Voyagner

Backpackers, are they the Salt of the Earth genuine good guys of travel or are they hiding something?

Paying Tourist Prices

Worldly backpackers always get a good price, some will even claim the ability to haggle to local price. Sorry, but you look different and people who look different pay more. You can’t always know what the real price of a service or item is and you’re going to pay much more for something than you should eventually, admitting it though is not good for your travel cred.

Paying for Sex

While some blogs are full of drug fueled backpacker stories the inevitable proposition from a prostitute is always politely turned down. The masses would have you believe that every man who travels to Thailand and like countries is middle aged and overweight. When you go it’s what you see, but it’s also because it is what you want to see. No small portion of the girls clients are actually young guys, backpackers. They probably didn’t go there just for the women and cheap sex, it probably wasn’t even an afterthought but backpackers are known to be party animals and attention from a beautiful Thai girl might just have been too much to pass up. Admit it though? Not on your life, especially if they got suckered by a ladyboy.

Leaving a Bad Impression

Backpackers pride themselves on being more in touch with the places they visit. Whether through ignorance or arrogance you’re probably going to do something that does no good for the people or their country. Cultural, economical, environmental, humanitarian and personal faux pair. It highlights the growing importance of Responsible Travel. The important thing is to do all you can to make a bigger positive impression than bad. Keep trying to be a good ambassador and we’ll let you have that odd mistake.

Getting Hurt

Sometimes those things that your mum was so worried about and you assured her were one in a million things actually happen, often through no ones fault but your own. The inevitable motorbike accident, drunken fall or other minor but potentially serious accident happens to everyone eventually, most of us choose to withhold the details to avoid the “I told you so’s” and keep mum’s head screwed on.

Doing Drugs

With the exception of those who wear it as a badge of honor drug use is very common among backpackers, marijuana is the popular choice but regions popular with backpackers like South America and South East Asia are also known for extremely cheap and high grade hard drugs like heroin and cocaine. Backpackers are open to trying lots of new things, when a magic mushrooms trip is as simple as floating to the next riverside bar in Laos, ordering a ‘special’ pizza or just dropping in to an Amsterdam ‘cafe’. OK, it’s no secret backpackers do drugs, it’s part of the whole stereotype but how many go home and tell their mum all about it?

Wearing Fisherman Pants

It’s probably the effects of all the drug experimentation, sometimes people get the idea that wearing fisherman pants is a good idea. Sure they might be comfortable in tropical climates but so is a pair of shorts, too anyone and everyone who isn’t wearing them you look like a complete twat. Fisherman pants are to backpackers as socks with sandals are to package tourists.

For an awesome night out The Hangover style, combine all five, rest assured you won’t be the first to have done so.

What else do backpackers have to hide?