A Brief Introduction to Flashpacking

Flash-what? Unbeknownst to many there is a form of traveling called flashpacking. According to Wikipedia: Flashpacking is a neologism used to refer to an affluent backpacker. Whereas backpacking is traditionally associated with budget travel and destinations that are relatively cheap, flashpacking has an association of more disposable income while traveling and has been defined simply as backpacking with a bigger budget.

I first became aware of the term not too long ago while reading some travel blogs. I have been doing some research on how people are able to take career breaks to travel the world in 6-12 months when I stumbled upon this article. I was surprised to see my kind of travel defined in black and white. I wasn’t aware that they had an official term for this. During my late teens up to my mid-twenties I was always used to doing everything on a budget (mostly traveling around Asia). Needless to say I had minimal savings and income to support this passion of mine. Now that I do, being able to afford a little more luxury like nicer accommodations or adventure/sports activities while traveling has been very liberating.

As one travel writer describes, “flashpacking is backpacking with bucks and toys.” Since, besides having the dough, flashpackers are also likely to travel with technology gadgets. The staples are laptops, cellphones, digital cameras, iPods, WiFi finders, power supplies for all electronics, and to some, even a mini-GPS. As long as they are lightweight and portable then they get packed.

A lot of hardcore backpackers seem to cringe  at this type of travel, but many embrace it. I still think that flashpacking has the flexibility and the adventure of backpacking plus more. A social media and Internet junkie like me needs a little bit more TLC (travel love and care). So yes, WiFi access at hostels or boutique hotels is a big must for me because I come fully equipped with tech creature comforts. I want to be able to tweet about the amazing ceviche I just had at a restaurant in the Galapagos, empty my camera’s memory and upload photos of my dive on Flickr, check what’s up with my friends on Facebook, and yes, write about my various anecdotes in Ecuador on my blogs.  

I know that I am not alone on this. A recent survey commissioned by Hostelworld.com showed that 35% of backpackers bring laptops with them when they travel and 71% bring an MP3 player or iPod. This growing use of technology among backpackers demonstrates why the company needs to be at the forefront of digital content development. Along with 40 downloadable Pocket Guides, Hostelworld.com has recently published 25 travel podcasts.

This is because these gadgets that we flashpackers bring allow us not to only document our travels but, more importantly, to change our itineraries whenever we want to. We can look up a town or a city that a fellow traveler mentioned was worth checking out and then proceed to book or reserve important transportation and accommodations that have Internet specials in just a couple of keystrokes. The way I see it, it's smart, independent travel and I love it!

-Grace is a blogger for The Sorbate. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.

Related Articles

Flashpacking - the new way to backpack Travelpost.com
Beginner’s Guide to Flashpacking Bravenewtraveler.com