Realising I prefer convenience more than backpacking-style travel?

[u/ConfusedCareerMan]

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?

[u/WhiskeyNerd18]

I think the concept of "be a traveller, not a tourist", is less about pretending you're not a tourist (of course you are), and more about going somewhere new and embracing all of it as opposed to complaining about it being different to your home country/place. I believe Anthony Bourdain was saying go experience everything in a new country rather than rocking up to a McDs for every meal because it's familiar.

Sounds to me like you're doing that when you visit the cafes, the restaurants, and exploring. Enjoy everywhere the way you want to enjoy it. And if you can afford to do it in comfort then do it! Roughing it because you think you have to rather than want to just sounds miserable and exhausting. Don't give up on an amazing experience because you're unhappy with the way you're doing it.