A Beginners Guide to Backpacking
- Nov 10, 2024
- 9 min read
If you're considering starting your backpacking adventure, there is no doubt that you have become overwhelmed with online 'advice' and articles insisting that you can't survive without the latest tech or gear. Luckily, I am here to show you what you actually need, from someone who has done it multiple times alone.
This page will be separated into sections, covering everything from how to pack to how to make friends and what not to bring! I will add shortcuts to each section here;
Packing List
The first thing everyone asks when you say you're going travelling, is how on earth do you fit your life into a backpack? I used the Osprey Fairview 70L, which I will review separately because I have a few things to share on that front, but it did the trick and I would probably use it again, because I have it! I probably wouldn't buy it again.
The essentials for packing (for a hot climate):
underwear to last 2 weeks (just in case)
t shirts (both short and long sleeve)
a raincoat
long trousers
shorts galore
a sun hat
sunglasses
a power bank
a back up wallet (in case you get mugged!)
two pairs of shoes - daily, and hiking (I took Birkenstocks and light trainers)
swimwear
microfibre towels - one for showering, one for the beach
wired headphones - much more reliable than bluetooth, and won't drain your phone battery as much
layers will be your friend
girls - bring skirts. perfect for quick outfits, and great on the beach with a bikini top!
two sets of pyjamas. Don't get caught short when they're in the wash!
bring more tops than you think you need - you will want variety, and some will get stained
one reliable jumper - it won't be cold often, but when it is, you want something warm
collapsible tupperware. Meal prep just got easier!
One of the hardest parts of travelling is wearing the same thing for weeks on end. When I got home, I was over the moon to see some variety in my outfits and wear certain things (such as my favourite hoodie) that I had left at home for safekeeping.
I recommend leaving space in your bag to buy new things - I bought a dress, a pair of jorts, a bikini, two football tops, and two bottles of wine whilst I was away. The wine was a gift for my dad, and I sacrificed my dilapidated trainers to make space in my bag. It was an easy choice for me, I knew I wanted rid of the trainers, but not everyone has that choice made for them and it is heartbreaking to have to get rid of things you want to keep!
Remember - this bag is on your back every few days, and you don't want to pick up an injury or grow to resent travel days because your bag is too heavy. Pack smart, bring what you think you will use, and make sure you are packing for yourself, not someone else's ideals. I knew a girl travelling with a smaller bag than me, and she had a gel nail kit in her bag. I respect that so much - she knew what she would use, she made space, and she loved using the gel kit! Likewise, there were people with more than me who said they had outfits they never wore and wished they hadn't brought. Use your better judgement and ask yourself how often you will wear/use what you are bringing.
Finally, remember to bring a smaller bag too! I had a day bag, for hikes, a bum bag, for every-day use, and a beach bag, which was string and used to carry towels and a change of clothes. These bags will be lifesavers and make sure you don't rely on other people carrying your things, put all your trust in a pocket, or forget anything behind!
How To Meet People
Arguably one of the most daunting aspects of travelling abroad, particularly alone, is the concept of being alone whilst out there. Luckily, I have a few tips garnered from my time abroad living in some foreign countries and travelling through others.
First things first: make yourself approachable.
This means smiling when you see people, actively trying to hold eye contact, and asking genuine questions about the other person. If you have a fake demeanour, or you show no interest in others, it will quickly ostracise you as people gravitate towards people they view as more fun, or more likely to enhance their time. There are no loyalties whilst getting to know someone, and so you cannot blame the other person for choosing to spend their time with someone who seems more relaxed and friendly! Even if you are the friendliest, kindest person at heart, if your outside appearance doesn't reflect that by way of a smile or a laugh, it is unlikely that people will give you the chance to show them how lovely you really are.
Secondly: show genuine interest in others.
By the time I left South America for the second time, I was so fed up of hearing the starting sentence 'where have you been so far?' that I stopped answering it properly. I would skip through the words, hoping that they would find something else to ask, or I would switch the question back on them. I find the question a chore to answer now, purely because it came up so often. This isn't to say that it isn't a good question to ask, it often leads to joint experiences that you can discuss, and plenty of follow-up questions can arise if you find similarities in your routes, however it is the most common question you will hear. I recommend either deflecting as soon as you find common ground, such as specific country questions, or leading with specificities immediately.
For example, if I were in Chile and I met someone in Santiago, I would ask if they were heading to Valparaíso, because I just went and I have some recommendations. If they say no, then you can mould the question into asking about their plans and their time in Santiago, and if they say yes, you can discuss Valparaíso, what their interests are, and how you spent your time. This can then easily snowball into lengthy chats and you can quickly suss out whether you and this person would get along well or not.
Finally: branch out.
