#TravelBrainster Melissa on Hard-Core Camping in Greece

A great day to you, internet friends. We have a new volunteer to share their stories with us and inspire some more off the beaten path travel. Do you kow what hard-core camping is? What would you do after you have ticked off all your bucket list items? Melissa from a Broken Backpack is going to tell us just that.

1) What is your best travel memory?

As I am trying to focus on my best travel memory, I realize that I am really lucky as I have many choices. I am going to go with my two weeks of free-camping on two non-touristic Greek Islands. I was looking for a couch on Couchsurfing when a Greek guy offered me to join some couchsurfers and him for an awesome trip! Free-camping or hard-core camping, as he said, means no shower, no toilet, just a beach and a tent. At the start, I decided to try it for a couple of days because I was not sure if I could enjoy it. I stayed for two weeks, laughing when it was time to dig a hole (toilet time), improvising a bath in the sea, hitchhiking for the very first time and enjoying the shooting stars at night. I also had the chance to attend to a Greek fiesta where I learnt their traditional dance. I picked this memory because I felt so far away from home (between 7 and 10 hours by ferry from land, 10 hours by flight from home) and from what I know. The feeling that I have got over there was powerful. I felt so tiny in the world and so big at the same time. And this feeling… makes me feel so alive.

2) What is the strangest incident you have had during your travels?

It is a really long story and I can’t really tell as I am about to write a post on it on my blog. But here are some clues about it:
Me (In Turkey) + Random bad people X too many weird coincidences =
Melissa had to go back to Canada by emergency

3) What’s the number one item on your bucket list?

To do everything on my bucket list! Is it cheating? If your answer is yes… Then, I would say that my actual bucket list is related to my next destination: New Zealand! I would LOVE to paraglide over there!

4) If you were stranded on an island, which one should it be?

First, I would like to say that if it happens, I would be probably very happy (as long as my bucket list is already all checked!)! I really don’t mind if I have to strand somewhere in the islands of French Polynesia.

5) What is your secret travel tip?

To avoid the touristic places! It could sound silly, but my best travel memories are definitely far away from the crowds. It is easier to find magic in secret/non touristic/local spots. How to find those spots, you may ask! Easy, you can check out my blog or you could painfully search on the web (Example: best secrets spots –add a destination here-).

And these were some of the many adventures by Melissa. For more, check out her blog and social media and feel free to share your stories as well. The more, the merrier!

Blog: abrokenbackpack.com
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