Backpackers

[DJ Pat]

My mate has a backpackers hostel and I do visit him often to have a chat or view his latest renovations or plans. One thing that always strikes me is that backpackers could easily all have been hatched from the same egg or come from the same island so to speak.

I say this because they are completely and utterly to the book and I mean guide book. Absolutely no deviation from the rules set out in Lonely Planet whatsoever.

Sadly the Thailand edition of Lonely Planet has never been updated or altered to move with the times or change with social attitudes etc I mean this because when you have a conversation with a "Lonely Planet" backpacker they have all visited the same tourist attractions (Floating market, Wat Pra kaew, Chatuchak market) then had a massage, made two beers last all night, had the underlying whiff of body odour, (yes even the females) and are reading a dog eared Harry Potter (boys) or a Zadie Smith novel (girls) whilst avoiding the passing scenery on the bus / train.

Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what. Also they may get clever (yes some do) and actually leave the confines of the hostel to find a banana pancake stall (when eating pad thai noodles with chopsticks becomes tiring), but that's quite a rarity nowadays away from Khao Sarn Road.

I once actually saw a backpacker conversing with a native Thai person but that was a one-off mistake when the Bolivian blind backpackers association (the BBBA) were conducting a field trip to test the infamous theory of the 28 bed dormitory. Apologies were certainly in order I'll tell you.

Now to the backpacks themselves. I personally am ok with a regular sized sports bag or oversized weekend bag for most trips, five of each underwear / socks, couple of t-shirts, shirts and trousers etc. I am fully aware that items can be washed in machines in other nations so I can do that on my travels if needs be and most of the worlds hotels have something called a laundry service or if you are on a miniscule budget, buy some 'travel wash' liquid, which even works with seawater should you need to remove the dreadlock stains from your sarong in a hurry.

So, the above mentioned items, clothes, travel wash, add toiletries and trainers and the bag is about a third full. What else do i need? Well thats about it really. A couple of books? Yeah why not.

So my big question is, what the <deleted> is crammed into your average backpack carried by your typical backpacker? A spare body part? A spare backpack with the same items in? I tell you what I found out : It's books, tonnes of them, travel giudes, Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and Harry Potter books. What happened to looking out of the window on the train? Or bus? Why bury your head in a book at the beach? Beaches are beautiful in Thailand right? Well f**king take a look at one instead of alienating yourself deliberately from 'common' tourists.

So, upon your return to whatever country you backpacked from. You arrive home. What have you learned about life from all that traipsing, bargaining, living in smelly conditions, being ignorant to real advice, worshipping the Lonely Planet, saying "Oh my god" a thousand times and reading? Well I'd say nothing whatsoever. I think it's more along the lines of: "What a waste of f**king time that holiday was" Because nearly all my friends who 'backpacked' Thailand said they didn't really like it but upon returning for a regular holiday in Thailand (real hotel, soft bed, getting pissed, using a taxi, wiping your arse etc) they enjoyed it!

This post is the result of a five year survey.

Edited January 4, 2006 by DJ Pat

[sonthaya]

My mate has a backpackers hostel and I do visit him often to have a chat or view his latest renovations or plans. One thing that always strikes me is that backpackers could easily all have been hatched from the same egg or come from the same island so to speak.

I say this because they are completely and utterly to the book and I mean guide book. Absolutely no deviation from the rules set out in Lonely Planet whatsoever.

Sadly the Thailand edition of Lonely Planet has never been updated or altered to move with the times or change with social attitudes etc I mean this because when you have a conversation with a "Lonely Planet" backpacker they have all visited the same tourist attractions (Floating market, Wat Pra kaew, Chatuchak market) then had a massage, made two beers last all night, had the underlying whiff of body odour, (yes even the females) and are reading a dog eared Harry Potter (boys) or a Zadie Smith novel (girls) whilst avoiding the passing scenery on the bus / train.

Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what. Also they may get clever (yes some do) and actually leave the confines of the hostel to find a banana pancake stall (when eating pad thai noodles with chopsticks becomes tiring), but that's quite a rarity nowadays away from Khao Sarn Road.