People don't just fall into your hands whilst travelling - you have to seek them out. Sometimes, you might be lucky enough to have compatible future friends in your hostel dorm, but you still have to put the effort in to start the conversations and suggest plans with them. I met a lovely group of friends in my hostel dorm, and it all started because I asked where their accents were from. Asking where people are from is an excellent way to spark a conversation, just remember to ask follow up questions to stop the conversation drying up!
I recommend going to hostel bars, even if you don't drink you can grab a water or a juice, and chatting to bartenders or playing a game of pool. Even if you're awful at pool, like me, it becomes a conversation starter about how awful I am! I don't take it personally - I know I am not good. Practice makes perfect! You can spark up chats at a pre-dinner drink, maybe watching the sunset in a popular spot, ask people for dinner recommendations and invite them along, and then you have friends for that city! The next day, it's highly likely that they will want to hang out again.
Even just being more forward than usual can find some good friends, for a day or more. I made some friends by inviting some German boys in my dorm on a hike at 10pm at night, which I was leaving to do at 7am. Surprisingly, they said yes, and brought two friends along. I introduced them to my friend and we had a lovely time together for the day. I didn't see them for about a month after that, until my friend and I ran into them in a different country at a party - its amazing how many people you run into time and again.
Good luck, and put yourself out there! You can end up with friends for life.
What Not To Do
This will be a short section - it is pretty self-explanatory at times.
Do not, under any circumstances, sacrifice your safety to save some money. This is so dangerous, and the stories don't sound cool. They sound reckless, and people think you're stupid, not cool, for putting safety second. It can go so wrong so quickly!
Try to avoid changing your personality to fit in with people around you. This is more of a life rule than a backpacking rule, but it will dampen your future happiness if you put on a façade to try and blend in, or make friends. You might be in a group, but they won't bring you happiness if you aren't yourself around them!
Don't spend all your time comparing yourself to other travellers, whether that be in your dorm, online, or people you met on the bus. You are all on your own route, and your own path in life. Comparison is the theif of joy.
Avoid building a fort in your hostel bed, spending all your time on your phone, and refusing to interact with other people in the dorm. This happened in a dorm I stayed in recently - and wow does it kill the vibe. If you're ill, or feeling down, treat yourself to a private room for both your sake and the other people in the dorm. You will get better quicker if you have time to rest properly, and the other people won't catch your illness! Being on your phone too much can also stop you enjoying where you are, making you miss home comforts and feel like you're falling behind. This is wrong! You are exactly where you're meant to be. Trust in that, and trust in yourself.
How To Choose A Hostel
You will likely be inundated with hostel recommendations, and it is easy to choose the 'popular' hostel. My advice here is simple:
Read reviews.
These reviews will tell you everything the hostel description won't, and don't be afraid to leave reviews of your own either - it makes it easier for the next traveller to decide where to stay!
Don't always go for the cheapest
It won't always be worth compromising, and sometimes the more expensive hostels offer activities for free that save you money in the long run.
Use shared dorms to make friends
Private rooms are brilliant when you want space or a long nights sleep, but don't isolate yourself from potential friends.
Location, location, location
The best part of hostelling is that they are often in a walkable distance from everything in the town or city. This is the most important thing in my eyes - choose a safe location, close to where you want to visit, and ensure that there are taxis available if you feel unsafe walking at any moment.
How To Budget
I will touch on budgeting briefly here, but rest assured I have a more in-depth blog post on this topic too. Just search it on my page!
Budgeting is one of the most daunting aspects of backpacking for a lot of people, and it is deeply personal. When I went to South America, I budgeted a grand a month, and I spent under this! Other people I know spent double this, it all depends on what you eat, where you stay, and what you pay for.
The rule of thumb I had: Never compromise on safety. If a trail says it needs a guide, take one. If you are buying a cheap tour in a dangerous or risky setting, pay extra to have peace of mind and security.
Some people pay more for food, if that is important to them. Personally, I am vegetarian, and so I have developed a very non-fussed attitude to food for the most part. Normally, it is all variations of the same for me and I am just as happy with an 80pence Burek as I am with a £30 meal at a lovely restaurant. My advice - don't compromise on what you enjoy. If you love a good meal, make sure you budget for that! You will be miserable if you skip things you enjoy purely so you can spend a week longer abroad. Spend less time away, and spend more money on what you enjoy doing. You will thank yourself for it in the long run.
If you get to the point that your money is running thin, book your flight home. Don't borrow money, don't try to travel on the cheap, don't rely on others paying for things for you. That isn't fair, and it isn't sustainable. Know your limits, and go home instead of getting into debt - it won't be worth the debt, I promise.
Thank you for reading this far! I hope these tips have been helpful. For more info on South and Central America, check out my blog section titled 'The Americas' - I have posts on (nearly) every country!
For information on European countries, I have a 'Europe' tab, where I have city guides, hiking guides, and how-to guides.
As always, travel safely, make memories, and respect the local culture and environment.
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