10 Big Lessons I’ve Learned from Six Months of Backpacking
Posted on 22. Mar, 2011 by Steph in Advice, On the Road, Philosophy
It was 6 months ago to the day that I boarded my first flight for Tokyo, kicking off a new chapter of my life and career. Since then I’ve climbed the Great Wall of China, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef and partied until the sun came up in Thailand. I’ve been attacked by both parrots AND deer! I’ve navigated treacherous weather, the challenges of traveling with a new partner, and re-learning to travel alone. Parts of it have been quite difficult and well, unfun, but other bits I wouldn’t trade for anything.
When I look back on the last 6 months of my life, my first 6 months as a traveling nomad, I hope I will remember the lessons that I’ve learned:
Pad Thai in Bangkok (December)
ALWAYS Eat the Street Food
If it looks enticing, or just enticingly weird, I say go for it. Street food is the best food because it’s always cheap, local and delicious. Some of the more memorable meals I’ve had lately have been sitting on a hard plastic stool out on the sidewalk. Some people seem genuinely afraid of food poising but I think that if you are so deathly scared of a little diarrhea that you deny yourself an entire component of Asian culture, you may want to reexamine your priorities.
Xi'an city walls (October)
Never Make Inflexible Plans
The only thing that’s certain, when you’re traveling, is that your plans are going to change. When I look back on my original itinerary from about a year ago, it barely resembles what I’ve been up to at all. I think this is true for most everyone who travels long term: once you get on the road you find out you need more time in one place, you hate another and you just found out about this crazy island that you HAVE to go check out. The universe has a funny way of laughing at people who make too many plans.
UXO field in Eastern Laos (March)
You are INCREDIBLY Privileged
Travel teaches you how the rest of the world lives, and it’s generally pretty different from how we get to in the First World. From suppressed university students in China to desperate prostitutes in Thailand and begging street children in Cambodia, I’ve seen now how lucky I truly am, to have enough food to eat, to have an education, to have choices. It’s something I hope I never take for granted again.
A rare sunny moment in North Queensland (November)
Sometimes, Weather Makes All the Difference
I’ve run into an awful lot of bad weather luck on this trip. Sometimes it’s easy to brush off, but sometimes it really does color your perceptions of a place. I still don’t feel like I’ve seen Australia properly because I was miserable and wet a LOT of the time there.
Velociraptor of Love, Dalat Vietnam (February)
You Have to Find the Humor
Sometimes, like when it’s raining for the 12th straight day, or you realize your guesthouse room has no working light bulbs, you’re just not sure if you want to cry with frustration or laugh. I try really hard to choose laughter. A lot of really crazy things happen when you are traveling, and humor is essential for transforming the unbearable into the merely ridiculous.
Hoi An Central Market (February)
Roosters do NOT only Crow at Dawn
They crow pretty much all the time, but seem to especially prefer 3 am right outside your window, when you have to wake up early the next morning. As a city girl, I’d never spent much time around livestock, but traveling in Asia I find myself up close and personal with it on a near daily basis. Cows in the road, pigs running through the front yard and the damn roosters. I hate roosters.
Relaxing in Koh Samui, Thailand (January)
You’ve Got to be True to Yourself
This is the lesson I keep learning over and over. There are a LOT of travelers out there, and we’re each doing things differently and there’s nothing wrong with that. Over the past 6 months I’ve learned a lot about how I like to travel. I like to be slow, and relaxed- I’m essentially quite lazy. I like to wander, not rush from point A to B. And I really like to nap. I compromise my travel style at my own peril.
Shanghai Smog (October)
Hand Sanitizer and Tissues are Your Best Friends
This goes for any third world country where you might encounter the dreaded squat toilet. But no, they’re not as scary as you think.
Byron Bay (December)
You Will be Unhappy Sometimes
Even though you’ve planned this trip for ages, there will be days when all you can think about is how much you miss home. You will get sad, angry, annoyed and lonely. Life doesn’t stop just because you are on another continent and you can’t outrun your feelings. That being said, when you look back on your travels, time will magically erase those nights, and leave only the good stuff behind.
