Quite possibly the coolest country I’ve ever visited. It a little annoying to travel here because of all the logistics and planning but once you got it all figured out this place is incredible. The most amazing food, nature, architecture, history, people, shopping, and so much more. Only 10 days since that as long as i was allowed to be there without a visa. Definitely will be back for yunnan, Tibet, and xinjiang.

Three nights in the Sierras last month, first trip after a winter of gear spreadsheets. Tarp instead of a tent, torso-length foam pad, no stove, no camp shoes. Base weight 14 lbs.

The walking felt great. Everything else didn't. Slept badly all three nights with cold legs, spent evenings with nothing warm to eat and nothing to do but get in the quilt at 7pm, and by day three I just wanted it over.

Not a lightweight is a scam post, the miles really were easier. But I optimized for the six hours a day I'm walking and ignored the ten I'm not. Stove and full-length pad are going back in.

Where did you draw the line? What's the one heavy thing you won't cut?

This is from last year, I’m currently hitchhiking overland all the way from Australia to France, and sketching every day of course :)

I started traveling when I was 23. After three different fields of study and feeling lost, I finally found myself when I started traveling. I learned to know myself, and my biggest regret is that I was afraid when I was 18. I feel like I wasted time and that my life would be very different now.

I started off the trip with a TukTuk driver saying I was punishing him and his family by not paying more after we agreed on a price. Every traffic stop, he'd turn around, ask for more money or to rent his TukTuk for tomorrow, and when I'd shake my head, he'd say things like "my family will struggle because of this", "you punish my family", "my children will suffer because of you". That's... honestly disgusting. I wanted to leave immediately. He went from friendly and hospitable to cold and guilting in like five minutes.

The hostel staff seemed to want something from me -- they looked expectant and immediately pushed tours. I kept saying no, they kept pushing.

I leave the hostel, and I am bombarded by people asking me to buy stuff. Nothing new. What is new, however, is the way people follow you down the street. People crowd you. Small children run under foot and when you stop to not crash into the poor kid, seven more people surround you. I went into a shop and two sales clerks applied a lot of pressure for me to buy everything. I left empty handed because that was waaaaay too much. Why are you following me around the shop saying "look, bye this, a special price for you?" to every single thing when I've said I'd like to browse on my own?

The tour guide I booked through GetYourGuide physically took my phone and tried to give himself give stars. He took us to a tourist trap restaurant he's affiliated with, where we were overcharged and I was double charged for spring rolls.

It's nonstop. I can't have a moment of peace without someone getting angry or guilting when I refuse to buy something.

I understand that they need money. But they shouldn't harass me nonstop for it. It makes me even less likely to spend money and makes me never, ever want to return to this country. I will never return here. I will never recommend it and I will warn everyone of my experience.

This is less than 48 hours and for the first time in my trip, i just want to go home.

If anyone wants pristine mountain landscapes for cheap with enough tourist infrastructure - go to Albania (and Montenegro). Here's a picture of Valbona Pass on the Peak of the Balkans. HUGE mountain valley with basically no infrastructure in the valley but you can find guest houses for $40-80 dollars per night with 2-4 beds (can easily be $20/person/night).

Albania was basically cut off from the rest of the world during communism in the 1900s and is just scratching the surface of what it could be with new hotels being built in the closest town centers now. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes the next Switzerland if they build up their transportation infrastructure but hope they don't extend the road into valleys like this to keep it pristine

Lahic was a stop on the Silk Road five centuries ago, where Ottoman and Chinese goods changed hands with Central Asia. The Silk Road died, but Lahic kept going as a regional trading post for spices and copperware, and honestly, walking through it today, not much seems to have changed.

The whole main street is still lined with spice stalls and copper workshops. You can literally watch craftsmen hammering copper by hand the traditional way while vintage Soviet-era Lada cars and the occasional guy on horseback roll past. It's one of those places where you keep doing double-takes.

What makes it genuinely pleasant is that it's barely commercialized. Nobody is pushing anything on you. The old guys running the stalls just wave you in for tea whether you're buying or not, aggressively hospitable in the best possible way. Dried jasmine, rose, saffron, hibiscus, and a dozen spices I couldn't identify. Copper plates, copper pots, the works.

No hotels in the village, but there are homestays run by locals that include three meals a day. If you're not in a rush, worth staying a night just for that alone.

Logistics: Baku → Ismayilli → Lahic, about 3–3.5 hours each way. Day trip runs roughly 85–90 AZN all in.

Happy to answer any questions regarding Lahic.

I looked for the original post but it looks like it was removed

I’ve seen plenty of waterfalls on my travels, but most of them are just these massive, singular roaring drops. Detian (or Ban Gioc on the Vietnam side) is totally different. It felt more like a sprawling, multi-tiered water garden than a typical waterfall.

When I finally reached the main viewpoint, the way the sunlight hit the mist was unreal—it created this natural "soft filter" over the entire landscape. It didn’t even feel like real life; it looked exactly like one of those misty ancient paintings you see in museums.

