I am a Gen X mum to young adults and a lifelong traveller. On this page, you’ll find the advice I’d give my own kids if they were to set out to travel in 2026. Young adults, kids of my own kids’ age, are taking off on gap years constantly. As are some older people, taking time out for a real travel adventure after years of maybe just tasting that life on short vacations. It’s a great thing to do for a certain type of person. It’s not for everyone.
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Here’s my best advice for new travellers, backpackers, young and old. It’s written by a human, with many years of travel experience under my belt.
My first gap year was in 2001, I later spent almost 7 full years backpacking around the world, and every year, I take off for a month or two of free-form independent travel to keep current. This is my best advice for those who are planning to travel the world.
Tips And Advice For New Backpackers
Here are some tips and advice for new backpackers, some practical, some more spiritual. I’m trying not to appear preachy here; that’s never my intent. I’m simply writing, reflecting and engaging in deep thought on things that are important to me.
Only Travel If You Have A Burning Urge To See The World
Don’t plan on travelling extensively because your friends are doing it. Don’t go backpacking because you think it will be a big party. Don’t take a gap year because you’re trying to escape home, work, or school. Don’t do it to impress anyone or prove anything. Don’t do it for Instagram.
My best advice is to get off Instagram and all social media. I’ve done it and I’m a travel blogger. Trust me, life is much better without it.
The only reason to take a gap year or extended travel as a backpacker is because you really want to do it. My #1 reason is my incredibly strong urge to see the world, and now that I’ve seen a lot of it through a lifetime and 60 countries, I still want to see more.
You will not find yourself through travel. If you haven’t found yourself yet or life is just confusing, meditate. It’s life-changing. You can ask me about that in the comments, if you like. I can point you in many directions. Or tell me about your meditative practices. What have you found?
People can learn a lot through travel. I turned travel into my kids’ education through what’s called “worldschooling“. You can find personal strengths and test your limits. But I don’t think that you need to leave home to do those things unless you really want to see the world. You can develop yourself in your own backyard.
Don’t think travel will make you happy. Happiness is something inside you, and if you haven’t found it yet, we’re back to meditation.
An ex-friend accused me of travelling because of grass is greener syndrome, or because I was depressed. Travel wasn’t her thing, so she would never understand. She was completely wrong. We shouldn’t travel to fix unhappy.
Don’t Pack So Much Stuff
I can travel for months with just a carry-on, as can many seasoned travellers.
I was in Luang Prabang, Laos, just a few weeks ago, watching a very young couple in new hiking boots and knee zip “travel” trousers pacing up and down the street with huge backpacks, looking for a place to stay.
I made the same mistake on my first gap year. Hiking boots and a massive pack. You really don’t need much, and you don’t need to stress your body by carrying a huge weight on your back.
Don’t allow yourself to be a victim of marketing and consumerism. You don’t need to buy all the stuff.
It’s inconvenient, difficult, hot, sweaty and annoying to carry huge packs. Having checked luggage slows you down at airports, it will cost you more on flights, and you’ll struggle on all public transport.
All you need is a carry-on. If you’re not sure how that is possible, I have a new post about minimalist travel packing coming out very soon. Sign up for our email list, that new post will come to your inbox shortly.
Book a Place To Stay in Advance!
Thinking of that young couple in Laos again, why were they walking the streets, after dark, hunting for a hotel or guest house? We were sitting at a restaurant enjoying the view. They must have walked past us 4 times as they combed the streets.
Yes, this is how it was done on the backpacker circuit years ago. On our first gap year, over 20 years ago, we found a place to stay this way. Don’t do it today. Book a place in advance. Even if it’s just for 1 night. It takes so much pressure off you on an already stressful travel day.
20 years ago, we didn’t have the internet, of course.
Ethically, yes, it would be better to directly book a place and cut out the big booking platforms that skim profits off us, and the hostel, guest house or hotel. But pick your battles.
We have chosen to not use Amazon, Spotify, supermarkets and more, but a 1 night hotel booking on Booking.com or Agoda isn’t going to make much difference other than to your stress levels. Book the next night directly with the owner once you’re on the spot if you want to cut out the corporations.
It’s very difficult to book accommodation online without using these platforms. I don’t think we’ve ever had to do it.
Travel Authentically
Authentic travel is about experiencing the place, the people, the climate, local foods and local culture. It’s less about tourist attractions, particularly not the man-made fakery; it’s more about learning what it’s like just to be in the place.
My kids’ great grand nanna once asked me why I was going to Kathmandu again. My reply, to just be in Kathmandu. Every place has a feeling generated by its structures, the people and their activities. Maybe it’s a vibration. You develop a relationship with the place.
Obviously, you’ll want to see the historic sights, wonders of the world and beautiful views, but enjoying and learning about the place should be a big part of the experience.
Smile and Say Hello
Learn to say hello and thank you in the local language. Just those 2 words, with a warm and genuine smile, go such a long way. Every person on your journey deserves recognition, the room cleaner, the receptionist, the tuk-tuk driver, they’re all humans. Don’t save your chat for the backpacker you happen to share a language with.
Smiling also lifts your mood, and being nice to others helps you feel nice inside.