BIG Buddha in Kyoto (September)
The More You See, the More there is to See
That saying about “getting it out of your system”? It’s total bullshit. Travel is like a highly addictive drug, the more you take in, the more you need of it. If there’s one thing I will take away from at the end of this trip, it’s a long list of places I now want to visit more than ever. Someday I will return and motorbike the length of Vietnam, explore Hokkaido and maybe even see what an Australian Beach looks like in the sun. There’s a lot of world out there and I’ve barely scratched the surface.
What has travel taught you?
66 Responses to “10 Big Lessons I’ve Learned from Six Months of Backpacking”
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NomadicNeill
22. Mar, 2011
Travel taught me the depressing / uplifting (I prefer the latter) reality that people don’t really care either way what you get up to.
It’s your journey around the world and through life. Make yourself happy, do what you want, enjoy the ride.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I’ll say it’s liberating. Nobody is watching so just be yourself.
Holgs
22. Mar, 2011
One big lessons for me is that you have to learn to let go. Often things won’t work out the way you plan, irritate you etc. Its your choice whether to hold on to that and let it upset you, or to move on and focus on the next thing. The more readily you can let go of things that aren’t important the more enjoyable travel becomes.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
It’s a good life lesson too.
Sally
22. Mar, 2011
Oh man, it’s good the truth about roosters has finally gotten out. Cartoons have been lying to us for ages!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I HATE roosters. HATE.
Scott - Quirky Travel Guy
22. Mar, 2011
All are fantastic lessons, especially discovering what style of travel suits you best and sticking to it.
Monica
22. Mar, 2011
I couldn’t agree more with that last point. I thought that I’d travel, see a few places and then feel ready to settle in one place. Oh no. The more you travel, the more you realise how much there is to see in the world and all the places you want to travel to. And then theres the places you loved and want to go back to or the places you hate and want to give them a second chance.
I blame all those travellers out there who keep giving me travel ideas! These blogs are just way too inspiring
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
always feel bad for those people who tell me they’re going to go travel for a month or two and then “settle down.” It just doesn’t work that way.
Tijmen
22. Mar, 2011
You are so right about not making inflexible plans, it WILL change. I had it so many times that I planned it all out, but in the end I did something very different. But still had a good time though
I did meet a few people that did nothing but complain, yet not realizing how lucky they are in the first place that they can travel at all. For lots of people travelling to the other side of the world will always be a dream, yet they make it there and just complain. I dont get those people…
Will
22. Mar, 2011
Spot on with your last point.
A blessing and a curse. Sometimes good for the purse.
ehalvey
22. Mar, 2011
I’m sorry, the Velicoraptor of Love cracked me up
ehalvey
22. Mar, 2011
Or Velociraptor if I could type properly.
Gareth Leonard
22. Mar, 2011
Shout out to a fellow street food lover who isn’t afraid of a little diarrhea. I wish you another great 6-months of travel and beyond!
Justin Morris
22. Mar, 2011
Totally agree with you about the being privileged part Steph. There’s times when I’m out in Europe and i think “ok I’m in FRANCE in PARIS up the BLOODY EIFFEL TOWER!”.
It’s times like that that make me reflect on how fortunate I am to have come half way around the world from Australia to visit places some people dream their whole life about.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Yeah, I’ve met so many local people who would sincerely love to travel but don’t have the money or opportunities that we take for granted.
Gemma
22. Mar, 2011
mmmm Street food is a definite yes!! Even if you’re in the States and see a food truck, it’s always so good!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Need to find more street food in the US. It’s a new mission!
Abhijit
22. Mar, 2011
I learned from travel how to break the stereotypes I had in my mind about people, places, events.. something that can change your life completely..
Christine
22. Mar, 2011
Great post, and I can definitely relate to needing to stay true to yourself. Learning every day what that means to me! And to never getting travel out of your system…there’s always more to see! Cheers to more travel
Dale
22. Mar, 2011
I totally agree with the weather part. The context of your travels completely matter. Weather, the duration of your travels, and the number of people you know in a place can all affect you have perceive your time abroad. It’s good to be aware of all that when reflecting on your experience.
