What I've learned from backpacking..
 

I'm two months into a bike free backpacking trip in South East Asia. I purposely did this to experience backpacking as I started travel on a bike and have only travelled by bike, van, canoe etc. I wanted to see how its like not to have that instant freedom and self reliance.

So I'd like to share with you all my feelings of going from international motorcycle Overlanding to backpacking on buses, planes and trains.

IT'S SH*T....

DON'T DO IT...

That is all :)

Ted

Because you didn’t listen to me, I told you before

IT'S SH*T....

DON'T DO IT...

and That’s all :stupid:

Stop hanging out with 19 yo gap students taking dodgy buses mate. Start hitchhiking and think of more adventurous routes. Adventure will happen the same way.

Yep, backpacking is a pain in the ass (unless going beyond road, trekking etc) and public transport is purgatory.

Hell, flying somewhere and moving from city to city on a train / bus has no appeal to me any more.

And taking your own vehicle is easy to do, usually doesn't cost much more...

EO

Ted
I told you it'd be sh!te. doh

One thing I've learnt with age is to take advice. How long will it take you?

A particular problem of public transport is that it passes through public transport terminuses. Where does the pond life hang out in Liverpool? At the bus and train station.

On a m/c you would never go there.

Not even a hint of schadenfreude in this post - honest :rolleyes2: :rofl:

If you think it's bad now, with all the gap year teens wondering why their grandad's got on the bus with them, just wait until you get to my age. If you go backpacking with a few years on the clock, and on your own, people think there's something wrong with you, that you're homeless or something. As you've probably found, walking with a backpack attracts every nutter and chancer within miles - especially if you're a bit older and look as if you might have some money.

Bet you wish you'd left half the stuff in the sack behind now!

Those who know me at all know that I never listen to good advice !!! Haha

I have to learn the hard way. But at least I know first hand.

After a couple of years working in a BMW/Touratwat dealership I came away bikeless to reinstall my passion. And its worked. I'm itching to get home, finish my XRL restoration and get into the trails of Spain and Morocco..

:)

That the biggest downer. You have to go where you'd never go. Seeing all the best stuff through a glass window disappearing behind you. Whilst jammed into a overcrowded tin box full of people who say"Awesome" a lot.. For hours on end. :/

Are you still over there? I'd not head home quite yet. Why not switch modes and get on a rental bike and have a go?

I did this solo a couple times in Thailand, a bit in Cambodia as well. (rentals) Good times! AWESOME! (actually!)

After all, you've blown the money on air fare ... why not make the most of it? I used one of my expired Passports for rentals ... and any case, not ALL rental places demand a Passport. (there are alternate ways).

I enjoyed most of my backpacking times .. but i was 35 years younger and a lot tougher. I also mixed it up, doing some bus, some train, some Motorcycle. Took breaks in mini "Garden's of Eden" along the way too, living and working along the way.

Some of my bus rides were tough, like the ride from Merida, Mexico
(Yucatan) all the way to Tijuana (US Border) ... only break was change of buses in Mexico City. Valium really helps. 3 days.

Let us know how she goes!

Agree totally, when speaking to people who have been ripped off, robbed or had any sort of unpleasant experience it is usually at a bus or train station.

Schadenfreude indeed.

It depends where you walk, and when.
The OP doesn't mention any form of hiking, scrambling, rock climbing, rambling, mountaineering or any of the other activities associated with the ubiquitous backpack and an amount of leg work.

True, it's easy to jump on a bus. But seeing the mountains from the bumper ite back of a truck is awesome. Plus you get to wave at the gap years when their bus stops in the middle of nowhere asking for more money. But if you see them it means you haven't strayed of the beaten path anyway. Chuck that lonely planet guide mate.

It's a bit like taking the HWY your whole bike trip instead of taking that dirt trail going into the bush

Not having your own transport can be exciting when you have no idea how to get out of the middle of nowhere.

I like motorbike touring as much as anyone, but backpacking has taken me to a lot of remote places--on foot, by boat or oxcart, in buses and trucks and hitching rides on bush planes among other modes of transport. If you're offended to find yourself packed into buses with a lot of 19-year-olds whose every fourth word is "awesome" or "dude," you need to re-think where you're headed and what you're doing there. And hitting the SE Asia tourist trail in order to complain that it's crowded with tourists is just silly.

Same as travel with a bike. You're the boss, no matter how you travel. If you don't like where you're at, go someplace else.

As always, IMHO.

Mark

Interesting to see the difference in opinion on backpacking. It's clearly just like everything else in life, dependent on who you are as a person.

