Forum goers over at LonelyPlanet’s ThornTree forums have gotten into a rather heated discussion over the meaning of the term “backpacking”. Who knew there was so much confusion over such a fundamental word in the traveler’s life?
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For me, it’s simple: backpacking means traveling cheaply with a backpack. Period. Whether it’s in the middle of the woods, in a hostel in NZ, or at the Quebec Hilton. If you’re essentially living out of your backpack and traveling on the cheap (I realize cheap is a relative term), then your backpacking.
What are your thoughts?