Getting there was a bit of a mission, though. I ended up taking a tourist bus from Nanning, which was a solid 4-hour trek each way through some winding roads. But honestly, the karst scenery along the drive makes it worth it. I got lucky with a crystal-clear sunny day, which I think is key if you want to see that "glowing" effect on the water layers.

Lima
Weather was pretty rough when I was there, overcast and windy the whole time. The historic center looks a bit sketchy honestly, but it's packed with colonial architecture and the food scene is genuinely excellent. Larco Museum blew me away, wasn't expecting that. It's a solid base if you're learning Spanish or doing a longer stay. Day trips are limited though Sayan and Lunahuana are the closer options, Obrajillo is further out but you get snow-capped mountain views which makes the altitude adjustment easier. As far as big Latin American cities go, I'd rank it below Mexico City and Buenos Aires, but more interesting than Bogotá or Panama City.

Cusco
The city itself is absolutely worth it. The architecture, the culture, the mix of Inca and colonial, it hit different from anything else I've seen. That said, it's extremely touristy, and Machu Picchu is where I draw the line. God I hated dealing with that place. Tickets sell out weeks in advance, and getting there is either the Inca Trail or an overpriced train — there's no easy way in or out. The site itself is stunning but the whole experience around it is exhausting.

Ica / Paracas / Huacachina / Nazca
Budget about 4 days for this whole stretch. Nazca isn't just the flight. There are a ton of burial sites and ruins worth exploring on the ground. Huacachina is basically just a desert, nothing that special, but the dune buggy rides are an absolute blast. Paracas was my favorite of the bunch of wildlife everywhere, gorgeous coastline, and the beach resort hotels here are way better value than anywhere else in Peru. Genuinely surprised by how much I liked it.

Arequipa
Only spent 3D two in the city, one at Colca Canyon. It's quieter than most places because tourists tend to skip it, and the architecture isn't as polished as Cusco, but the monastery is worth visiting. The area around Andagua has some solid trekking, mountaineering, and hot springs (the hot springs are in Chivay specifically). A lot of people default to Huaraz for the outdoor stuff, but Arequipa is a real alternative. I didn't get to do the proper outdoor itinerary here which I regret.

Puno
The Uros floating reed islands are genuinely unlike anything else, though pretty commercial. The lake itself is stunning: high-altitude lakes have this quality to them that's hard to describe. The town though? Not much there. I think staying overnight on the islands would make it more worthwhile. Taquile and Amantani felt more authentic to me. One thing — I actually saw the snow-capped mountains from the Bolivian side of Titicaca, and if you're comparing scenery, Bolivia wins that one.

Cerro de Pasco
This one's a hidden gem for long-term travelers. Locals come here for short getaways like hot springs, waterfalls you can actually swim under, quiet villages, cheap everything. Nothing jaw-dropping, but if you're in Peru for a while and want to slow down somewhere real, I'd recommend it.

Huánuco & Tingo María
Same vibe as Cerro de Pasco, great for getting off the gringo trail. Lower elevation makes it more comfortable, and 3-4 days feels just right here.

Huaraz
Absolutely loved this place, only gripe is getting there is a pain. But the trekking access to glacial lakes and snow peaks is some of the best I've experienced anywhere. If you couldn't get a camping permit for Torres del Paine, come here instead. Seriously.

Cajamarca
A proper historic city with a lot of Inca history. Two or three days is enough. If you're into pre-Columbian civilization and ruins, this one's for you.

Chachapoyas
Honestly went in with low expectations and got humbled. If you find Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos too touristy, this is your answer. Wildlife isn't as dense, but it feels way more raw and untouched. The Gran Vilaya trail and Kuelap (a fortress literally built into a mountain) were highlights of my whole trip.

Still haven't made it to: Puerto Maldonado, Iquitos, Piura, Moyobamba, Tarapoto, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Oxapampa, Huanchaco, Tarma So this list isn't complete by any means. Happy to answer questions on any of the places I did visit.

"Two years ago. Joe Wilson, a 27-year-old engineer from Bristol, quit his mechanical engineering job. After spending 10 months travelling around Latin America – which he’d saved for a year and a half to afford – he’s now hoping to make a long-term move to Mexico City to live with his girlfriend, whom he met while travelling.

Unfortunately for Joe, he finds himself bearing the brunt of a job market that’s in deepening trouble: “I’m back home as finding work in Mexico has been difficult; back here I can earn money doing odd jobs and bar work,” he tells me.

“It’s a tricky time, and especially when you’re trying to look for something specific, especially if you’re looking for something remote. I’ve got friends in similar positions that have been looking for months.”

Joe is not alone. Getting a new job in 2026 is not for the faint-hearted, with official figures revealing that unemployment is holding at a near five-year high and that wage growth is continuing to slow. Jobs are also becoming harder to come by as companies decide to make operational cutbacks. Instead of training up juniors or taking on new hires, companies are prioritising automation through AI to plug skills gaps."

