A Map For Saturday (2007)

although it may seem easy to make a travelogue like this, not many have done it. i really can't think of another doc that takes you on a trip and is as concise, fun and well made as this one. lonely planet series comes to mind but that's about it.one complaint i have with others who criticize this, is that; it is what it is. this is not suppose to be a cultural anthropological study or a doc on the culture of the people - it is a doc about traveling around the world meeting people in hostels and it succeeds in being a very entertaining 90 minute film. for anyone that has done this, you will love it. for anyone that wants to do it, it will inspire you.since mostly young, impressionable people do this, after a while on the road it does get tedious when other people just ask questions comparing their trip to yours. "what, you didn't visit the hill tribes!" or "that place is too touristy" or "you only spent a week there!" etc...just go out and enjoy, experience and wander around our beautiful planet and if you really want to have a unique experience, forgo the guide books and create your own trip, it will be frustrating at times but you will come back with a unique and original adventure. the best times will be the times you don't have it all planned out.

Whiny, spoiled boy quits his TV job and dumps his Manhattan apartment to take a year long vacation from his tough life. In this useless travelogue, he focuses on socializing with fellow backpackers and does not talk much about the places or sights. Once in a while, he complains about Indian trains, altitude sickness, and getting mugged. Hey, there's a way to avoid this- it's called research! Also he low-balls the cost of his trip ($20k USD)- bullshit on that, especially when you're buying your many plane tickets last minute in the terminal. So sorry you're lonely on your trek, but maybe if you had concentrated more on where you are and what real locals are doing, and not just f**king Euro girls in hostels, you'd have had a better time.

This documentary is about a young man, originally from Rhode Island, but at the start of a successful career in New York, working as a producer for HBO. Wondering aloud whether he can settle down with a wife, kids, and a mortgage, he decides to give it all up for an around-the-world adventure. His friends are suspicious of his trip.Brook Silva-Braga takes off for 50 weeks as a backpacker to visit 26 countries. He stays almost exclusively in hostels. Along the way, he meets fellow backpackers from around the world, romances young women, and discovers a new world of hostels. Packing a mere 5 pounds of clothes but 30 pounds of video equipment, he traverses from the US, to Australia, southeast Asia, India and Nepal, Europe, Brazil, and Argentina.In the film, Braga-Silva discovers a hidden world of budget travel, friendly "Canadians" who were born south of Toronto, and romance in strange places. He is guided through Nepal and mugged in Brazil. At the end, he finds friends and a new way of living.This is a wonderful film. It was featured in several film festivals and on MTV. Braga-Silva will be the keynote speaker at the Hostelling International - USA 's national convention in November 2007.

I am a traveler. Born in Europe, I have traveled Europe extensively. I did a RTW (Around The World Trip), I traveled several individual countries independently, I have traveled specific regions independently - generally speaking, I am a nomad (and currently an expat). So, yeah, I was very curious what 'A Map for Saturday' could do for me. While watching the movie, I had many moments of nodding, I had many moments of pure joy because some memories came over me and I definitely understood where most of these people were coming from: backpacking = freedom, backpacking = a one time opportunity, backpacking scares you into open-mindedness, etc., etc. However, eventually the movie left me wanting. On one hand, because I wanted to run into the storage room and pack my gear (which is a good thing). But on the other hand also because it was rather one dimensional. Yes, the impact meeting other travelers has on you when you do a one year solo trip is undeniable. And yes, it is interesting to hear these '5 hours friends' opinions, motivations and philosophy. But that goes only that far. It's shallow - something the director recognizes himself, but doesn't break out off. And that is why the movie is one dimensional. That's why the movie is more a study of a subculture, rather than trying to communicate the essence of backpacking. Backpacking is not exclusively about other foreigners, partying, shagging, meeting and leaving friends - it's also (and hopefully even more so) about the local people and the local culture. And that is something the movie does touch on only marginally - which is in the end why I can not really relate to the movie, despite being a backpacker.Like I said in the beginning: it's not a great movie, but it's going to be difficult to make it better. If you are a traveler (or have been), I recommend picking it up to go down memory lane for a while. If you are considering doing a RTW, most definitely watch this movie, it'll give you some confidence. But if you want to experience the backpacking feeling: grab you pack and hit the road.