for work I'm a jetsetter; I use my miles to upgrade to first/biz for my long haul flights; and tend to fly Singapore/Virgin/Emirates & stay in 5 star hotels
for pleasure I'm a wanderlust; the destination is less important then the trip getting there. I still use my miles for long haul, but I'm perfectly happy in 2 star hotels and up (as I'm not usually staying more then 1-2 nights). I'm past my backpacking days at least for now, I usually only pack for 10 days and do the wash.
I've definitely changed my style since I had kids. I used to be not quite a backpacker but definitely a bargain hunter looking for small hotels and even the occasional hostel. After some bad experiences traveling with babies, I'm pretty choosy about where we stay, although often this means renting an apartment, and by no means one with expensive furniture in it.
Living like a local is of great importance to me, as is eating well. And I definitely will pull out the Jet Setter mentality when I can (like on a recent trip to Ireland with DH where we stayed in a 4-star country house hotel). I guess I'd say I'm a mix!
And I'd love to be either an Ex Pat or a Professional Traveler if the opportunity presented itself...
I used to be a bit of a backpacker and a bit of a road warrior. Now I guess I'm a "flashpacker." Travel is good for the soul no matter what kind you are. The best part of traveling is you're always learning... if you have your eyes open and are willing to experience your destintation for what it is.
For accommodations I'm an unapologetic Jet Setter. I travel for fun, and I can't have fun in a dive (especially since we tend to stay in once place for a week at a time). I've officially reached the point in life where I have more money than time (at least I did, until last week).
For packing and eating, I'm still a backpacker. I'm happy to forgo expensive meals out and the headache of heavy luggage.
My travel style has changed over the years. My solo trips as a teenager were all backpacker. Sleeping on the beaches of Hawaii was a blast at 17, and I have traveled across Canada with less than $50. Last time I hitchhiked was 1998 in Ireland because my B&B was 20 miles by thumb or a four hour bus ride around the Ring of Kerry.
To take a phrase from Doug Coupland's Generation X, I am a "poverty jet setter". I scrape together the money to travel well on an extreme budget, but I have to compensate lack of savings with a lot more travel planning time. I have been so successful at this travel lifestyle that I am moving into the professional traveler lifestyle.
Hotels are not for everyone, but my motivation for hotel travel was to get into the city center when traveling to the great cities of the world. I find hotel travel takes much less planning time than seeking out rentals or budget accommodations and gets me right into the center of urban (or resort) life wherever I go. And the cost isn't anywhere near as high as what you might think from looking at average hotel rates, once you know how to use loyalty promotions.
Backpacker (occasional flashpacker) transition to Expat. Hopefully. :)
Jen Leo
· 1 year ago
I'm currently a Professional Traveler/Flashpacker hybrid. But I also wouldn't mind being a JetSetter on occasion if I could afford it. Something to look forward to. Plus, if the right work called, I'd happily be an expat too.
And yes, I've been a backpacker before. I would agree that increased finances have changed me to more of a flashpacker. And I married someone who has upgraded by travel accommodations. But would I still stay at a hostel if it was in a really cool location or I was traveling alone? Hell yes.
I think the only thing I've sworn myself off travelwise is taking the Greyhound. And that's still a fuzzy line, but I try to stick to it. I'm more likely to take a Craigslist rideshare.
Thanks for the descriptions and asking the questions! I like this topic.
Excellent post!! I never thought passionate non-tourist travellers could have so many different subcategories :) I used to think I was a flashpacker, but according to your definition I'm a "professional traveller". Interesting! Thanks for the links to good blogs (some already in my feed reader, some just discovered).
wandermom
· 1 year ago
Flashpacker. Definitely. Although after the craziness of the last week in the markets, I may be regressing to backpacker. And, when we do our RTW trip with our kids, I have a feeling we'll be backpacking a lot of the way.
So far I’ve been a backpacker, expat, occasionally somewhat of a jet setter - even though I had to live over my means.
The lifestyle of a professional traveler would suit me because I love to be on the go and often don’t want to stay too long in the same place. Also love the idea of having two or more homes located in different parts of the world. One beachhouse in California or another sunny location, and one apartment in a key city. That's one of my future goals!
I'm somewhere in the middle of the backpacker/flashpacker range at the moment but aspire to move up to professional traveler and/or expat as soon as I pay off the leftover bills from my last RTW! =)
I went from super budget backpacker with some working thrown in to full fledged expat in the UK and now, as you say, I'm a full on flashpacker these days. My true love is the working abroad/expat thing though so I think I'll end up teetering between flashpacker and expat for many years to come. Of course with a bit of old school backpacking thrown in now and then for good measure!