I once actually saw a backpacker conversing with a native Thai person but that was a one-off mistake when the Bolivian blind backpackers association (the BBBA) were conducting a field trip to test the infamous theory of the 28 bed dormitory. Apologies were certainly in order I'll tell you.

Now to the backpacks themselves. I personally am ok with a regular sized sports bag or oversized weekend bag for most trips, five of each underwear / socks, couple of t-shirts, shirts and trousers etc. I am fully aware that items can be washed in machines in other nations so I can do that on my travels if needs be and most of the worlds hotels have something called a laundry service or if you are on a miniscule budget, buy some 'travel wash' liquid, which even works with seawater should you need to remove the dreadlock stains from your sarong in a hurry.

So, the above mentioned items, clothes, travel wash, add toiletries and trainers and the bag is about a third full. What else do i need? Well thats about it really. A couple of books? Yeah why not.

So my big question is, what the <deleted> is crammed into your average backpack carried by your typical backpacker? A spare body part? A spare backpack with the same items in? I tell you what I found out : It's books, tonnes of them, travel giudes, Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and Harry Potter books. What happened to looking out of the window on the train? Or bus? Why bury your head in a book at the beach? Beaches are beautiful in Thailand right? Well f**king take a look at one instead of alienating yourself deliberately from 'common' tourists.

So, upon your return to whatever country you backpacked from. You arrive home. What have you learned about life from all that traipsing, bargaining, living in smelly conditions, being ignorant to real advice, worshipping the Lonely Planet, saying "Oh my god" a thousand times and reading? Well I'd say nothing whatsoever. I think it's more along the lines of: "What a waste of f**king time that holiday was" Because nearly all my friends who 'backpacked' Thailand said they didn't really like it but upon returning for a regular holiday in Thailand (real hotel, soft bed, getting pissed, using a taxi, wiping your arse etc)  they enjoyed it!

This post is the result of a five year survey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

DJ a great post, I totally agree with you.

[The Muji]

I couldn't agree more. And the worst thing is that most backpackers that 'travel' Asia have seen nothing but the KSRs along the way. They get there straight from the airport, then board a bus full of (you guessed it) backpackers, which takes em to an island, where they hang out with yet again more backpackers. They go home with their backpacks full of flags of all the countries they've been to and consider themselves Asia connoisseurs.

On the other hand they aren't as disruptive to local culture and society as some of the barcrowd tourists.

All in all I prefer living in a place for at least a coupla years to merely traveling it. It's the only way to get any insight (not that I pretend to have much on LOS )

[rio666uk]

This post is the result of a five year survey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brilliant post Pat!

a well informed read/rant - and as a former backpacker, Id have to agree with all of it.

Although i wasnt quite in the same ilk as you mention.... for instance despite being booked into a kao sarn rd guest house for almost a week, i only actually spent 2 nights in it (one of which i was too ill to go out) the rest was spent in those dodgy, red lit, hotels around nana and the like... but hey it was my first time and i was with a few others that had been there and done it all before...

i never once tried to make a 5bht bottle of water last the length of a film in some kao sarn guest house bar....

but what can you do - people do what people do - during my times in thailand, i quite often enjoy sitting at one of the plastic tables along kao sarn - knocking back bottle after bottle of chang... surrounded by "travellers" supping a singha water or sharing a pad thai or khao pad gai if they were feeling flush, discussing how bloody skint they are, where they went, where should they go next, and how they just cant wait to see angkor wat..

Probably thinking look at that idiot ordering beers and food - has he come here just to take the piss...

hes not stinking up the place, with ink stains coming through his new thin white cotton shirt where his new tattoo (probably something celtic - cos everyones got a tribal) has been uncovered too soon, and is weeping with the heat..

..clutching "south east asia - a rough guide", with untidy, unwashed hair, wearing those really baggy thai fishermans trousers and sporting various beads, necklaces, wristbands, anklets and dreads..

Its an alive place though that kao sarn... sit there for long enough and youll see the lilly white pins of the newbies straight off the plane, looking shocked, still trying to get a decent lung full of air after the relative comfort of the taxi from the airport...

