Backpackers

[Lust4Life]

Any Dopers been Backpacking?
I've done a fair amount in the past N.America,EuropeM.East andF.East.
Though an old bastard now I'm contemplating some future trips as am getting bored shitless in the U.K.

Anyone out there got any suggestions,advice,anecdotes or whatever?
Anyone BPing as we speak?
Even vicarious travel will lighten my day at the moment.

England is soooooooooo boring.

[Busy Scissors]

Do you mean backpacking like hiking in the mountains, or more in a just travelling about the place sense?

If its the former, I was in the pyrenees not long back and thought the GR.10 (http://www.gr10.co.uk/) looked like an awesome thing to do. Its basically a hiking trail that goes right across the spine of the Pyrenees, from the Atlantic to the MEd. It's a classic route so there are loads of places to stop off and sleep, get supplies etc even quite high up. You would have to be a warrior, and have the time (its 500 miles), to do it all in a oner, I think most people do it in sections. Breath-taking mountain scenery and a lovely part of the world.

In the more back-packing holiday type activity, I did the trans Siberian railway with my wife a couple of years back, Beijing to Moscow. Absolutely awesome trip - you stop off along the way of course. I think you have to like trains, and reading, to enjoy it, but definitely one of the best trips I've taken.

[Lust4Life]

Do you mean backpacking like hiking in the mountains, or more in a just travelling about the place sense?

In the more back-packing holiday type activity, I did the trans Siberian railway with my wife a couple of years back, Beijing to Moscow. Absolutely awesome trip - you stop off along the way of course. I think you have to like trains, and reading, to enjoy it, but definitely one of the best trips I've taken.


Wow that sounds awesome,had a mate who was thinking about that trip himself but never got round to doing it.
And to clarify my post I'm on about travelling from place to place,basically roughing it .In my experience you meet some really interesting and fun people that way and you see things that the package tourists never get to.(Or probably want to )

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

Anyone BPing as we speak?
Even vicarious travel will lighten my day at the moment.I got back from a backpacking trip yesterday. It was in the American southwest (Northern Texas up to southern Colorado).

There were two of us carrying about 30 lbs each in our packs because we were carrying all of our camp gear. Originally we were going to do some touring on bicycles, but decided to do a series of "difficult" hikes instead that required scrambling and some very steep ascents.

We had a couple miserable nights because, at this time of year, the temperature difference between night and day can be 40 degrees F. Our days were sunny and warm, but at night we froze our asses off. Most of the areas where we camped prohibited fires due to the high risk of forest fires.

The American southwest is an awesome place to backpack. You'll rarely see a bad day, and the terrain can be wildly diverse from area to area.

One of the mountain ranges where we did a trail with a such a steep ascent that on the one journey, you'll see virtually the same plant and wildlife that you would see traveling from the southwest to the Canadian border. It started with desert at the bottom and by the top we'd passed through an enormous cedar forest.

The other handy thing about the southwest is that there is an abundancy of free camping, or very cheap camping, depending on how well you weather primitive conditions. Backcountry camping is also available in some national parks by permit only (but often the permits are usually free). Many self-serve campsites have flush toilets. At this time of year the campgrounds are pretty empty, but there are still enough other campers that it's not totally isolated, and park rangers usually drive-by in the morning to make sure everything is okay.

At night a herd of elk crossed through our one camp. We saw mule deer, pinon mice, rabbits, rock squirrels, a porcupine, and the glowing eyes of a pair of coyotes who came to investigate the smell of the curry we were cooking on our camp stove. In the morning there was a lot of bear scat on a neighboring ridge, but as far as we could tell, no bears came near the campground (it was a very rainy year, so the area was lush with vegetation and everyone was well fed).

[Shamozzle]

I've done some backpacking of both types. I backpacked around Western Europe a couple times and around parts of the Middle East. Pretty freaking awesome.

[Lust4Life]

SwallowedMyCellPhone Are you allowed to camp on non campsites?though Isuppose not with the wild fires and everything.


Shamozzle Did you go to Israel or Egypt?
Whereabouts in Europe?

[EmAnJ]

We backpacked in Peru last year, totally unplanned, as in, we bought the tickets and landed in Lima with no hostel reservations and only a general idea of the route we wanted to take. Also, neither of us knew Spanish.

I think that's the best part of backpacking abroad. No plans and no real schedule.

