Flashpacking, revisted

Out of curiosity, I googled the term flashpacker. It's apparently a pretty new term, and I am the demographic it describes: 30s; with wanderlust; with cash, though may also stay in hostels (not only in hotels); willing to pay that little extra for speed or comfort.

Though, I'm not quite at the level of flashpacker-dom described by a Times UK article, which described flashpackers as staying often in hostels, but occasionally springing for a $200+ USD/night hotel room, or springing for a ~$1000 side trip. Yes, I'm working and I saved a lot of money for this particular trip, but I don't have that much money... Though, I looked at my finances yesterday, and partly from working, and partly from not spending too much, I actually am very under-budget for almost being at the two-month mark (I'd actually be quite a bit more underbudget if I hadn't forgotten to pay my student loan for a couple months, and needed to send them a pile of money recently...but that's another story). In fact, I'm underbudget to the point of having enough cash to spend an extra month in Buenos Aires, and I've been paying for my side trips in cash, not credit! If only I could change my departure date!! So, what this really means, is that a couple trips I've been wanting to do: I can do. Now, I just need to find a [new] travel agent, and start planning. I'd talked about going to Bolivia for a week (don't ask me why, it just sounds interesting -- even though I know just about nothing of Bolivia), so maybe I'll look into that, too.

Flashpackers also have electronics: iPod/mp3player (check), laptop (check), digital camera (check).

So yes, the more I think about it, this term describes how I travel. I choose to stay in cheaper accomodations, and not rent a private apartment. At the end of my last trip, after being disgusted at the mostly American college students I started encountering in hostels (it was the beginning of summer), I started staying in hotels. I eat often on the cheap (whether in restaurants or by cooking at home), and sometimes I eat in very upmarket restaurants. I go shopping while I travel, whether for CDs, clothes, jewelry (yeah, I bought a leather bracelet made of cowhide yesterday...), or books in English (v expensive while travelling). So yes, I travel on the cheap, and I definitely allow myself luxuries.

In all, I think it's an interesting term. Personally, I've never been quite fond of calling myself a backpacker. I've always opted to call myself a traveller. I've never quite identified with the Do It All As Cheaply As Possible And Never Eat In Restaurants philosophy of many backpackers. As I said, I like a little luxury and I certainly don't like to travel without being able to indulge myself now and then. The stereotype, too, is that backpackers are mostly in their 20s, and don't have much money to spend. I've never really thought about the lack of a term for the type of traveller I consider myself (and other people I've met) to be. Though, now I know what a flashpacker is, it seems odd that it's taken this long for a term like this to be created.

I've only actually travelled with a backpack on my back once (first trip to Europe). My last trip, I used a backpack on wheels, and I never once put it on my back... This time, because I'm not moving around much, I'm using a suitcase on wheels, and I have plans to buy a cheap duffel bag/larger backpack for my trip to see the glaciers, or for any other trip longer than 2-3 days. Beyond 2-3 days, I need more than the backpack I used to carry my laptop.

So there you go: I'm a flashpacker.