There are plenty of blogs out there encouraging people to travel. I consider Backpackingmatt to be one of them.
I believe in the importance of experiencing the unknown, learning about new cultures, meeting new people, and gaining a better understanding of this world we live in.
It’s a big place, and I for one want to see of much of it as I can.
Many of these blogs very often make backpacking out to be a very glamorous affair. In some respects it is. I love the freedom of being relatively nomadic. I get to see new places, meet new people, and don’t have many of the day-to-day responsibilities that my peers back home do.
Last week, I went on a boat tour of beautiful Milford Sound. The week before that I went whale watching. The week before that? An overnight cruise in the Bay of Islands.
There are plenty of advantages to traveling – but this post is designed to show you the challenges you face as a backpacker.
The life of a backpacker isn’t easy, and here’s why:
1) Living on a Strict Budget
It’s one thing to budget your finances, but it’s an entirely different thing to budget your finances as a backpacker. Along with the joys of traveling comes the day-to-day reality of living every day of the week on a budget. Yes, you have occasional splurges while backpacking – but for the most part, you’re limiting yourself on food, activities, drinking, and transportation.
All with the hopes of traveling longer and farther.
I returned a car recently to the airport. Most people would pay the bus fare back to town. Me? I hitchhiked. That $10 fare paid for my dinner.
2) Dealing with Dorms
If you’re spending extended periods of time on the road, you don’t have the luxury of staying in hotels – or for that mater, motels. When you think of the nightly cost of accommodation, it adds up. The obvious answer for a backpacker is a hostel. These are excellent venues to meet other travelers and very often, they’re pretty sweet places – but at the end of the day (literally), you go to sleep in a three, four, eight, or twenty bed dorm room.
That guy (girl) above you very often snores. And that bed? Well let’s just say it’s not a Serta Perfect Sleeper.
3) Backpacker Jobs
I’d love for you to quit that job and ditch that cubicle. I think there’s more out there than an 8 -5. Yet if you travel like I do, on working holidays, it’s definitely not an extended vacation. While I’ve traveled to quite a few countries, I’ve worked some pretty unflattering jobs to get me there. In Ireland, I stood on cold, windy, and wet streets in small villages trying to get locals to sign up for monthly donations to charities. In Edinburgh, I spent two weeks scrubbing pots and pans in an office canteen. In Franz Josef on New Zealand’s West Coast, I cleaned rooms in a small hotel.
The goal is always for that perfect, backpacker oriented job – but, the realities of backpacking are that you’ll sooner or later end up working a job you certainly didn’t get that degree for.
4) Dealing with the Language Barrier
I’m unfortunately one of those unalingual Americans. I naively didn’t see the incentive in learning and becoming fluent in a foreign language when I was in high school or college. So when I travel to a country where English isn’t the language of choice, it can be a bit challenging.
I believe in the importance of learning the basics of the language of the country your visiting – it’s courteous and the least you can do as a traveler. However, this doesn’t make you fluent. You can get by, but the biggest challenge you deal with is sitting in that local bar or cafe and not knowing what anyone around you is saying. Nevermind the problem of getting directions to the bus station, finding your hostel, or booking your train ticket out of town.
5) Being Seperated from Close Friends and Family
I’m lucky enough to have traveled with a good mate during my first stint overseas, and with my girlfriend now, but it’s still difficult to be separated from those close friendships you developed over the years at home. It’s wonderful to meet fellow travelers – yet very often, you meet great people only to say goodbye far too soon.
There are plenty of efficient and budget friendly ways to stay connected with your mates back home – be it Skype, Facebook, or international calling plans. The reality of the situation is you’re busy, they’re busy, and a long backpacking trip results in you loosing contact with old friends.
6) Living out of a Backpack
I travel light. When I was clearing customs in Auckland, the agent asked me where all my luggage was. She saw my year long visa and my lone backpack and didn’t understand where everything else was at. There was nothing else.
When you’re often on the move, you don’t want to have heaps of luggage. The downside? I hate about every piece of clothing I have in my backpack.
A chest of drawers has quite a lot on my Gregory Baltoro 65L.
7) Dealing with the Unexpected
This seems like a vague challenge for a backpacker to deal with. Yes, everyone has to deal with the unexpected – be you a doctor, a grad student, or a backpacker. However, the difference for a backpacker is that you’re very often dealing with the unexpected in an area you’re unfamiliar with. You don’t have the grounding you would if you were permanently based someplace.
It’s one thing to catch the flu when you’re home in Chicago. You know where to go, who to see, and what to do. Try getting seriously ill in Istanbul. When you’re out of your usual comfort zone, the unexpected challenge can be a lot harder to deal with.
