10 Backpackers You Never Want to Meet

Backpacking is a very exciting and enjoyable way to travel and explore different countries and continents and can often be a time of relaxation and spiritual enlightenment. However, there are aspects that can make it quite a challenging experience, particularly when you meet certain characters along the way at your hostels!

The Freeloader

A key aspect of backpacking travel is to do it on a budget. So when a fellow budget traveller thinks it's alright to keep asking if they can borrow a bit of cash or use your shampoo every morning, its time to exit, stage right.

The Know-it-all

The 'experience' of backpacking and gap-year traveling often arises only once, and travelers want to learn all they can about the various cultures and destinations they visit. The know-it-all will almost certainly take the fun out of it by informing you of the history and significance of every attraction before you actually have a chance to find out for yourself.

The Homesick One

It can be a daunting experience to be in a country far away from home, on a budget and surrounded by people speaking an unfamiliar language. All travelers feel homesick at some point, but there are those who spend an entire trip looking forward to going home. If a hug and some kind words aren't enough to cheer up the homesick one, it could be time to move on as they will more than likely just bring you down with them.

The Scared One

Traveling around the world involves trying a lot of new things you wouldn't normally encounter in your home town. When others on gap year travel are afraid to partake in harmless new experiences, like eating local food and trying delicacies, don't follow suit, you may regret it in the future.

The Messy One

Sharing rooms in hostels will generally be a very fun experience, but it can also have its downsides. Arguments can often break out about mess and untidiness as certain travelers refuse to keep their side or area of the room clean. The messy one also tends to be the last to leave and can hold everyone else up by waiting until the last minute to pack and will almost definitely end up losing something.

The Party Animal

Bar-hopping and checking out nightlife in different cities is great fun and most definitely one of the perks of backpacking around the globe, but travelers still need their sleep. It can be a strain to go out with the party animal, who will stay out until the early hours and can survive on minimal resting time. The party animal won't care if a late night means you miss a train or a bus, they'll just be happy to have a drinking buddy for another night.

The Snooty One

The snooty one is one variety you never want to meet simply because he or she has the habit of looking down at everyone and anything possible, whether it is their accommodation, the local food, attractions in the city or the weather. And you are most likely to bare the brunt of their complaints.

The Snoopy One

Sharing rooms in hostels has the advantage of making accommodation cheaper for the budget traveller, but it also leaves them at the mercy of the snoopy backpacker who will not miss a chance to peek into your traveling bag. Be cautious and use lockers if they are available to you.

The Hypochondriac

This person is one you should try and stay well away from, unless you want to be constantly informed that they have some kind of tropical skin infection when all they really have is sunburn.

The Stalker

Finally, there is the stalker, an individual who you should steer clear of at all costs. This guy or girl will not let you be alone for a second and will follow you around, accompanying you to all the attractions you wish to visit and making sure he or she is part of your group on a night out too. It's time to move on when they start asking for your email address or planning a visit to your hometown. Though be wary of the difference between legitimately over-friendly people and stalkers.

Before settling down and becoming a copywriter for HostelBookers.

Paul Scottyn did a backpacking tourworldwide, he checked out a variety of independent hostels, and youth hostels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P._Scottyn

OVER SNOOPY CHANCE

Backpacking is a very exciting and enjoyable way to travel and explore different countries and continents and can often be a time of relaxation and spiritual enlightenment. However, there are aspects that can make it quite a challenging experience, particularly when you meet certain characters along the way at your hostels!

The Freeloader

A key aspect of backpacking travel is to do it on a budget. So when a fellow budget traveller thinks it's alright to keep asking if they can borrow a bit of cash or use your shampoo every morning, its time to exit, stage right.

The Know-it-all

The 'experience' of backpacking and gap-year traveling often arises only once, and travelers want to learn all they can about the various cultures and destinations they visit. The know-it-all will almost certainly take the fun out of it by informing you of the history and significance of every attraction before you actually have a chance to find out for yourself.

The Homesick One

It can be a daunting experience to be in a country far away from home, on a budget and surrounded by people speaking an unfamiliar language. All travelers feel homesick at some point, but there are those who spend an entire trip looking forward to going home. If a hug and some kind words aren't enough to cheer up the homesick one, it could be time to move on as they will more than likely just bring you down with them.

The Scared One

Traveling around the world involves trying a lot of new things you wouldn't normally encounter in your home town. When others on gap year travel are afraid to partake in harmless new experiences, like eating local food and trying delicacies, don't follow suit, you may regret it in the future.

The Messy One

Sharing rooms in hostels will generally be a very fun experience, but it can also have its downsides. Arguments can often break out about mess and untidiness as certain travelers refuse to keep their side or area of the room clean. The messy one also tends to be the last to leave and can hold everyone else up by waiting until the last minute to pack and will almost definitely end up losing something.