Cheers!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Yeah I still feel pretty bad about Australia. I think it deserves another, sunnier, chance!
Amanda
22. Mar, 2011
Wow, 6 months already. That’s hard to believe! Congrats!
These are all great lessons. I especially liked the ones about not making inflexible plans, staying true to yourself, and realizing just how lucky and privleged you are to be traveling.
And, of course, I can agree with the point about never being able to get travel “out of your system.” Once you start, it’s impossible to stop!
Lauren Quinn
22. Mar, 2011
Aw, these are great. I especially like the “life lessons” ones—being true to yourself, accepting that you’ll be unhappy sometimes. That’s some good travelin, lady!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
thanks lady!
Adventurous Kate
23. Mar, 2011
SO! MUCH!! LOVE!!! for this post!!!!
The roosters — oh my GOD, so true! I remember being in Pai (early in my trip) and roosters were crowing at 2 AM — the f*ck?! (Though that was nothing compared to the cow and baby having an early morning scream-off when I was on Don Det.)
And…yes on the inflexible plans. Make inflexible plans and you will either be disappointed or lose a lot of money. I chose to lose the money. I’m never booking a round-trip ticket again!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
yeah I’ve been the victim of a 2 am rooster myself. Bastards.
Oswald
12. May, 2011
I was in Chang Rai in a Hill Tribe village for a week and the roosters were up at about 4 every morning..but the catch was – they lived RIGHT underneath our hut, inches from our heads through bamboo floors. It was incredibly loud. And there were pigs under there too, also not the quietest things.
Steph
17. May, 2011
I don’t know how people in farms ever get any sleep!
Christine
23. Mar, 2011
You have such an awesome blog!! Such good lessons too, especially the last one!
Sarah
23. Mar, 2011
I love your last two points. They are so very true. It’s so important to recognise that travel will not always be wonderful. You get those home sick days, those pms days and those days where you should never have gotten out of bed. Everything is exaggerated when you travel. The highs are incredible, but the lows can knock you for six. Even so, it is a most definitely a drug and once you’ve started there’s no other way to get that fix.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I think your comment ALMOST rhymes! I think its really important to be prepared for those bad times b/c they are unexpected and can lay you WAY low.
Dani | Globetrottergirls
23. Mar, 2011
10 great points – can only agree with all of them! Especially the street food one – people who are ‘scared’ to try it are really missing out on some incredible flavor and an important part of the culture.
What has travel thought us: how lucky we are to be from the places we are from. After having seen some serious poverty and misery throughout Central America, we wouldn’t dare complain about anything in Europe or the U.S. anymore.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I’ve had the same experience in Asia. So many people live on so little and still manage to smile, I don’t know how I can possibly complain.
Offbeat Wanders
23. Mar, 2011
I definitely agree on this post! I’ve encountered a number of travelers who’s be so scared to try street food. I just think that simple things just like going on a food trip on streetfoods tells so much about a place’s culture.
Would just want to share my recent post on going on stingy while food tripping: http://www.offbeatwanders.com/confessions-of-a-stingy-food-tripper/
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I think people exaggerate the risk, as long as you are being smart it’s not much worse than eating in a restaurant. At least you can see where you food is being cooked!
alexis
23. Mar, 2011
I love your tip on laughter. I do find myself getting frustrated over some of the little things, and I’m constantly trying not to be. I’ll just try to remember to laugh every time I feel frustrated. Not just with traveling, but with every day life! Thanks for the advice!
I agree with traveling is addicting. The more you go out there, the more you’ll hear of something else you want to see. I love it!
You’ve had so many awesome adventures! I’m jealous! Keep having fun!
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Thanks, I think you have to be able to laugh, even at (actually especially at) yourself.
Andrea
23. Mar, 2011
Haha, these are great! Can’t say enough good things about street food and hand sanitizer (not necessarily used together!)
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
I learned that lesson the hard way.
