Now that backpacking has become a thing, (because it is now a thing), I can use this term in a context that people will understand. It's the concept of grabbing a big backpack, throwing enough clothes in it to last a significant amount of time, and setting out to live on the go, while traveling to as many different cities or locations as possible in a limited amount of time. Maybe about 20 years ago, this term did not exist and it wasn't as familiar of a concept. Now it is a new trendy, budget-friendly adventure, so I joined the bandwagon and grabbed my traveling backpack to go explore. I soon realized that although this form of low-cost, spontaneous planning, and carefree traveling is fun, it also comes with its downsides. I will list some common struggles backpackers may encounter.
1. Overestimating how much time you have to catch transportation... and then missing transportation.
I had this happen to me while I was laying on the beach in Barcelona and had a bus to catch. The weather was perfect and the sound of the waves was soothing. It felt like one of those perfect moments you didn't want to end. I thought five more minutes couldn't hurt. And another five... and five more... Next thing I knew I was running after the bus that was pulling out of the station.
2. Spending way more money than you planned and running out.
As a backpacker, you plan on spending less money than you typically would in another form of travel, so you set a budget. You stay in cheap accommodations such as hostels and find cheap transportation like night buses. However, when traveling, it is easy to underestimate how much money you will actually spend. Your budget tends to increase when you want to try different local foods and wines and when you buy souvenirs.
3. Leaving something behind in your previous location.
Water bottles, towels, souvenirs, underwear... you name it; it was probably left behind at some point. The constant need to unpack and repack in so many different places leads to difficulties in managing all of the essentials.
4. When your phone battery gets too low and dies at a point when you need it the most.
I charge my phone fairly often, so it still surprises me how coincidentally whenever I enter a new city and am using GoogleMaps to get to my hostel (during a time when I need technology the most), my phone seems to go to low battery and dies.
5. Having a lack of sleep.
You party all night and then wake up early to join a free walking tour or to spend a day seeing the sights. You want to have the best of both worlds and take advantage of the perks of traveling to a new place; the daily touristic views and the nightlife scene. There is not enough time for everything, so the logical thing is to sacrifice sleep.
6. Not checking the weather beforehand and packing the wrong things.
Rarely do backpackers actually check the weather of the place they're going to beforehand. This, however, is very important because you never know when it will rain or how hot or cold it will be.
7. Not booking ahead for transportation and accommodations, and then paying more.
It is way more fun and exciting to "wing it" and act spontaneously when planning the next destination on a backpacking trip. There is adventure in the unknown, but at the same time, the flexibility of last-minute planning leaves you dependent on options that are higher priced. This can be a problem for your wallet if you are on a backpacking budget (see #2.)
8. Doing laundry.
This is one of the biggest struggles for backpackers because it is one that is highly necessary (after stuffing a bunch of clothes in a bag and needing to repeat outfits) but also inconvenient. Typically, hostels charge a fee for using a washing machine (see #2 again) and there is a wait to use them, but the worst part is when you do finally wash your clothes and hang them up outside to dry, and then it either rains or the weather gets cold at night and leaves your clothes wet the next day.
9. Getting caught in a tourist scam.
If you are backpacking to touristy locations, you will likely be a target of locals and business owners looking to take advantage of naive travelers. Whether it's paying too much for a taxi or getting ripped off at a currency exchange, it is not always easy to realize when you are getting ripped off.