..you can also spot the day trippers coming back from the "bridge over river kwai" hot n sticky, red faced and just gagging for a cool shower, aircon room, a good meal with an ice-cold beer... but nope - thats not why we're here... back to the room for some sleep, maybe pickup some bottled water from 7/11 on the way back - ahh bo11ox to it - grab a small singha at the next bar and lets have another read of the LP to plan our move to Koh Tao, Phangnan or Samui.... "but i heard Samui is the same as Phangnan but more expensive.... goes the chit chat!

i guess they'll always be there doing the same things, going to the same places, and continuing to entertain the expats

thats enough of my diatribe -

[Jumbo chilli]

This post is the result of a five year survey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brilliant post Pat!

a well informed read/rant - and as a former backpacker, Id have to agree with all of it.

Although i wasnt quite in the same ilk as you mention.... for instance despite being booked into a kao sarn rd guest house for almost a week, i only actually spent 2 nights in it (one of which i was too ill to go out) the rest was spent in those dodgy, red lit, hotels around nana and the like... but hey it was my first time and i was with a few others that had been there and done it all before...

i never once tried to make a 5bht bottle of water last the length of a film in some kao sarn guest house bar....

but what can you do - people do what people do - during my times in thailand, i quite often enjoy sitting at one of the plastic tables along kao sarn - knocking back bottle after bottle of chang... surrounded by "travellers" supping a singha water or sharing a pad thai or khao pad gai if they were feeling flush, discussing how bloody skint they are, where they went, where should they go next, and how they just cant wait to see angkor wat..

Probably thinking look at that idiot ordering beers and food - has he come here just to take the piss...

hes not stinking up the place, with ink stains coming through his new thin white cotton shirt where his new tattoo (probably something celtic - cos everyones got a tribal) has been uncovered too soon, and is weeping with the heat..

..clutching "south east asia - a rough guide", with untidy, unwashed hair, wearing those really baggy thai fishermans trousers and sporting various beads, necklaces, wristbands, anklets and dreads..

Its an alive place though that kao sarn... sit there for long enough and youll see the lilly white pins of the newbies straight off the plane, looking shocked, still trying to get a decent lung full of air after the relative comfort of the taxi from the airport...

..you can also spot the day trippers coming back from the "bridge over river kwai" hot n sticky, red faced and just gagging for a cool shower, aircon room, a good meal with an ice-cold beer... but nope - thats not why we're here... back to the room for some sleep, maybe pickup some bottled water from 7/11 on the way back - ahh bo11ox to it - grab a small singha at the next bar and lets have another read of the LP to plan our move to Koh Tao, Phangnan or Samui.... "but i heard Samui is the same as Phangnan but more expensive.... goes the chit chat!

i guess they'll always be there doing the same things, going to the same places, and continuing to entertain the expats

thats enough of my diatribe -

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

JC

[DJ Pat]

No mention, no posts or any reference to the 21 year old backpackers recent murder on Koh Samui please. Let's keep this one clean (unlike most backpackers)....

I remember a few times when I was in conversation with a few 'couples' backpacking who complained that they were so bored when they weren't on the move, so I suggested that they could visit the cinema and kill a couple hours with the choice of ten screens around the corner at the local Major.

"How much is it to get in?" was the first question

"100 baht each.... about one pound fifty pence"

"Yeah but that's our taxi money for tomorrow though" was the retort from the couple.

Lessons in life eh? Get the f**king credit card out or phone Daddy on his golfing holiday in Zanzibar, have some fun!!! If you want hardship, go on an aid mission to Ethiopia.

As you can guess, yesterdays episode with the backpackers left me overjoyed.

Edited January 4, 2006 by DJ Pat

[rio666uk]

my reference to samui and backpackers was co-incidental - appologies

----------------------------------------------------------------

Pat i reckon you should face your demons - i suggest you go to gullivers tavern (Kao sarn road - not the suk one) and make your piece with each and every one by buying em a beer.

[ben01]

hhmmmmmmm let me see....shall i stay away from home from as long as possible but have a shi*e time or really enjoy myself and go home when broke..?????

'orrible greasy gap year/ big headed students....ooh i've heard of patpong....great market there...

