Age limit for backpacking - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

tegan_lala · 01-02-2006, 05:49 AM

I'm sick of being told I will be too young to travel alone. I'm curious... what is your opinion?

BTW.. I

tegan_lala · 01-02-2006, 05:52 AM

sorry.. this is the wrong one

**Tadpole** · 01-02-2006, 06:47 AM

I went at a fresh 18 with my brother who was frshly 17. We met Simply Angelic who was 17 at the time and ran into multiple other 17 year olds.

**kingcrazylegs** · 01-02-2006, 07:20 AM

I left home when I was 16 and never looked back, traveling to other countries and living there...just depends on the person really

nemesis331 · 01-02-2006, 10:52 AM

i think it depends on your maturity level. could you really take care of yourself in a bad situation or emergency and behave responsibily alone on your journey?

If so, go for it. thats awesome. i'm sure you can do it!

**juliagulia** · 01-02-2006, 10:54 AM

yeah it really does depend on your maturity level and how comfortable you feel being by yourself and controlling yourself when youre in certain situations...

**bluepea** · 01-02-2006, 11:14 AM

My (now husband) boyfriend, friend and I (all 17) packed up our car with my brother (19) and drove across the country to Myrtle Beach for a week.

**ScarlotteDorian** · 01-02-2006, 02:48 PM

i packed up and left my mom's house when i was 17. she was flipping out saying i was too young, but hey, it's that just what mom's are suppose to do? anyhow, i think there are a lot of life lessons and maturity to be gained from traveling.
i'm the only person that just simply voted 'no' so far. i think the type of people that decided to go travel other countries by themselves have alot of balls to begin with and they will be okay in the end and possibly come out better people.

tegan_lala · 01-02-2006, 02:53 PM

Quote:

i think it depends on your maturity level. could you really take care of yourself in a bad situation or emergency and behave responsibily alone on your journey?

yeah, i'll definately try think that through

thanks for everyones advice

**TheWills** · 01-06-2006, 01:54 AM

yeah I was gonna go when I was 18 planned it at 17 didnt end up going till I was 19

but the youngest ppl I met were 18 I didnt meet anyone younger, but yeah its all about how you carry yourself and if you feel like you can get outta some werid situations, and in thailand there are gonna be a few lol goodtimes!

tegan_lala · 01-06-2006, 07:20 AM

Quote:

i packed up and left my mom's house when i was 17. she was flipping out saying i was too young,

Wow. That would have taken alot of courage. Finally my parents are used to the idea but aren't exactly supportive of my interest in the middle east..

Safety strategy- 1. Dye hair brown 2. brown eye contacts 3.Darken skin 4.hejab..

Nooo.... they will all love me

My maturity level: I'm not sure but it's past Dolly, Girlfriend and other crap.. but still, there's alot of room!!!

tegan_lala · 01-06-2006, 07:31 AM

oh just though i would add --> Today I read someone posting that backpacking has become "in vogue" so we have all these "uncultured" students in large numbers

well, i actually didn't really know much/think too much about backpacking but then i stumbled across this site and my opinion changed! i thought all backpackers were like tpunks

btw- backpacking is not exactly "in" around me.. but i guess i am one of the students

berwin · 01-07-2006, 05:25 AM

I agree with everyone else on the maturity level thing. I mean i'm 16 and livin in Holland for a year as an exchange student, but I still do a lot of travelin by myself and everythin. Just depends on the person I guess. I just say, if you think you are ready to handle it then go for it, if not then wait a year or two then see.

**LostFarmboy** · 01-09-2006, 02:27 PM

hehehe, i'm 23, i still live with my parents in the same town i was born in, my mother still does my laundry, and i still steal letter boxes when i get drunk enough so i'm still pretty freakin immature. However, i have travelled to 16 different countries, seen some bloody amazing things, and had some bloody incredible times. I say bah to maturity levels, it's all about just doing it.

However, you do have to be able to handle yourself in crappy situations. And i think some more tourist friendly countries would probably be better to start off with.

tegan_lala · 01-11-2006, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LostFarmboy@Jan 10 2006, 08:27 AM
hehehe, i'm 23, i still live with my parents in the same town i was born in, my mother still does my laundry, and i still steal letter boxes when i get drunk enough so i'm still pretty freakin immature. However, i have travelled to 16 different countries, seen some bloody amazing things, and had some bloody incredible times. I say bah to maturity levels, it's all about just doing it.
However, you do have to be able to handle yourself in crappy situations. And i think some more tourist friendly countries would probably be better to start off with.

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Yeah, that will be me (more money for travelling and uni)... NO SHAME in that!

Tourist friendly countries? OK then but I might stay some time in the Middle East but see if I can stay with families there

**Rozza** · 01-17-2006, 12:38 PM

i would say there is no limit for backpacking what-so-ever. backpacking isn't just a 3 weeks of being poor and highly socialble in europe in your late teens andearly 20's. To me, its not about way you carry your stuff, its the way you carry yourself. When you go to another country, or even another county, state, city, town whatever, if you go some where and your just another face, giving you the freedom to meet new people, cultures, areas that are not in your lonely planet.
You don't have to be solo, or even with friends, old or new, it could be with family - any one.

to me, its only called 'backpacking' because backpacking is the probably the most common form of this kind of travel.

**Joker** · 01-29-2006, 09:32 PM

I met a wide variety of age groups when I backpacked Costa Rica. There were all sorts of folks in the hostels. Sure, the average age bracket was 18-25ish, but there was the 40 year old Canadian guy packing solo through Central America, and the 50-something guy riding his Harley down the Pan-Am Highway from Mexico to S. America.

Its not exactly an age thing. Its more of a state of mind

chelseafc05 · 02-04-2006, 12:28 AM

i disagree i think there is a age limit to backpack..... bout 15 and under....and 110 aand over

glitterhairdye · 02-15-2006, 12:47 PM

I'm a rather mature ( if I do say so myself ) seventeen year old female. I'm going to be backpacking alone around Europe for five weeks this summer. It took a while convincing my mom and taking out a trip to Polan and speaking German to make her let me go. Haha

**indierock05** · 02-22-2006, 11:21 AM

Good luck with the travelling alone love, just one thing from a girl who has done it herself (well, I was also 21-22 then). There will always be people who will help you out-hell, in Heathrow airport security blocked a wing for me to sleep in, and fed me every 5 hours when I ran out of cash and had to camp out for 3 days.

But for every good samaritan there is one sketchball. Just use your head, if you have a weird vibe, go with it and just be polite, no body likes a rude person. But good luck, I gurantee that you will have an amazing time!