21 Most Asked Questions Amongst Backpackers

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by Michael Tieso on September 7, 2010

in Featured,Tips / Planning

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It’s asked everyday at the hostel. Nothing wrong with the questions since I’m a victim of asking them as well but they do get tiring having to answer all the time. Still, it’s a lot better than getting asked “So, what do you do for a living?” back at home. I got so accustomed to people asking me these questions that when I went home to visit, it felt weird not having this type of conversation.

X-base hostel bar

X-base hostel bar by Walmink

1. Where you from?

2. Where have you been?

3.What’s been your favorite place?

4. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

5.What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten?

6. Ever been to (insert destination here)?

7. Have you tried the (insert food here)?

8. How long have you been traveling for?

9. How much longer will you be traveling for?

10.What were you doing before you left?

11. What will you do when you go home?

12. Do you miss home?

13. Do you miss your family?

14. Are you traveling on your own? (If you’re seen solo)

15. Are you traveling together? (If person sees you next to someone else)

16. Want to get a drink?

17. What day is it?

18. How did you get to (insert destination here)?

19. I’m going there next, how did you like it?

20. Do you have Facebook? (That’s when you find out their name after all those questions)

21. Hey, can you tag me on those pictures?

I didn’t include What’s your name? because it’s usually the last thing that’s asked. I’m horrible with names anyway.

Which questions do you get asked all the time?

Article by

Michael Tieso travels around the world writing, photographing, and filming his adventures. He is the Editor-in-chief of Art of Backpacking -- a website that provides stories, tips, and advice about all things backpacking. He runs a travel blogging community called Art of Travel Blogging. He's currently filming a documentary on travel and technology called Everywhere Connection. He left the cubicle life to travel the world in May 2009 and he still continues the journey to this day with no end to it. He loves adventure, food, and music. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and .

Michael has written 256 awesome articles for AOB.

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  • http://www.withsparkles.com Verity

    This really made me laugh! So true! I have experienced a similar thing living in a student corridor in Sweden. I got so sick of having the same conversation over and over in the kitchen. I just want to make myself food in silence. As an ex-pat in Sweden I get sick of having these two particular conversations the “things are different in my country than they are in Sweden” and the “but there are lots of dangerous animals in Australia (where I’m from)” conversation.

    Great post! :)

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      That must’ve drove you crazy after awhile.

  • Kristiangodfrey

    So so true.

    “Do you remember what happened last night” is the one for the morning after all those questions have been asked.

    And also add, once you’ve said which country or city you are from, there will be the inevitable “Oh I know that place, in fact my best mate John lives there- do you know him?”

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      The best is when you Facebook friend someone that has the same mutual friend as you from someone at home or someone you’ve traveled with then you look at each other “Wait, what? How do you know this person?”

      • http://www.onmywayrtw.com Megan

        Haha yep, that’s happened to me! After I remembered to ask for the person’s name, of course! :D

  • Marina K. Villatoro

    Haha…!!! So true.

  • http://www.stevensirski.wordpress.com Stevensirski

    In addition to the morning-after question, don’t forget, “Do you remember what you said to her?”

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Classic… “What do you mean you don’t remember asking her to travel with you?” … How do you break the news to that one?

  • http://www.MyBeautifulAdventures.com/ GlobalButterfly

    I’m TERRIBLE with names too and it’s terrible b/c I’m a doctor ahhhh!

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      I feel so bad when I forget peoples names and I hang out with them for days then I have to introduce them to someone else. I try to act smooth about it “So you guys go ahead and introduce yourselves while I go to the restroom”

  • http://twitter.com/Vagabond3Live Vagabond3

    Fun- and so true!

  • http://stophavingaboringlife.com SHABL – Rob

    I never ask names anymore because I never remember them. I like asking “If you were an animal in the jungle, which animal would you be and why?” I’m a monkey, fyi.

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Haha well that’s quite easy to remember. Thanks monkey!

  • Philippa

    This makes me feel old! When I was travelling all the time, facebook was a mere twinkle in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye…..
    …..when I think about it now it would have been great to have stayed in touch with the many many great people I met on various trips!

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      I hear this often from pre-facebook travelers. Do you keep in touch with some of them through email? I’d imagine email would be much harder to keep in touch with so many people.

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      I hear this often from pre-facebook travelers. Do you keep in touch with some of them through email? I’d imagine email would be much harder to keep in touch with so many people.

