Do you know anyone who has gone backpacking? It's a type of travel that is low-cost and independent, often meaning no fixed plans regarding accommodation or destination. The word 'backpacking' comes from 'backpack', a type of bag that you carry on your back. Travellers typically fill a backpack with life essentials, like clothing, plus anything extra needed for adventure. The stereotypical view of a backpacker is someone in their 20s, keen to tick off items on their bucket list. But, forget this. You're about to find out that anyone can backpack.

你知道有谁去过背包旅行吗？ 这是一种低成本且独立的旅行，通常意味着没有关于住宿或目的地的固定计划。 “背包”一词源自“背包”，是一种背在背上的包。 旅行者通常会在背包中装满生活必需品，例如衣服，以及冒险所需的任何额外物品。 人们对背包客的刻板印象是 20 多岁，热衷于在自己的愿望清单上勾选项目。 但是，忘记这一点吧。 您将发现任何人都可以背包。

Last year, my best friend's parents retired at aged 65 and set off on a 630-mile trail along the southwest coast of England. Each carrying a 15kg backpack, Mike and Lorraine hiked along cliffs, explored golden sandy beaches and even cycled. For accommodation, they didn't pre-book but stayed in whatever they could find on the day, which varied from B&Bs to camping in fields full of sheep. They did stop for the occasional well-deserved cup of tea – they were in England after all.

去年，我最好朋友的父母在 65 岁时退休，沿着英格兰西南海岸踏上了一条 630 英里的小径。 Mike 和 Lorraine 每人背着 15 公斤的背包，沿着悬崖徒步旅行，探索金色沙滩，甚至骑自行车。 至于住宿，他们没有提前预订，而是住在当天能找到的任何地方，从民宿到在满是羊的田野里露营。 他们确实偶尔停下来喝杯茶——毕竟他们是在英国。

Backpackers are also known for travelling with little money, but few begin with as little as Othmane Zolati from Morocco. In 2015, he embarked on an almost four-year journey, but he started out with just $80 (£64). He zigzagged across 24 countries on the African continent and filmed his experience, aiming to show the world the diversity and beauty of Africa, all on a shoestring budget. He told BBC What's New that he often had to work odd jobs and rely on the kindness of strangers to be able to afford to keep travelling. But it was worth it. South Africa was Othmane's final destination and, on reaching it, he said "It was one of the best moments in my life. It made me know that if you fight for something, you really stick to that goal… then you will reach it".So, don't give up. If you want to travel, you can, no matter your age or budget!

背包客也以花很少的钱旅行而闻名，但很少有人像来自摩洛哥的奥斯曼·佐拉蒂 (Othmane Zolati) 那样带着很少的钱开始旅行。 2015 年，他开始了近四年的旅程，但他的起步价仅为 80 美元（64 英镑）。 他曲折穿越非洲大陆24个国家并拍摄了自己的经历，旨在向世界展示非洲的多样性和美丽，而这一切都是在预算有限的情况下完成的。 他告诉 BBC 新闻节目，他经常不得不打零工，依靠陌生人的善意才能继续旅行。 但它是值得的。 南非是奥斯曼的最终目的地，到达目的地后，他说“这是我一生中最美好的时刻之一。它让我知道，如果你为某事而奋斗，你就会真正坚持那个目标……那么你就会实现它” 。所以，不要放弃。 如果您想旅行，无论您的年龄或预算如何，您都可以！

词汇表

go backpacking 背包旅行
low-cost 低成本的
accommodation 住宿
backpack （徒步旅行或登山时用的）背包
essentials 必需品
adventure 探险
backpacker 背包客
tick off （在清单上）勾掉（做完的事情）
bucket list 人生愿望清单
retire 退休
set off 出发，启程
trail 乡间小道
hike 长途步行
pre-book 预订
B&B 提供住宿加早餐的小旅馆（“bed and breakfast” 的缩写）
camping 露营，野营
embark 开始
journey 旅行，旅程
zigzag 曲折前进
continent 大陆
shoestring budget 极少的预算
odd job 零工，杂活
destination 目的地