Backpacking as a State of Mind

Individually unique just like a handful of seashells. At some point these shells were occupied by some underwater specimen but then washed up on these beaches. As to reverse the logical metaphorical roles the specimen inside was the home- shaping and molding the shell that one day left it. These shells are like backpackers. Coming from every corner of the world, individually unique, molded from various upbringings, cultural and religious backgrounds only to end up together, perhaps on a beach, in a hostel, or in the back of a tuktuk.

Surely anyone can be a backpacker. Get yourself a 50L rucksack, slap on some beaded bracelets, and spend the night sleeping in a dorm with a dozen other nomadic wanderers. But really backpacking I believe is a state of mind. It's the idea of being open to new things and respecting the differences. It's about changing your perspective and seeing life through new eyes. Now to be honest I don't read a lot but in Paulo Coelho's book The Pilgrimage he says

“When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. You confront completely new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don't even understand the language the people speak.”

Okay so perhaps this is a jump (I am not a backpacking guru) but no matter where you are in the world whether it's at home or in a foreign place I think you can live as a backpacker. When life gets boring and mundane make a change- switch routines, try new foods, meet new people, get out of your comfort zone, do something stupid, be spontaneous.