Backpacking sucks (sometimes)! The incredible pictures, thoughtful posts, and life-changing anecdotes are only a small slice of the nomad life. Most of the time is spent on the unexciting setup: endless researching, getting stranded, being lost, etc. That's what I affectionately refer to as the grind. But I wouldn't change a thing. I learned quickly that you can't have regrets. There's always somewhere you should've visited or something you should've done. Your choices are magnified when you only make them once.
Before sharing some of my less-than-glamorous experiences, I readily admit that a handful of the below could be avoided if I wasn't such a budget traveler. For instance, I have an unwavering faith in my legs to carry me anywhere even after three knee surgeries. Anything within three miles or a thousand meters in elevation is in walking distance with my ripped-up, decade-old camping backpack. I could stay in resorts, take taxis, and not wear the same shirt everyday, but where's the fun in that?
1. Always saying goodbye- All backpackers develop an ability to open up quickly but also to accept that you may never see a person (or place) again. You learn a great deal about a person traveling together, and it surprises me how much bonding you can do in a day or two. Saying goodbye is never easy.
2. Asking strangers questions- It's always a mixed bag. Sometimes it's the wrong answer, sometimes they don't understand you, sometimes they don't care to answer, and sometimes you don't understand them. Can't be shy! Try again!
3. Too much time in buses- I've sat through boiling hot, freezing cold, cramped, wet, and smelly buses and vans for countless hours through all kinds of terrain. After a dozen overnight bus trips, my body is conditioned to sleep on buses. The humming engine and lurching rolls knock me right out. But I also remember the overnight ride from hell in which I suffered from food poisoning, altitude headache, and motion sickness simultaneously.
4. No toilet paper- This is a hard lesson to learn. I wouldn't be caught dead without plenty of toilet paper. Especially not when traveler's diarrhea lurks.
5. Not knowing where I'll sleep- Through Eastern Bolivia and Western Brazil, I didn't book anything. There's a special urgency when it's pouring rain and you need to find a place to stay before the sun goes down.
6. Paying the tourist prices- Negotiating comes in handy but I usually have a nagging feeling that I got ripped off anyway.
7. Being unhealthy- There's more fried food, fries, and mayo here than at home! Unfortunately, the must-try foods are never boiled vegetables. And the public gyms on the street just don't cut it.
Perhaps these public gyms should be in the US, otherwise known as the world's most obese country.
8. Forced to hitchhike- Timetables in Bolivia were mostly a suggestion. Outside the town of Chochi in Eastern Bolivia, I had to hitchhike for the first time. I waved pitifully as the first couple cars sped by. Luckily, once I got over the mental fear of looking like a fool, it only took twenty passing cars before a hospitable family from Santa Cruz picked me up.
9. Not understanding what's being said- You just hope they're not making too many mean jokes about you or discussing how much money is in your pocket.
10. Getting 'robbed'- I use air quotes because I lost 6 Brazilian Reals ($2) and he gave me an oddly-friendly pound hug afterwards. Maybe he was just trying to sell the kitchen knife in his pocket (see above Not understanding what's being said), but best not to assume.
11. Crossing borders- Not getting the right stamps, waiting in line for half a day, overstaying the visa, buying (and promptly refunding) flights for proof of onward travel, running out of space in the passport, making four crossings in one day... every border is a potential adventure.
Yet, I look at the above list fondly, because we judge everything relatively. The 'meh' experiences make the good ones that much better. The grind is where you learn by being challenged.
Hedonic adaptation tells us that no matter what happens in life, we quickly get used it. If we do amazing things everyday, amazing will soon be our new baseline. So it's important to maintain a balance. Some days I choose to just work, read, or watch TV (sometimes I don't choose, there's just historic rain for four days). Nothing exciting. It may sound contradictory, but I'm not necessarily happier now than I was before I started. It's been over five months and I've started adapting to this lifestyle. But I've had a wealth of memorable experiences: sharing laughs with wonderful people, soaking in awe-inspiring sights, discovering unexpected surprises, changing plans abruptly, appreciating the quiet moments alone, and being on the receiving end of much kindness. That's what ultimately matters to me.
There's a saying here I've internalized that perfectly sums up how I feel about backpacking. Vale la pena (translation: worth it)!
