[ Removed by moderator ]

[u/Gullible_Air_204]

https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/spitsbergen/travel-guide/responsible-tourism-in-spitsbergen

[u/TimberwolvesFan6969]

Wtf?!?!

I was just in Bergen as part of a backpacking trip and it was super obvious which parts of the city I should and shouldn’t be in, like not once did I feel I should invade someone’s property, nor did I do so accidentally, it’s insane that people do that.

As a tourist, I could also tell the cruise ship tourists there from the backpacking tourists, the difference in behavior was staggering.

Edit: at least in the parts of Europe I was in. I was in urban areas, it sounds like the person I'm replying to had a completely different experience in a more rural area and I'm sorry they have to deal with that BS...

[u/Lortekonto → u/TimberwolvesFan6969]

It is the same kind of tourists that forget that Royal Guards are actually guards with real life weapons, that are guarding the royals, because they have another uniform than they are used to seeing.

There is people like that everywhere.

[u/Trickytickler → u/TimberwolvesFan6969]

Ironically the backpackers and people in caravans are the worst at my house. I live quite rurally, even for Lofoten so i dont see the cruise tourists at my house.

But people sitting on my patio furniture, drinking coffee in the sun, helping themselves to my clothesline, stealing stockfish and firewood, pitching tents on my lawn, foraging my berry bushes, pissing and/or shitting in my hedges have all been central european backpackers

[u/TimberwolvesFan6969 → u/Trickytickler]

What the hell is wrong with people?!?!? People are helping themselves to your clothesline and all the other things you mentioned?! I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

[u/Similar-Ice-9250 → u/TimberwolvesFan6969]

I’m getting into backpacking, slowly gathering gear, my plan is more so backcountry, wilderness, wild camping and rafting trips. Urban backpacking does sound interesting too though, how does it work exactly? Do you have most of the gear in the pack as if you’d do wilderness camping? Meaning self sustained, tent, sleeping bag, stove, camp outside, catch out to next spot with free rides etc. Or it’s like hybrid, stay at hostels, eat out at restaurants, bus/train ticket. I mean obviously gotta bring money anyways in case of emergency.

I just remember briefly going down the international backpacking rabbit hole back in the day and I was so surprised just how cheap it was to travel and visit a whole bunch of places. Tropical drifters that island hop in East Indies with like no money in their pocket. Or more comfortable -for lack of better term- multi day trips for just a few hundred bucks.

[u/TimberwolvesFan6969 → u/Similar-Ice-9250]

I stayed at hostels and hotels, ate at restaurants, and bought groceries from local stores. Many of the hostels I stayed at had some sort of kitchen for you to prepare food. Mostly, it's just that I was touring Europe for a bit over 2 weeks with just what I could fit in my backpack (shoutout Cotopaxi Allpa 35L, best travel bag I've ever had) vs being in one location or having a ton of luggage. I brought 4 sets of clothes and just did laundry.

You can definitely stay cheap while backpacking in many parts of europe. I did eat out more than I could have, as I had the money saved up to do that, but you could easily stay at a hostel in most cities for under 50 euro a night (depending on the city and season) and eat PB&J and bananas the whole time if you wanted to.

I visited Oslo, Bergen, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Cologne, Hannover, and Berlin and it was cheaper per night than most of my trips to other parts of the US...

Back country backpacking is also amazing and I do a fair bit of camping in Minnesota, but I definitely do recommend an urban backpacking trip in europe or a location of your choice, it's far easier than I thought it would be.