We stayed in Lima for a night and, through a tour agency we found in Miraflores, we took a bus to Pisco (home of the Pisco Sour). Very small village on the western coast. Went to the town square that evening and found a guide who spoke English. He set us up with our next couple of stops and hostels. It kind of turned into a 'friend on a friend' trip, where we'd go on to our next destination, then they'd say 'oh, we know so and so in such and such place, I'll call ahead for you.'

The best parts of our adventure was flying the Nazca lines in a Cessna spur of the moment with a couple we met along the way (they were Dutch). Sandboarding in Hucachina and staying at this really wicked oasis type place where huge sand dunes surrounded you. Mountain biking down Mt. Chichani in Arequipa. Staying at a not-quite-open yet hostel in Arequipa for about four days and becoming friends with the guys who ran it, then getting to participate in the opening ceremony and dinner on our last night there. We got to have a real Peruvian meal with the guys' grandparents and extended family, who laughed at me because I can't handle all the spicy food.

The highlight was our trek on foot from Cusco to Machu Picchu in five days. I got altitude sickness pretty bad, but I made it, and it was so worth it. Standing there at MP while the sun rises is the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

tbh, I don't think I'll ever take a strictly scripted vacation again. It was life changing.

Anyway, that was the most recent big trip. Otherwise we do 2 - 7 day backpacking trip in the Alberta/B.C. Rockies, although we're planning a trip for next September.

[Siam Sam]

Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Forum (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/) is a backpacker's treasure trove of info and experiences.

[askeptic]

I took a great backpacking trip on the Na Pali coast in kauai. Highly recomend it. Less than 50 miles round trip but some truly breath taking scenery.

[EmAnJ]

Oh, and I should add that watching the condors fly (it was a tour out to the 'deepest canyon in the world') was also breathtaking. They fly right over you and the wingspan is something crazy like 20 feet or more.

[Siam Sam]

I took a great backpacking trip on the Na Pali coast in kauai. Highly recomend it. Less than 50 miles round trip but some truly breath taking scenery.
Yes, and lots of great backpacking everywhere in Hawaii. A great destination.

[Shamozzle]

SwallowedMyCellPhone Are you allowed to camp on non campsites?though Isuppose not with the wild fires and everything.


Shamozzle Did you go to Israel or Egypt?
Whereabouts in Europe?

I did travel in Egypt and Israel. Also, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

In Europe I hit the usual places: The Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, etc...

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

SwallowedMyCellPhone Are you allowed to camp on non campsites? though I suppose not with the wild fires and everything.Some of the public lands or national parks allow primitive camping, but often it's allowed only with a backcountry/wilderness permit. Most of the national parks permit camping in designated sites only. And any form of campfires are often (but not always) prohibited. Contained fuel camp stoves are usually alright though.

We hiked at El Malpais National Conservation Area (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Malpais), in New Mexico, so we could explore the lava tubes. They are in the process of developing an actual campground, in the meantime, you can get a free permit for primitive camping at the El Malpais Information Center. We didn't stay there, but campground near Grants, NM that's run by the U.S. Forest Service.

There are tons and tons and tons of designated free campgrounds on public lands, although they may not have any ameneties. There were some pimitive sites near the trailhead for one of our hikes that had not even an outhouse. We stayed in free campgrounds in the Lincoln National Forest and the Cibola National Forest and some of the paid campgrounds that had running water and flush toilets (note: "running water" does not necessarily mean "potable water").

Generally, we found it really hard to tell what lands were "public lands" and which belonged to a ranch, so we stuck to developed campsites that were posted as such. There are picnic stops ALL OVER too, because driving is a real chore. We drove 5 hours once without seeing another car, but right in the middle of nowhere we'd find a sheltered picnic table at the side of the road. There was a pull-off big enough for a truck to get off the road, and the picnic table would have a shleter over it so weary drivers could get out of their vehicles to walk around and eat in the shade. No water and no outhouses though. Usually there were signs by the picnic table that said "No Camping" because it would be dangerous.

There are also areas that have very sensitive archeological sites and overnight backpacking or backcountry camping are NOT allowed. We went to see some of the ancient ruins at Mesa Verde (southwestern colorado) and had to stay at a campground about 10 miles away in the San Juan National Forest. (That was actually confusing because there are discrepancies on their website about fee vs. no-fee camping areas).

