Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash
I’ve written tons of times about my various backpacking “misadventures” - I put that in quotes because those mishaps were really opportunities in disguise -, and I don’t think I need to go through them again.
What I think I need to discuss with you is the way that the lessons I learned through these “setbacks” allowed me to become a stronger and more mindful human being.
Challenges in backpacking are guaranteed, as they are in life. So my advice to everyone going backpacking is to respect the process, and appreciate the small stuff that you experience throughout your journey.
With that said, I’m going to discuss a few tips that I learned throughout my backpacking journey that helped me in life.
Whether you’re brand new to backpacking, or you’ve been doing it for years, it’s nice to know that your time abroad isn’t just about having fun. It’s about learning lessons that are transferable and applicable to every part of your life.
Here are some of the enlightenments - ones that allow you to become a wiser and more respectable human being - that traveling imparts onto you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff - Because It’s All Small Stuff
One thing I realized when I went backpacking for my first time in 2019 is how challenging it is to be alone in a foreign country where you don’t know the language, customs, or… anything really.
You don’t know where your hostel or Airbnb is when you first arrive, you have no idea whether the city has Uber, public transit, or taxis - some cities do and others don’t -, and everytime you switch cities or countries, you start from scratch.
It’s one thing when you book a vacation to a single destination (i.e. a hotel or resort), but it’s a whole other beast to go backpacking across an entire continent.
There’s a lot of improvisation involved since backpacking is very much off the cuff. You REALLY have to trust your gut and listen to your intuition, so you’re bound to make mistakes.
This fear and anxiety of making errors is something I personally struggle with - not just in backpacking, but in life. It’s almost like an OCD for decision making.
I tend to ruminate forever, trying to determine the right decision, only to realize that there is no right decision. This indecisiveness gets even worse when it comes to big decisions - ones that matter -, since the stakes feel like life or death.
Nowhere is this more relevant (well perhaps somewhere it is, but still) than when you’re backpacking - solo - across the world. You feel like the slightest error might cause you to wind up in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service, transportation, food, or civilization.
But you know what? When you embrace uncertainty, it becomes easier to accept it - and not stress out.
When I went backpacking, I remember being - understandably - nervous, and the moment I got on the plane, my anxiety disappeared.
Instead, excitement took its place - I started to embrace each day, and go with the flow.
It didn’t matter whether I went to the “wrong place”, took a “false turn”, or missed my flight or train. All that mattered was that I was having fun. No matter what happened, I could deal with it.
Mistakes and challenges are a part of life. Regardless of your decisions, there are no perfect outcomes. Sure, one can try to predict the future, and at the end of the day, we don’t know what’ll happen.
Backpacking helps you conquer anxiety by reminding you that there are no perfect outcomes, and that you’re - quote-on-quote - screwed no matter what you decide to do.
So whatever you decide - be it in regards to what city or country you’re going to visit, your plans for the day, what flights or trains you’re going to take, what you’re going to eat, etc. -, trust that you’re going to be fine - most likely.
And even when something does happen - like when I got stuck in the desert for almost 24 hours -, you’ll be surprised at how well you handle it.
Because when you’re in the thick of a challenge, and there are a handful of options at your disposal - with none of them being ideal -, you learn to accept things as they are.
When things go wrong, you learn what you’re capable of.
Don’t believe me? Go backpacking - you’ll be amazed at your courage and wisdom in the face of adversity.
2. Be Independent
Photo by Anthony Tori on Unsplash
This one’s self-explanatory.
When backpacking solo, you’re responsible for making decisions.
This includes figuring out accommodations, transportation, itinerary, and food (i.e. deciding what lodgings, foodstuffs, and transportation services you’ll be using).
If you’re young, then backpacking solo is a great entry point to adulthood.
Speaking of managing your destiny, you’re also in charge of…
3. Managing Your Finances
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Because let’s face it, when backpacking on a budget, your finances are limited - by choice.
You want to be deliberate about where your money goes so that you spend it on experiences you want to undergo.
So one thing backpacking teaches you - regardless of age - is how to manage your finances.
This skill is valuable because knowing how to live below your means - even if you’re rich - is crucial to wealth accumulation and maintenance.
The moment you decide you want to go backpacking, you’ll want to create a spending plan - more commonly known as a budget -, and allocate money towards specific experiences you want to encounter.
Throughout your trip, you’ll stick to the plan, and if you deviate from it, then you’ll borrow money from another branch that cash was allocated towards.
