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PODCAST

BackPackTrack

Welcome to Backpacktrack! The SOLO Travel Podcast for people who think “One Backpack” is a lifestyle. I’m Mells, your certified German potato who somehow swapped bread and bureaucracy for missed flights, hostel chaos and way too much oversharing. If you’ve ever dreamed of running away with a backpack (or just need a laugh), this podcast is your sign.

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

00:21:53

Travel Taught Me Life Is One Big Open World Game

BackPackTrack ·

2026/04/06

At 28, I realized life is basically a video game 🎮You get a random spawn point, stats you did not choose, unexpected side quests, and a lot of grinding. But travel showed me something huge 🌍 if you do not choose your own path, life will choose one for you.In this episode, I talk about how solo travel changed the way I see life, freedom, growth, and success. Leaving home, starting over, getting uncomfortable, and stepping away from the default path made me realize there is more than one way to win

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00:10:10

Best season to travel Japan

BackPackTrack ·

2026/03/31

When people ask me hey Mel when is the best season to come to Japan I can't really answer this right away. The only thing I can say is....don't come during summer unless you love sweating. There are a lot of pros and cons for every season but what is actually the best one?I will talk about it in this season but you might be surprised what I think is the best time to come to Japan!

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00:24:16

Why Moving Abroad Hits Harder Than Solo Travel

BackPackTrack ·

2026/03/24

Moving abroad sounds exciting, romantic, and like the start of a whole new life. But the reality is also loneliness, confusion, identity crisis, and realizing that solo travel and actually building a life somewhere are two very different things. In this episode, I talk about moving to Tokyo, what made it hard, what got better with time, and why starting over can change you in ways travel never does.

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01:03:11

How I Started Solo Traveling and Why It Changed...

BackPackTrack ·

2026/03/16

This is the first time I’ve ever recorded a podcast episode with someone else, and honestly, it was such a fun experience. In this co-hosted episode with Hekaya Haven, we talk about how I first got into travel, solo travel safety, mini retirement, and what traveling can really change in your life. It’s a very casual, funny, and genuinely entertaining conversation that feels more like two people chatting honestly than a super polished interview.If you want to know more about Hekaya and her Podcast

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00:09:39

5 Things I Do Now After Solo Travel

BackPackTrack ·

2026/03/09

In this episode I share 5 things I do now that old me would never have done, and why solo travel is not scary because you might get lost, but because you change. Going places alone, talking to strangers, setting boundaries, being braver, and finally not caring so much about other people’s opinions. If you’ve ever come home after traveling and felt like you do not fit into your old life the same way, you’re not alone.What’s one thing you do now that “old you” would never do? Tell me your story in the

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00:12:17

The Scariest Part of Solo Traveling

BackPackTrack ·

2026/03/02

When people think about solo travel, they assume the scary part is getting lost, missing flights, eating alone, or not finding friends. I thought that too. But the truth hit me after I came home. The scariest part is how much you change, and you do not even notice it while it is happening. You come back and everything looks the same, same streets, same friends, same routines, but you are not the same person anymore. And suddenly you do not fit into your old life the way you used to. This episode is

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00:07:23

Kyoto in Winter Hits Different

BackPackTrack ·

2026/02/16

Kyoto in winter hits different, cozy, calm, and seriously underrated. During our January break from language school, I took the shinkansen from Tokyo and spent a few days in Kyoto with a friend. Temples, traditional streets, way too much matcha, a super weird cat museum in the countryside, and of course a mandatory Pokémon Center stop. I’ve been to Kyoto three times and this was the calmest experience by far.If you’re planning Kyoto, I honestly think you should stay at least 4 days so you can enjoy

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00:18:33

The Truth About Working While Traveling

BackPackTrack ·

2026/02/09

Travel is not free. Unless you were born into the “my parents own property” club, you will work. In this episode I break down the three real ways I have funded long term travel: volunteer work for a bed and food, an online job that paid well but bored me to death, and chaotic underpaid part time jobs in Japan. I talk about what to expect, what not to romanticize, and how to make working abroad feel temporary, not like a cage, so you can keep traveling without burning out.

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00:14:55

Oops, I Ruined My CV by Traveling

BackPackTrack ·

2026/02/02

Is traveling multiple times a mistake or just a bad look on paper?In this episode, I talk honestly about CV gaps, career anxiety, and why choosing travel over stability feels both freeing and terrifying. From leaving a “safe path” to living in different countries, this is a real conversation about fear, fulfillment, and why a perfect CV doesn’t always mean a fulfilled life.

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00:22:24

I Talked Trash About Japan Last Week So Here’s What I...

BackPackTrack ·

2026/01/26

Last week I complained about Japan.A lot.So this week I am doing the adult thing and admitting where it absolutely wins.Toilets that feel like luxury, convenience stores that solve all life problems, people being kind without making it weird, and rules that actually work.