It’s important to be realistic about the trip you’re planning.
The good always comes with the bad. An extended trip abroad will be a rewarding, life-changing experience – but it certainly won’t be easy.
What’s your take?
What are some of the challenges you face as a backpacker? Add them to the comments section below.
Backpacking Matt 
Hostels can vary so much and sometimes people who share the rooms with you can be quite inconsiderate. With hotel chains you more or less know what you’ll get but unless you research thoroughly you might end up in a hostel that’s too active (or not active enough). I find that the fun part of backpacking and like these challenges but know they’re not for everyone.
You’re right Anil – often the research you do before checking into a hostel can help in finding a place that fits your needs. Yet even the best research comes up short as so often the vibe of a hostel changes with whoever is staying there. It’s all part of the fun though – I think these challenges make the backpacking experience unique and ultimately rewarding.
It’s also important to remember that YOU affect the vibe of the hostel you’re staying in. Often people will seem rude or unfriendly but if you approach them and start a conversation you might find out that they’re just shy!
So there’s another challenge- meeting new people ALL the time. Learning how to connect with people quickly and enjoy your time with them is a great skill. And just WANTING to talk to new people all the time can be challenging for introverts like me 🙂
That’s so true Emma – excellent point. It’s easy to say, “Everyone in this hostel is so unfriendly, they’re not talking to me.” Sometimes, it’s simply just a mater of making the effort talk to them and get the conversation flowing.
I would add confronting your fears and phobias to your list. Whether it’s claustrophobia on packed buses, heights, arachnophobia or other bugs, or even strange fears like genuphobia (fear of knees), you are likely somewhere, sometime to have to face it.
Exactly. Backpacking – and traveling in general – forces you out of your comfort zone. Good, but often difficult at the time … it’s great to face those insecurities and is excellent for character building.
Good list! Definitely tackling your own insecurities is a big challenge. I can get very socially anxious when it comes to things like asking for directions and eating alone, so backpacking is often about pushing myself out of my comfort zone and learning to deal.
Oh my god. You are so right!
Dealing with the dorm mates.. Luckly I met so many great friends in backpackers but sometimes it’s hard to deal with someone from different culture.
Backpacking, but sure it has so much of charm. I love the thrill it gave me.
Normal-setteling-routine life is just not for me.
Great article Matt!
You are such an inspiring person for sure. 😀
Juno.
Thanks, Juno! The backpacking lifestyle is strangely addictive – even with all the challenges you’re forced to overcome.
It feels like you read my mind. Literally down to a ‘T’. This is exactly what I experienced during my around the world trip. #3 and #5 especially resonate with me. My Grandfather passed away when I was not even a month into my trip and that was expected yet unexpected.
The irony is that I am a former expat, international school child and have traveled extensively around the world. While I was more prepared than most people for being a backpacker, I still had to learn all 7 of those lessons.
I would add that logistics and planning is a challenge as well. I had a very loose itinerary (only bought 3 planes tickets to 3 continents at the start of my trip. I knew I would figure it out as I went.) Still having to plan what time to leave, what the best deal is for a tight budget, how to get to the train station (etc), how to get from point A to point B. Probably the less flattering aspect of being a backpacker.
@Olga – Thanks for your feedback. I’m glad to know other backpackers can relate to these 7 challenges. It’s those unexpected blows that hurt so much more when you’re unsettled (as in, on the road) – especially difficult I’m sure if you’re traveling solo. Something I haven’t done much of myself.
Planning absolutely belongs on the list. I guess it probably varies from person to person, depending on how much of a ‘planner’ you are in general. Yet the general logistics are not easy for anyone when you’re out of an area you know well. I was shocked on my interrail trip throughout Europe how many of the train booking agents didn’t speak English. I guess that is maybe naive, but I would think considering the number of people that travel through Europe, most agents would have train related English. But explaining where in the middle of France I wanted to get to, on a night train, with a specific rail pass, wasn’t easy!
I’m with you on living out of a backpack.. love travelling, hate packing. One of these days I’m going to get a camper van so I can take my room with me 🙂
@Tom It gets to be a bit old unpacking, repacking, and unpacking again. The campervan mention hurts as my van recently took it’s last ride in New Zealand!
I feel this post! I’m currently purging down my possession. After staying in Sydney for a while, we accumulate to much stuff. Now I’m cutting them down, remove some stuff out of our backpacks. That’s just what we have to do when we travel light, right, we buy new things, we remove old things. Sometime I wish I can go shopping without thinking how to carry them along!
