For those who travel a lot, backpacking is a well-known phenomenon. However, others might not be so familiar with it, as some people in the comments under these TikToks asked the question: "What is backpacking?" Essentially, it's a form of traveling with nothing else but your backpack on your shoulders.
Backpacking includes staying in the cheapest accommodation one can find, which is often a hostel. Some people also do volunteer work in exchange for shelter and food. Platforms like HelpX, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), and Workaway are the places to look for work. Usually, locals put ads there to find temporary workers, and travelers like this option because that way, they don't have to stay in one place for a long time and can visit more places.
What kind of work do backpackers usually do? Well, it depends. Some locals look for help on farms, so that usually means looking after farm animals and having some free time to explore a foreign country's nature and culture while they're not working. Other people are looking for babysitters, house sitters, or travelers who can help with more serious housework, like construction.
You might be thinking: why haven't there been any expert opinions yet in the article? You see, yours truly has some experience with backpacking and even van life. Last year, I spent nine months traveling up and down New Zealand in a converted station wagon – so, technically, not a van. And while I did remote work during my trip, I met tons of people who were either backpacking or 'woofing' (working on ecologically run farms), so I'm pretty familiar with the process.
Essentially, the volunteer work that backpackers do varies. When I was staying with a lovely lady in Auckland, she had a string of HelpXers staying at her house and doing all kinds of jobs. One young woman helped her weed and prune her permaculture garden. Another traveler cleaned out her garage, and a third backpacker stayed for only one or two nights and helped the owner organize her kitchen cabinets and her spice rack.
The volunteer work that backpackers do doesn't have to be backbreaking or necessarily physical. Locals in countries where the tourism and backpacker rates are high (like New Zealand) gladly accept volunteers into their homes for just a night or two.
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One thing many of you are probably wondering about is finances. "How can people afford this? I will never understand," many people commented under these backpackers' videos, too. The reality is that, yes, you have to save beforehand. But it's hard to say how much exactly is best to have in savings before you embark on your backpacking journey. That depends on where you're traveling, whether you'll be working, and how many luxuries or experiences you'll allow yourself.
The amount of savings people need very much depends on the countries they're planning to visit. If they don't have a definite plan, then they at least know which region they're traveling to. Eastern Europe, parts of Latin America, and Southeast Asia, for example, can be pretty cheap. According to Investopedia's calculations, you'd need around $30 to $50 a day, making that $10,000 to $15,000 a year if you're planning to backpack there.
30-year-old backpacker Gabriela Ramos, who shared her story with PopSugar, admitted she had $15,000 in savings prior to embarking on her journey. She bought a three-month train travel pass in Europe for $400, but her trip ended up lasting a year. Ramos backpacked through the Middle East and Southeast Asia, visiting a total of 33 countries.
