So, you're planning your first backpacking trip?
Some may consider 27 years old a bit late to start backpacking. My first backpacking trip was to Australia, and it was a trip I planned for a year. You can read about my Australian trip here. I quit my job, left my relationship, moved in with my grandparents, and booked a one-way plane ticket.
It was terrifyingly exciting. Before this, I had only been on holiday for a couple of weeks at a time with friends and partners. I would stay in hotels – not hostels – and do guided trips. This time I was flying to the other side of the world solo, with only the first week planned. Where the hell was I going to stay after that? What was I going to do? It freaked me out that I didn’t have an itinerary for every day of the next year.
I wouldn’t say that I made mistakes; rather, I learned from my experiences. I’ve been gathering tips along my travels, refining the way I do things.
If you’re planning your first backpacking trip, or even if you’re just looking to improve your experience… These tips will help you to make the most out of your first backpacking trip.
1. Manage your money
No, seriously. You never have as much as you think you do, and something always comes up that needs money. Lots of small purchases quickly add up. After weeks of going out drinking, eating at restaurants, and buying souvenirs, there’s suddenly a hole in your pocket.
It’s easy to feel like you’re on a normal holiday where you can splurge for 2 weeks. Except this time it’s months. Think long-term on this one.
I spent a lot of money within the first 6 months of my 1-year adventure. It’s easy to get carried away. Then I had doubts about whether I could complete my trip up the east coast of Australia. I was worried I didn’t have enough money. That’s not a nice feeling.
I ended up getting a job in Sydney and having a lot of fun there, but it wasn’t my first plan!
So budget, and spend wisely.
Get an idea of what things you want to tick off your bucket list (Don’t have a bucket list? Read my article on how to create a bucket list). How much will those cost?
Is there a way to do things cheaper? Any free things to do?
Divide up those savings and budget a certain amount for each month. I’ve also written about cheap things to do in Paris, Athens and, and how to visit Athens on a budget.
2. You don't need to plan everything
As long as you know where you’re going to stay for the night, that’s the most important thing. Or if you want to be extreme, you don’t even need to do that. Some people may find that intimidating, so plan it to your wants and needs.
Once you know where you’re going to be staying, it’s easier to plan everything else around that.
Where to stay? It could be hostels, hotels, or Workaways (Read one of my Workaway experiences here). The choice is yours! Mix it up a little for some variety, or stick with hostels and Workaways for a cheaper option.
It can be freeing to not plan everything to the last detail. Just play it by ear and see where the adventure takes you. Sometimes detailed planning is needed, for example, if you’re planning an extensive multi-day hike. In towns and cities, there’s more freedom.
3. Say "yes" to a lot of new experiences
You probably won’t travel through that area again.
Take up the offer of a hike with new friends, or a road trip to the next destination. But don’t forget to be safe!
Even if the road trip turned out to be a disaster, like one of mine did, I still made friends. Still saw some great sights along the way. And still had a story to tell at the end of it. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that.
You’re there to explore, so explore! Remember when a spontaneous night out would turn out to be a fantastic one? It can be like that with travelling too. Even a spontaneous night out whilst travelling!
4. Some friends you make for life, some you make just for that night
And both are okay. Friendships and relationships tend to flow differently when travelling. It can be fun to have a best friend just for the weekend, and then you both move on with your travels. It’s still a great memory. When travelling there are so many different lives that can intertwine. From the shared dorm to the busy park, and the bustling museum. There are other travellers everywhere. Some serve as great friends just to explore one thing. Others turn into life-long friends, or even the love of your life. Then some you wish you would never see again. But that’s okay!
People tend to find the kind of people that travel in a similar style to them and create a bond.
When travelling, other backpackers are usually so welcoming and friendly too. If you struggle to talk to new people, here are 11 tips for making friends while travelling alone by Worldpackers.
5. Do what you want to do on your first backpacking trip
Even if it’s different from everyone else’s plans around you.
Just stay safe. It’s your trip!
This might be the trip of a lifetime for you. So make it one. Do exactly what you came here to do, and everyone else’s plans will be a bonus. It can be rough when you leave a destination and regret not doing something there. Especially if you know you probably won’t get the chance again.
Make it an adventure that you look back on in excitement! There were plenty of experiences that I had alone, and I had so much fun doing so. Hiking a forest trail alone or sitting on an empty beach can be extraordinary. Learn to love your own company as well as other people’s.
6. Keep track of your travels
If you’re doing a lot of travelling in a short space of time, moving from city to city, keep track of all of your planes, trains, and car rides. You don’t want to miss anything and then mess up the rest of your trip. No one wants to travel back on themselves to tick something off they missed.
When I planned my trip up the east coast of Australia, there was a lot of moving around. I had a lot of buses to catch, and different hostels to stay in. Not to mention all of the activities I wanted to do. So I wrote it all down in my travel journal to keep track. This was helpful afterward too, to remember what I had done. It was nice to see written down how much I had accomplished and explored.
Which leads me to the last point…
7. Record your experiences
If you take lots of pictures, caption them so you remember when and where you were; keep a journal; make a scrapbook. I visited so many beaches in Australia that I captioned them so I didn’t forget which was which. Make something and record what you saw and how you felt at the time. Then looking back on travels it’s easier to remember. It’s worth thinking about and taking the time to do whilst travelling; you’ll thank yourself for it later.
Spending time on overnight coaches and in airports usually gives you some time to kill anyway.
Record it in a way that speaks to you. Some people like writing detailed stories, while others like to sketch memorable moments. Now I have a growing collection of journals, all decorated uniquely. When I settle down in my own home I’ll have a nice shelf of different journals to display. To look back on whenever I please.
There’s a post on how to write the perfect travel journal by Wanderlust.
Ready for your first backpacking trip?
Hopefully, these tips were helpful to you and provided some guidance for your first backpacking trip. Go explore with an open mind and heart, and have the adventure of a lifetime.
If you have any tips I would also love to hear them!