Leonora
23. Mar, 2011
I love love this post – just a few months into my trip and already agree with so much of what you’re saying here.
Round-trip tickets seem to always be a mistake and the universe really does laugh at you when you make plans having absolutely no idea what you’re getting yourself into or where you’re going to want to be one / two / three months down the road!
Staying in the moment…it can be a challenging thing to do, but when better to try than when traveling
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Yeah I’m so very glad I didn’t lay out for a RTW ticket. I’ve changed my plans too many times to count now.
Scott
23. Mar, 2011
So thrilled for you, like others have mentioned .. I can’t believe it’s been 6 months. Totally agree with everything you said, less the roosters (I haven’t been to Asia yet). One thing that I have learned on my 4 trips to Europe is that Shoulder Season is your best friend and as I am starting to piece together a RTW itinerary for next year, that is weighing heavily on me.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
That is super freaking true. Thailand during peak season was hell, but Cambodia in low season is shaping up to be pleasant but HOT as hell. Shoulder season is where it is at.
Lauren Fritsky
24. Mar, 2011
I have nothing smart to add other than I really love this — what you said, how you wrote it, how you broke it up with pictures. Congrats on hitting your six-month mark and learning as much as you did.
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Thanks Lauren! I was uploading it on a internet cafe pc and it took AGES.
Jilianne
24. Mar, 2011
Wow congrats on your 6th month as an expat! I was thrilled hearing that you have so much adventure already. Well, eating street food is not bad as long as the food is clean and tasty
I lol when you just discovered that roosters crows anytime they want and not only during dawns 
Steph
24. Mar, 2011
Earlier today I came across one crowing at 2 pm. Persistant little buggers.
Claire
24. Mar, 2011
I need to stop reading these posts right before lunch-at least the ones where there are giant pics of delicious food present. Anyway, I have also learned the “you are incredibly privileged lesson” and it is one that I do all that I can to impress upon my students-some who will likely never even leave West Virginia.
BUT….I have to disagree with the “it’s not as scary as you think” reference to squat toilets!! I am terrified by them, and my heart rate literally accelerates each and every time I must use one .
Matt
26. Mar, 2011
I remember about one year ago when I tweeted a photo of a rooster in a hostel in the Northland of New Zealand. You @ replied and loved the photo and mentioned how much you wished you were already on the road. Little did you know how much you’d actually hate the things!
)
Waegook Tom
27. Mar, 2011
I learned more than anything that I need people. I travelled Turkey solo last summer for a month. In one city, I got horribly sick drinking dodgy tap water (it was 43C weather, all shops had shut for the night, no other option). I was projectile vomiting all day the next day, had awful diarrhea for the next week, and was miserable.
The sickness wasn’t the worst thing for me – it was the loneliness. I hadn’t talked to ANYBODY in a week being well and truly off the tourist trail, and I was miserable. It was 1 week before my birthday, so rather than carry on and be miserable, I booked a flight back to the UK leaving 2 days later.
It was the best decision I made. Now I largely have only happy memories of the trip, and would love to revisit – but next time with my partner or a friend.
“Be true to yourself” is the best piece of advice that rings the most true with me
Ali
27. Mar, 2011
Totally agree with needing a sense of humour…
last week my sister arrived at a train station in the middle of no where, unsure if we were in italy or france… at 1am with a 3.5hr wait till our next train and we were already exhuasted
the station was dark, outside and had about 40 men sleeping on cardboard around us.
As we got off the train, my sister looked like she was about to burst into tears… I burst out laughing
this sure was going to be an interesting 3hours…
but i think if i hadnt started laughing, we both would have been a mess and checked into a hotel for the night… instead we sat on our backpacks in front of the police station and watched them routinely walk up and down the station with their batons, shaking their heads at the bad night they were having…
but we got through it, and now we have a story that we already both laugh about
Joya
27. Mar, 2011
Great post Stephanie! I agree that you will not always be happy. There will be bad and good days but hopefully the good will outweigh the bad. I’m glad you’re having a good trip!
