Backpacking refers to the recreational activity of carrying gear on one’s back. Usually, this is done while hiking in the mountains. However, the practice of putting on a backpack only as you traverse different locations is now a common kind method of traveling around different countries.
Insider’s Joey Hadden has noticed that backpacking has been portrayed nicely on different social media platforms. From men and women photogenically posing with their backpacks in different picturesque sceneries, Hadden only realized what it’s really like going around with only a backpack compared to the heavily romanticized activity.
Hadden started to backpack around August 2022, when she decided to make minimalist travel style her priority. During her short trip to Eastern Canada, she thought that it was actually easier and more efficient. Because of her trip’s success in the area, she decided to plan a two-week train trip through four European countries with only her backpack with her.
The travel reporter backpacked across Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland while exploring the cities of Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Milan, and Zürich. While sleeping through sleeper trains, shared train cabins, and budget Airbnbs, she noted down a few things that these travel influencers never share on social media.
One of the things she noticed was that her backpack couldn’t squeeze in all the clothes she wanted to bring. This means that she can only bring a few items, so she had to do laundry at every accommodation. “This was a bummer since I often arrived at each accommodation feeling exhausted from travel, and washing my clothes was the last thing I felt like doing,” she remarked.
Read more about her travels here!
Image credit: Joey Hadden/Insider