There is an unspoken belief that a true backpacker carries her life on her back, throws caution to the wind, chooses her path day by day and stumbles across gorgeous little dwellings that will house her for the night and offer her the true cultural experience that a backpacker craves.
Then there is the organised traveller who books every aspect of their trip down to the airport shuttle and who selects the restaurant for dinner directly from Lonely Planet’s highest recommendation. There is no room for spontaneity or surprise as the schedule does not allow it.
In reality, a combination of both styles of travel usually delivers the most satisfying trip.
While the organised traveller may be taking the safer route and sometimes the less exciting one, with no opportunity to change direction based on local advice or the people they meet, they do have time to compare prices and quality so will often end up with the better hostel, tour or mode of transport as well as paying less by paying in advance.
The impromptu traveller can end up spending more money and more time attempting to book accommodation and transport as they go, meaning less choice and running the risk of having to trawl from door to door looking for a hostel with an empty bed, perhaps ending up having to fork out for a hotel due to lack of options. (Working in hostels in London and Edinburgh, these type of travellers are ones I’ve met many a time and had to break the news to them that there is no bed for them to lay their weary head)
An impromptu trip more often than not leads to more exciting and fascinating stories as the path they travel on winds around some crazy corners which at the time might be scary or annoying but in reflection are the basis for brilliant travel stories.
There is something exhilarating about not knowing where you are going, who you will meet and where you’ll end up, although there is also something comforting about knowing you’ll have a place to stay when you arrive at your next destination.
There will always be both sorts of travellers on the road and as long as there is a pack on their back and a sense of adventure in the air, they will always have a place on the backpacking trail.
Are you a planner or spontaneous traveller?
If you have an questions about working holidays you can contact me at naomi.joyce@iep.org.au
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