I've never done it in a serious way, unless you count leaving home when I was 8 years old, 2hrs walking around the estate with my wig-wam and 2 tubes of smarties, telling everyone I met I was a backpacker. the main reason I came home then?.......... it really was a pain "carrying stuff" ( and it was nearly dinner time )

When I travel on the bus/plane/train there is always a "backpacker" with a huge pack on his/her back. Those things are really big these days! A complete pain for the person carrying and everyone else who gets bashed as everyone fights for a seat! Always always always some fool will attempt to squeeze one in the full-to-bursting-point luggage lockers, while the last 20 people fight to get down the isle to a seat. Annoying many people and earning the tittle of most hated person on the bus/plane/train for the entire journey.

So Ted, yeah I can see why it might be sh*t! The solution would be hang the rucksack off the back of a hire-moto and all will be good in the world and you will be loved by everyone again.

Throw the backpack away and purchase a small wheeled carry bag. Small enough to be taken on board a plane as hand carry baggage. My wife and do this twice a year in Asia and can easily strap both bags on the back of a 125 two-up.

Total weight of luggage is around 6 kilos each, very easy to put under your feet on a bus, and easy to pull along behind you, when necessary.

Don't get me wrong. I've done a lot of cool stuff. Hiking, caving, renting offroad scooters, cycling etc. And met some great people on these buses.

But going anywhere is paramount to being cattle herded to market for hours or days on end. Its easy for people to say "you're doing it wrong", and they may be right but going anywhere really is a logistical nightmare and in Asia everything is tourist price and scamming is just how its done. But that's the Gringo Trail.

Like Mark said, backpacking Asia was probably the wrong place to 'enjoy' backpacking due to the 18-25 crowd but it was the cheapest option and its not freezing cold ;)

Still.. I'm glad I've experienced it. Got a lot more perspective and appreciation for my own transport now. And that was the whole point..

Yes, I'm not particularly sympathetic to your plight, it still sounds better than riding to work in sub-zero temperatures.

Er, I always thought that was in Central and South America? :cool4: :smartass:

Being pissed off at home is bad enough but having the same experience thousands of miles from home is worse. If you don't think it's for you (and 2 months should be enough time to make a reasonable decision) then come home and fall in love with your bike again before your view of the wider world becomes tainted forever. :thumbup1:

Yup.... Exactly.

I booked a flight home and I just arrived back home in the Wirral.

And I'm glad to be home :)

I've just had a walk around my big garden and caressed my tools in the workshop.. Ahhhhhh How I missed my workshop.

So, as soon as the jet lag wears off I'll be back to business :)

Velkommen hjem Ted.

Skål Jake.

Welcome back Ted,
I fly back out again on Wednesday, too cold here and only been back from my trip 4 days. Hope you had a drink in the Pai Pub for me

Wayne

I am glad to know it's not just me that walks in to my garrage after being away smells the air and fondle's my my tools, sighs, sits on the seat, smiles sits in the car smiles. I will give my wife and daughter a hug too if I've been away from them too!

:blushing: :blushing: :blushing: :blushing: :blushing: :helpsmilie:

I recalled this thread before i left for Malaysia,n to my dispair the city buses are non existant as everyone has a car now days,picking up alittle fz150 to tour malaysia. this was after dispairing of alost holiday n sorting the creditcard denials. will post when we get back as wifi is all mobile here. need to sort some medi insuranve also,any suggestions as both Nomads n Hcc have an unusually negative reports.?

Well, just be happy the Buses in SE Asia are upgrading from the headlight flickering, uspension worn out, bouncy carriages from hell they once were.
IMO that is what made my first trip to the Philippines way more fun.
Nothing like going around a twisty mountain road with your headlights going in and out and the bus leaning like it was going to roll on every turn.
Oh not to mention the people who just step right out in front of the bus and the driver merely honks.:oops2:

good times, good times.

And hell, why not spend more time in a bus station. If you are pick pocketed it adds to the adventure while you go look for another camera in your free time :)

It's not the cars in KL replacing buses, it's the MRT - far more comfortable and efficient than taking a bus.

We r in Seremban,saw the first bus on the north side the other day,been here a month.the fz150 is run in now n we came down to Meleka to pickup some gear n off to the east coast on Monday after the laborday family gathering in PD for seafood. nothing like two wheels n a gas fired engine.

thanks for sharing!

What I've learned from backpacking..
 

I just don't think backpacking in SE-Asia could every really be much fun or adventurous if you've already crossed continents by motorcycle Ted. You should have done the middle-East, India or the Stans maybe?

I backpacked in and around all of India on buses, trains etc and I defy anyone who says that taking local buses across Bihar is not an adventure! People should go easy on the 'gap' year backpackers, many of us did them and some of us have to start somewhere. Elitism is never nice - we're all just trying to have fun here :)

But after 15 months of motorcycle solo travel out here in sudamerica, living on a XR 250 and sleeping in a tent, well you just can't compare that to getting bus after bus and hostels (I hate them!). The 40 hour bid rides were one of the reasons I decided to buy a bike!

I'm going home next week - now thinking of doing North America by bicycle only if because its cheaper and I think I'll be able to have more contact with the people, and maybe because I'm too comfortable with the idea of moto travel now?