A woman who spent £16,000 on a backpacking trip says it wasn't as glamorous as people might think.
For 10 months Chloe Conor who spent ten months backpacking around Central and South America. While the 27-year-old did manage to see some of the most breath-taking sites in the world, she came away from the trip feeling a little short-changed.
Despite spending the amount of money need for a deposit on an average Scottish house (£188,000 in August 2023 according to the ONS) on the trip, Chloe ending up staying in hostels infested with cockroaches.
The social media manager from Wandsworth, London said that she had a £45-a-day budget. This meant staying in places with mouldy bathrooms and bugs, enduring 30-degree heat without air conditioning, and sharing 12-bed hostel rooms.
To save money, she took cramped night buses instead of flights, didn't buy new clothes while travelling, and shopped in supermarkets, sometimes spending as little as £1 on a meal.
Despite the less than glamorous conditions, Chloe insists "the good outweighs the bad" and that these experiences made her trip "special". She said: "It is all part of the experience. The negatives are unavoidable especially when you are travelling around countries that are economically unstable.
"When you look back at all those gross places they will become the funniest memories. They make the amazing destinations even better. A huge part of backpacking is not glamorous but that's what makes it special."
Chloe had big dreams of travelling the world, but her plans were put on hold due to Covid. After saving £15,700 from four years of work post-university, she finally embarked on her adventure in October 2022.
Starting in Mexico, Chloe's journey took her through Central America, Colombia, Peru and the Galapagos Islands before returning home in August 2023. Despite some hiccups due to budget constraints, she described the trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"When we landed in Mexico I did feel very overwhelmed." she admitted. "You get people hounding you, trying to get you into a taxi."
She quickly adapted to the hustle and bustle, travelling through Central America and ending her journey in South America. "It was an absolutely incredible experience - I love the slow-living vibe." she said.
Despite the lack of luxury, Chloe embraced the backpacking lifestyle. "The £45 a day would cover my transport, accommodation and all my meals." she explained. "You can't go backpacking if you are not willing to be uncomfortable. Looking back the good does outweigh the bad."
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