Generally, you can refer to the National Parks Service website www.nps.gov, or the U.S. Forest Service www.fs.fed.us to find free campgrounds ahead of time. We found that very helpful.

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

Whoops. Missed the edit window.

Some of the "free" campsites are only free seasonally. Where we stayed in Colorado, the campground has a $10 fee from May through September (I'm not sure but it may have been $10 for a 14 day stay, but the info was a bit confusing). From Labor Day to late May the campground is free, but there are no services or water available. Only the toilets are open.

[Busy Scissors]

Wow that sounds awesome,had a mate who was thinking about that trip himself but never got round to doing it.
And to clarify my post I'm on about travelling from place to place,basically roughing it .In my experience you meet some really interesting and fun people that way and you see things that the package tourists never get to.(Or probably want to )The train is fantastic from that perspective - you meet a lot of cool people. I thought it would be banged out with trustafarians, but it really wasn't. That leads to my next point in that great trip though it is, it's not roughing it financially. I don't recall it absolutely breaking the bank, but it was an outlay.
Generally, we found it really hard to tell what lands were "public lands" and which belonged to a ranch, so we stuck to developed campsites that were posted as such. There are picnic stops ALL OVER too, because driving is a real chore. We drove 5 hours once without seeing another car, but right in the middle of nowhere we'd find a sheltered picnic table at the side of the road. There was a pull-off big enough for a truck to get off the road, and the picnic table would have a shleter over it so weary drivers could get out of their vehicles to walk around and eat in the shade. No water and no outhouses though. Usually there were signs by the picnic table that said "No Camping" because it would be dangerous.Why is it dangerous to camp in New Mexico if you don't mind me asking? Varmints? or are we talking Granpa with his chainsaw :p

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

Why is it dangerous to camp in New Mexico if you don't mind me asking? Varmints? or are we talking Granpa with his chainsaw :pCamping is not dangerous, but you're generally not supposed to camp at the roadside picnic areas because they are right off the highway. And I don't mean the kind that have a little, mini-ring road, and little mowed grass park. These ones just have a wider shoulder so you can pull off and get your car completely off the road. Kind of like the pull-offs they have when there is a "historic plaque" or "scenic view" or a break-down lane.

Camp there and a drousy trucker may squash ya. Late at night, those picnic sites may be tempting, but that's why they usually have "No Camping" signs.

In New Mexico and Colorado, the national forests cover vast amounts of land, so genuine campgrounds are easy to come by. Coyotes might come by, but I've never heard of anyone running into Leatherface or anything. Camping is safe and rangers drive by at the end of their shift and first thing in the morning, but if the signs say "No Camping" there is a good reason for it.

[TheLoadedDog]

If you come to Sydney, you will have a good time, and we'll be friendly to you provided you don't:
- have twenty-five people in a two-bedroom flat
- urinate in doorways/lifts
- leave abandoned cars on the street
- play shit music 24/7
- sing football club songs at 3am
- treat the locals as hospitality workers if they're not, or be rude to them if they are

Sorry if this sounds snippy, but aside from personal experiences, I've been doing work for a university study of backpacking, and it wasn't pretty. Most people do the right thing, but there were some real horror stories.

[Manatee]

I've done a number of trips all throughout the Sierras. The best was through-hiking the John Muir Trail.

I've become rather spoiled by the beauty of the area and am reluctant to go backpacking anywhere else now.

[El Cid Viscoso]

The US has a lot of good stuff. I've backpacked all over the Midwest and a pretty good chunk of Colorado. It's truly liberating to have my entire world on my back and be self-sufficient. In full gear I can comfortably cover 15 miles of uneven terrain, but usually I hump in for a hard day and make overnight camp, then stroll/recon the rest of the distance to my (usually out of the way) destination campsite. Then it's day-hikes and side trips until it's time to pack out.

Historically my comfortable range of days in the wilderness before running dangerously low on camp gas is 7-10. If I'm buddy camping that means more gas so my range is greatly extended. That also means much more bitching so it's a crap shoot. :D

If you hike in the States please remember: pack out all trash, including the last guy's, and especially your "leavings*." In the woods, campfires are nice but unnecessary. Save them for the organized campgrounds where you're provided a fire ring. Those two things make a world of difference.

Lust4Life: have you been to Tunisia? What about the Yucatan Peninsula? Peru?


* Unless there's a pit toilet. Many trails in CO (and everywhere for that matter) have designated campsites that must be reserved in advance. While they're less wild, the benefit is they usually have a priv so you can shit with relative normalcy.

