alt Hacker News> Backpacking feels meaningful in the moment, but is also largely forgettable.
Was your schedule oversubscribed in these ? I ask because my experience of pleasure travel is very different. More so when there were (i) very little schedule to speak of, other than start and end dates, (ii) had a partner to share the experience of unplanned discovery to share with.
Both, I think, make a significant difference to the experience.
The other biggie are photographs and writing about it.
> Was your schedule oversubscribed in these ?
I dont have any idea what this means. Could you try again in plain english?
Yes, not having a schedule makes for better travel, as I described in my later multi-year experience. I think most things could probably be made better by having a genuine life partner to share it with. But doing things solo absolutely does not preclude you from meaning. (moreover, I wouldnt describe most romantic relationships as anything resembling a genuine life partner).
Photos and writing are also not inherently meaningful. I did plenty of both and, again, I thought it was all meaningful in the moment, but since realized it was all largely misguided.
If someone were to travel in a genuine manner - where you integrate with local communities, get involved with their traditions, problems etc, then that's an entirely other thing. But just roaming (let alone an itinerary) is largely not actually useful, unless you put it towards something meaningful (eg genuine reflection and improvement, which would largely lead you to realizing that travels themselves are not necessary or even important).