Can you ever be too old for backpacking?

Backpacking around the globe is a great adventure, especially when you are young and don't have any strings to tie you down. But with so many people putting off having families and travelling later in life, should there be an age limit on backpacking?

I was 27 years old when I set out on my first adventure-come-backpacking holiday – a month-long overland trip taking in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. But it wasn't until a few years later, after I'd turned 30 and had landed a job with Lonely Planet, when I finally felt secure enough in myself to take off on my first real extended solo backpacking adventure - this time bussing and training my way around the lesser known parts of Eastern Europe. So as a bit of a late backpacking bloomer, I've usually always been the oldest person in the dorm.

Yet some 10 years on as I unpack my bags from my latest adventure in Cambodia I'm wondering if, at the ripe old age of 41 years, I'm starting to get a little too old for this? I've already traded in my traditional rucksack for a far more practical and convenient – and might I add less backbreaking – trolley backpack, so perhaps it's time I hang up my hiking boots and sign-up for a seniors' only bus tour of Europe?

For me, age always has been, and hopefully will always be, a number. But at the same time, as the years have marched on I've noticed the gap between myself and younger travellers at hostels is indeed widening – while they revel in all-night drinking parties and only crawl into their bunks just before dawn, I'd much rather find a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where I can enjoy a local meal along with a glass of wine (or two) and be in bed well before midnight. I also appreciate a few more luxuries, such as hygienic bathrooms and clean bed sheets, than I did when I was younger. But does this mean I should give hostels a wide berth?

Hostels of course offer a great budget alternative form of accommodation and they are excellent places to meet like-minded travellers. Yet while they were once the domain of drifters and students, today's hostels cater to the young and the young at heart with many dropping the "youth" tag and opening their doors to families and mature-age travellers. Granted I'd find screaming children as annoying as drunken teenagers and late night snorers, but no matter whether my dorm mates belong to Gen Y, Gen X or the Baby Boomers as long as they share my independent travelling spirit then, as far as I'm concerned, they can only make my hostelling experience richer.

Perhaps as Alison Brick once noted for Vagabonding in the end it's all just a matter of definition. That is, if to you the word backpacker means the party-all-night, sleep-all-day gap year student whose round-world trip drifts by in a drunken blur, then by all accounts my backpacking years are well behind me. But if you believe backpackers are in fact independent travellers who don't go in much for set itineraries, who avoid package tours and who relish the opportunity to get off the well-beaten tourist trail, then apparently I'll never be too old to be a backpacker.

Naturally I subscribe to the latter definition. So while I may well be the oldest person at the hostel, as long as I continue to enjoy the challenges and complexities of independent travel, I can’t see myself giving up backpacking anytime soon.

What do you think? Can you ever be too old for backpacking? I'l love to hear your thoughts.

Ten alternative uses for your travel guidebook

Dan and I are now in Dar es Salaam. As we wilt under the weight of Dar's oppressive heat, I find myself longing for the cooler plains of Tanzania’s open veld. The few days we spent game driving around the national parks certainly made for a refreshing break from the hectic pace of researching Tanzania's cities and towns. The only downside however was the Tsetse fly. After suffering from their relentless bites while we drove through parts of Mikumi National Park, Dan and I discovered that our best defence against the nasty little blighters was my Bradt travel guidebook to Tanzania. Having found a new use for the guide, Dan and I decided to come with our top ten list for alternative uses for travel guidebooks:

1. A [Tsete] fly swat: Thick and sturdy guidebooks make perfect swats for flies and all sorts of nasty bugs.

2. A self-defence weapon: If you find yourself in a sticky situation throw your guidebook at your assailant. It should hopefully stun them enough for you to make a fast getaway.

3. Emergency personal insulation: Stuck sleeping outside in the cold for the night without a sleeping bag? Don't worry! Simply tear out the pages of your guidebook (preferably pages you no longer need), scrunch them up and stuff them down your top.

4. A pillow (of sorts!): I've used my guidebook as a pillow plenty of times while on long-haul bus and train journeys – it might not make for the most comfortable pillow, but at least your head will have some support.

5. Fuel for starting a fire: The used pages of your guidebook can come in very handy if you are having problems getting your camp fire started. Just be sure not to burn any important pages you might want to refer back to in the future.