[Martha Medea]

My main stints of backpacking were in 1987 - Eastern Europe, Greece and Turkey (just one month), and in 1988 - Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico and parts of the United States (about five months total, managing to keep to a US$12 per day budget for two people, until we reached the US). Have also travelled backpacker style in Spain, France, Holland, Ecuador, Peru, Israel and Egypt.

[Telemark]

People are mixing two different definitions of backpacking here.

- Hiking/Backpacking: Hiking in the woods/hills/mountains with tent, sleeping bag, stove, and all your food. Going for overnight or multi-week trips with resupplies. This is what I like to do, going for up to 4 weeks at a time.

- Tourist/Backpacking: Putting all your belongings in a pack and spending time in civilization but roughing it. Using buses, trains, hitchhiking, to get around, staying in hostels, camping at campgrounds or in fields near towns, seeing cities, countries, etc.

Both are fun, but they're being mixed in this thread and it's a little hard to keep them straight.

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

I was referring to wilderness backpacking, FWIW. (Uh, clearly since you don't usually have coyotoes running amok downtown.)

We did drive but only between regions. We drove to Northwest Texas then did wilderness backpacking in the Guadalupe Mountains and Lincoln Forest. Then we went to Northwestern New Mexico for a few days. Then we went to southern Colorado for a few days.

It was actually supposed to be a bike tour and we were going to ride from area to area to do our hiking, but my girlfriend bashed her hand a few days before we left and can't shift or brake with her right paw.

[Lust4Life]

I've experienced both kinds of Backpacking,wilderness type only in England/Scotland/Wales/Thailand and Germany.
And it does chill me out getting away from it all,getting a bit knackered and then sleeping preferebly out in the open (if the weathers not too bad)so that I can see the sky.
At some stage I'd like to try it in Alaska and Yellowstone.

Tourist backpacking which I must admit was what my O.P. was about I've done quite alot,trips I'd like to make in the future are Japan,Vietnam,the middle bit of Canada(I've been to Newfoundland and B.C.)and S.Africa.

One of the great thing IMO about B.P.ing is the other B.Pers you meet.
They tend to be more imaginative,intelligent and adventurous then your average Joe,let alone your average package tourist.

Also in the countries you travel through you tend to meet up with the ordinary folk of those places,not the obsequious service industry employees that resorts tend to have.

(Dont get me wrong,on occassion I enjoy being waited on hand and foot myself but it gets a bit wearing after a while)

[Quasimodal]

I backpacked alone last summer through central Europe. While the experience was great, I don't want to do it again until I have a partner to do it with. I'm glad I had the chance by myself but I would like to share the experience with someone.

[Phlosphr]

I've experienced both kinds of Backpacking,wilderness type only in England/Scotland/Wales/Thailand and Germany.
And it does chill me out getting away from it all,getting a bit knackered and then sleeping preferebly out in the open (if the weathers not too bad)so that I can see the sky.
At some stage I'd like to try it in Alaska and Yellowstone.

Tourist backpacking which I must admit was what my O.P. was about I've done quite alot,trips I'd like to make in the future are Japan,Vietnam,the middle bit of Canada(I've been to Newfoundland and B.C.)and S.Africa.

One of the great thing IMO about B.P.ing is the other B.Pers you meet.
They tend to be more imaginative,intelligent and adventurous then your average Joe,let alone your average package tourist.

Also in the countries you travel through you tend to meet up with the ordinary folk of those places,not the obsequious service industry employees that resorts tend to have.

(Dont get me wrong,on occassion I enjoy being waited on hand and foot myself but it gets a bit wearing after a while)
I did the Ap Trail when I was in college, and I loved every minute of it. Backpacking is definitely my crack. I enjoy it so much I took a job as exec.director of a environmental conservation company here in CT - just to stay as close to nature and the great out of doors as I can. We work close with a lot of conservation and nature conservancy types and I - luckily - get to go hiking and backpacking quite a lot.

Nothing better than the wind in the trees and the whole day in front of you when you're on a good trail...This time of year it is peak leaf season and I've been hiking every day and camping whenever I can.

