Once in awhile, we like to poke fun at ourselves and take a jab at our fellow backpacking friends.
It is in this spirit that we at Travset sat down in a cold, rainy Friday evening with a couple of beers that we began comparing our travel stories and of those who we met on the road. Many beers and hours of raunchy laughter later, below are the 10 types of backpackers we were able to identify.
Know any more? Let us know and we will add them!
1. The fresh backpacker
Usually found in South East Asia or in Europe, the fresh backpackers are on a gap year from studies or work and new to backpacking. They are usually wide-eyed, considering everything a new adventure, lugging too much luggage and are seen taking numerous pictures to send home and for Instagram.
They are full of vigor and we love them for joining the ranks of us backpackers.
2. The braggart
This type of backpacker we’ve found is the most annoying as they have a tendency to devalue anything shared by other travelers as the experiences they’ve had are far superior.
Had lunch with a local family in Thailand? He had spent a month in a Thai monastery.
Got Delhi belly? He has had it twice. Or thrice. The list is endless.
We recommend steering clear of these backpackers. They do nothing but suck the happiness out of your travel.
3. The veteran
The veteran has seen it all over his many years of traveling.
These backpackers are goldmines of information and usually seen traveling away from the usual backpacking trails and away from the tourist hordes.
They do however make appearances at hostels, so keep an eye out for them, you might end up learning something!
4. The know it all
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The know it all can be compared to a wanna be veteran backpacker with a healthy dose of bragging included.
This backpacker is usually found advising anyone and anything that remotely looks at him/her on traveling. The travel advice given however is straight from Lonely Planet guidebooks or a Wikipedia page.
5. The party animal
We have nothing against a good party. We love them in fact!
What we do find a little puzzling is why you would travel thousands of kilometers to distant lands if the sole purpose is getting hammered on all the nights you possibly can.
These backpackers can usually be found nursing their hangovers during the day only to get right back into partying as the night falls.
6. The spiritual backpacker
The spiritual backpacker is on a journey to discover his true self in distant lands.
They are usually found in India and Southeast Asian countries, learning yoga, consuming food considered friendly to the planet and meditating.
They might profess to have given up worldly possessions, but not their laptop and Instagram in which they document their journey with a multitude of hashtags.
They are a kind bunch and might actually have you reconsidering your way of life too.
7. The backpacker on his residency
This backpacker is usually found in hostels. They were there when you arrived and are still there when you left.
No one knows when he arrived but he/she is now a permanent fixture of the hostel.
This backpacker is excellent at the pool or whatever game is offered in the common room and is a goldmine for information on what to do and the best bars around.
8. The stamp collector
The passport stamp collectors take traveling to the extreme with the sole purpose of getting as many flags of countries stitched to his backpack.
They are entirely capable of traversing across 3 countries in a week and call it a well-enjoyed trip.
9. The backpacker
The backpacker is usually found in Southeast Asia, with a sign requesting locals to support his travels. If asked why he is requesting the locals for the money you would be met with a despairing story of how he/she was robbed of all possession and now have no money to survive.
We at Travset do not recommend such methods of traveling as this is bound to take a toll on the economy of the country. Traveling is a luxury we reward ourselves with and should not be a burden on others.
10. The couple
The couple as the name suggest backpack together and are inseparable.
They are generally fun to travel with until an argument erupts or they engage in a fit of passion in a dorm room.