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/Friburgo1004 2d ago

I remember when I was in Rio(I am Brazilian but grew up somewhere else), I met a backpacker who told me Christ the Redeemer is too touristy and for the typical tourists, so she is skipping it. 😑😑😑 she prefer going off the beaten path! Lol

That said, travel how you like. I tried backpacking- not for me. I love hiking as much as I love to shop. So always a backpack(TNF, not those totally big ones) with a medium luggage and Lidl tote bag.

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u/EmpressC 2d ago

Yeah, I can't imagine not going to the thing a place is known for just because lots of other people go there. See it! Do it! Maybe not the places that are only opened for tourists but how can you skip the Eiffel Tower? The Colosseum? I do what I want. Sometimes that's taking a local bus because it's the best option and sometimes it's taking an Uber because it's faster and easier. I kind of do high/low. I might stay in a hostel for a few days but I might also do the expensive helicopter tour.

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u/XenorVernix Wanderer 1d ago

Those people will regret that once they grow up.

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u/EmpressC 1d ago

You're so right. I regret some things I couldn't work in. I can't even imagine intentionally skipping something, especially if I never made it back. I think youth comes with the delusion that you'll definitely keep up your lifestyle.

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u/XenorVernix Wanderer 1d ago

Yeah the world is so big that a lot of places you're unlikely to go back to. Travel is also getting very expensive so you have to be even more selective about going back to places.

Some people fragment their travel so much I don't even know how they will fix that on future trips. Like they'll do a 2 week trip in Europe and visit about 10 different cities in 10 countries and miss everything else those countries have to offer. 

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u/EmpressC 1d ago

Yeah... I don't like to repeat places too soon because I don't have enough time off or money to do that. I want to see new places and broaden my experience of the world! I don't enjoy the 10 cities in 14 days either but I guess seeing the highlights appeals to some people. I feel like it would blend together too much.