Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating. The life of a backpacker really shouldn’t be a pampered one. Crammed accommodation, creaky beds, and cheap transport are necessary to make a 6 month trip a reality. It’s always worth it in the end, but at times things can be uncomfortable, tiring, annoying, and frustrating.
Unless you cheat.
Prior to my retirement, I spent the better part of a year and a half flying to work each week, racking up airline miles, hotel points, and statuses along the way. With miles come free flights, with points come free nights, and with status comes access. Access to business lounges with free food, free internet, and free showers.
The lounges were never more useful than on my recent string of layovers on my way from New Zealand to Darwin, Australia. In order to use the least amount of miles while still flying in business class, I was going to have a 12-hour layover in Sydney, and another 12-hour layover in Melbourne. After a 5am breakfast in the Wellington lounge, I spent the day in Sydney, re-living the beginning of my trip, before heading back to the lounge for some dinner prior to my comfy ride to Melbourne. True to my backpacker roots, I broke out the sleeping pad and bag and set up camp in the deserted airport coffee shop, as all facilities in the airport had closed. There was no way I was paying for a trip into town and a hotel room, c’mon. A somewhat decent night’s sleep later, I made my way to the lounge for a nice breakfast, a warm shower, and a cappuccino, before hopping into my seat, reclining foot rest included.
In a 24-hour period, I think I partook in activities that would repulse both a businessman and a backpacker. Or perhaps make them envious, I’m not sure. I’ve decided to name this peculiar lounge-dwelling, floor sleeping traveler:
The BusinessBum.
As they say, if you ain’t cheatin’ you ain’t tryin…