Why Travelers Are Upscaling

Why Travelers Are Upscaling

Author: Matthew Kepnes

Somewhere before my bus broke down in Australia, I was called a flashpacker. Despite traveling for 18 months, it was the first time I’d heard the term. A flashpacker is defined as a person, unusually in their mid 20s to early 30s, who travels like a backpacker but has more disposal money as well as electronics such as a camera or laptop. Flashpackers also expect better hotels and services.

Neither fully backpacker nor tourist, flashpackers are new to the traveling vocabulary. Flashpackers rest in hostels, carry a backpack, and find cheap transport but blow their money on meals, beer, tours, and parties. They usually aren’t going into a hostel without a reservation or wearing the same shirt for a week. A number of hostels are up scaling to accommodate the growing wants and desires of flashpackers and you’ll find them in all corners of the planet. Flashpackers still have no fixed voyage and all the time to meander around but don’t pinch every penny. They are backpackers with means.

Backpacking is not about a look, it’s a lifestyle. Just because a person doesn’t have a certain look, doesn’t mean they lack the will of a backpacker. It doesn’t make them less of a backpacker. It goes against the backpacker outlook to look down on someone because they travel a different way. Aren’t we supposed to be embracing different ways of life?

It all comes down to what makes a backpacker a backpacker. That’s sprit. The desire to explore new places and experience new people. Backpacking is about opening your mind to new things and looking differently at the world. It’s not about the stuff you carry. As your spirit is the same, what stuff you carry shouldn’t matter.

We’re all flashpackers, whether you like it or not. We may not be driving up to the hostel in a limo but we all expect a little “flash” nowadays. According to a Hostelworld study in 2006, 21 percent of people travel with a laptop, 54 percent with an MP3 player, 83 percent with a mobile phone and a whopping 86 percent travel with a digital camera.

Think about your last excursion- how many travelers did you see with cameras? Ipods? Laptops? I can’t remember seeing one person without a camera, and at least 3/4 of the people I saw had Ipods.

The truth is we all travel with expensive electronics now. We check our email and Skype our friends. We all have a camera and most of us have an Ipod. We are flashpackers and it’s not a bad thing. All this stuff allows us to stay better connected with our friends, our family, and helps us better document our travels. The key is to once in awhile to put down the camera, turn off the computer, and enjoy the culture you came to see.

The backpacker who set off with 1 shirt, a small pack, and two baht to his name is getting hard to find. Most of us have a little more income and expect a little more but we still carry his spirit. We still seek new cultures, exotic locales, and long term travel. We still look for cheap hostels and transport. We camp on that jungle trek. The difference is that now we also want a location to plug in our camera, check our e-mail, and take a hot shower. We just want to be pampered…once in awhile.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/why-travelers-are-upscaling-731744.html

About the AuthorMatthew Kepnes is a lifelong backpacker and recent flashpacker who has spent many years traveling around the world. Visit his website about how to travel the world and learn more about flashpacking.

A comment by SocialiteTravel.com:

Although we agree with Matthew above regarding the point that everyone is somehow related to the Flashpacking lifestyle, we also would like to point out that although everyone these days may carry some sort of electronic gizmo, not everyone travels with a “backpack”, and that my friend will categorize you as a “flashpacker”. Happy Hip Travels =)

Photo: mybackpacking.de

Le Touessrok Exotic Honeymoon Beaches

Le Touessrok - Mauritius

Via: Louis Jones

When it comes to honeymoons, most people prefer exotic honeymoons because this is the beginning of a new life for them and they want to give an adventurous start to this new life. There are many places in the world which are just perfect for exotic honeymoons, but the Caribbean islands and the islands in the Indian Ocean are perhaps the best for such activities.  

Mauritius is one such island located in the southwest region of the Indian Ocean just off the coast of the African continent. The island has many resorts and hotels which are just perfect for honeymooners because they offer luxury in an exotic island which no one can imagine. Le Touessrok is perhaps the most famous among these resorts because of the huge variety of facilities and activities offered by the resort.  

The resort in its own is just simply breathtaking in terms of scenic beauty and architecture, and the list of activities offered by the resort makes it ideal for any sort of holiday, especially honeymoons. Keeping in mind the rapid development in tourism, Mauritius has taken many initiatives to offer more and more attractions to tourists, and an excellent resort such as Le Touessrok is the proof of their efforts.  

The beach area is just simply marvellous. The white sandy beaches which are perfect for enjoyment and romance have been utilised by the resort to create a perfectly romantic atmosphere for honeymooners. Accommodation on the resort is splendid which makes it ideal for you to spend some time in peace and serenity with the ones you love.  

The main theme of the resort is based on peace and tranquillity, and thus every possible measure is taken to prevent that peace and quietness so that the guests can enjoy themselves in perfect privacy and tranquillity. The waters of the lagoon are not very rough and rather go along with the peaceful and calm atmosphere for the resort, and thus are perfect for swimming or strolling on the beach.  

What exactly is it that every couple seek on a honeymoon trip? The answer is, peace and quietness to enjoy and explore each other, and what better way than a trip to an exotic island with exotic beaches and a resort would it be to enjoy among the tranquillity and a harmonious environment.  

No doubt, you would want some fun along the way and even that is taken care of by this marvellous resort by providing lots of opportunities to have some fun and enjoy an adventurous trip. The landscape and the beauty of the island resort and beaches is just what you want on an exotic trip. Enjoy and explore the beauty of Mother Nature with the ones you love the most.  

The resort also offers a spa and swimming pool which are located on the mainland resort. The spa is perfect for relaxation, whereas the pool is a great place for general gathering and meeting new people. All in all, the resort is like heaven on earth and gives perfect opportunities to newly wedded couples to enjoy themselves and explore each other in a perfectly peaceful and harmonious environment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/le-touessrok-exotic-honeymoon-beaches-903219.html

About the Author:
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Related Links: Hotel Deals in Mauritius, Le Touessrok, Mauritius Wikipedia

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