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00:18:49

Why I Could Never Live in Japan Forever

BackPackTrack ·

2026/01/19

Japan is amazing 🇯🇵✨ I love living here.But once the honeymoon phase is over and you actually live in the country, reality hits hard.In this episode I talk about the one thing that genuinely bothers me the most about living in Japan and why it is one of the reasons I could never stay here forever.

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00:10:52

Matcha Made Me Puke… So Of Course I Love It Now!

BackPackTrack ·

2026/01/12

I used to hate matcha 🤢🍵Like actually hate it.It made me gag during my first tea ceremony in Japan 🇯🇵 and I was fully convinced the hype was ridiculous.Fast forward a few years ⏳ and somehow I became that person who drinks bitter matcha with just water and no sugar 🍃🍵In this episode I talk about why my opinion flipped, why I do not care about fancy matcha lattes 🥛✨, and why sometimes the things we hate at first are the ones we grow into.Yes, it tastes like grass 🌱No, I do not want sugar

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00:14:43

The Only Advice I’ll Ever Give You: Leave!

BackPackTrack ·

2026/01/05

Sometimes the best advice isn’t complicated.It’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. And it’s simple: LEAVE!In this episode, I talk about why leaving home, routines, and comfort zones changes you and why every powerful lesson I’ve ever learned started with walking away. ✈️🌍No life-coaching. Just honest thoughts from the road. 🎒✨

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00:06:22

This is it. This is the end...🫠

BackPackTrack ·

2025/12/29

This is the end of this podcast...foooooor 2025! I am joking 🤡Thank you so much for your support and I hope I will see you see you next year ✨🫶

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00:11:50

What Christmas Feels Like in Japan!

BackPackTrack ·

2025/12/22

Last Christmas I gave you my heart…Yeah. Same songs, same chaos, every single year.This year is my third Christmas away from home and this time I’m spending it in Japan.No family dinners, no days off, no big traditions. Christmas here is more about couples, fancy dates, KFC buckets and then… going to work on the 25th like it’s any other day.In this episode I talk about what Christmas in Japan actually feels like.The weird parts, the pretty parts, Tokyo’s insane illuminations, Christmas markets,

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00:23:01

I’m Not Rich, I Just Travel Cheap!

BackPackTrack ·

2025/12/15

Everyone thinks solo travel is expensive.Everyone also thinks I’m rich.Spoiler: I’m not.I worked my ass off for years and then learned how to travel cheap without hating my life. No fancy hotels, no aesthetic brunches, no “Eat Pray Love” nonsense. Just hostels, street food, volunteering, questionable dinners made of cookies and instant noodles, and a very honest look at what budget travel actually means.In this episode I talk about how I afford long-term solo travel, why hostels are underrated, why

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00:15:20

JLPT N4 Chaos: How It Really Feels to Take the...

BackPackTrack ·

2025/12/08

Today I’m dragging you with me into the chaos that is the JLPT N4. Apparently many of you love hearing about daily life in Japan… so here you go: I took a Japanese language test and absolutely got humbled.The JLPT is split into three parts:1 vocabulary/kanji, 2. grammar + reading, and 3. listening. Trust me, none of them were playing...at least for me!In this episode I share what the test was really like, how unprepared I actually felt, what shocked me, and how it feels to take an exam in a

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00:13:08

Studying in Japan: The Part No One Mentions

BackPackTrack ·

2025/12/02

Studying in Japan is wild! The language is hard, the bureaucracy is crazy, but you end up making a bunch of friends at school. The beginning feels tough and messy, and you basically never have enough time for anything… but somehow it’s exciting, funny, and insanely rewarding.Would I do it again? Definitely. ✨🇯🇵

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00:16:31

My Daily Dose of Japanese Routine (Unfiltered)

BackPackTrack ·

2025/11/25

Ever wondered what a real day in Japan looks like when you’re not an aesthetic Tokyo girl living off matcha and unlimited free time?Yeah… welcome to my life.In this episode I walk you through my daily routine in Japan: waking up too late, rushing to work, smelling like fish even though I’m vegetarian, getting yelled at in fast Japanese I absolutely do not understand, spending my entire salary at convenience stores, and pretending bouldering will fix my life.It’s chaotic, it’s messy, it’s exhausting

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00:18:06

Fails: The Art of Messing Up Your Own Trip

BackPackTrack ·

2025/11/18

In this episode I basically expose myself for being the kind of person who books a “perfect trip,” only to have everything fall apart immediately. My yoga school ghosted me right after taking my deposit, my airline cancelled my flight 20 hours before departure, I rage-quit India, fell for a suspiciously good last-minute deal, misread the date like an absolute legend, missed my connection, got shipped to Qatar, and arrived 32 hours later questioning my life choices.And the best part? I thought I

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33 results

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