My first personal exposure to backpacking was at 14 when I was in Europe with my family. We traveled in France, Italy and Switzerland and slept in hostels. But I kind of forgot about the experience until I got to University. It all came back to me after getting accepted to study abroad for a semester. Living in a different country and being in such close proximity to other European countries, I began to go on weekend trips. Every week-end, I’d be in a different city. It was great! From road trips, I moved on to backpacking during spring break and then at the end of my semester, I backpacked through Spain, Portugal and Morocco for about one month a half. So guess what happened when I got back home? Yeah… I wanted to leave again! Got that right. So from there, I left to study abroad for another semester but wanted to go somewhere different so Mexico was my choice of destination. After that was done, guess what? I wanted to experience something else! So I head to Asia for a month… and then Argentina.. and then Brasil… and it just never ends because I keep on wanting more and more. And what I found adventurous 5 years ago is no longer adventurous for me now so I keep on taking it to the next step.   

Michoacan, Mexico

The thing is that you don’t necessarily think about becoming a backpacker. It just happens. It begins with personality and character. You need to have an interest in traveling and the willingness to go out there and explore. Once you reach that point, you live, you learn, you meet people and you’ll always want to take it one step further. You start off with a regular small trip to Europe for example. Then you start getting bored of Europe so you’ll head to South America. Once you get a glimpse of South America, you’ll head to Asia next. From one week, you’ll want to travel 2 or 3 or 4 weeks. Then you’ll look for a job abroad to experience living abroad for a few months or years. It’s like learning how to walk. You start by taking one step, then another, then another and guess what? Then, you’ll realize you’re a backpacker, without knowing how you turned into one! It’s an awesome feeling!

Any other backpackers want to share their experiences?

As an experienced backpacker, I would suggest you stick to a place or region or country you are already familiar with. I don’t necessarily mean a place you traveled to but at least that you can relate to. But if that would make you feel more confident about yourself, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Otherwise, you can pick a country based on cultural similarities, knowledge of the language and overall familiarity of the country. A country that you know about and that’s not too high on the radar for dangerous places to travel to!

Most common places to backpack include North America, Western Europe, SouthEast Asia and Australia. These places are safe and most people can relate to them. So how about go to Thailand for a few weeks? Or Spain and Portugal? You have more than enough countries to pick in the world. So stick to select a country you want to visit and would feel comfortable backpacking in. You can do it!

Do however pick a destination based on:

• Your budget: If you want to have a good first experience, pick a destination you can afford! Don’t plan a trip to Australia if you’re poor because it will cost you! So the first step would be to figure out how much you want to spend. Once you have a budget, you can pick a destination that you can afford!
• Season: People…. most common mistake I see around me is the following. It’s a cold month of January and people from Canada want to escape from the cold so they book a trip to Cuba. If you want bad weather on your trip, you’re asking for it! So if you really want to enjoy your first backpacking trip in Asia, go during the months of December to February. If you plan on going to Europe, go anytime from spring to fall. Pick a destination that is suitable for the months you want to travel. Very important if you want to get the most out of it!
• Research or Word of Mouth: Personally, I pick my destinations through the experiences and stories of backpackers I hear on the road. People who have visited the countries you plan to go to will give you the most accurate information and tip. If you don’t have any backpacker friends, you can join online forums such as on Lonely Planet. Reading personal blogs is another great way to know what to expect from traveling to a country.

Watch the crowd

Be aware of your surrounding by constantly keeping a close eye on your bags, the people around you, and avoid getting rubbed against from anyone. I find people who are to close and who happen to be keeping a close eye on you or suddenly bump into you, are up to no good.
When I was living in Dublin, Ireland there was a moment in a shoe store, were I thought this lady was keeping a close eye on me, but I just assumed that she just knew I was tourist. However, once I put my purse down to try a pair of shoes on she quickly grabbed my bag and ran. I started running after her, but the store security guard grabbed me and mentioned to not even bother chasing her. I found out last that night that often tourists will chase the individual and get stabbed or over all get badly hurt. So I quickly learned my lesson, trust your gut and keep you eyes wide open at all times.

Carry a safety device

Before I left for my first big backpacking adventure my father got me a personal alarm. It was not like any regular alarm. This thing made one hell of a noise if you pull on the trigger. It’s a small square shape device, with a hand held string attached to it. If you pull the string fairly hard the device will literally scream and blow your ear drums, trust me its loud. I once by mistake pulled the string on a train and I swear everyone on the train was not only staring at me, but they were all covering their ears tightly. I think it’s a perfect device for solo women backpackers, who need a safely net.