[davethailand]

My mate has a backpackers hostel and I do visit him often to have a chat or view his latest renovations or plans. One thing that always strikes me is that backpackers could easily all have been hatched from the same egg or come from the same island so to speak.

I say this because they are completely and utterly to the book and I mean guide book. Absolutely no deviation from the rules set out in Lonely Planet whatsoever.

Sadly the Thailand edition of Lonely Planet has never been updated or altered to move with the times or change with social attitudes etc I mean this because when you have a conversation with a "Lonely Planet" backpacker they have all visited the same tourist attractions (Floating market, Wat Pra kaew, Chatuchak market) then had a massage, made two beers last all night, had the underlying whiff of body odour, (yes even the females) and are reading a dog eared Harry Potter (boys) or a Zadie Smith novel (girls) whilst avoiding the passing scenery on the bus / train.

Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what. Also they may get clever (yes some do) and actually leave the confines of the hostel to find a banana pancake stall (when eating pad thai noodles with chopsticks becomes tiring), but that's quite a rarity nowadays away from Khao Sarn Road.

I once actually saw a backpacker conversing with a native Thai person but that was a one-off mistake when the Bolivian blind backpackers association (the BBBA) were conducting a field trip to test the infamous theory of the 28 bed dormitory. Apologies were certainly in order I'll tell you.

Now to the backpacks themselves. I personally am ok with a regular sized sports bag or oversized weekend bag for most trips, five of each underwear / socks, couple of t-shirts, shirts and trousers etc. I am fully aware that items can be washed in machines in other nations so I can do that on my travels if needs be and most of the worlds hotels have something called a laundry service or if you are on a miniscule budget, buy some 'travel wash' liquid, which even works with seawater should you need to remove the dreadlock stains from your sarong in a hurry.

So, the above mentioned items, clothes, travel wash, add toiletries and trainers and the bag is about a third full. What else do i need? Well thats about it really. A couple of books? Yeah why not.

So my big question is, what the &lt;deleted&gt; is crammed into your average backpack carried by your typical backpacker? A spare body part? A spare backpack with the same items in? I tell you what I found out : It's books, tonnes of them, travel giudes, Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and Harry Potter books. What happened to looking out of the window on the train? Or bus? Why bury your head in a book at the beach? Beaches are beautiful in Thailand right? Well f**king take a look at one instead of alienating yourself deliberately from 'common' tourists.

So, upon your return to whatever country you backpacked from. You arrive home. What have you learned about life from all that traipsing, bargaining, living in smelly conditions, being ignorant to real advice, worshipping the Lonely Planet, saying "Oh my god" a thousand times and reading? Well I'd say nothing whatsoever. I think it's more along the lines of: "What a waste of f**king time that holiday was" Because nearly all my friends who 'backpacked' Thailand said they didn't really like it but upon returning for a regular holiday in Thailand (real hotel, soft bed, getting pissed, using a taxi, wiping your arse etc)  they enjoyed it!

This post is the result of a five year survey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

DJ a great post, I totally agree with you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me too

[RAZZELL]

What makes me laugh is that they're all "travelling"...whatever that means....

I thought they were just on a long holiday....

Last time I was in Samui...I was talking to a British Bar owner in Chaweng...who told be a girl had come in earlier in the day to ask for...SOME HOT WATER FOR HER SNACKPOT TYPE LUNCH...

&lt;deleted&gt;?????

Please...travel in style.........

[LaoPo]

So my big question is, what the &lt;deleted&gt; is crammed into your average backpack carried by your typical backpacker? A spare body part? A spare backpack with the same items in?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brilliant post!

LaoPo

[DJ Pat]

Pat i reckon you should face your demons - i suggest you go to gullivers tavern (Kao sarn road - not the suk one) and make your piece with each and every one by buying em a beer. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If any backpackers come on here and slag me off I promise I'll do just that.

But they have to prove they are real backpackers mind you. So we'll have a 'test':

1. Walk 5 kms in the heat with a pack strapped to the front and back, water bottle hanging off and map unfolded to the cash exchange that'll give you 0.00005.7 Baht extra for your pounds.