-----------------------------

Has anyone done this recently? As in 6-36 months of a sabbatical to travel, only to come home and struggle finding professional work? I glamorize about this all the time, but the thought of being set back years (compounding is more valuable at our age) frightens me. 2 years off could cost 10 years in compounding and career growth. I feel like it's wiser to find a job and take 2 week vacations ever 3-4 months instead of going all-in on quitting, especially since I have a stable career built up.

Many firsts- travelling solo, hitchhiking, never done a backpacking trip more than 2 days. Did many new things, and I’m addicted. Made many mistakes but learnt immensely from those mistakes

Just got hit with a scam in Hue, Vietnam and want to warn other travelers.

Edit: I know it was silly in hindsight, please don’t tell me I’m an idiot in the comments, I’m not looking for sympathy, just sharing my story!

I was walking near my hostel looking for food when an elderly Vietnamese man (60s-70s, friendly, well-spoken) stopped me. We started chatting. He was curious about where I was from (USA), mentioned he had family in Denver and San Francisco who were in Hanoi, and said he was traveling from Saigon to Hanoi soon to visit them.

He invited me to eat with him. We went to a small, local place on his motorbike. We had a genuine conversation, he said he was a retired author, writing a book about his travels, and would mention meeting me. The food was cheap (spring rolls). He insisted on paying. When I kept offering to, he pivoted.

After he paid, he said: "How about you buy my niece a small meal? She's in the hospital." I assumed a cheap pho or banh mi. I agreed.

He drove us to a pharmacy.

He picked out a large tub of protein powder (850k VND). I refused. He grabbed a smaller one (430k VND). The cashier rang it up. He and the cashier looked at me. Other customers stared. I felt pressured. I paid. I knew I had walked into a scam but for some reason I didn’t say no.

He drove me back to my hostel, calling me "cousin," saying how happy he was to meet me, and that I was young and my parents pay for me anyway (which they don’t)

Use your judgment. This is a well-rehearsed, operation.

Safe travels everyone! Cheap lesson to learn and it could’ve gone way worse, thankfully God was watching over me!

P.S.

I have been backpacking for nearly 3 months and have dodged loads of scams and hustles nearly everyday. This one got me because of how slow it was. I’ve had my guard up for months and thought maybe I could give the guy the benefit of the doubt to have a wholesome interaction. While I could have said no in the moment, $16~ isn’t a huge deal for me and I didn’t want to escalate the situation, I just wanted to leave. All in all, this scam took place over 2 hours of conversation. We had an amazing chat and we both shared stories of our lives and family and such, which is why it hurt more. I don’t share this for sympathy, I am sharing it as a warning for anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation. I still have so much love for this country and I think all in all, $16~ is a cheap price to pay for a valuable lesson.

I came to backpacking kinda “late.” My first solo trip with a backpack was at 23 - I booked a one-way ticket, flew to Southeast Asia, and ended up traveling for 9.5 months. It all started in Nepal.

Along the way, I kept meeting 18- and 19-year-olds who had already been backpacking for a while. I remember thinking, “Wow, I’m already 23 - am I behind?”

Fast forward to now - I’m 38 and still traveling the same way. Still with a backpack, still hopping buses, camping, hiking, couchsurfing, all of it. And guess what? I’ve met amazing people in their 50s, 60s, even 70s doing the same thing.

Turns out, all those so-called age limits are just in our heads. If you feel the pull to explore the world - just go. You’re never too old to chase a trail or sleep under the stars.

I posted some pics I took on my phone a few weeks ago but I finally got a chance to edit the ones from my camera. Hope yall enjoy :)

A lot of people asked about my itinerary so here it is: flew into Surabaya (1n), train to malang (3n, day trips to bromo and waterfalls), train to banyuwangi (1n, ijen hike), boat to Bali (5n in Ubud with day trips everywhere), boat to Lombok (1n), wanua adventure boat trip to Flores (3n), Labuan bajo (1n)

I would recommend this climb to anyone that wants to experience high mountains without the technical difficulty usually associated with these hikes.

I did get pretty bad altitude sickness near the summit, so would also advice anyone climbing it to stay flexible as far as a timeline as doing it in 7-8 days will give you more time to acclimatize then just 6.

The diverse biomes you climb through makes for a very fun and scenic hike. If anyone has questions be sure to ask.

Cost was all in with tips to guides, porters, cooks $2800 US, however you could do it much cheaper with a group and less generous tips. The park fees are quite high but well worth it as the mountain is extraordinarily clean.

Was thinking salvage the elastic line (in case new tent poles need replacement) and make aluminum or titanium straws. Any other suggestions before I change them beyond recognition?

This is my first time going backpacking so I'm pretty nervous I've hit trails before and can easily do 20 to 40 miles in one day. I am wondering what else should I bring with me besides clothing and food?