I would love to be a Jet Setter! Or a Road Warrior, actually. The first one requires money, and the second requires time. Both of which I'm a little short on at the moment.
My style is wait seven years, sell everything, travel on the ground (for the most part) for five to seven years. Spend quality time in each country and learn the culture. Carry only 25 pounds, and live in the moment, although have a tentative plan.
I am not to sure what a person would label this type of style, I guess a long term backpacker.
Nomadic Matt
· 1 year ago
wow! the flashpackers are on the rise here....we're part of a good club! Amazing that there aren't jetsetters yet...
We got the travel bug later in life. We have started from flashpackers to backpackers. Now that we have kids, there is a foreseeable future that we will be an Expat.
Great post. I even didn’t know that flashpackers exist:-) I guess I am a hybrid: an expat that mostly backpacks with a tendency to flashpack; but then again, I can splurge on a great hotel to recover from my backpacking blues.
Very interesting entry. I find I fit into none of those categories though. I usually take one big international trip a year for a couple of weeks and then do a few local trips to check things out around the area. My blog, which I've been doing since January, has started to turn into a bit of a travel blog. Check it out if you like...I hope you don't mind that I put up a link for your site. I definitely enjoy it.
I guess we are a JetSetter-Expat-Professionaltraveler-RoadWarrior-Flashpacker-Backpacker family! We seem to fit into all the categories because we use some of each during our open ended tour.
We have stayed at 5 star hotels, hostels, campsites, pensions, monthly rentals in foreign lands and even done some couchsurfing with friends.We have traveled via trains, ferries, sailboats, cars, RV, camel, buses,taxis ...you name it.
We travel for part of the year, but go slow with lots of long stays and then have been back to a small village in Spain (going on our third winter now) where we live an expat life in a small rented villa where my child goes to the local school.
BTW Road warriors do not have to be limited to one country, many see the world this way. We have already been to 4 continents and plan to ship ours to South Africa for a long stay and then to South America for another long stay, eventually seeing the world this way.
A French family spent four years seeing the world this way for just 1500 euros a month for a family of four. A Swiss couple is setting a worlds record traveling the world by landrover ( shipping it over water when necessary) doing this for over 20 years and now almost to every country in the world!
It is a very cheap and convenient way for families, couples or larger groups to travel slowly around the world. It combines the best of many worlds.We have come to really enjoy traveling by RV and shipping it with us on wonderful freight ferries!
We park ours when we are in for a long stay and it is a great home when we move! It is green travel if you go slow and Oz young adults, seniors & families are experts on doing it on a super low budget.
We came from a large ( over 4000 sq ft with acreage) house, so I was worried about the small space, but found we adjusted very quickly and love our cozy small RV home!
Ah! I do love jet setting :-) But I'd say I like to mix it up. I'm half jet setter, half professional traveler. Only thing I don't do is hostels (especially in Europe - eek!). And I do dream of being an expat!
Theresa
· 1 year ago
We're in the flashpacking club. Once upon a time I could sort of do the backpacker route, but I don't really think I could anymore. I don't mind standing up on a crowded bus or staying in hostels, but I'm beyond dorm rooms and too much ramen!
Traveling on $10/day is tough - nearly impossible unless you want to spend all your time looking for a cheap hotel and cheap eats. But traveling with $10,000 over 12 months is doable in South + Central America, Asia, Africa, and maybe eastern Europe.
I'm similar to a lot of the replies - I now wanna be an expat. I'm tired of Canada. I like the looks of either north-west Australia, Uruguay or somewhere in the Philippines.
Cuckoo
· 1 year ago
Just three days left for my solo trip to interiors of India. I'll come back with my experience of expenses as well as other things. $10 is nearly impossible though.
Otherwise I am mostly, Flashpacker.
Erica
· 1 year ago
Must add, I LOVE variety so am pretty sure I would enjoy all travel styles. How, where, when, why and with who I travel will likely change depending on the phase in my life.
I have to be expat. I do not want a place some where else. i trhink i would get tired of goin to same place. I want to see new things go any place anytime i want and not have to take care of another home.
My travel style changed over the year. In my twenties I followed my friends and it didn't matter if it was backpacking, jet setting or anything else as long as I had fun and adventure along the way. When I got married it was a mix of jet setting and flashpacking with my hubby. Now that I have kids it's jet setting all the way especially after my son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It's been only 3 years so I am very paranoid to travel without the security of comfort.We still camp, but in a travel trailer just to make sure. I'm hoping that we will get over the fears and be more flexible in the future. I must admit I did develop a taste for the 5 star travel all the way.