2. Successfully bargain a vegetarian pad thai (no eggs) down to 4 baht

3. The 100 metres 'Patpong market dash' where you are dressed as number 1 above but have to run from the Surawong end to the Silom end when the market is in full swing in under 3 mins.

4. Finally, down one bottle of 1 litre Thai reverse osmosis drinking water in one go.

The 4th one normally separates the men from the boys.

Edited January 4, 2006 by DJ Pat

[Kringle]

This all coming from the UPPER CRUST of society of Thailand.

Your statement:

"Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what."

"ME" the expat, oh my god, where is this coming from, you, the guy out screwing every college girl you can and doing it only because you can. Why don't you do something to change what MOST people think you are. YOU are nothing but another sex tourist and the only reason you are here is because of what you can get from these girls. You have no intention of doing any long term relationship with any of them. So you tell me and the rest of the people, What does that make YOU???

Before you go ragging ANYONE else, you should look at yourself. Oh I'm sure MOST of the people on here, and everywhere else think you are the cream of the crop of society and can complain about other people.

NOT

Go complain about your security people again.

[ben01]

This all coming from the UPPER CRUST of society of Thailand.

Your statement:

"Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what."

"ME" the expat, oh my god, where is this coming from, you, the guy out screwing every college girl you can and doing it only because you can. Why don't you do something to change what MOST people think you are. YOU are nothing but another sex tourist and the only reason you are here is because of what you can get from these girls. You have no intention of doing any long term relationship with any of them. So you tell me and the rest of the people, What does that make YOU???

Before you go ragging ANYONE else, you should look at yourself. Oh I'm sure MOST of the people on here, and everywhere else think you are the cream of the crop of society and can complain about other people.

  this is getting meaty......must admit tho' when i hear the term expat, it sometimes makes me cringe, and although the topic is a good one ,Pat does his best of making himself look a fool

NOT

Go complain about your security people again.    

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[ben01]

This all coming from the UPPER CRUST of society of Thailand.

Your statement:

"Also you may get a few upper class backpackers who declare to an expat (me) that the nightlife scene in Thailand is for 'dirty old men' and perverts, and that any Thai girl they see with a man more than fifteen years their elder has to be a you-know-what."

"ME" the expat, oh my god, where is this coming from, you, the guy out screwing every college girl you can and doing it only because you can. Why don't you do something to change what MOST people think you are. YOU are nothing but another sex tourist and the only reason you are here is because of what you can get from these girls. You have no intention of doing any long term relationship with any of them. So you tell me and the rest of the people, What does that make YOU???

Before you go ragging ANYONE else, you should look at yourself. Oh I'm sure MOST of the people on here, and everywhere else think you are the cream of the crop of society and can complain about other people.

  this is getting meaty......must admit tho' when i hear the term expat, it sometimes makes me cringe, and although the topic is a good one ,Pat does his best of making himself look a fool

NOT

Go complain about your security people again.    

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this is getting meaty......must admit tho' when i hear the word expat it does sometimes make me cringe.....and although this is a good thread....Pat is doing his best to make himself look a fool.

[redrus]

Thailand seems like a strange place to be for people that don't like backpackers.

I came as one nearly 10 years ago but, realised that I liked the good life too much and that I got on really well with the locals. I was given a job running a beach bar, which I did reasonably succesfully for many months.

Backpackers made up a fair bit of my trade, but most of came from older lads and girls who came to hear my more eclectic tunes instead of the norm bangbang....!

I guess I'm maybe a little more live and let live than some of you.

Some of these Phad Thai eating BP's were prob some of you 10 to 20 years ago too....!

redrus

Edited January 4, 2006 by redrus

[RAZZELL]

I dunno...I think it's quite entertaining...

Few stereotypes and conclusions of your own eh Kringle???

[Boo]

I was the same redrus, arrived in LOS as a back packer, did KS road, hit the islands but stayed long term in better conditions. I still have the old rucksack too & it gets an outing if I am going somewhere where a lot of travel is involved. I laugh at so called "real tourists" who try to lug their samsonite suitcases over rough roads & into minibuses. You can't beat a ruckie if you want to move a round on your holidays.