Usually we stayed at summer half of the world, but now we are going to go to NZ in autumn/winter, meaning we have to buy warm clothing, meaning extra burden. I don’t think my tank tops will cut it. 🙂
Matt, what a great list!!! I think it’s great to actually see someone put forward the not some galamorous reality of backpacking!!! For me so shallow I know, it’s wearing the same clothes all the time, that I really hate! and never getting to really ever unpack. Oh and bad matresses, though i’m starting to get used to this as the matress i have in my Chinese apartment is far worse than at most hostels!!!
Nice list! I’ve definitely felt all of these. Dealing with the frustrations of solving simple problems can be the most frustrating. It’s as if you have to retrain your brain to not lose your mind.
Also I totally relate to hating all the clothes I own. You through South America we had to pack for different climates & even being in hot places I’d cover up around locals and not care on touristy beaches, so the options in my pack were small. I used to wish the clothes washing ladies would lose one of my shirts so I’d have a decent excuse to buy a new one. 🙂
Happy travels!
Great post!! For me the worst challenge is dealing with illness when traveling.
Having to deal with a doctor you can’t communicate with, not understanding what’s going on and what the pills they give you really are, is scary!
@Dina It’s always frustrating (and I’m not even a shopper!) when you see something you’d like to buy from a market only to realize there is no way you can carry it with you! Your tank tops definitely won’t cut it on the South Island this time of the year – it’s starting to feel like winter in Queenstown.
@Sasha It’s not always fun and games, and I thought I needed to write a little about how trying backpacking can be at times. This list is good for someone who has been on the road for months, but is especially important for someone considering a long term backpack trip. And believe me, I feel you on being tired of the clothes you have!
@Bessie Retraining your brain is a good way to think about it. You have to change your thought process from everyday life to ‘backpacking’ life. It’s definitely a different lifestyle.
@Sofia Thanks Sofia! Yes, getting ill outside of your comfort zone is a difficult experience. Not a good time to be dealing with a language barrier.
I think the biggest challenge is trying to keep yourself occupied with things that aren’t going to drain your wallet. You have to learn to do “normal stuff” while traveling. Picking up a book, writing in a journal, playing with a deck of cards. You have to let yourself know that this is not a two-week vacation in which you can just splurge like crazy. You have to build routines just like you would at home.
Well said, Eli – thanks for the comment. As a long term backpacker, you have to realize you can’t go out every night to the pub, eat meals out, and pay for activities every day. The longer you’re on the road, the easier this is to understand.
“You have to build routines just like you would at home.” I love that.
Great list of challenges. The whole budget thing I think can be the most challenging. Somewhat along the same lines as being away from friends and family, but when you are on the road alone, you can face a big challenge in being lonely. There are ways to combat loneliness, but I always have a the tiniest bit when I travel I can never seem to shake.
Thanks Suzy! The budget isn’t easy – especially when you meet other travelers that might not be on the same budget as you.
I haven’t done much solo travel – but I suspect that dealing with the loneliness is a big obstacle to overcome. Again, I’m not speaking from experience, but it must be good to know that there are always other backpackers who can relate to where you’re at. A solo traveler staying in hotels would be one thing, but a budget solo traveler in hostels always has the opportunity to meet like-minded backpackers.
Good post! I was going to write something like this… but I think my friends who are working their 9 to 5s would have paid for a flight ticket just to give me a swift kick to the groin. But definitely a good, and true, post!
@Brendan Yeah, someone stuck in a cubicle might not see these as terribly difficult challenges to overcome!
@Shannon This is true. I’ve met so many people along the way, developed great friendships, only to have to say goodbye far too soon. I’d say the flip side isn’t nearly as appealing – being that you never have the chance to make the great friendships.
My biggest challenge with backpacking is knowing that you won’t keep the friends you make. Even if you stay in touch for a year or two, odds are good that at some point you’ll part ways, and then it is unlikely you’ll have any more than a passing friendship. Which can add to Suzy’s comment on loneliness. The flip side, of course, is that you have a kind of freedom with your backpacking friends that you will never have with your long-term friends, because if it goes sour, you can just say goodbye sooner.
The most frustrating thing for when I was travelling in 05/06 was lugging around my Europe on a Shoestring book! That thing was heavy! I’m travelling again in 6 weeks time with my girlfriend, my bag is going to be pretty much empty 😉 not returning (like last time) with a laptop, HUGE backpack, front pack, duty free bag and a snowboard…that was hell to travel with.
Check out our site, we’ll be in Europe shortly 😛
@Steven | I know what you mean about the Lonely Planet book! I brought the Shoestring edition during my inter rail trip around Europe. As we’d pass through countries I’d tear them out of the book to try and save weight. It was literally like bringing a brick along in your pack! Thanks for the comment, I’ll add you to my RSS feed. Good luck in Europe!