6. A conversation starter: (Or as Dan calls this one, a great pick-up tool!) Dying for a little conversation or an introduction to that cute local in the corner of the coffee shop? Then play the lost tourist and use your guidebook to ask for directions. Even if you don't know the local language, hopefully they'll find your bumbling use of the language guide at the back endearing.

7. A conversation blocker: We’ve all been in this situation before with the annoying stranger on the train, plane or bus determined to natter on to you incessantly about the minute details of their last holiday, their family back home or in some cases (and my pet peeve) their latest medical procedure. Simply burry your nose in your book and hopefully they'll eventually get the hint. If not, see suggestion 2.

8. Door jam/stop: If the door to your room refuses to stay open or bathroom door just won't quite close, your guidebook makes the perfect doorstop – especially if it's one of those hefty multi-country guides.

9. Toilet paper: Why is it that there never seems to be enough toilet paper when you really need it? In Romania I once paid for the privilege of being given one tiny square piece of toilet paper when using a public bathroom. It wouldn't have been a problem apart from the fact that I was suffering from a nasty case of traveller's diarrhea at the time. Again, just be sure not to use any important pages otherwise referring to them in the future might be a little...um...sticky?!

10. A sun hat: If you're like me and forgot to pack your hat (in spite of your trusty packing list!), then open the guidebook in the centre and place it Teepee style on your head. Don’t worry about looking foolish. As a khaki-clad foreigner walking around with a rucksack on your back you already stand out!

Have you used your guidebook for a purpose that was not recommended by the publisher? If you have any suggestions to add to our list, we'd love to hear them.

The dilemmas of packing for a holiday

Why is it that the most frustrating part about organising a holiday or trip abroad is the packing? There are so many things you need to consider: What to take? What will the weather be like? Who will I be meeting? What is appropriate to wear?

The trip I'm currently packing will take in seven countries, three continents and two extremes in weather, so I understand what a nightmare it can be. What I have learnt over the years, however, is that unless you are travelling with your own personal bag carrier, less is definitely more! So here are my best tips and hints for what you really need to pack for a holiday.

General tips and hints
Clothes: When it comes to clothes choose natural fabrics like cotton which breathe or microfibres which don't wrinkle. Also try to keep your clothing in the same colour scheme in case you have to layer up for warmth. What's more, by mixing and matching you'll fool everyone into thinking you have more clothes than you really do.

Shoes: For women, a pair of sandals and comfy espadrilles or wedges will cover all dressing needs from casual to evening. For men, a good pair of leather rubber-soled shoes can easily make the transition from day to night. I'd also recommend bringing a good pair of solid walking shoes as well as a pair of flip-flops/thongs for wearing in showers in case you end up staying in a scummy dive.

Underwear: When it comes to underwear my rule of thumb is to take enough for one week, or for the length of the trip plus two days, whichever is shortest. Again, ensure your underwear is made from natural fabrics – there's nothing worse than getting prickly heat on holiday!

Towel: Unless you're staying in hotels and resorts for the duration of your trip, it pays to pack a towel. Whatever you do, don't get sucked into buying one of those chamois towels or one that resembles a hand towel. I can tell you from experience that it won't dry your hair, it won't cover your modesty, and, if you're in a cold climate, you'll freeze before you dry yourself!

Packing: I can't explain it, but somehow bags seem to hold more if you roll your clothes rather than fold them. It also helps minimise creases. Try it, I guarantee it works!

Backpacking tips
If you're travelling with all your earthly possessions on your back then the key is to keep everything to a minimum. Bear in mind that you can easily, and cheaply, replace worn out items along the way at local markets. Also, while jeans may be a wardrobe staple at home when you're backpacking you'll quickly discover they're hot to wear, heavy to carry and slow to dry. So you might want to reconsider taking the old faithfuls.

When it comes to packing your backpack, place the lighter items at the bottom and the heavier ones on top. Your backpack will feel lighter this way as the pack rests on your lower back. It's also wise to place the things you use the most on top. Dirty clothes are perfect to pack at the bottom of a backpack.

