While people have travelled for all history with their possessions in packs they carry on their backs, the concept of modern backpacking can be traced, at least partially, to the Hippie trail of the 1960s and '70s,[4] which in turn followed sections of the old Silk Road. In fact, some backpackers today seek to recreate that journey, albeit in a more comfortable manner.[5] Seventeenth-century Italian adventurer Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri has been cited by some authorities as one of the world's first backpackers.[6]
Over the last few decades,[when?] backpackers have descended on South East Asia in huge numbers[clarification needed] with popular Thai islands such as Koh Pha Ngan and several previously sleepy towns in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos being totally transformed to accommodate the sudden influx of travelers. Backpacking in South America and Central America has also become more popular and there are several well-trodden routes around the world that backpackers tend to stick to.[7]
Technological developments and improvements have also contributed to changes in backpacking. Traditionally, backpackers did not travel with expensive electronic equipment like laptop computers, digital cameras and PDAs because of concerns about theft, damage and additional luggage weight. However, the desire to stay connected, coupled with breakthroughs in lightweight electronics, has given rise to the flashpacking trend.[8] And not only is there a shift in what backpackers carry now, there is also a change in what they use to carry that gear: backpacking is becoming less and less reliant on the physical backpack in its initial form.[9]