Financial planning teaches you discipline, and the regulation of financial preparation and coordination is valuable in life - be it at work, in your business, or when you’re at home, wondering whether to order pizza.
When you run into challenges with your finances, you’ll glean the following lesson:
4. Being Resourceful & Calm In The Face of Challenges & Adversity
Throughout your travels, you’ll run into predicaments; it’ll feel like the end of the world.
But it’s not.
When you feel like life is over, it’s because of stress.
Take deep breaths and inventory of your surroundings as well as resources.
Backpacking teaches you how to address challenges in a calm, stoic manner while honouring their existence. You need to overcome them.
This attitude helps you come up with creative solutions to obstacles. After all, it’s hard to be clever or innovative when you’re stressed.
Since backpacking is a high stakes activity - you’re traveling from city to city, country to country, taking different modes of transportation i.e. airplanes, trains, Ubers, taxis, bikes, scooters, hiking up hills and mountains, interacting with strangers, visiting off-the-beaten-path destinations. -, it’s effective at training you in this skill.
You could get lost, robbed, injured, or mugged as well as fall off a cliff or mountain, get stuck in the desert - with no water, cell phone service, or wifi -, or have your credit / debit cards blocked… the list is endless.
Some of these things will happen.
But it’s how you respond to them that determines your fate.
So the calmer your response, the more chances you’ll have, not just of making it out alive, but also of having fun.
And because backpacking forces you to collide with challenges on a daily basis, you build up resilience.
The problem solving skills & muscles that you develop while learning to respond to obstacles in a quick, decisive, efficient and resourceful manner are essential when backpacking - and in life.
This brings us to…
5. Trusting The Process (Rather Than Focusing on the Destination)
Photo by DJ Johnson on Unsplash
Of course we want to experience our target sites, cities, countries, and attractions. Why else go backpacking? To enjoy the in-between train rides, flights, and moments that don’t add up to much?
Well therein lies the problem: our assumptions about what we feel these intermediate moments represent.
Because they don’t add up to nothing; as a matter of fact, they are some of the most crucial experiences we’ll encounter on our backpacking journeys.
All those intercity or intercountry train rides, flights, and drives are some of the most memorable, and contemplative experiences one’ll have.
Not only do they bestow gorgeous views - particularly if you purchase a Eurail Pass, which’ll allow you to witness STUNNING sights (I got to see The French Riviera, the Italian, Swiss, and German Alps, and much more throughout my train rides thanks to it) for heavily discounted prices -, but they provide you with an opportunity to relax, and reflect on your travels.
The skills of self-reflection, presence, and enjoying the process are useful because they teach us to appreciate small wins - the ones we often take for granted.
Remember: the lessons are in the journey; not the destination.
6. How To Build Relationships
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
And finally, even if you’re backpacking solo, you’ll learn how to forge connections.
Because knowing how to communicate - even for small stuff, i.e. asking for directions, inquiring about washroom whereabouts, figuring out what to eat or what activities to partake in - is essential.
It gets funner when you don’t speak the language, and aren’t aware of local customs.
On a more intricate level, you might need to interact with hostelmates, either for simple stuff - i.e. if you’re sharing a dorm and need some advice about where to put your luggage -, or for more complex reasons, like getting together to travel in a group, playing games in the common room, or for figuring out who stole your laptop, which happened to a roommate of mine in Paris.
Either way, you’ll need social skills to a) have a good time, and b) to survive, stay safe, and rely on others for support. Remember, no man is an island. Even when you’re traveling solo, it’s beneficial to know how to interact with people.
Because backpacking necessitates social interactions (for the aforementioned reasons), you have no choice but to get good at them. And since social interactions are a part of life (be it at work, in your business, or with your friends, family, and social circles), backpacking is a great way to sharpen your communication skills.
In short, the necessities of backpacking require you to foster interconnections with people, which in turn lead you to develop social skills in everyday life.
As a matter of fact, backpacking provides opportunities not just for casual relationships, but for networking, be it if you’re an entrepreneur, artist, digital nomad, or someone looking to schmooze. You never know who you’re going to meet!
That does it for this article. I hope you got something from it. Our goal is to encourage learning, and practicality through our advice.
If you don’t find value in this post, then bye.
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This blog is about more than excelling on your backpacking journey. It’s about your voyage to become an increasingly better human being.
Until next time; stay resilient out there.