Is it really scary, not having a hotelroom during the day? Lots of people do think it is, at least that is what they think. When I say I go backpacking that is one of the first things they ask me. They are scared that you are dragging your backpack with you all day! And so it is not nice and convenient to go backpacking in their opinion.
This was just after checking out at a really nice and luxurious hotel in Mui Ne -Vietnam
Not your average backpacker right?
I often get that question: are you always with your backpack while traveling? Appearently there is this image of the backpacker with a big backpack on their back walking the streets. That you need to have your bag with you all day if you don’t have a hotelroom…
It souds scary!
Not having a hotelroom during the day!!
How does it work?
I’ll show you the other side of backpacking!! I call it ‘flashpacking‘. I am not that twenty something that wants to travel as long as possible for as less as possible. I got my job, I can pay for what I want and what I need 🙂 But I do like to travel as it comes and go with the flow while traveling.
So yes, sometimes I arrive in a destination and I don’t have a booking or an adress where a bed or room awaits me.
In this time of internet there is no problem to book a room in a short time. I’ll go get a good cup of coffee and search online for a good accommodation. Make a booking or just go to the hotel by searching googlemaps on how to get there. Backpack on your bag and go!! Or just take a tuktuk 🙂
Great cup of coffee in the streets of Jaffa, old city of Tel Aviv – Israel
Does it still sounds scary?
Not having a hotelroom during the day!
When I am at a hotel I often stay for two days. I have a whole day to spend at the destination, I can explore the place! Doing that trip that this spot is famous for or just explore the town to the max! I really think the pro of not booking everything up front is that if I want to stay for another day I can. I have the freedom to book an extra night! I can explore off the beaten path because I have the freedom to do so.
So after exploring you’ll chekc out and maybe your bus will leave in the evening. You can use the hotel or hostel during the day. You can use the toilet, use their WiFi and ofcourse you can leave your backpack in their saferoom!
On the back of a scooter on my way to a busstation somewhere in Myanmar!!
Can you trust this?
Are you leaving the hotel when your bag is in a saferoom?
Yes, I do trust that!! Fellowtravelers has always been trustworthy untill now. That doesn’t mean that I don’t close my bag carefully. I don’t leave anything in sight that might be desirable for anyone. Taking a risk on that is not good. Untill now I haven’t lost anything while traveling. I do see people carelessly leaving expensive goods on their beds in a hostel, like laptops, telephones or cameras. They are charging them on the bed while sitting outside and chatting with others. I hardly hear of situations that they loos things. Still…I don’t take that risk and keep things in sight or behind zippers.
How do I keep things locked away? and not bothering myself with it!
I don’t want to make things difficult for myself by keeping things behind 3 locks and such. That would mean that I have to do as much as a thief to get something out of my bag. But while traveling I do have my backpack in a protection cover. This cover is also a travelcover and raincover. The whole backpack fits in there and so it will be hard to get something out of there. So when it is in the saferoom the bag is in the cover and now zipper is showing.
While traveling by plane it is good to have the cover also. And as I mentioned it is also a raincover. When you use it as a raincover it is all around the bag but you can carry it on your back. Also when using it like this all the zippers and openings are covered. This is the way I transport my back most of the time.
My two backpacks in a jeep on my way to the bus
When it is time for a new destination and I leave my hotel I am homeless for a while 🙂
With all my bags I go back on the streets and I am that backpacker!! Untill the next destination and everything will start again. On my way to a new destination for 2 or 3 nights. On my way to a new adventure!!
When you look at it like there is hardly a time that I am homeless.. And I hardly walk the streets with my backpack on my bag…
And that is the image most people have of a typical backpacker
Does it still sound scary?
Not having a hotelroom during the day
But do you still think I am a backpacker?
Or do you think, just as I said before, that I am a flashpacker?
I often stay in cheap hostels… But I do love to stay in great resorts or on a bounty island in a private bungalow when I feel like it!! 🙂
What is your travel way? How do you like it the most? Are you a flashpacker or are you the one that want to go the cheapest way?
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If you don’t have that fear anymore after reading this post please share it for others too!!
Make traveling easier!!
Want to read some other adventures too?
Flying in an old plane – Poland
Wandering around the old city of Acre – Israel
Roadtrip: National Park Eifel
Hitchhiking on a Shabbat in Israel
Or can I inspire you to go running?
Mindfulness: Walking and Running at the same time
Or how about this one?
YogaPoses and walking the Camino Frances 🙂
I do hope you enjoy this world as much as I do!!
Jacomijn is een politieagent uit Nederland die jou graag laat zien hoe je veilig, actief en gezond de wereld kan over reizen. Safe and Healthy travel is a MUST
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