[Panurge]

I have done it a lot. Mostly in India, which is a great country for backpacking - cheap, exiting and everyone (almost) speaks English. I have spent years there when all my trips are put together, and I never get tired of going back. The only downside is... all the other backpackers, who often seem to be of the "are you experienced", dope-smoking, let's-go-to-Goa-and-get-stoned variety. Best advice: Buy Lonely Planet India and stay clear of all places (not just hotels; towns, cities, sights) mentioned there (except for the Taj Mahal and Varanasi, of course).
My most exciting journey was from Istanbul to Varanasi overland through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. This was in 2003-4, and I felt completely safe all the way. Would do it again tomorrow if I could afford it. Amazing countries.

[Telemark]

Best advice: Buy Lonely Planet India and stay clear of all places (not just hotels; towns, cities, sights) mentioned there (except for the Taj Mahal and Varanasi, of course).
Yes, the LP Effect. Anyplace mentioned in a LP book because of the wonderful atmosphere almost immediately becomes overrun and awful. We would go into towns in Nepal, find the place mentioned by LP, then walk to the other end of town to find a place to stay.

[Lust4Life]

Yes, the LP Effect. Anyplace mentioned in a LP book because of the wonderful atmosphere almost immediately becomes overrun and awful. We would go into towns in Nepal, find the place mentioned by LP, then walk to the other end of town to find a place to stay.

Just an aside here,when travelling I've used L.Ps as a second choice and they are pretty good but because of the P.C. element in their writing Idont think that they're 100% accurate.
I preferto use the Rough Guides if I can.

When I'm alone in a dangerous part of a third world country I want the info thats going to keep me alive and unmugged no matter how un P.C. the information is.

By the way I dont know if anyone here has ever looked up their own hometown in either of these guides but I did once (cant for the life of me remember which one )and I would swear that the person who had written the entry had never in their lives been in my city,it wasn't just a case of sinning by omission but that they'd actually described a well known part of the city incorrectly.

[August West]

I went on a wilderness backpacking trip in Colorado earlier this year. It was incredible.
Myself and 2 friends from Denver did a 5 day trip in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. We saw elk, coyotes, mule deer, and many other animals. Went trout fishing 3 of those days and had a couple of excellent "trout on campfire coals" dinners too. The first day was tough because I was basically coming from sea level (only one day of acclimation in Snowmass) and we climbed from 8300 feet to over 11000 feet on that first day.

I also do day trips pretty extensively in my local area. I am keeping an eye on the weather for this weekend because I am thinking about taking three days and hiking a 45-50 mile segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which is pretty much in my backyard.

It sounds odd, but to me there is nothing more relaxing than throwing 30-40 pounds on your back and walking into the woods. Your focus completely changes and even after just 3-4 days the world does too. Anyone that has gotten into their car to drive after being in the woods for a while realizes this, driving at 25 miles per hour is suddenly terrifyingly fast!

[Lust4Life]

Lust4Life: have you been to Tunisia? What about the Yucatan Peninsula? Peru?
.

As far as N.Africa is concerned I've only been to Morocco(but that was working) and Egypt.

I've travelled round the U.S. several times(was gob smacked going over the Rockies) and on one of those trips managed to get down to Mexico,but not the Yucatan P.
I do fancy seeing more of Central/S.America so hopefully if I do another wander around the U.S. I might see a bit more of Mexico.

The problem with that though is I've always wandered off in unplanned directions,every single time I've gone to the States I've always meant to visit N.England,a place I've always wanted to see,but Ialways seem to end up going to the deep south ,the west coast,Canada'anywhere but where I've planned to.

Nearly had a contract to work in the Falkland Islands a little while ago and was going to forgo my flight home at the end of the job and fly to the S.American mainland and travel around a bit before making my own way home.
Unfortunately the job fell through but it maywell crop up again in the future.

[Baron Greenback]

Nearly had a contract to work in the Falkland Islands a little while ago and was going to forgo my flight home at the end of the job and fly to the S.American mainland and travel around a bit before making my own way home.
Unfortunately the job fell through but it maywell crop up again in the future.

Second hand info, but I reckon you'd like Buenos Aires. I totally get your earlier musings on guide books though. It's an odd thing to read a tourist guide for a place that you actually live in- the reaction is occasionally "fair comment", but more often it's like "Ha! I guess the proprietor paid you to say this!".