There’s far too much focus in the travel world, on “scams to avoid” and saving maximum money. Just relax, keep your sense of humour and enjoy the experiences, good and bad.
It’s often the worst experiences that make the best memories.
Don’t Be Afraid
Everywhere you go in the world, there are families trying their best to lead happy lives. They wish you no harm.
What can go wrong? A serious accident or health crisis, a vehicle accident, theft. These things are rare.
In over 7 full years of travel, we have had an attempted robbery on a train in India, a stolen T-shirt and a pick-pocket incident in Malaysia, and the theft of a bag in Cairns Australia. The theft in Australia was “at home”; we live near Cairns today.
My kids have been seriously unwell in London, norovirus. That was “home” then.
My young adult son had a day or two of D&V in Malaysia just a few weeks ago, the world didn’t end, he spent a day in bed and was back on his feet the next day.
My husband developed a condition requiring surgery on Ko Phangan, Thailand. He had surgery, the insurance covered it, the hospital was wonderful and his 6 week recuperation on a Thai island was fine.
My point is, even if something bad does happen, and it’s unlikely, it’s usually OK in the end.
Take Advice From Other Humans
Not everyone enjoys the same things, and not everyone travels in the same way, but I can guarantee that retold human experiences beat info from ChatGPT. Ask locals for tips, read the human travel blogs, ask a fellow traveller, connect and share what you know.
I think “connect” would be my most important piece of advice for new travellers. Right up there with “be present”. They’re very similar things.
Try To Support Local Communities
Where you can, put your money in the pocket of the little guy, not the vaults of the big corporations.
That means choosing the tiny restaurant over the chain, using the unbranded small hotel or the independent tuk tuk driver over the taxi company.
Much as we all love to visit 7-11 from time to time, is there a small shopkeeper being squeezed out by the chains who could use your trade?
Small choices can make a big difference.
Slow Down, Explore, See
I’ve spent a bit of time on cruise ships. What struck me was that the passengers, coming back to the evening buffet with their “I’ve been to Sri Lanka” T-shirts really hadn’t.
I’ve spent months in Sri Lanka, and they’d taken a bus trip to various “must-see” places. They’d barely experienced Sri Lanka at all.
Walk, explore, get lost and see the activity in the streets. This is often best done alone. Chatting to your friend or partner can easily insulate you somewhat in a bubble of camaraderie.
We found that when we travelled as a family, people rarely engaged with us, they assume you don’t need or want to connect. A person alone is more approachable. Don’t forget that you can be the person doing the approaching.
So while I don’t choose to travel solo, I get out of the hotel room solo. People strike up conversations, particularly if you sit in a coffee shop and watch the world go by, resisting the magnetic draw of your phone.
Get off the phone is another important piece of advice for travellers, it’s part of being present in the experience.
I like to go out very early in the morning, alone, and just see what’s happening. You could stumble upon something incredible, or mundane, but you will certainly see, experience, and connect more with the place and its inhabitants.
By slow down, I don’t necessarily mean that you need to be a slow traveller. Slow travel normally involves spending weeks or months in one place. We’ve found that we don’t enjoy that style. Maybe you do. Just linger longer beyond the one day tour of the sights.
Don’t Think You’ll “Live Like a Local”
You will never live like a local. You carry the norms of your birth society with you. You can never leave yourself behind to experience life as the locals do.
I’ve lived in Australia, on and off, for 20 years, but still, with land and property tying me here, I don’t live as the locals do. And by that, I mean people who were born here and grew up here. I don’t see the world in the same way as they do, and I don’t experience things in the way they do.
I never will. Australia and the UK are two superficially similar cultures. Imagine thinking you could ever adapt into a vastly different culture. You can’t.
We have lived in a village in Romania and in Vietnam, along with the UK and Australia. We didn’t even try to live like a local because we never could. We could eat similar food, shop at the markets and use similar accommodation to local people, but we could never have the mindset, community, faith, family, or lived experiences of our neighbours.
You can live alongside the locals with respect and consideration and maybe that’s going to have to be good enough.
By spending 3 days with Vietnamese drivers on our recent motorbike tour, I think we aquired much deeper knowledge of the country than the superficial stuff we learned over 6 months living there. So if you can, talk to the locals.
Travel Is A Privilege
I won’t say I’ve been lucky to travel as much as I have, because it was planned. I made travel a huge prioriity in my life and made it happen. My personality is the sort that can do that.
Obviously, I had to have certain advantages in my life to be able to make the travel possible.
If you are able to travel extensively and over longer durations, what a privilege.
With so many people struggling to make it from day to day, and others victims of unimaginable horrors, we’re living an incredible life. Don’t forget that.
Another thing not to forget is that travel can be cheaper than staying home, it was for us. So that privilege doesn’t necessarily equate to wealth.
I’ve struggled from time to time, I had anxiety and occasional meltdowns. Travel can be overwhelming and difficult if you fall into a hole of low mood. I’m imperfect, so are you. Now I try to guard against that and practice gratitude often. Mental tricks to keep everything flowing smoothly. Hopefully you’ll be able to do that too.
Good luck with your new travel adventures.
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