The Party Animal

Bar-hopping and checking out nightlife in different cities is great fun and most definitely one of the perks of backpacking around the globe, but travelers still need their sleep. It can be a strain to go out with the party animal, who will stay out until the early hours and can survive on minimal resting time. The party animal won't care if a late night means you miss a train or a bus, they'll just be happy to have a drinking buddy for another night.

The Snooty One

The snooty one is one variety you never want to meet simply because he or she has the habit of looking down at everyone and anything possible, whether it is their accommodation, the local food, attractions in the city or the weather. And you are most likely to bare the brunt of their complaints.

The Snoopy One

Sharing rooms in hostels has the advantage of making accommodation cheaper for the budget traveller, but it also leaves them at the mercy of the snoopy backpacker who will not miss a chance to peek into your traveling bag. Be cautious and use lockers if they are available to you.

The Hypochondriac

This person is one you should try and stay well away from, unless you want to be constantly informed that they have some kind of tropical skin infection when all they really have is sunburn.

The Stalker

Finally, there is the stalker, an individual who you should steer clear of at all costs. This guy or girl will not let you be alone for a second and will follow you around, accompanying you to all the attractions you wish to visit and making sure he or she is part of your group on a night out too. It's time to move on when they start asking for your email address or planning a visit to your hometown. Though be wary of the difference between legitimately over-friendly people and stalkers.

Before settling down and becoming a copywriter for HostelBookers.

Paul Scottyn did a backpacking tourworldwide, he checked out a variety of independent hostels, and youth hostels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P._Scottyn

Fun Nursery Themes That Will Even Have Your Baby Talking!

There are many whimsical, fun baby room themes if you are planning on decorating a nursery. Infants need stimulation, so parents get the chance to be kids again and let their playfulness and imagination run wild.

A fun, flexible baby room theme is to decorate it in whimsical patterns. Try painting butter yellow or grass green stripes on the walls. Then hang bold graphic pictures of cats and dogs in bright red or blue frames on the walls.

Use the same graphic style to paint a toy chest using stencils, or apply stickers against a colorful painted background.

Another fun baby room theme is a design around the theme of Sweet Dreams. Use bright colors such as watermelon pink
and lime green on accessory pieces, and then choose white for the walls, ceiling, and lamps.

Use the bright, bold colors in places that will capture your baby's attention, and mix them with different fabrics and patterns. Try fabrics such as grape terry cloth, plaids, polka dots, and candy cane stripes. Paint the walls a creamy vanilla to keep the room centered and calm.

You might wallpaper one entire wall with a bold print of watermelon slices. Then hang a diaphanous sheer
white-on-white polka dot draping from the ceiling that flows around the crib. Paint or paper a small square above the crib with the same watermelon slice print.

When your baby looks up, he or she will certainly fall asleep and have sweet dreams!

A good theme for decorating a baby nursery is to design it around a Playhouse theme. This baby room theme works well for both boys and girls, and also gives them a great place to play as they grow older. Use a border paper with houses or apartment buildings printed on it.

You can find a variety of whimsical playtown dressers with buildings, cars, and clouds painted on them. Top it with a lamp that has a wooden base shaped like an apartment building and a taxicab clock. You might paint a mural of a street scene on one wall and use your family member's names on the signs above stores.

There is a multitude of characters from cartoons that you can utilize for baby room themes. Try Superman, Aladdin, the Lion King, Curious George, Snoopy, Cinderella, or Mickey Mouse. How about pirates, knights, princesses, castles, cowboys, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbell?

You'll have no problem finding bedding, lamps, rocking chairs, and other accessories with these design figures.

You can even choose animals for baby room themes, such as frogs, bugs, and goldfish. Buy a table and chair set painted with snails, butterflies, moths, ladybugs and caterpillars.

Or furniture with bold colors and patterns, such as lime green chunky ball feet on tables, and chairs with polka dots decorating purple table and chair legs.

Transportation themes are also easy to coordinate when you are deciding on a baby room theme. Pick planes, trains, bicycles, or automobiles. Use bright primary colors and put up a display of model trains or vintage cars.

Whichever theme you decide on, choose a design that is appropriate for an infant and a toddler. Use inexpensive,
stain-repellant area rugs that can be replaced when you want to update the design.

The frog lamps, duck mobiles, and framed pictures of lions and tigers can easily be switched to pictures of the latest cartoon heroes when your infant becomes a toddler.

The most important factor in choosing a baby room theme is to make sure it's safe and comfortable for your baby.

Then figure out all the activities that the room will be used for and go from there. The sky, literally, is the limit!

Michael Holland is the creator of http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com His web site offers lots of FREE decorating tips and ideas for decorating your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Holland