Oct 9, 2016
By Hailey Hennessy
Backpack & Bushes In Munich: The Freedom In Wandering
There I was, wandering the suburban streets of Munich with a poor sense of direction and the absence of mobile technology. That afternoon, I had stepped off of an airplane that had departed from the island of Majorca in the south of Spain. Majorca was warm, tropical, and evoked the inner island-ista in me and, therefore, I was sporting my thinnest tank top and beachy footwear. Although the time of year was early August, the weather in Münich resembled the brisk end of autumn.
Needless to say, I was cold, lost, and the sun was setting. I was on the hunt for the flat belonging to my Couchsurfing hosts, without a way of contacting them. All of the surrounding buildings were residential and very quiet. Any passerby was fair game when it came to directional questions, but I only crossed paths with two in my many hours of searching. The first person was Turkish and I, unfortunately, did not speak his language. I showed him my hand-written address and he pointed onward down the street; I kept walking.
This is the point where I should have broken down and cried. There was not one car or taxi to flag and deliver me to my destination. I was far from the nearest train station and low on cash. Instead of crying, however, I stayed calm. I had my backpack; everything I needed was on my person so spending a night in the bushes… was totally doable!
In that backpack I had multiple layers of clothing, a change of shoes, and probably something edible. My backpack was there for me. My backpack gave me the freedom to make a mistake like this and helped me recognize my privilege in possessing the items necessary for basic comforts. This realization showed me that once basic needs are met, less is more in travel.
The freer we want to become, the more we must leave behind. Before I could be a self-titled traveler, I had to look this realization square in the eyes because leaving behind the things that maintain comfort in order to travel is uncomfortable. I did not like getting dirty and staying dirty. I wanted my full size shampoo bottle. I needed silence and complete darkness in order to sleep through the night.
For me, it was a little grey backpack that challenged me to decide what was to be left behind in order to see what true freedom feels like. If it was travel that I wanted, I had to bridge the void between lux and living. I had to become okay with getting dirty, losing sleep, being uncomfortable for the sake of seeing the world with authenticity. When living life as a traveler, what is essential is what we choose to travel with us. The size of my backpack has taught me to choose wisely and intuitively.
This very backpack encourages me to not only open the door of my closet to get it out but doors all over the world. It has been there to support me through the wonderful and harried times of my adventures. My backpack was there for me when I hunted for my hostel on the winding streets of Barcelona. She has sat beside me and heard countless tales from strangers who have transformed into friends. And she has been there for the myriad of travel-mishaps that have left me questioning if I will be sleeping in the bushes for the evening.
The end of my Munich mishap goes like this: Lost in a dark courtyard, I spotted a man climbing his porch steps about to unlock his front door. Across the green space, I shouted for help as politely and nonthreatening as possible. He stopped and turned around seemingly jolly and ready to help. Thank God! I showed him the address and, in broken German-English, he described that I was on the side of the street with even-numbered addresses and I needed to be in the courtyard across the street with odd-numbered addresses. I was saved from a foliage-filled slumber!
Because everything I needed was on my back, a night in the shrubs was not only a possibility but also something I was prepared to experience. Of course, I know that I am more than my backpack and, even without it, I would have survived, but I have learned that living with less is actually living with enough. By setting off on an adventure with minimal essentials, I have been allowed to become myself again. Even though I found the flat in Munich that night, my backpack has given me the freedom and contentment in knowing that there really is not much I need to pack to have a proper adventure.
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About the Author
Hailey Hennessy
A travel blogger who loves fresh brews, new food, and ultimately finding her way out of being lost.