The Tux in the Backpack

How many tourists with a Lonely Planet in their hands have you spotted while travelling? In any main touristic site there are hundreds of them, often looking at the picture on the guidebook instead of the real thing in front of their eyes. The bible status of the Lonely Planet guidebook is in fact enhanced by the fact that people don’t simply carry it in their bag, occasionally taking it out to consult it, but they have it always, constantly in their hand, like if the “foreign” world they’re in will crumble on them the moment they drop the guide.

If a “secret”, off the beaten track location is on the Lonely Planet you can be more than sure that is not that “secret” anymore. We already mentioned how difficult is to find locations not touched yet by mass tourism, and we know that Lonely Planet is bringing “tourists” – and feel free to read that word in the worst possible way – even in the most remote (and once preserved) locations.

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Popularity: 11% [?]

Are you a Flashpacker?

Although we wouldn’t take the test literally it’s very entertaining and will give you a good idea; plus it was posted in 2006!! Way before the whole Flashpacking phenomenon exploded. So here it is, and check out the original post here as well.

1 – The bus doesn’t turn up and you’re trapped in an unfamiliar town. Do you …

a) check your Lonely Planet guidebook to see if any local hostels will accept friendship bracelets as payment
b) rant at your travel operator, then draw up a list of people to sue
c) walk your Mastercard straight to the front desk of the nearest Hilton

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Popularity: 11% [?]

In the maze of Flashpacking definitions found online is refreshing to read something that doesn’t define the Flashpacker simply as someone backpacking on a bigger budget or with tech gadgets. While exploring the relationship between Thailand and Flashpacking the Thailand Musing post throws more light on the figure of the Flashpacker.

New elements appear, like for example the “fair trade” one: “Another inheritance from the backpacker ethos is a sense of responsibility, especially ‘fair trade’. Flashpackers tend to favor community operators and independent hotels over corporate chains.”

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Popularity: 14% [?]

Everybody is talking about Flashpacking, the new travel phenomenon. Many though define Flashpacking as backpacking with techno gadgets or on a bigger budget. Is a laptop, a digital camera and an I-pod all it takes to be a flashpacker? Those accessories are more and more common, and just because a Backpacker travels with them does it automatically make him/her a Flashpacker?

Some say the real Backpacking is dead anyway, as Backpackers want to see different realities and have a bit of culture-shock, but “they now expect the comforts of home, albeit with some exotic twists, but nothing that makes them too uncomfortable or homesick. They expect people to speak their language, buses to run on their schedule and locals to treat them with respect.”

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Popularity: 7% [?]

What better way to start this blog than with Paulo Coelho’s advices on travelling differently.

The tips apply to all kind of travelers, but we like to think that the way of seeing places suggested by Coelho apply particularly to Flashpackers. After all they are a very independent kind of travelers, they avoid organised tours and really want to connect with people and culture of the place they’re visiting.

Hindu Temple Batu Bolong, Lombok, Indonesia

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Popularity: 10% [?]