Have you heard about people who love travelling with their rucksacks and scoring the economical travel options around places? They are called backpackers and their travel mode is called backpacking. Why do some people love backpacking and what\’s so great about it? Perhaps everything you own is on your back as a backpacker along with an incredible feeling of freedom. Backpacking requires a lot of research as backpackers do not depend on packaged tours. The research around food, local people and make a list of tourist spots. Most of them seek inspiration from travel websites, blogs. Some people just wonder why travellers love backpacking instead of conventional tour packages . Well, the answer is backpacking comes with numerous benefits.
- Personal time to reflect
You get the personal time to enjoy and marvel at the beauty of nature. Travel experience activates self-reflection with accompanying intense emotion.
- Better Perspective
We get so caught up with the obligations that we keep bouncing like a pinball on the stress board and forget to take a step back to look at the bigger picture. Backpacking is a way to look at the bigger picture. All you are left with is a beautiful landscape and a cocktail of endorphins and take yourself away from the daily clutter of your life. You could be weighed down with your loan payment or your boss is an idiot and your job is at stake- the list is endless. That\’s one way to perceive the situation and the other way could be you live in a world with iPhone and have got mineral water to drink…..so go backpacking!
- Learn something new
When you are travelling, you see new things and you will meet new people. Chances are these people have different stories and they have had their share of struggles. You are privileged to share a shelter or a campfire with these folks and learn from their experiences.
- Push you out of the comfort zone
Backpacking is a perfect way to get out of the fixed routine and explore something different. Embracing uncertainty and saying yes to challenges enables you to deal with the fear of failure. Its an ideal opportunity to push your limits. Backpacking is not ALWAYS easy and sometimes it will challenge you in many ways than one.
- Better Habits
What\’s our first motion when we wake up? Must be the phone for most of us, checking Facebook, Twitter, and email. Now that\’s definitely a bad lifestyle but it\’s so consistent in our routine that it’s difficult to break. Backpackers does not become part of this trap. A healthy routine of getting into the mountains, a couple of yoga exercises, or maybe some meditation brings peace in life. So if you are already battling with the cerebral circus, then go backpacking.
- Food
Food also forms an experience. Backpackers are able to learn about the food habit and culture which broadens their culinary knowledge. Traveling to different destinations opens the door to chill with locals and acquire knowledge and form firsthand experience.
- Meeting people
With backpacking, soon you realize you have friends from many different parts of the world. You get to meet people from different walks of life and that makes you a better person- less judgemental, open-minded, and see the best in everybody.
- Weather
There is a belief that weather affects your mind, some people are just grumpy in winter It\’s awesome to wake up in the morning with stunning sunshine, take a tour of the beach or eat some fresh fruit under the palm tree.
- Being Independent
Backpackers learn to make independent decisions and slowly you realize that you can do anything you want and set your mind to it. You stop depending on others or seeking input from others . Even if you take a wrong decision, you accept and move ahead and next time you will get there. The newfound view also makes you optimistic.
- Builds confidence
Backpacking also boosts confidence and gives a renewed perspective on life. No matter how much you plan, life brings those uncertainties, and trust me it\’s an amazing experience of not knowing what\’s coming. People really don\’t need any excuse to pack up. If you are feeling miserable or stressed then do something that\’s challenging. It’s Happy Backpacking!!