>>2512541>>2512727Adding to my
>>2512858If you have any ability with women, you will meet more backpacking than any other way. Its a huge hookup culture and the women tend to be a lot more interesting than your average, selection bias and all.
I'd say yes absolutely the loneliness is losing touch, and its not so bad for a few months, but if you stay years you really just get unglued from everyone back home and need to basically restart all those relationships when you return, often as a very changed person. Many friends will be lost, and you'll likely gravitate into different social circles.
It depends how long you go, but if its years then its going to totally change the way you see the world and your home culture (reverse culture shock is an acquired taste and the cherry on top at the end IMO).
Especially if its not Europe you're going to, which can just be an extended party with baguettes.
I would extremely highly recommend NOT doing Europe for this. You will have plenty of time (and more money) to do that when you're older.
Living off a scooter or motorcycle for 6-12mo is a young mans thing, and most fathers wouldn't risk it later on (or be able to take time off). Your savings will also go waaaay further in Asia (most of it) than Italy.
A decade ago, it was about $35/day in Asia, $100 in Europe or Japan. You can of course get very penny pinching either place, but I'm guessing its a bit more now either way. So 3 months in Europe or 9 in Asia... Asia's the bigger experience too. I wish I'd seen more of it and am jealous of the cross country anons that traveled end to end.
