Journal Article (peer-reviewed).
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/spe_facpub/314/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
After exploring neurodiversity, autism and independence, I wanted to begin understanding travel itself. Rather than focusing on accessibility or tourism management, I was interested in why people travel and how travel can shape identity, confidence and personal growth. This paper explores backpacking through personal narratives, examining how travellers describe being transformed by their experiences.
I chose this paper because I have always been drawn to independent travel and backpacking. Before exploring how autistic adults experience international travel, I felt it was important first to understand the broader theories surrounding transformative travel and why these experiences are often considered life-changing.
One of the first ideas that stood out to me was that backpacking is presented as much more than simply visiting another country. Instead, travel is described as both a physical journey and an internal journey, where people reflect on themselves, challenge previous beliefs and often return feeling changed.
The paper also explores how backpackers construct stories about their experiences. Rather than simply describing events, many travellers describe how travel changed their confidence, identity and understanding of the world. This made me realise that travel is often discussed as a process of personal transformation rather than simply movement between places.
Reading this paper made me wonder whether these same experiences of transformation are accessible to autistic adults, or whether current tourism systems create barriers that prevent them from experiencing the same opportunities for self-discovery.
Throughout the paper, several themes repeatedly emerged. The strongest theme was transformative travel, where backpacking is viewed as a catalyst for personal growth and self-development. The author suggests that travel allows individuals to explore new identities through unfamiliar environments and experiences.
Another important theme was identity. Rather than viewing identity as fixed, the paper suggests that travel allows people to reinterpret themselves through the stories they tell about their experiences.
I was also interested in the ideas of authenticity, freedom and independence. Backpacking is presented as a way of stepping outside everyday routines and embracing uncertainty, allowing travellers to develop greater confidence and autonomy.
These ideas immediately connected with my previous reading on autistic independence. It made me question whether autistic adults experience these ideas differently, and whether travel could offer similar opportunities for growth if tourism environments became more neuro-inclusive.