Good hostels are always hard to come by. Places can be very hit or miss and usually, the reason a hostel is good has more to do with the people staying there than the physical place. I’ve stayed in dumps where I had fun in because of the people there. Hosteling is, after all, [...]
Tag Archives: backpacking
Are We All Flashpackers Now?
Flashpacking is a term used to describe backpackers who upscale their travels. They travel with a backpack but they stay in nicer digs, carry fancy electronics, tend to be a bit older, have a bit more money to spend, and don’t cook in hostels every day. They are backpackers with means. This distinction has been [...]
Hostel Etiquette
Lately, I’ve encountered a number of backpackers who believe that a ten bed dorm means they’re the only one sleeping there. Or that their mom will clean up their mess in the hostel’s kitchen. Sometimes I think that before everyone goes away, there should be class on how to properly behave in a hostel. That [...]
The Bay of Islands
A few hours north of Auckland is the Bay of Islands. It’s a small area where people go to holiday, sail, swim, see dolphins, and relax. The main tourist town is Paihia, though a lot of people go to nearby Russell too. If you have ever been to the Cape, Martha’s Vineyard, Byron Bay, [...]
Everyone Says I’m Running Away
My dad always asks what I’m running away from with my travels. A few weeks ago, a commenter told me to stop running away and live life. And I once came across a blog called “mom says I’m running away.” I’m not sure why but there is this perception out there that anyone who travels [...]
When Can You Say You Know a Place?
People always like to debate the supposed difference between travelers and tourists. Tourists are in and out of cities quickly, taking a few pictures, and following their guidebook to overpriced restaurants. Travelers, on the other hand, tend to move slower. We see many of the same sights as tourists but get off the beaten path, [...]
All Travelers are Created Equal
I was looking over my interview with Rolf Potts and thinking about how he talks about the false distinction travelers make among themselves. How we compete to prove who’s a better traveler or how we aren’t like “the tourists.” And it got me thinking. In what is only a make believe competition, you see many [...]
Changing Your Travel Style
Whenever anyone asks me what kind of traveler I am, I always tell them I’m a backpacker. It’s what I’ve been doing since I left home in 2006. I stay in hostels, live in dorms, stay with backpackers, travel with them, take the backpacker trail, eat cheap, travel cheap, and do it all with my [...]
Is This Really Travel?