Gilles crossing the border from Venezuela to Brazil
I am a Flashpacker. Why? I mostly travel with a rucksack; I rather stay in hostels, eat in local restaurants & usually travel by public transport; I mostly choose less conventional destinations, far from the mainstream tourism destinations. But I think that Flashpacking is above all a way of experiencing different cultures and interacting with the country. It is also about respect, allowing me to dive into new, unknown experiences.
I am not in my twenties anymore though. Therefore, I am no longer ready for the hardcore type of budget travel. My dormitory & camping times are over, although this does happened occasionally. I prefer more comfortable busses and would rather fly than spend 12 or more hours squashed inside a cramped minibus. I also enjoy sampling unique food in a fancy restaurant if I know it is worth it and am inclined to sip a fruity cocktail watching the sun set.
Gilles in Aguas Qualientes, near Machu Picchu, Peru
For some trips I even end up with a high budget, most likely due to the kind of transport I chose. In Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, for example, I had to rent a jeep, but in such cases I successfully looked for fellow travelers to cut costs. Oman was another pricy trip, but I could not possibly see a way to travel cheaply and see at least some parts of the country in two weeks. In Uganda it was the safaris and the gorilla permits that drove up the price. But such trips are rather the exception than the rule.
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