Lisa
27. Mar, 2011
Great post! I’ve traveled a great deal and always avoid the street food (yes, I’m one of THOSE people). I’ve come to realize that I’m missing a great deal, so my resolution is to branch out and try it on my next trip! Also, TOTALLY agree about tissues/hand sanitizer, as I’ve done a good bit of trekking and have also had to use some squat toilets. And lastly, I always realize that I am extremely lucky — make sure to remember that and help those less fortunate!
Bea
27. Mar, 2011
I’m sorry you feel that way about Australia but you do realise that a lot of Aussies have lost everything including their homes due to the savage wet, this came after more than a decade of drought.
A bit of research on the net will tell you to visit Australia in winter especially the northern parts of the country, because summer is the wet season for places like North Queensland through to Broome on the west coast.
I went to Paris for the first time ever last winter, through snow, rain and sub zero temps my husband & I had a ball and were out everyday – seriously, you can’t let the weather stop you from getting out and seeing the world!
Steph
28. Mar, 2011
I was in Queensland in November so I was fortunate to miss the terrible flooding that came later. It did rain though, for 6 of the 7 weeks I was in the country (all the way down to Melbourne). We were expecting some rain but not to be trapped in our camper van for most of the trip! I’ve written quite a bit about my time in Oz, the ups and downs, in the archives. My point is that it’s a marvelous country, I just didn’t have the best experience there.
Don
27. Mar, 2011
You nailed it Steph, what an awesome blog. Another lesson that I learned, is that I came to realized that inspite of our different cultures and creeds , we are all human capable of making friendship , be it a local, a fellow traveller or a complete stranger who doesn’t speak a single English even that friendship is just a short one. This is one thing I always cherish on my travels.
Tania
27. Mar, 2011
Learn to laugh. How true. Sometimes, when things don’t go your way, it’s so hard to fight back the tears at that moment. However, the “bad lucks” make the best stories once you get home. And anyway, people don’t want to hear how wonderful it was. A harmless bad luck story makes people laugh, including yourself (once you are home and safe)
Jacinda
31. Mar, 2011
This is an awesome blog. I will definitely take note of these lessons.
I definitely agree with the one on weather. Weather can make or break a vacation for me.
Oswald
10. Apr, 2011
That is almost a perfect list! Nice.
I got rained in on an Island in Thailand. EVERY day it rained and rained. Nothing would dry out in my thatched hut, and all my stuff started seriously mildewing. Not god when you don’t have much stuff to start with.
BUT – there is always a bright side. I had re-met up with a traveler I met in Laos, and she had a cute little long term bungalow with a DVD player and tiny KITCHEN. So it was so nice to actually cook for my/ourselves, curl up and watch movies for a week. Actually turned out to be a nice intermission in that trip.
After about 8 days, she had to head back to Europe, the rain broke, and I finally got to go on the sea-kayaking/camping trip I wanted, so all was fine in the end.
Steph
14. Apr, 2011
Oh man, I totally feel for you on the rain- but I do think that htere’s always a silver lining and it looks like you found oyurs!
Vi
12. Apr, 2011
“The More You See, the More there is to See” – that is so right…When you start travel you can’t stop it
Kate
20. May, 2011
Did you go backpacking by youself and just met people in hostels?
Steph
20. May, 2011
HI Kate,
I set off to do the trip all on my own but I ended up travelling with other people more than I could have planned. I like both styles for different reasons! Check out my About Me to learn more of my personal story.
Joel
21. Aug, 2011
You TOTALLY have to come back to Australia and see it in better weather! I’m not sure when you were in certain places but I can tell you that having grown up on the north coast of NSW, lived in Brisbane for 8 years and currently living in Cairns, that the east coast of Australia is awesome! Cairns and Far North Queensland is amazing between May and October, and everywhere else is at its best from November till May. Assuming you prefer to see it in the dry season/summer that is
Steph
21. Aug, 2011
I agree- I am sure the weather makes all the difference- except I WAS in NSW and Victoria in Nov/Dec and it STILLED rained on me the whole time. Bad luck