Backpacking - Who needs stuff anyway?

After reading about the amazing adventures around the globe of Evey from Style Spy, it popped into my mind the terrifying experience of packing before a trip. Weeks and weeks spent deciding whether to bring my fancy dress or not, whether to pay for an extra bag - but then again I won't be sure to have all that I'd need. That's why sometimes backpacking seems the perfect way to start a new adventure. So, I asked my dutch friend to tell Surfragette's readers (and me) how a backpacking trip changed her way of traveling - and of living. 

Maybe I should try myself too - and leave that fancy dress at home!

"Marta asked me to write about my experience in travelling. There are many clichés when it comes to traveling, and in particular: backpacking. Things like 'how it changes you', how 'less materialistic you become' and how you 'fall into a black hole, some kind of dromomania', after a long trip. And I must say, for me they are true. Today I will talk about this materialist side of mine, that I let go.

Yesterday I watched this new series on Dutch television called 'Het einde van de wereld', which means "The End of the World'. It's about people moving to a more remote place, like this French couple that moved to Canada and are now living amongst the Inuits (Eskimo's). And why they live their life in such a 'abandoned' place. The French couple wanted to move away from the consumer society., where we (assuming you live in it) can buy pretty much anything whenever we want. 

Before I went backpacking through Asia and Australia I was a person that liked to to save money for pretty stuff. Friends knew me as the person with the newest phone and the trendy clothes.

During my trip I experienced living out of a suitcase for half a year. Wearing the same clothes, living cheap and experiencing days being about finding a place to sleep, not which clothes to buy. Not that I was that bad, but I missed my jeans during travel! 

After this trip I definetely changed. Not that I don't like pretty clothes and gadget anymore. I just seem to care less about buying them unless I really need them. After travelling I moved to a single room with less stuff than I would normally have (who needs dvd's anyways?).

So nowadays I am less focused on stuff. I like vintage stores, recycling and I like to have a minimalistic place. Although I still love to buy clothes, I just think of traveling as an experience that will bring you more than just clothes. It's about meeting other people, experiencing cultures, living without caring about your looks but caring about others. For all of us, swallowed by consumer society, this is a great way of changing and seeing the world from a different view.

Just keep in mind what travel will bring you: it's something that money can't buy. So travel more!"

Thanks Evey for sharing your story with us.
And you guys, don't forget to pass by Style Spy and say hi!

M.