6 Underrated Reasons Why You Need To Go Backpacking At Least Once In Your 20s
Traveling is always a dream come true. You find adventure and make memories to last a lifetime, all while seeing amazingly beautiful places that seem straight out of a movie. If you've studied abroad, you know how easy it is to catch the travel bug. While it is a bit pricey, your need for travel can definitely still be achieved. Affordability is just one of the reasons why you should go backpacking at least once when you're in your 20s.
Being young, and possibly inexperienced with travel, can be really intimidating when thinking about backpacking. Maybe you've never done it before, or maybe you are really anxious about safety aspects. Maybe you do want to go abroad, but you can't find people to go with you or an option that works within your budget. These are all valid concerns — but if you never go out of your comfort zone, you may never do anything on your bucket list, or at least not the adventurous parts of it.
Visiting new places can certainly be scary for some people, but it doesn't have to be impossible. And with the right attitude, anyone can be a world traveler. In your 20s, you're not only at the prime of your life, but you also are already making the best memories. Why not add some backpacking adventures into the mix?
01You Get To Travel While Saving Money
Flying is very expensive, so after the initial flight to Europe or whatever country you're going to, you're going to want to travel by foot, bus, or train. Backpacking makes that essential. Also, this type of traveling is easier when you're staying in hostels or other low-cost options.
02Now Is A Great Time To Make New Friends
While you don't have to travel by yourself, backpacking through a country is a great way to solo travel. You're able to call the shots and choose the perfect itinerary for your journey. Plus, when you're alone, making friends abroad can be easier.
If you're the charismatic type who likes to strike up conversations with random people on the street, this is definitely a route that may suit you. If you're more on the shy side, this is a chance to branch out and potentially make new, lifelong friends. No matter which type of person you are, experiencing people from different cultures is one of the coolest things ever.
03Start Marking Off Your Bucket List Early
Everyone has a bucket list, and the sooner you start checking your desires off of yours, the better. It will enable you to finish up everything you want to do now, and add more to your list in the future. While the point of a bucket list is to get it completed before a certain age, there's no time like the present.
04 It's The Best Way To See A Country
Flight deals are easy to find when you want to travel between certain countries and provinces, especially in Europe. However, if you're going to be backpacking, as stated before, the whole point is to save as much money as possible. Even though these may be cheap flights, getting on a train or bus will be so much more scenic. You'll be able to see the countryside and other places that whisk by your train window during your trip. Plus, between stops, you may get to stretch your legs somewhere you wouldn't have set foot in otherwise.
05There's No Better Way To Embrace Your "Me Time" Than By Living It Up In The Present
Now is the prime time to focus on yourself and what you truly want out of life. If traveling is it, then you should certainly go for it. There will truly never be a better time in life than the present to do exactly what you want to do, when you want to do it, and where you want to be doing it! Needless to — say this is one chapter you will always look back on and smile about... so get that backpack packed.
06You're At Your Most Adventurous State
Many people in their 20s make it a priority to have fun and explore. You're itching to try new things and really start making your mark on the world. You may be more inclined to do something impulsive like zip-line through a forest, night surfing, or a late-night cruise. Hopefully you never lose that sense of adventure, but right now you're dying to get out there. Go on, quench that thirst, and travel your heart out.
