Backpacker Trails

How dangerous is backpacking?

I want to go backpacking through Europe with my best friend, but he thinks it's dangerous. He's successfully visited Europe before, so I think this idea of danger comes from something his aunt said. She made a joke about how the French call backpackers "escargot." Now my friend says carrying backpacks will identify us as Americans, and get us robbed. So, how dangerous is it really? What equipment and precautions should we take?

Most young people and quite a few not so young travel with backpacks, and most of them are not American. Besides, being American is not more dangerous than being any of the European nationalities, including French in France.

What most people call 'Backpacking Europe' is traveling from town to town, with a backpack, small suitcase or duffel bag, staying in hostels or cheap hotels.
This is not more dangerous than walking around in your own hometown, and often much less.
You will have to remember some basic rules, like not going home with people you have just met, not going into the park at night and not waving big wads of money around, but that are the same things as you would/wouldn't do at home.

Maybe your friend is reluctant because he feels he is responsible for you, but that would be the same wherever you would travel. As continents go, Europe is fairly safe, only Australia and New Zealand seem to be safer, English speaking North America has many more violent deaths, both locals and visitors. But given the option, I think you would travel to New York or Chicago without thinking about it.

More about things you can do for your safety you can find in the answers to this question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvYMy2gO9if4lhDIuerrTuzty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090518005518AAeY2fK

It is about women traveling alone, but the info also works for men alone and people traveling together, although they can be a bit more relaxed as they can cover each others back.

Backpacker's Gear School: Hoist a Heavy Pack

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