by Allan Taylor

Created on: April 29, 2008

On Backpacking

Backpacking around the globe is a great adventure for the participants. I am sure in aggregate it is an important factor in promoting world peace and understanding between differing cultures. In short, backpacking is a good thing and should be encouraged by all governments and authorities, down to city council level.

My backpacking experience covers a period of 50 years, mainly through Latin America, Southern Africa and Australasia. Here are a few thoughts that I would like to share with you.

AGE: My observations, from staying at backpackers, is that there are two predominant age groups. Firstly there are the young adventurers, let's say from 18 to 25 years old, who are exploring the world for the first time and who are wonderful people. They have got off their backsides and have decided to experience the world at first hand, rather than become media addicts at home and soak up often distort and false viewpoints.

They may be Americans, Germans, Japanese, Israelis, Australians or whatever. Some may be straight from school or having a GAP year, or have graduated from University, or have just "taken off" for it's in the blood to travel.

Oh what you can learn from them! Talk to them and discuss their aspirations, worries, where they have been and where they are heading for next. The latter is important for you to gain information and share your knowledge. What are the hazards ahead? Where is a good place to stay or to avoid. Backpackers by virtue of their traveling accumulate a great store of valuable information which eventually is condensed into the various travel guide books that we all use.

The young backpackers I have found always to be polite to the "oldies" for they quickly realize that they have been there and done that. This is the second group which deserves characterizing as the age period between 25 and say 50 is when most people settle down and raise a family and so do not travel so much. From about 60 years onwards many men and women are on their own (for various reasons) and decide to travel. Backpacking is an obvious choice to do this economically.

You can't be too old to be a backpacker. A few years ago I booked into a backpacker hostel in the beautiful tourist town of Antigua Guatemala. The young girl at the desk looked at my passport and said, "Wow, you've beaten the record of being our oldest backpacker (which previously was 42) You can have a free Mozo beer! At 72 years, I am sure your record will last a long time."

Should one travel

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