Avoid showing your money

So this really goes for any backpacker, never show your money out in the public eye. Even if it’s only a few bills, you will have those few individuals staring and thinking of ways to take advantage of the situation. Try to bring your money out in front of a clerk or somewhere safe, where you know people can’t see you.

Ladies don’t bring Bling

So yes, there will be times you want to look good for going out on the town and hitting up a few bars/clubs, but trust me wearing jewelry is not worth it. A thief can easily injure you from pulling at your necklace from your throat or even grabbing your arm to get a bracelet. If they want that item that you are wearing, oh they will get it some way or another. I find, wearing something simple but pretty with no jewelry is the best way to avoid any of that trouble. Plus when backpacking we never look as good as we can. Its just part of the adventure.

So these are just a few easy tips to know, but over all just be smart when you backpack. If you are aware of your surroundings and know how to carry yourself well….well you should be just fine.

Being a backpacker is really wanting to be free and creating your own adventures. However, you need to have it in you in order to get the freedom you want because really most individuals are scared to travel solo or to travel to another country at all.

Beijing, 2007

You must be a free-spirit individual who can take any occasion and turn it into an eventful one. Since backpacking is really about creating stories and discovering new things. A backpacker is also someone who stays in hostels – the cheapest ones, budgets everything including food, and takes the cheapest transportation paths. Now all backpackers have different styles, but really this summons it up in who we are. We are missing one thing though; we have an obsession in stumbling over to country to country and never getting bored of adventures.

San Fran, 2006

My backpacking love, started when I traveled Europe for a year in 2005. I traveled with a good friend for a month, lived in Ireland for about three months, and traveled solo for the remaining. Now, most people and even backpackers thought I was crazy in traveling as a solo-women traveler. Yes, there were moments I was freaked out and had to make quick, smart decisions, but really they made my adventures more interesting. I explored new places, party when I wanted to, met lots of people in whom are great friends to this day. Out of that entire year I traveled 17 countries in Europe including a little hike over to Morocco, Africa. It was a year of amazing adventures especially for an 18 year old who just left high school. I was young, but eager to create my own experiences, and still has not stop. Every year I now take a backpacking trip to somewhere in the world.

Border of Chile & Argentina, 2009

So why become a backpacker, while when reality hits and the day to day job can be a little boring, why not spice it up a little? Grab your backpack, book a flight and find yourself in another country. Trust me once you start you will never want to stop. Plus life is to short, so make the most of it!

Even though I live in Canada I am not much of Canadian who loves the cold, snowy weather. I rather sit on a beach and sink my toes in the hot sand. Yet, I would love to travel to Nepal. As one of the hot spots for 2010, climbing the Annapurna Circuit and making a hike over to Mount Everest Base Camp is the new backpacker adventure. I would say wouldn’t it be great to check off the Himalayans off your list.

While I was traveling China in 2007, I met tones of backpackers who did the Siberian train, from Beijing to Moscow, Russia. I would love to do this route. This year traveling by train to Mongolia is a new hot spot. For the last few years Mongolia has become more accessible for backpackers to wander off to. This country is fast with little amount of people living there, which is why the landscape is incredible. This country goes from desert for miles to mountains in the north.  An adventure on the path of Ghenghis Khan would be an amazing experience, since very little individuals have climbed over to this country for centuries.

A friend of mine took an adventure over to Madagascar last year and mention… “ Nara this is a must 2010 trip for you.”  Only a handful of backpackers take this path and actually explore this place. So this year I say take a hike over here… I might see you there!!! Madagascar is so fast with landscape it is seems unreal. From trekking over mountains, adventuring exotic rainforests, laying in deep sand in the desert, to getting lost in one of the most beautiful jungles in the world. It will be a place you will want to cross off your travel list for 2010.

Out of all my backpacking adventures I heard of little stories and adventures of individuals who travel to Iceland. Now, I can’t say I have this country on the top of my travel list, but I think it’s climbing there. Iceland is a magical place for those who enjoy hiking and outdoor activities. Glaciers, volcanoes, and snow-capped peaks are just a few of Iceland’s natural beauties. Plus this country is filled with a unique culture and traditions that no backpacker wouldn’t want to miss out on. Oh and did I mention that due to the economy, this country is inexpensive, so make the most of the cheap and active nightlife Iceland brings.

My father grew up in Kenya for a part of his childhood. So when I was little I would hear stories of lions wandering into tourist’s bedrooms due to the little knowledge that tourists had about the wildlife in Kenya. Yet after all these years and hearing stories like this I still haven’t backpacked Kenya. So I decided this is a year Kenya needs to be discovered in my books. A Safari tour is must, exploring Nairobi, and a hike over to Zanzibar (island) in Tanzania is must. Very little backpackers have even heard of Zanzibar. I would go check it out!!!

