Any other backpackers get burned out, and just want to travel like an old person on a tour bus? lol?

31 years old, think I've hit that point where I just can't do that hostels and the "backpacker" lifestyle anymore. I've stayed in probably 60-70 hostels and worked in a couple for an extended period of time as a bar tender. Done all the late nights, pub crawls, hungover walking tours etc. Had a great time in my 20s living in Europe and South America for extended periods of time.

At the end of my last trip to Colombia I started to feel over it...But I just thought that was me encountering burn out. Was hoping a break/recharge back home would inspire me to come back and love the backpacker and hostel lifestyle once again.

However I just got back from a Europe trip. loved it but.....maybe it was my age, or the time of year, or just me coming to reality, or the fact that I was following the student summer vacation travel route (barcelona, prague, budapest, etc) but I felt "old", out of place, and frankly jaded.

I know 31 isn't old, and as we all say, "youre never too old for hostels", but I just couldn't be asked to get out of bed and go get a drink with a group of 21 year olds who I've never met, and frankly don't care to meet... Nothing against them, I just had 0 motivation to make my 9000th temporary friend who I'll know for 3 days before never seeing again.

So recently I've been thinking of changing my travel style. If anyone has any ideas let me know. Yes i know ideally its best to try to make friends with locals, but frankly in many places I've been locals want nothing to do with tourists. I've considered staying in hotels, but my biggest fear is being lonely...Or looking back and regretting not manning up and just getting past my own jaded-ness.

Frankly I'm at the point where I feel like wearing hiking shoes, high socks, a big stupid tourist hat, and walk around with a ridiculously large camera and go full tourist 65 year old dad wearing Lacoste clothes on a guided tour with other old people. At least the conversations will be more on history, and less about who hooked up with who, what drugs you took at what party, etc. etc.

Submitted July 31, 2022 at 08:24PM by Ok_Conversation_6733 https://ift.tt/zkKLBEs