| Backpacking is a term used to denote a
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| | Hostels and other budget accommodations
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| form of low-cost independent
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| | in the 'developed' world tend to be
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| international travel, differentiating it
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| | communal to some degree, and thus
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| from other forms of tourism notably by
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| | backpacker culture is often highly social
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| the following typical attributes: minimal
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| | and emphasizes the camaraderie of
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| budget use, longer duration traveling,
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| | communal life, such as the shared
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| use of public transport and multipliable
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| | kitchens common in many hostels. When
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| destinations/countries. The origin of the
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| | backpackers stay in one place for a
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| name comes from the backpacks that budget
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| | while, they often seek a house-share with
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| travelers generally carry in the
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| | numerous other backpackers and are likely
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| interests of mobility and flexibility.
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| | to share a room to keep the costs down.
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| Many commentators see backpacking as
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| | In the 'developing' world accommodation
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| descriptive, not only of low-cost travel,
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| | is normally found in cheap hotels,
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| but of the culture and philosophy often
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| | pensions or guesthouses.
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| associated with it, especially anti or
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| | The common language of backpackers is
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| trans-nationalism as well as a
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| | overwhelmingly English in varying levels
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| romanticization of wanderlust and a
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| | of fluency while German is arguably the
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| desire for "authentic" contact with local
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| | second most common language encountered
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| culture.
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| | due to the large presence of backpackers
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| The term backpacking is said to have
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| | from Germany or Switzerland. (However,
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| originated in the early 1970s with the
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| | German-speakers will usually only speak
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| advent of low-cost jet airplane fares.
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| | German informally amongst one another,
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| During this era it became common for
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| | and will otherwise speak English in most
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| young Westerners, to follow the hippie
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| | other situations). Britons, Australians,
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| trail into India and Southeast Asia. This
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| | Canadians and Germans typically form
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| period also gave birth to the first
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| | among the most common backpacker
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| budget guidebooks (see Tony and Maureen
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| | nationalities in the world, in addition
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| Wheeler) and began to change the way that
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| | to Israelis, New Zealanders and numerous
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| many people looked at the possibilities
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| | other Western European nations such as
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| and opportunities of travel.
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| | Switzerland or The Netherlands.
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| More recently, backpacking has become
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| | Backpackers from Spain are very common in
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| something of a rite of passage in the
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| | Latin America, where there is little or
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| popular culture of some countries, most
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| | no language barriers and the cost of
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| notably Australia, Israel and New Zealand
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| | travel and living expenses is often very
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| where after finishing high school,
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| | favorable for the Spanish. The same is
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| university or a period in the army they
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| | true of French in West Africa. Per head
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| take several months to two year's break
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| | of population, Australia is thought to
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| in Europe (some of whom work in this
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| | have the highest representation of
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| region), Asia or the Americas. This can
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| | backpackers, although there is no data
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| be put down to the light population and
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| | available to demonstrate this
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| geographic isolation of these two
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| | empirically.
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| countries from much of the world's
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| | Backpacker culture is perhaps typified by
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| population and history, the fact that
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| | the Lonely Planet (Australian) series of
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| Australia and New Zealand are both
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| | guidebooks, which caters to budget
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| affluent English-speaking countries where
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| | travelers both in its regular guides as
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| the majority of their citizens can afford
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| | well as, more specifically, the "On a
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| overseas travel, and that both countries
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| | Shoestring" regional compilations. The
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| have a tradition of students attending
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| | Rough Guide (UK) and Let's Go (USA)
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| university in the home city rather than
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| | series of guidebooks are also popular. In
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| moving away for college. A substantial
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| | France, the traditional backpacker's
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| amount of young adults from Israel also
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| | guidebook is the Guide du routard.
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| undertake long-term backpacking trips,
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| | Traditionally, backpackers do not travel
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| particularly after they finish their
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| | with expensive electronic equipment such
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| mandatory military service. Travel of a
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| | as laptop computers and PDAs due to
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| backpacking nature is also extremely
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| | concerns about theft, damage, and
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| popular with Northern Europeans,
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| | additional luggage weight. However, the
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| particularly the Dutch and British and
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| | desire to stay connected coupled with
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| with small sections of North Americans
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| | trends in lightweight electronics have
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| and Japaneses.
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| | given rise to the flashpacking trend.
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| Low-cost options are popular: such as
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| | Some backpackers take a high resolution
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| sharing lifts, budget flights, rail/bus
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| | digital camera and/or high capacity MP3
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| passes (or if the backpacking trip is
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| | Player with them on their travels.
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| circumglobal, a relatively cheap
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| | Blogging from various Internet cafes
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| round-the-world air ticket which permits
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| | around the world is also a growing
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| numerous stops), youth hostels, free
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| | phenomenon, offering a more convenient
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| hospitality services and buying food at
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| | way to relay information to interested
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| supermarkets abroad instead of going to
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| | friends and family at home.
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| restaurants.
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