While I’m not currently backpacking, I am on a “working holiday” which is so completely different from a vacation. Waitressing certainly isn’t making the best use of of my college degree, but I love it. Plus, it’s given me a chance to live somewhere new, so I can’t complain.
When I backpacked through Europe last summer, my biggest problem was the fact that whatever I wanted was always at the bottom of my pack. Every. Single. Time.
Hi Christine, I feel you on the working holiday certainly not being a vacation! I love the concept – like you say, a chance to live someplace new and also experience a new culture like a local would. Nice! I would love to be there. Was it difficult to get a visa?
And yes, it’s shocking how whatever you need is always somehow at the bottom of your pack!
Excellent page on Feria de Abril. I was at the Feria last month as I was starting my pilgrimage (Camino de Santigo) to Santiago de Compostela on bike. Sevilla is the starting point for the Via de la Plata route which is a 1000 km walk or bike ride to Santiago. Although I was on the bike the whole time traveling solo, I enjoyed my stops along the way at some remote pueblo, ordering my ‘bocadillo’ or ‘menu del dia’ and talking to the servers/owners in my stitched up Spanish. (I’m a Filipino, 58 yo, living in California, served in the Navy and have done my share of traveling.) At days end, I always looked forward to my stays at the ‘albergues’, several steps (class) down from a ‘hostal’ meeting fellow ‘pelegrinos’ (pilgrims). (This trip was also my first experience staying in a hostal, definitely loved it.) Most of the fellow pelegrinos I met along the wasy are doing it on foot. I know I will be back to do another ‘camino’ but this time it will be on foot.
Great list Matt! I find that my biggest challenge when I travel is me. Like you, I always pack light when I go, no matter how big the trip is. Granted, I haven’t done it as long as you but traveling in general brings the biggest challenge to myself. I see the good and the bad and I don’t always like what I see. It’s not always fun to be out of your comfort zone and I think that is the theme that runs through your list.
Thanks Jeremy for the comment. It isn’t always fun to be out of your comfort zone, but it is a necessary aspect of traveling. It’s a good thing even though it is especially challenging at times. It helps to define us as travelers I think.
Gosh you guys are so brave. I don’t think I could do the backpacking thing but I am itching to try it. I think as Sofia said, my biggest fear is getting sick while on travel – away from home. But also, having something unexpected happen and not knowing the ways of the country you are visiting to get the right help….This is a great reality-check list, Matt, thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed the list, Farnoosh. It can be a trying lifestyle at times, yet I think each day you travel builds a bit more character.
All your challenges are what makes backpacking great to me.
@Matt I completely agree. The challenges – and the growth that comes from overcoming them – are part of make backpacking a rewarding experience. Still they can be wearing and are the reason behind the short breaks from traveling we all need.
Great list!!! For me every trip is a backpaking trip , even the short ones, the challenges are the same, no matter how long you will stay on the road.
Good post. I am about to start the biggest backpacking trip of my life, so thank you for putting all this together. Good reminder 🙂
@It’s good for us – Safe travels and enjoy your trip!
hi matt, have u been to shanghai and beijing? are u related with Backpacking Bex? ur website looks similiar
@Sarah I have not unfortunately! And no relation to Bex!
I think that overcoming these challenges is part of the appeal of backpacking. To be honest, a lot of these challenges scare me (getting sick in another country!, being lost in the middle of a crowd that doesn’t speak English), but coming out of it alive and with a story to tell is one of the many rewards of a backpacker.
Nice post. I honestly think lugging my backpack everywhere is the worst part about backpacking! But then it wouldn’t be backpacking without it… and I’d have no clothes.
Bed Bugs!!!! Blerb.
Hey there guys, I stumble upon this website while i was searching on the google machine on how to be a backpacker. Ive been wanting to be one of the backpackers. Im very interested in learning how to become one and travel all by myself… thanks for sharing with us Matt 🙂
Great article! I’m researching what the life of a backpacker is like and this helped me fill in a few holes in the picture. Thanks!
I’ve just started out on my backpacking journey and it’s my first time ever travelling solo. I’m so glad to read this list and other people’s comment’s about doing normal day-to-day things. I feel like at the moment if I’m not doing out doing/seeing something I am wasting time – but I am on a budget so I can’t always be doing something insanely fun. Comforting to know that this seems the norm 🙂
I feel this article, especially about meeting new fellow travelers : “It’s wonderful to meet fellow travelers – yet very often, you meet great people only to say goodbye far too soon.” Sometimes I get too emotional to say goodbye to those great people I met during my trip. Nice post, Matt.