you've gone to visit. I much prefer to stay off the beaten track for the most part and do my own thing; you get to see more and experience more that way.

5 or so years ago my parents (in their late 50s) were backpacking around SE Asia and I flew out to Malaysia to meet them. They arrived at the 5-star resort we were staying at a few hours before I was due to arrive in their shorts, tshirts, sandals and backpacks looking a little disheveled after a trip to the highlands for a few days. The doorman looked slightly aghast apparently and the concierge asked them if they had the right place. Once told they definitely did have the right place he switched in to full on ...-kissing mode to make up for it.
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Old May 25, 2005, 12:48 pm
  #21  
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My only "true" backpacking was a one-month tour of Europe in '93. The traditional trip with some college buddies, where those three items listed above were very high on the priority list. We tried to be cool, not go "ugly American" on anyone, and actually took showers, but still...we pretty much hooked up with the backpacker crowd in every city.

I'm laughing now, just thinking about it. We all thought the Pink Palace in Corfu was the holy grail of five-star accommodation. We thought Prague was soooo twenty minutes ago, but Budapest was hip, cool, and unspoiled. None of us remember a damn thing about Amsterdam, but we were there for about 24 hours.

The first week of our month-long trip was well planned. After that, we would just head to the nearest train station at midnight or so and see what was going where. Lots of random, on-the-fly decisions based on where the overnight trains were going. I still keep in touch with a couple of people we met on that trip - one in Rome, one in Munich, and one in Budapest.

Wonderful memories - and yeah, I can totally see why both locals and more "mature" travelers are somewhat turned off by the backpacking "scene".

As for the pack itself, it's still the way I travel. Much better than other forms of luggage for a longer trip. My wife and I have done several of our long trips exclusively with backpacks, but when we're checking into a Hilton on an ALON or a Marriott on an 087 award, it's hard to say "We're backpackers" with a straight face.
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Old May 25, 2005, 1:14 pm
  #22  
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i've gone backpacking and at least made it a priority to shower once a day, usually at night.

I always have a beer in my hand as well though
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Old May 25, 2005, 2:12 pm
  #23  
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I think its important to point out that just because uses a backpack, it does not necessarily make him a "backpacker" in the context we are using here. Similar things could be said for those using skate/snow boards and not necessarily members of the skateboarder or snowboarder culture. I think "backpacker" is more a culture/style of travelling and it has little to do with the method by which one actually transports their belongings.

My experiences with backpackers indicates that they treat the places they are visiting like a zoo, rather than an amusement park. They choose to sit back (with fellow backpackers) and just look at the country and the culture, rather than actually participate in it.

I took one of the basic 3 day, $20 backpacker bus excursions in Asia with a friend of mine. The interesting thing is that my friend, who lives in the U.S. now, was originally from the country we were visiting. I was just expecting that the others on the trip would be interested in talking to him about the country and the culture. Afterall, they were there to learn, experience and ingest the country, were they not? But, much to my surprise, he didn't get a single question - or barely even a conversation - from any of them. They were just there to drink and watch the country pass them by.

Kind of left a sour taste in my mount WRT the backpacker culture.
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Old May 25, 2005, 2:21 pm
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isnt the point of backpacking to see the world and explore, not what is seems to becoming. a "group" kinda like a packaged tour? is it just the same thing as packaged tours are to older travelers? they explore with like aged people, so do backpackers. i also keep in touch with some people i have met along the way. i worked out at mount rushmore for a summer a couple years ago, and met so many people. estonia, prague, latvia, lithuania, ireland, poland etc etc etc. when the summer was up, i brought two lephrachauns (there term) to visit my hometown. last year i made a pitstop on my "backpacking" vacation to stay at their family home in northern ireland. they lived right on the sea. amazing. i lived like they did for a couple days which was excellent. where they work, school, church, dinner at their house. it felt like i was a circus show. being from up nort' my accent made them laugh hyserically. we had gone out to the pub one night, and taught them a thing or two about drinking. dont forget its packer and miller country in grb. i have a place to stay pretty much where ever i go. looking to take my friend in estonia up on her offer.
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Old May 25, 2005, 2:35 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by whirledtraveler
I agree. The only stigma that backpackers have, in my opinion, is that they are usually the first ones eaten in horror movies.


My brother was a stereotypical backpacker (for a few weeks at least) and went off to Kenya for an expedition, he had did a lot of good work (helped build a school) and also climbed Mt Kenya. I was happy to look at his photos and hear him tell me stories. While I'd be happy to help with all the good work I can't stand camping or living out of a rucksack...while most of my friends from school filled a 65litre rucksack and caught a flight to Australia, I went to New York for five days!
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Old May 25, 2005, 3:46 pm
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The problem when you paint with too broad a brush

As a former (and perhaps future) backpacker, I'd say backpackers generally see more things off the beaten track than better-healed travelers do. But there can be a group mentality at times. There are plenty of exceptions in both backpacker and non-backpacker group of course. I think the stereotype that the OP's book was referring to was that backpackers are *generally* younger, more budget-minded, louder, more likely to imbibe to excess, etc. But they're often more likely to engage the "real" people in developing countries. Altho there is certainly some behavior the world could do w/o, I'd have to say 3 cheers for backpackers. jib
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Old May 25, 2005, 3:58 pm
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I bought a Kelty

^
Originally Posted by travelnutz
Somehwhat OT: What brand of backpacks do you guys use? What do I look for in a backpack? Of course, I am not talking about those school backpacks.
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Old May 25, 2005, 8:31 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by thelostshark
I think the stereotype that the OP's book was referring to was that backpackers are *generally* younger, more budget-minded, louder, more likely to imbibe to excess, etc.
IOW: Backpacker = Stoned Slacker
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Old May 25, 2005, 9:18 pm
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Originally Posted by whirledtraveler
I agree. The only stigma that backpackers have, in my opinion, is that they are usually the first ones eaten in horror movies.
So what you're saying is that if I find myself in a graveyard at midnight and the ravenous zombies are rising from the grave, I'd better hope there's a backpacker nearby? Bummer...there's never one around when you need one.
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Old May 25, 2005, 9:45 pm
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I'm an older "backpacker" turning 25 in a couple weeks. I've got a well paying job and I could afford to travel staying in hotels, hiring taxis, and renting cars but I make a conscious effort not to for several reasons. One, I like to travel alone so staying in a hostel allows me to meet other travelers. Also, being thrifty with my expenditures allows me to enjoy my experience for much longer than your typical tourist.

I disagree with the description of backpackers as a homogenous group of drunken stoners. While we do tend to meet up at hostels at night and head off to the pubs, in the morning most people will scatter like bugs into their individual directions. We aren't sitting poolside getting served drinks by the "locals" instead we are riding public transport and truly experiencing a culture.

I'm addicted to travel, and backpacking allows me to book a last minute fare, throw some junk in a bag, and head out the door worry-free. It's the only way to travel for me. I've met plenty of fellow backpackers/hostel dwellers well into much older adulthood. I'll probably be like that someday.
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