A flashpacker is defined as a person, unusually in their mid 20s to early 30s, who travels like a backpacker but has more disposal money as well as electronics such as a camera or laptop. They usually arent walking into a hostel without a reservation. A number of hostels are opening to meet the increasing needs of these travelers. Flashpackers still have no fixed route and all the time to meander like a backpacker around but dont pinch every penny.

Backpacking is not about a look or style, its a way of life. Even though a person doesnt have a certain look, that doesnt mean they lack the character of a backpacker. It doesnt make them less of a traveler. Backpackers should be open minded to new trends not the other way around. It is against the backpacker mentality to look down on someone else because they travel in a way that is different than ours.

It comes down to what makes a backpacker a backpacker. That’s spirit. The desire to explore new places and experience new people. Backpacking is about opening your mind to new things and looking differently at the world. It’s not about the stuff you carry. As your spirit is the same, what stuff you carry shouldn’t matter.

We’re all flashpackers, whether you like it or not. We may not be driving up to the hostel in a limo but we all expect a little “flash” nowadays. According to a study, 21 percent of people travel with a laptop, 54 percent with an MP3 player, 83 percent with a mobile phone and a whopping 86 percent travel with a digital camera.

The truth is we all travel with fancy electronics now. We check our email and Skype our friends. We all have a camera and most of us have an Ipod. We’ve become Flashpacker and it’s not a bad thing. All this stuff allows us to stay better connected with our friends, our family, and helps us better document our travels. The key is to once in awhile to put down the camera, turn off the computer, and enjoy the culture you came to see.

The backpacker who set off with 1 shirt, a small pack, and two baht to his name is getting hard to find. Most of us have a little more means and expect a little more but we still carry his spirit. We still seek new cultures, exotic locales, and long term travel. We still look for cheap hostels and transport. We camp on that jungle trek. The difference is that now we also want a place to plug in our camera, check our e-mail, take a hot shower, and splash out on tours. We just want to be pampered once in awhile.
Matthew Kepnes has written for many travel magazines For more information, visit his site to find out more (http://www.mygoodtraveladvice.com) travel advice and tips by him.

Tags: travel

Posted on July 2