My essential packing list

2 pairs of trousers/skirts

1 pair of shorts

5 T-shirts (mix of short sleeve and singlet)

1 long sleeve shirt

A dress (one that can make the transition from day to night)

A sweater or fleece

Waterproof wind-breaker

Pajamas/sleepwear

Walking shoes/boots

Sandals or other light shoes

Thongs/flip flops

Swimmers

Bras (sports and regular)

Underwear

Bandana/scarf

Socks

Sarong

Towel

Hat

Sunscreen

Well, it's back to packing for me. Happy travels!

An edited version of this article is on MSN NZ Travel
Image sourced from FreeFoto.com

Wired for travel: modern backpacker essentials

Remember when staying in touch with friends and family while backpacking meant the odd crackling trunk call home or popping a postcard into the post and hoping that the snail mail didn't beat you home?

With the great leaps made in technology in the last ten years – the spread of the internet, wireless connections, Bluetooth, mobile communication – today's backpackers have become increasingly tech-savvy and digitally driven. So much so, that they're now lugging around packs full of flashy gadgets and gizmos worth more than £1 billion ($2.11 billion AUD).

According to a recent survey conducted by AA Travel Insurance, the top five essential backpacking items are a far cry from the basics you might expect to find buried deep in a rucksack. They are:

• Mobile phone
  
• Digital camera
  
• MP3 player
  
• Laptop
  
• Hairdryer
  

When it comes to high-tech gadgets I must confess that I am guilty of carrying around a laptop, digital camera and mobile phone. Mind you, I only recently joined the mobile phone revolution taking one with me for the first time last year on a research trip to South Africa and Libya. Even then, I carried what I lovingly referred to as my 'travel' mobile – an early model Nokia that I purchased while living in South Africa which still sings out to me in annoying high-pitch monotone – leaving behind my flashy, 3G, Bluetooth, picture taking, video conferencing mobile. As to the laptop and digital camera, these are tools of my trade, so for me they are essentials. To be honest though I often spend most of my time jealously eyeing off the packs of less encumbered travellers wishing I could make a trade.

While I certainly regard digital cameras and MP3 players as worthy backpack fillers, the danger is that in using them we risk isolating ourselves from the world we are trying to explore. Have a look around you the next time you're out on the road and you'll soon notice that there are many travellers for whom the only way they seem to experience the world is by viewing it vicariously through the camera's lens. But in so doing, they become what renowned theorist Susan Sontag labels 'tourists of reality' - tourists who relentlessly seek out 'constructed' realities (those sold and endorsed by glossy travel brochures) while denying themselves the reality of their own unique experience. I once did a two-week trip through Zimbabwe with a German backpacker who spent the entire time with his eyes glued to his video camera. I'm not even sure he noticed that there was anyone else on the trip let alone realised that that there was a whole other world beyond the range of his viewfinder. Again, with MP3 players or similar devices you see it time and time again when a traveller on a bus or a train becomes so absorbed in their own insular musical world they take no notice of the amazing scenery that flashes by them and often miss making real connections with local people and places.

The real problem is that technology has become an umbilical cord backpackers use to stay connected to home. Many spend endless hours in internet cafes downloading digital photos, posting minute details of their trip on MySpace or Facebook and even producing video travel diaries for sites like YouTube. But the question we need to ask is: if we are spending so much time on the road keeping in touch with home; should we have ever left in the first place?

My advice is, yes, do take a digital camera, mobile phone and MP3 player - a camrea is a great way to record your memories, a mobile phone can save you in a pinch and an MP3 player can help fill in the endless hours waiting for buses and trains - just make sure they're compact and lightweight. When it comes to laptops, however, in my opinion, unless you are a travel writer or travelling for business, leave the laptop at home - that’s what internet cafes are for! And don't even get me started on how a hairdryer ended up on the essential packing list!

Bear in mind that whatever gadgets you take with you, you have to be prepared to lose them. Besides misplacing them yourself (easily done, I once left my mobile phone in the taxi on the way to the airport) they're tempting targets for thieves, so there is no point in taking the latest flashy, high-tech gizmo. Above all, be careful not to allow technology to form a barrier between you and your new surroundings. After all, seeing the world, experiencing new cultures and meeting local people is what travelling is all about.

What 'essentials' do you travel with? Do you think technology has become more of a curse than a blessing?

Image sourced from FreeFoto.com