[maire]

I also would not go exactly where the author goes, or do what the author does, but I appreciate the stimulation of being taken out of the pre-packaged presentation and into reality.

You are a backpacker so you already embrace the spirit of the article. You already have a purpose to your trip that takes you outside of tourist traps. Tourism packages destinations so they all start to look the same.

You are not a contrarian. You have an alternate path to the same goal.

You can even do this locally (no need to travel). My husband and I started biking and often this takes us to unseen parts of our own community.