I prefer the life of comfort these days but I travelled around south africa, australia, new zealand, malaysia, thailand, singapore, namibia, zimbabwe, most of europe & a few other places as a "back packer" & I was always clean, never haggled over pennies, read the LP as only a precursor for customs & tips of where to go, always had neat hair & even put my lippy on to treck though the Nambian desert

Maybe it's fun to be mean sometimes about them but some of the most interesting people I met were travelling with a back pack & they weren't poor kids either, people in their 20's, 30's & up, all enjoying the freedom of life out of a bag instead of 9-5.

Good luck to them, even the stinky ones, they give us something to talk about right & are a large part of the tourist economy for a many countries

[gburns57au]

You know a few years ago I was in KL....next to the hotel I stayed at was a BP hostel...the difference in price was about AUD$5 per night....I had my own room and bathroom....and I didnt have to lug my gear around everywhere I went.

I guess they do it for the experience.....cant see any other reason.

[DJ Pat]

"ME" the expat, oh my god, where is this coming from, you, the guy out screwing every college girl you can and doing it only because you can. Why don't you do something to change what MOST people think you are. YOU are nothing but another sex tourist and the only reason you are here is because of what you can get from these girls. You have no intention of doing any long term relationship with any of them. So you tell me and the rest of the people, What does that make YOU???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't claim to be pure as the driven snow but when was the last time you heard me boast about college girls? A long time ago. I am in a relationship at the moment so you're wrong there.

If I'm not an expat then what am I? And, how else can I describe what backpackers say to expats????

Leave me alone kringle!!!

[RAZZELL]

Everyone with a few quid has done the "backpacker thing"...

What irks me is the downright meaness of some of them...I was never that tight or rude and it's just not necessary...

I've seen "backpackers" wave money in the face of someone selling tat on the beach in a "take-it-or-leave-it" manner over 5 baht...that frankly mad me sick...

If they did it in their own country they'd get chinned...

And for your information it was a woman...

Edited January 4, 2006 by RAZZELL

[Boo]

Come off it, , too many times I have seen expats try to barter with a BG for a shag, now that is stingy & a bit tragic really.

[Patex]

Huh, those Backpackers are still around ?

It's long ago that I've seen one, looks like you guys walk in their footsteps .

2 years ago I met ONE from Poland on Pu Kradueng, a friendly, quiet young man with little money and very happy seeing something else than Poland, only a bit overscared about wild elephants (ok, for his excuse 2 weeks before 3 monks were killed by an elephant during a meditationsession on Pu Kradueng). We gave him a drive to Loey, he was really grateful.

Better do not generalize about people

Patex

[RAZZELL]

It's fun generalising and having a whinge

[Old Croc]

I backpacked through Europe in Nov and Dec with a self imposed weight limit on my back of 12 kilos including the pack. I never once stayed in a dorm, but paid not much more for rooms with double beds in very cheap 1 and 2 star hotels. Sometimes, if I was lucky, they had bathrooms attached. I, and my clothes, were always clean.

I can't believe it when I see BPers labouring along the streets with huge packs, back and front, with various shoes, coats, sleeping bags, make up cases, saucepans, umbrellas, etc attached. They kid themselves they are "travelling" free and easy without a care, but they are really carting it all with them.

I liked some of your descriptions DJ Pat, it struck a chord with my opinions of the breed (a first time for everything, some of Kringles points are valid).

[Thaipwriter]

Ask yourself this question...which do you find more offensive.

1. The average "cheap cheap cheap, its must be the cheapest backpacker

or

2. tattoo'd skin head berk in tennis shoes and footy shirt with huge gut and nasty cockney accent with half slugged Chang welded to right fist blagging on about ICF in the 80's whilst grappling some 20 ish Isaan money grabbing ho, in just another cheesy bar with plastic chairs and vinyl tablecloths and loud euro techno pop trash hits blasting out of cheap speakers.

Give me the great unwashed any day!

[Old Croc]

Ask yourself this question...which do you find more offensive.

1. The average "cheap cheap cheap, its must be the cheapest backpacker

or

2. tattoo'd skin head berk in tennis shoes and footy shirt with huge gut and nasty cockney accent with half slugged Chang welded to right fist blagging on about ICF in the 80's whilst grappling some 20 ish Isaan money grabbing ho, in just another cheesy bar with plastic chairs and vinyl tablecloths and loud euro techno pop trash hits blasting out of cheap speakers.