These are just a few places I think are the hot new paths to seek within your other adventures you might have 2010!

Qantas Airlines

All Australia’s know how to travel when using their leading airline. Quatas is a budget, low – cost airline that has many benefits. If you want to travel to a few countries and make it over to Australia, there is a very good chance you will get a free stop over somewhere. Yes, I said it FREE stop over! This is one reason why I love this airline, and not to mention it is safe!! You won’t feel like are going on a 6 pillar, 2 seater aircraft.

Cathay Pacific

I hear from friends how strict the Cathay Pacific airline crew is, but also how efficient they perform. Hong Kong world known, most prestigious airline is a five star rating. But, since we are backpackers this airline can be a little expensive, however if you are taking a long journey over to Asia I say take this airline!

Singapore Airlines

Booking last minute and looking for something cheap, this is one to pick. It also has the best quality, food, and friendly attendants. Yup, I said food. You maybe surprised but it’s true Singapore airlines has amazing food!!!! I am not one for plane food, well like most people but I like this plane food.

British Airlines

I have always loved the classy feeling of leather seats. It sounds funny, but really I feel more high class. So the reason why I picked this airline is because every year they try to reach their reputation to the top five, no matter how many crazy marketing ideas they try. It is funny, but it’s true. However, this airline is safe, comfortable, friendly , so really I would choose this airline to reach your destination in Europe.

I only picked four, but really what other better airlines are out there. These airlines can be a little picky in regards to the price, but they are safe and before we backpack we do need to reach our destination!!

Don’t annoy the people sleeping in your dorm

Sleeping in hostels means sharing your room with other backpackers. This can range anywhere between 4 to 12 people per room, on average. So if you want to go out partying late, that’s fine… but don’t puke, yell, fart, snore and bump into everything when entering the room if your fellow backpacker friends are already sound asleep! One really important rule, never turn a bright light on when it’s the middle of the night!! As a backpacker I would try hard to keep quite because when it comes to you sleeping and others making a rack it, its very annoying.

Don’t Use All the Space in the Hostel’s Kitchen

Most hostels allow backpackers to cook in a common kitchen. This being said, that means you’ll be sharing counter space as well as the stove and fridge with fellow backpackers so don’t use up all the space. DO share! Oh… and please don’t cook something that will smell up the entire room! Also when it comes to shopping and putting food in the fridge;don’t take  all the space. Oh and I almost forgot to mention, make sure you know how to cook and not burn!!! Trust me people don’t like the smelly burnt smoke air.

Don’t try to pick up a local if you haven’t showered

Showering is an option when you are a backpacker traveling in remote places. However, if you plan on picking up some good-looking local at a bar, do make sure shower. I’m sure no local will appreciate talking to a stinky backpacker.. you’ll miss out! Greasy hair and shoes with holes in them is not attractive, plus we all know this. Cause when it comes to reality no one picks up looking like a dirty rag.

Don’t Trust too Easily

Backpacking is synonymous to adventure, partying, chilling, exploring and fun! This being said, you’ll be meeting lots of people- either local or tourists. So be smart. Don’t disclose pesonal information to random people. Don’t trust people too easily. Do use your judgement! If you have a bad feeling about something or someone, go with your gut feeling because you are most probably right.

Don’t Overpack

Backpacking means traveling light. There is not need to have 10 tops, 10 bottoms, 5 pairs of shoes, enough toothpaste for 6 months, etc…. pack only a few items of each, wash your clothes and refill your products regularly. As you travel, you will most probably buy local items so you want to make sure to have some space in your backpack. You can find whatever you run out of when you get back to a city. You’ll have to carry all the weight, so why not spare the back aches?

So these are only a few important things you shouldn’t do as a backpacker, but trust me once you start getting the hang of things, there are much more RULES!! It’s all about experiences and dealing with them at the moment.

Taking food from hostels to save it for lunch or dinner

While I backpacked, I didn’t want to spend that much money on food, since I rather put my money towards more important things. Therefore I would take the breakfast food from the hostels. Some hostels offered free breakfast and as a result I would snatch extra food to save it for lunch. I remember a moment in Luzerne, Switzerland where food is rather not on the cheap side, hence that is why  I took a few sandwiches from the hostel. As I was about to leave the hostel a lady with a very strong accent yelled at me complaining that I was stealing food. Consequently I got caught, but hey that was the only time out my backpacking year, not bad eh. So if a hostel offered bread for breakfast, I would scramble and take loads of it for my lunch and dinner. It was a very unhealthy diet, but it did the trick.

Taking toilet paper

In Europe washrooms don’t carry toilet paper and that’s in all washrooms.  Everywhere, you would have to make sure there was a roll of toilet paper in your bag. I would sometimes take a few rolls of toilet paper from the hostels to keep me going for a while because you don’t want to purchase a whole bag of toilet paper rolls and carry them around.

