What I've learned from backpacking..

[*Touring Ted*]

I'm two months into a bike free backpacking trip in South East Asia. I purposely did this to experience backpacking as I started travel on a bike and have only travelled by bike, van, canoe etc. I wanted to see how its like not to have that instant freedom and self reliance.

So I'd like to share with you all my feelings of going from international motorcycle Overlanding to backpacking on buses, planes and trains.

IT'S SH*T....

DON'T DO IT...

That is all

Ted

[javkap]

Because you didn’t listen to me, I told you before

IT'S SH*T....

DON'T DO IT...

and That’s all

[tmotten]

Stop hanging out with 19 yo gap students taking dodgy buses mate. Start hitchhiking and think of more adventurous routes. Adventure will happen the same way.

[eurasiaoverland]

Yep, backpacking is a pain in the ass (unless going beyond road, trekking etc) and public transport is purgatory.

Hell, flying somewhere and moving from city to city on a train / bus has no appeal to me any more.

And taking your own vehicle is easy to do, usually doesn't cost much more...

EO

[chris]

Ted
I told you it'd be sh!te.

One thing I've learnt with age is to take advice. How long will it take you?

A particular problem of public transport is that it passes through public transport terminuses. Where does the pond life hang out in Liverpool? At the bus and train station.

On a m/c you would never go there.

[backofbeyond]

Not even a hint of schadenfreude in this post - honest

If you think it's bad now, with all the gap year teens wondering why their grandad's got on the bus with them, just wait until you get to my age. If you go backpacking with a few years on the clock, and on your own, people think there's something wrong with you, that you're homeless or something. As you've probably found, walking with a backpack attracts every nutter and chancer within miles - especially if you're a bit older and look as if you might have some money.

Bet you wish you'd left half the stuff in the sack behind now!

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by chris

Ted
I told you it'd be sh!te.

One thing I've learnt with age is to take advice. How long will it take you?

A particular problem of public transport is that it passes through public transport terminuses. Where does the pond life hang out in Liverpool? At the bus and train station.

On a m/c you would never go there.

That the biggest downer. You have to go where you'd never go. Seeing all the best stuff through a glass window disappearing behind you. Whilst jammed into a overcrowded tin box full of people who say"Awesome" a lot.. For hours on end. :/

[mark manley]

Originally Posted by chris

A particular problem of public transport is that it passes through public transport terminuses. Where does the pond life hang out in Liverpool? At the bus and train station.

On a m/c you would never go there.

Agree totally, when speaking to people who have been ripped off, robbed or had any sort of unpleasant experience it is usually at a bus or train station.

[*Touring Ted*]

Those who know me at all know that I never listen to good advice !!! Haha

I have to learn the hard way. But at least I know first hand.

After a couple of years working in a BMW/Touratwat dealership I came away bikeless to reinstall my passion. And its worked. I'm itching to get home, finish my XRL restoration and get into the trails of Spain and Morocco..

[mollydog]

Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*

After a couple of years working in a BMW/Touratwat dealership I came away bikeless to reinstall my passion. And its worked. I'm itching to get home, finish my XRL restoration and get into the trails of Spain and Morocco..

Are you still over there? I'd not head home quite yet. Why not switch modes and get on a rental bike and have a go?

I did this solo a couple times in Thailand, a bit in Cambodia as well. (rentals) Good times! AWESOME! (actually!)

After all, you've blown the money on air fare ... why not make the most of it? I used one of my expired Passports for rentals ... and any case, not ALL rental places demand a Passport. (there are alternate ways).

I enjoyed most of my backpacking times .. but i was 35 years younger and a lot tougher. I also mixed it up, doing some bus, some train, some Motorcycle. Took breaks in mini "Garden's of Eden" along the way too, living and working along the way.

Some of my bus rides were tough, like the ride from Merida, Mexico
(Yucatan) all the way to Tijuana (US Border) ... only break was change of buses in Mexico City. Valium really helps. 3 days.

Let us know how she goes!

[tmotten]

True, it's easy to jump on a bus. But seeing the mountains from the bumper ite back of a truck is awesome. Plus you get to wave at the gap years when their bus stops in the middle of nowhere asking for more money. But if you see them it means you haven't strayed of the beaten path anyway. Chuck that lonely planet guide mate.

It's a bit like taking the HWY your whole bike trip instead of taking that dirt trail going into the bush

Not having your own transport can be exciting when you have no idea how to get out of the middle of nowhere.

[markharf]

I like motorbike touring as much as anyone, but backpacking has taken me to a lot of remote places--on foot, by boat or oxcart, in buses and trucks and hitching rides on bush planes among other modes of transport. If you're offended to find yourself packed into buses with a lot of 19-year-olds whose every fourth word is "awesome" or "dude," you need to re-think where you're headed and what you're doing there. And hitting the SE Asia tourist trail in order to complain that it's crowded with tourists is just silly.

Same as travel with a bike. You're the boss, no matter how you travel. If you don't like where you're at, go someplace else.

As always, IMHO.

Mark

[g6snl]

Interesting to see the difference in opinion on backpacking. It's clearly just like everything else in life, dependent on who you are as a person.

I've never done it in a serious way, unless you count leaving home when I was 8 years old, 2hrs walking around the estate with my wig-wam and 2 tubes of smarties, telling everyone I met I was a backpacker. the main reason I came home then?.......... it really was a pain "carrying stuff" ( and it was nearly dinner time )

When I travel on the bus/plane/train there is always a "backpacker" with a huge pack on his/her back. Those things are really big these days! A complete pain for the person carrying and everyone else who gets bashed as everyone fights for a seat! Always always always some fool will attempt to squeeze one in the full-to-bursting-point luggage lockers, while the last 20 people fight to get down the isle to a seat. Annoying many people and earning the tittle of most hated person on the bus/plane/train for the entire journey.

So Ted, yeah I can see why it might be sh*t! The solution would be hang the rucksack off the back of a hire-moto and all will be good in the world and you will be loved by everyone again.

[farqhuar]

Throw the backpack away and purchase a small wheeled carry bag. Small enough to be taken on board a plane as hand carry baggage. My wife and do this twice a year in Asia and can easily strap both bags on the back of a 125 two-up.

Total weight of luggage is around 6 kilos each, very easy to put under your feet on a bus, and easy to pull along behind you, when necessary.

[*Touring Ted*]

Don't get me wrong. I've done a lot of cool stuff. Hiking, caving, renting offroad scooters, cycling etc. And met some great people on these buses.

But going anywhere is paramount to being cattle herded to market for hours or days on end. Its easy for people to say "you're doing it wrong", and they may be right but going anywhere really is a logistical nightmare and in Asia everything is tourist price and scamming is just how its done. But that's the Gringo Trail.

Like Mark said, backpacking Asia was probably the wrong place to 'enjoy' backpacking due to the 18-25 crowd but it was the cheapest option and its not freezing cold

Still.. I'm glad I've experienced it. Got a lot more perspective and appreciation for my own transport now. And that was the whole point..