Backpacking

There’s backpacking and then there’s backpacking.

I recently saw an advertisement for a course taught by two white well-off looking ‘backpackers’ on how to travel in East Asia with only a backpack and a small suitcase. WTF? I lived out of a backpack as a young person because I lacked a stable place to put down roots. As a family we lived out of backpacks for extended periods as we worked in rural communities in the Philippines. The millions of poor people experiencing displacement and mass migration in this fucked up world should teach that fucking insulting course as a wake up to the gross entitlement of rich white privilege.

Grumpiness aside, what I mean by backpacking on this blog is the act of planning and executing a long-distance backcountry hiking trip involving carrying all of the things we need to survive on our backs as an intentional recreational / destressing / healing activity.

I just started this type of backpacking in 2019. And you know what? It’s fun and challenging and I love it! I enjoy the total picture of choosing a location, planning a route, and arranging the logistics. The experience of hiking and camping, while hard at times, is rewarding. And the feeling of exaltation at having met my goals, beautiful.