  • http://www.bambuhostel.com Mike

    Hi i own and operate bambu hostel in David Panama and i think some of those questions are location specific for example here in David Panama a common question “where is the good food around here” answer: across the street from the hostel a great sea food restaurant where $3 get you a complete fish dinner! http://www.bambuhostel.com

  • http://www.onurwaytravel.com Sasha

    Haha so true, the other thing I always get asked is ‘what do you most miss about home’, this one always catches me out because I don’t think about it enough to really have an answer ready!

    Michael I can totally sympathise with you on the forgetting names things, i’m also bad for it, the instant i’m told is the instant I forget! It does get awkward! I find myself saying can you write down your full name for me so I can add you on facebook, when really it’s just because i’ve forgotten their name!

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Today I got “So, what are you going to do after?”… That confused me.. After what?… I never know how to answer that.

  • Pingback: Why are you a backpacker? | Art of Backpacking

  • http://www.solofemaletraveler.com Sabina

    I guess different people do tend to ask the same questions. I got tired of answering the same questions over and over back home: What’s your name, where do you live, what do you do? So basic and so boring

  • http://twitter.com/jerickp Jerick Parrone

    I also get ‘What’s it’s like to live in (insert country)’? I come from the Philippines, and usually it comes after ‘Where’s the Philippines’?? :P

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Haha wow. Have people really asked you where the Philippines are? That’s crazy.

  • http://www.jemandes.com Eric McGrew

    I live in Chile’s Northern Patagonia, and I’m constantly asked: So why did you move from the “U.S.” to Chile? and also, have you accustomed to living here? Of course all the other question are lumped in too. What’s so frustrating, is that, I just want to chat with them and know about them, but the conversation seems to get stuck on the foreigners every time. I gets tiring. Oh yeah, there’s also, do you guys have earthquakes in the States? Have you ever seen a tornado/hurricane? and the enevitable, can you teach me english?
    The questions we get are a lot of the same as you mentioned, just with some extras as we live here and deal with locals a lot.

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      The ‘can you teach me english’ can get really annoying. I live in China and I must get this every day. I’m even teaching English part time in a University and everyone not in my class wants to learn. I think they’re more interested in learning about me than English though.

  • Anonymous

    hahaha right on!! I have also been asked quite a few times “So what made you decide to travel for such a long time?” Actually i really have no clue… because, i like travelling and i want to see many places?

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Haha, I get that too.

  • http://www.totaltravelbug.com TotalTravelBug

    This is so true! I especially like it when you’re in a country where everyone wants to practice their English on you and you repeatedly get, ‘What is you name? Where are you from?’ but then the conversation stops because neither person can say anything else in the same language!

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Ah, I get that all the time. The usual response for ‘How are you?’ is just ‘Good’ and the conversation ends there.

  • Eka

    so true..hahaha
    especially “what’s your name?” sometimes i ended up the conversation without knowing that person name coz i forgot to ask.. ;p
    and ppl, Indonesia is in not Bali…okay? ;D

    • Eka

      aaahh typo…wht I mean is Indonesia is not in Bali..there are still some ppl think that way..
      and I attached wrong file :D

      • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

        People really think that? Wow.

  • http://artofbackpacking.com AOBteresa

    Q21 can also be: “Can you not tag me in all those pictures?” ahahhaa. Good questions. Many so true. Facebook helps with names so much.

  • http://twitter.com/thatbackpacker Audrey Bergner

    So true! ‘What’s your name?’ is always the last one to get asked, and sometimes you get too far into a great conversation and it just doesn’t seem appropriate to ask anymore…

    But I prefer any of these questions to the ‘What do you do for a living?’ question that gets asked back at home. My answer never satisfies the ‘grown ups’, lol

    • http://artofbackpacking.com AOBteresa

      I hate how at home that is the #1 question to ask… I understand how you feel. People usually laugh or ask me when I will be getting a “real job” once the travel phase is over.. Smh!

    • http://artofbackpacking.com Michael

      Ssammee heerree. I hate that question – “What do you do for a living?”

  • Kat

    I can always remember where people are from but never their names! 

    And i like the “what do you do back home” question since “where have you been” can get real old when everyone seems to be coming from the same place and you havent been or arent going there. Aussies dont have social classes like many countries ive heard still have (eg, the english tend to look down on tradies). 

    • http://www.artofbackpacking.com Michael

      I feel bad but I’m guilty of calling people by where they are from. I never mean anything by it, it’s just easier to remember.