[Darryl Lict]

I went backpack traveling for 15 months about 5 years ago, plus the usual post-college European tour. As far as I'm concerned, backpacking is the only way to go. It was all by myself, but I kind of like it that way. At my age, it's damned hard to get someone to take 3 months off and travel around. The best thing about going by yourself is you just do whatever you damn well please. I've been to 68 countries do far. What I'd really like to do is a journey from Russia down through the former Soviet bloc and hit whatever -stans I can (and hence be able to identify them on that damn geography quiz that someone posted a thread on. Through the middle east and then across North and West Africa. I've been to 68 countries, and if I plan it right, I could probably make if close to a 100. I've really got to make it to India some day, and would love to try Panurge's trip from Istanbul to India. I wonder how safe it is for an American to travel through Iran these days, though.

Oh yeah, I've done the Sierra backpacking thing also, but my knees aren't really up for it anymore. My friend wanted to do the Yosemite to Mammoth Lakes trip this summer, but I chickened out as he would probably make it a death march.

[Panurge]

I went backpack traveling for 15 months about 5 years ago, plus the usual post-college European tour. As far as I'm concerned, backpacking is the only way to go. It was all by myself, but I kind of like it that way. At my age, it's damned hard to get someone to take 3 months off and travel around. The best thing about going by yourself is you just do whatever you damn well please. I've been to 68 countries do far. What I'd really like to do is a journey from Russia down through the former Soviet bloc and hit whatever -stans I can (and hence be able to identify them on that damn geography quiz that someone posted a thread on. Through the middle east and then across North and West Africa. I've been to 68 countries, and if I plan it right, I could probably make if close to a 100. I've really got to make it to India some day, and would love to try Panurge's trip from Istanbul to India. I wonder how safe it is for an American to travel through Iran these days, though.


Personally I don't think there is much of a risk travelling in Iran - even nowadays. You might get a bit more hassle at the border or pay a few small bribes to the police along the way, but in general the Iranians couldn't care less where you come from. That is my experience anyway, and it goes for Pakistan as well - these two countries has the friendliest people I have ever met anywhere in the world.
And great idea about the -stans. Went to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan with my girlfriend a few years ago - amazing. Especially living with local Kyrgyz farmers in the yurts on the summer pastures was incredible. You do get tired of all the boiled mutton after a while, but at least you can wash it down with their horrible home-made vodka. If Turkmenbashi's death has made Turkmenistan more accessible, I would love to go there. Perhaps a trip around the Caspian Sea?

[Lust4Life]

Personally I don't think there is much of a risk travelling in Iran - even nowadays.

What was it actually like inside Iran?

[Panurge]

What was it actually like inside Iran?

It was a strange experience to travel in Iran - I never really found the living Islamic culture I expected; nor did I find many remnants of Persian culture. Many elements of Persian culture have been banned since the revolution, and most people seemed sick of the government-imposed "Islamic"* laws. As far as I could see everybody were trying to be as western as possible within the limits of tolerance of the Islamic police. But people were genuinely friendly, helpful and hospitable; we were often invited to people's home for dinner or to spend the night. I honestly think that if you travel in Iran with your family, you won't spend a single night in a hotel for as long as you are there.
Apart from the hospitality the overall feeling of the country (IMO) was desparation and - quite depressing - apathy. Everybody feels suppressed, especially in the Kurdic parts of the country bordering Iran, and many want to leave for the west. Nobody has the courage to get organized. The only person I met who was sympathetic towards the regime was a student of Islamic theology in Isfahan. In spite of this image of a fatigued people, good times are still to be had. You can find parties with young men and women in the same room, drinking *gasp* Life goes on etc.

Have you ever read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi? (http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-3673151-0358362?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=persepolis&x=0&y=0) - it shows Iran from the inside in a way that matches my experience of the country very well.

Openness goes a long way, so depending on your temper YMMV

*meant in the sense that the Sharia seems to be imposed under the strictest possible interpretation of the letter of the law.

[Lust4Life]

It was a strange experience to travel in Iran - I never really found the living Islamic culture I expected; nor did I find many remnants of Persian culture. Many elements of Persian culture have been banned since the revolution, and most people seemed sick of the government-imposed "Islamic"* laws.

You've definitely got me interested now,Iran is now on my future itinery list.

[even sven]

I've been backpacking in Europe, India, Central America and West Africa. I'm currently living in beautiful Cameroon. I agree that India is definately a bit of a backpacker paradise. It's hard to go wrong there. Living and working in a foreign country is quite a different thing than backpacking, but I do sometimes miss being on the move.