winterwanderer
Well-known member
Hi folks, it's been a while.
My "home on wheels" broke down last October. As a result, I decided to give the backpacking lifestyle a try. Took what I could carry and gave the rest away.
Pros: No registration, insurance, other responsibilities and worries of vehicle ownership. Less dependence on stuff...you learn to live simply when you have to carry everything you own! Easier to visit big cities and travel overseas.
Cons: Being limited to cities! One gets weary of pigeons being the only wildlife, dingy buildings being the only view, noisy streets being the only paths to wander. And in America, only a handful of cities have backpacker accomodations. Being without a car excludes access to the 99% of the country that is beyond sensible walking distance of bus and train stations. Eating healthy is also difficult when relying on local eateries.
In the end, you all got it right. Vehicle-based living provides a freedom of movement 1000 times greater than the backpacking life here in the US. It also is much more conducive to a healthy, outdoor-centered lifestyle. And while isolation from mainstream society can be difficult, such is the lot of the nomad, whether he tramps or rolls along the way.
So now I must go about acquiring a vehicle. Nogales seems like a good place to transition...stay in Mexico and shop on the US side. Have any of you done something like this, starting out from the street?
Thanx for reading
My "home on wheels" broke down last October. As a result, I decided to give the backpacking lifestyle a try. Took what I could carry and gave the rest away.
Pros: No registration, insurance, other responsibilities and worries of vehicle ownership. Less dependence on stuff...you learn to live simply when you have to carry everything you own! Easier to visit big cities and travel overseas.
Cons: Being limited to cities! One gets weary of pigeons being the only wildlife, dingy buildings being the only view, noisy streets being the only paths to wander. And in America, only a handful of cities have backpacker accomodations. Being without a car excludes access to the 99% of the country that is beyond sensible walking distance of bus and train stations. Eating healthy is also difficult when relying on local eateries.
In the end, you all got it right. Vehicle-based living provides a freedom of movement 1000 times greater than the backpacking life here in the US. It also is much more conducive to a healthy, outdoor-centered lifestyle. And while isolation from mainstream society can be difficult, such is the lot of the nomad, whether he tramps or rolls along the way.
So now I must go about acquiring a vehicle. Nogales seems like a good place to transition...stay in Mexico and shop on the US side. Have any of you done something like this, starting out from the street?
Thanx for reading