Taking towels

While I was in Europe, at times I would spend lots of occasions on the beach, bathing, relaxing, and swimming. I always had a towel on my journeys, but it was used for the shower, not a beach towel. Plus I didn’t want to carry around two towels it just made my backpack heavier. As a result I would take a beach towel from where ever.  For example when I was backpacking Morocco there was always time to hit up the beach. So I  always needed an extra towel. In Morocco I stayed in hotels, since it was fairly cheap and from each of the hotels, lets just say I would take a towel or so.

Lie about your age

Age is everything while you are traveling, well when it comes to getting in free to museums, activities, and major sites. If you are under the age of 19, most of the time you can acquire free entry into a lot of things. Most of time I would tell people that I am an international student and my age is 18, therefore free entry was always on my list.

Not taking a shower that often, when on the go

So yes, this must sound very unpleasant to you, but it is true. When you are a backpacker and jumping from one city to another, sleeping on trains or in train stations, and trying to see as much as possible well as a result there is very little occasions to take a shower. There were moments that I wouldn’t have time to shower in four-five days. This one rule you just don’t want to brag about. Smelly socks, dirty jackets, and rough hair often happened to me while I was backpacking. Once you got to your hostel, that was the very first thing to do, jump in the shower!!

Cleaning clothes in the shower or sink

Where else is the cheapest route to clean your clothes, then in the shower?! Yup, did it all the time. Well it was my only way to clean my clothes and have not to pay. I use to have a routine in cleaning my clothes. It sounds funny, but it’s true. I would clean my clothes at every other hostel and make sure I would have enough time to have them all dried before I was off to the next hostel.  I would scrub away with a bar of soap and rinse them while taking a shower to not waste time or money. Yup, you can say I was cheap, but guess what it did the trick!!!.. clean clothes I had. Yet, I did have this routine, but there were times when I didn’t have time to clean my clothes. For about a week in half I remember once, I was wearing dirty clothes over and over again. But don’t worry I did clean them eventually.

There are many things backpackers don’t talk about while traveling, but when money is tight and you are press for time, well you just gotta do what you have to do!!! Theses are my little do nots… what are yours?

From reading these blogs  I came to the conclusion that not even an experienced women traveler like myself should take the risk in traveling Egypt alone.  I received some great advice from fellow travelers who recommended taking a tour for young individuals whom are looking for an adventure. The top three tours that I found that grasped my attention were Gap Adventure, On The Go, and Peregrind Adventures. These three companies offer similar Egyptian tours with slight differences in the details.

Gap Adventures offers a tour for 17 days that discovers all of Egypt and Jordan.

This adventure starts in Cairo, which would highlight the pyramids of Giza   and the step pyramids  at Saqqara.  From there the tour goes to Aswan and includes a camel ride, a visit to a local historical Nubian village and explores the temple of Abu Simbel. The next few days involve sailing up the Nile to Luxor on a traditional egyptian felucca (sounds very relaxing). On day 9 a summit climb to the infamous Mount Sinai is on the schedule, with the following day including world renowned snorkelling in  the Red Sea. As the adventure crawls into Jordon, there is Wadi Rum, Petra, Madaba, and Amman to explore. The total of this tour is $1839 CAD, but there is $300 US local payment and food is not included.

On The Go has a tour, ‘ Road to Jordon’, which is also 17 days of traveling Egypt and Jordan. However, this tour covers the same cites and sites, but the catch with this tour is the food is included and there is no local payment like Gap Adventures. The cost is $1949 CAD. Food is really tricky in Egypt because our ‘westernized’ stomachs cannot handle a lot of their exotic dishes. The good thing about food being included is that the tour has already done the restaurant researching and rating for you. So they will only choose the best places to eat from. At the same time you won’t be offered the variability of choice as you would get from tours that don’t include food in the price. It all depends on your ‘taste’!

Peregrind Adventures is a little pricy for a backpacker like me, but it passes you through all the highlights that Gap Adventures does and also you get to explore Shobak and Jerash in Jordon. Meals are included with a price of $3295. The higher price just means a little more luxurious (includes 3+ star hotels) but come on… we are backpackers!

So out of these three tours, what one would you pick? I am leaning more towards Gap Adventures.  It seems to cover most of Jordon and  the main spots in Egypt that I am most interested in. It doesn’t include food but I am adventurous and am always on the prowl to try new things. It all depends on what you want to get out of the trip.  If you have any other tours that you would recommend, let me know!!!

As for looking into Croatia and Turkey, that will be my next mission. I’ll keep you posted on my findings.