All Comments
for pleasure I'm a wanderlust; the destination is less important then the trip getting there. I still use my miles for long haul, but I'm perfectly happy in 2 star hotels and up (as I'm not usually staying more then 1-2 nights). I'm past my backpacking days at least for now, I usually only pack for 10 days and do the wash.
needcaffeines last blog post..A Little Italy Penthouse With Two Levels of Gardens - Home Design Fall 2008 -- New York Magazine (via FriendFeed)
Living like a local is of great importance to me, as is eating well. And I definitely will pull out the Jet Setter mentality when I can (like on a recent trip to Ireland with DH where we stayed in a 4-star country house hotel). I guess I'd say I'm a mix!
And I'd love to be either an Ex Pat or a Professional Traveler if the opportunity presented itself...
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Fun post!
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For accommodations I'm an unapologetic Jet Setter. I travel for fun, and I can't have fun in a dive (especially since we tend to stay in once place for a week at a time). I've officially reached the point in life where I have more money than time (at least I did, until last week).
For packing and eating, I'm still a backpacker. I'm happy to forgo expensive meals out and the headache of heavy luggage.
jamies last blog post..Take Me to the Zoo!
To take a phrase from Doug Coupland's Generation X, I am a "poverty jet setter". I scrape together the money to travel well on an extreme budget, but I have to compensate lack of savings with a lot more travel planning time. I have been so successful at this travel lifestyle that I am moving into the professional traveler lifestyle.
Hotels are not for everyone, but my motivation for hotel travel was to get into the city center when traveling to the great cities of the world. I find hotel travel takes much less planning time than seeking out rentals or budget accommodations and gets me right into the center of urban (or resort) life wherever I go. And the cost isn't anywhere near as high as what you might think from looking at average hotel rates, once you know how to use loyalty promotions.
Nomadic Matts last blog post..How to Travel the World, Part 2: On the Road
Nomadic Matts last blog post..How to Travel the World, Part 2: On the Road
And yes, I've been a backpacker before. I would agree that increased finances have changed me to more of a flashpacker. And I married someone who has upgraded by travel accommodations. But would I still stay at a hostel if it was in a really cool location or I was traveling alone? Hell yes.
I think the only thing I've sworn myself off travelwise is taking the Greyhound. And that's still a fuzzy line, but I try to stick to it. I'm more likely to take a Craigslist rideshare.
Thanks for the descriptions and asking the questions! I like this topic.
Jen Leos last blog post..Monterey: Victorian Inn’s ‘Fish, Farm & Flix’ package
Although after the craziness of the last week in the markets, I may be regressing to backpacker. And, when we do our RTW trip with our kids, I have a feeling we'll be backpacking a lot of the way.
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The Flashpackers are on the rise, any Jet Setters online???
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The lifestyle of a professional traveler would suit me because I love to be on the go and often don’t want to stay too long in the same place. Also love the idea of having two or more homes located in different parts of the world. One beachhouse in California or another sunny location, and one apartment in a key city. That's one of my future goals!
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I am not to sure what a person would label this type of style, I guess a long term backpacker.
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We have stayed at 5 star hotels, hostels, campsites, pensions, monthly rentals in foreign lands and even done some couchsurfing with friends.We have traveled via trains, ferries, sailboats, cars, RV, camel, buses,taxis ...you name it.
We travel for part of the year, but go slow with lots of long stays and then have been back to a small village in Spain (going on our third winter now) where we live an expat life in a small rented villa where my child goes to the local school.
BTW Road warriors do not have to be limited to one country, many see the world this way. We have already been to 4 continents and plan to ship ours to South Africa for a long stay and then to South America for another long stay, eventually seeing the world this way.
A French family spent four years seeing the world this way for just 1500 euros a month for a family of four. A Swiss couple is setting a worlds record traveling the world by landrover ( shipping it over water when necessary) doing this for over 20 years and now almost to every country in the world!
It is a very cheap and convenient way for families, couples or larger groups to travel slowly around the world. It combines the best of many worlds.We have come to really enjoy traveling by RV and shipping it with us on wonderful freight ferries!
We park ours when we are in for a long stay and it is a great home when we move! It is green travel if you go slow and Oz young adults, seniors & families are experts on doing it on a super low budget.
We came from a large ( over 4000 sq ft with acreage) house, so I was worried about the small space, but found we adjusted very quickly and love our cozy small RV home!
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I'm similar to a lot of the replies - I now wanna be an expat. I'm tired of Canada. I like the looks of either north-west Australia, Uruguay or somewhere in the Philippines.
Otherwise I am mostly, Flashpacker.
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