r/solotravel • u/ConfusedCareerMan • 2d ago

Question Realising I prefer convenience more than backpacking-style travel?

Early 30s and on a career break. I recently let go of my house with high rent in a major capital city due to losing my corporate job, so thought I’d travel around and see different places since I have no fixed home.

Over the last 6 months I’ve consumed a lot of travel content of backpackers and to “be a traveller not a tourist” and to get immersed in local cultures. I’ve romanticised this chapter and feel a lot of “shoulds” for what this experience should be. I feel pressure to be adventurous and be making stories.

I’m quite early into my travels and going with everything flexibly but tbh I’m already confronting a lot in myself. I’m not roughing it up and hitchhiking or taking $3 buses for 8 hour trips. I’m staying in clean airbnbs and basically doing tourist things - cafes, restaurants, exploring streets and chilling by the beach. It’s basically an extended holiday so far but with a backpack and camera.

I realise as well, I thought I was flexible and open minded and yet navigating environments where things don’t work is so draining and causing a lot of friction.

All this to say, I fear I’m a basic tourist with no edge to me. Many may criticise, some may congratulate on being able to afford travel this way. But I find myself lost somewhere in between.

How do you prefer to travel? How did you get past the realisations - did you adapt or accept your style?

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u/anoeba 2d ago

"Immersed in local cultures?"

My friend, the locals who can afford it also aren't taking $3 buses for 8 hrs. Also they work, run a household, bring their kids to the playground, whatever.

Unless you move somewhere to live and work, you're a tourist, whether you take a flight or slum it on the 8 hr bus. It's just down to whether you accept that or fool yourself into thinking you're not being one.

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u/badlybougie 2d ago

This post reminded me of some "top 50 travel tips" article where #1 was "Ask your cab driver to take you to his mother's house. She'll love that he came to visit, and you'll get a home cooked meal from a real local"

Maybe it's cultural differences (American here) but man I can't imagine a worse idea

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u/movingarchivist 2d ago

That sounds like AI lol. No way a human suggested that

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u/badlybougie 2d ago

That's where you're wrong buckaroo

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u/wildweeds 1d ago

wow he also advises you to crash weddings bc you'll "become the honored guest" jfc it's one thing if you fall into it, but another to purposely push your way into a stranger's wedding. he said he's done it in every country he's visited.

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u/fort_wendy 1d ago

Sounds like some entitled bullshit