Give me the great unwashed any day!

I don't have a nasty cockney accent!

[Jersey_UK]

I was the same redrus, arrived in LOS as a back packer, did KS road, hit the islands but stayed long term in better conditions. I still have the old rucksack too & it gets an outing if I am going somewhere where a lot of travel is involved. I laugh at so called "real tourists" who try to lug their samsonite suitcases over rough roads & into minibuses. You can't beat a ruckie if you want to move a round on your holidays.

I NEARLY stayed at KSR 10/11 years ago during my first visit to the LOS (I was enroute to New Zealand) and had a month or two to kill in Asia somewhere. For me it was pre-internet and I never bought a guide book (too lazy!).The only places I had heard of were KSR and Patpong, and these from mates who had been years earlier (I was about 28) - the stories they told me was the reason I had never come before.

Fortunately a chap on the Flight over gave me a card for a Hotel on Sukhumvit (I have been staying their ever since - same price. It is NOW good value!). By the first night I had found a nearby Plaza of Entertainment

At the time I also had a backpack cos that just seemed what folk bought. A real pain in the arse, straps flapping all over the place and the stuff you want is always at the bottom or in a pocket somewhere . I never intended to carry it any distances further than Airport Trolley to Taxi and then to Hotel Room. I didn't realise that in Thailand you do not need to do this!

Next bag was a large holdall, that I could also fit my Scuba gear in and I could access easily!

For many years I have had a Samsonite with wheels (a real one with a Guarantee!). Why? mainly cos it makes packing and unpacking so much easier, you can always find stuff, no worries about thieving bastards with a penknife when travelling on a coach and also cos I felt kinda sorry for the doorman at my regular hotel, my previous case (especially with the Scuba Gear!) was a real struggle for him to get out of the Taxi.

If I want to go somewhere that involves carrying a bag a long distance I would either buy something small and pack light and then dispose of it or hire someone to carry the bag, but so far I have avoided the urge to go Trekking. "Oh look, it's another tree".

BTW I finally got to KSR for a couple of hours a few years back (with a BG in tow, cos she was curious as to where the cheap charlies came from) - and for me just to see what I had "Missed" and to have a giggle! She could not understand..........."why?".

Animal, Mineral and Vegetable - they are all there. And that is just the women

[mittheimp]

Backpackers just trying to see the world before they have to start work, and whats wrong with that? If we live in a place (as an expat) then we all know it better than a tourist on a budget travelling through - and thus know how to do certain things better, no doubt Thais laugh at the ridiculous behaviour and routines of expats as, likewise, they generally have a firmer handle on Thai society.

Did my Backpacking in Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia and Australia. Australia most fun, Morrocco most scarey and interesting (saw very very few other tourists) and Cambodia most rewarding - Thailand experience wasnt that brilliant - surprisingly as I ended up living and working in the land of smiles for three years- Perhaps its better to be an expat than a backpacker here!!

[khall64au]

Okies... what is the definition of a backpacker these days? If you carry a pack on your back you are a backpacker? You may be on a short 2 week break to a prolonged 2-3 year journey around the world. Some professional people with credit cards and/ or rich parents may even travel with a pack leaving a nice packet of dollars in their wake.Whatever... who cares? The lower economo-social scales benefit and that is what counts!

Backpackers happen to be the pioneers of the travel industry. Where backpackers go, travel agents and -to many degrees- realty agents- soon follow. Complain all you want, but it was backpackers that forged many of the fortunes of someThai Visa members who now complain about the smelly, mindless presence of the "unwashed" in this country.

Get a life and stop complaining! If it's not backpackers it's Scampy.... or some other non- "socially acceptable" victims.

I'd rather be a backpacker than a snot anyday. I've been backpacking since the 80's and I always will travel in this manner. It's a much more enlightening way to to see the world than your average 5-star lifestyle.

If you need to have a whinge, don't blame the young kids with packs on their backs .... blame Lonely Planet for Planet Earth Inc!!!!