Silly Mistakes I Made Backpacking

Failing is the best way to learn how to succeed!

My first solo backpacking trip certainly was not without its hiccups. Let me share my less-than-shining moments so that you don't have to make the same mistakes.

• Not packing a pair of tennis shoes

• I packed boots, flats, sandals, boat shoes, and I thought I was set! There were days (that I did not anticipate) where I was more active. I desperately wished I had packed my pink Nikes.

• Paying for a tour

• There are “Free walking tours” in every major city of Europe. Their idea is that you have no obligation to pay, but at the end if you felt the tour your guide gave you was worth-while you give them a tip. This allows you to get a great over-all tour, on a low budget, of the highlights in that city.

• I didn’t check the weather forecast

• The weather can turn quite quickly and ruin your plans. I once left my AirBnb in Berlin with sunny skies and returned 2 hours later drenched from a sudden downpour.

• Not memorizing how to get to my accommodation

• Take the time to visualize, if not completely memorize, on a map where you are arriving and where you are going. I thought that simply memorizing the metro line I needed to take would be sufficient, but when thrown into the confusing metro stations, it did me no good.

• I didn’t take note of what was around my accommodation

• Memorize at least one thing, that a local would surely know, in case you need to ask for directions back to the place you are staying. Metro stations are good points of reference.

• Not learning simple words in the native langugae

• Locals often appreciate this small gesture. Even if you can’t communicate in their language, at least know how to greet them and thank them for helping you.

• Buying a train pass

• On my entire backpacking trip, I did not use a single train. I used buses, planes, and blahblah car. These options were always far less expensive than taking the train.

• I didn’t buy tickets to popular sites in advance

• I missed out on places I wanted to see and stood in line WAY too long for others because I didn’t plan ahead.

• Not listening to my body

• Traveling is exciting and exhausting. Walking around a city full of new things to explore distracts you from reflecting inward. I often neglected my most basic needs because I was so delightfully distracted. Are you hungry, thirsty, tired? Do your feet, back, or head hurt? Remember to take care of yourself on your epic adventure.

• Assuming I would remember everything

• Write notes in a journal or on your phone what you did and learned each day. Even the small moments that made you smile or laugh. You will be forever happy you did.

• Not packing my own towel

• Hostels often charge extra to rent a towel. Buy a small, microfiber towel to have on hand. It will save you money and also come in handy when you spill your water all over yourself on a bumpy bus ride...

• Spending money on clothes I didn’t need

• It is hard to resist buying that cute dress in the window when you have been wearing the same shorts for 3 months. Consider what the same amount of money could buy you. Is that dress worth sacrificing 2 bus tickets, a night in a hostel, or your meals for one day?

• Using a cross-body bag instead of a backpack

• I thought that a hands-free, easy-access bag was what I would want walking around a city all day, but boy was I wrong! My bag was much heavier than I anticipated since I needed to carry around my usual essentials plus water, snacks, and my camera. That extra weight all on one shoulder gave me shoulder and back pain after miles of walking. It made a huge difference once I switched to a small backpack.

• Wearing cute outfits on travel days

• While backpacking, you won’t have the luxury of washing your clothes when you want. On your travel days, you will be walking longer with your heavy backpack. Naturally, you will sweat and make whatever you are wearing very smelly. When laundry is hard to come by, you can't afford stinking up a perfectly cute outfit in the matter of 30 minutes.

• I didn’t double-check the battery life or memory storage on my camera and phone before setting out

• ​taking photos is a way to save your memories and share your experiences with your loved ones. Don’t get caught in a moment you want to remember/share without your camera or phone working.

Funny personal stories:

My bag was a mess from constantly being on the move. I was trying to navigate my way around Budapest with a map for ten minutes *super confused* before I realized it was a map of Vienna I forgot to toss out.

The John Lennon Wall in Prague, Czech Republic is a wall that people are constantly painting murals and phrases on. I, unthinkingly, posed for a photo leaning against the wall… I then discovered my back and butt were covered in wet blue paint. I walked around the rest of the day with the mistake on my clothes. I felt slightly better when I saw another girl had red paint on her skirt.

John Lennon Wall

Mistakes were made...

Not a good idea

I had my laundry washed by a service in my hostel. I threw the clean laundry bag in my backpack and left to my next destination. I didn’t realize until later that I was missing three shirts and a cardigan (a big deal when you only packed 7 outfits to start with)

In Amsterdam, I walked all the way across town to a cat adoption boat I was dying to see to arrive 15 min too late. It was closed. If only I had paid attention to the opening hours on Google Maps.

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I want to hear about your backpacking bloopers! Comment below your experiences.