A Map for Saturday

In 2005 Brook Silva-Braga put his seemingly idyllic life on hold to back-pack around the world. A successful television producer living in New York, Braga explains in a diary-entry type video confessional that now in his late twenties he sees himself heading down the same typical path as all his friends: success, marriage, children etc, etc. Seeing a small window of opportunity he tells work that he's taking a year off for a solo trip around the world, packs up his apartment and prepares for a journey that he documents with a hand-held camera.

Starting in Australia then travelling up through Asia, Europe and culminating in Brazil – Braga's documented journey is an exposè on the backpacking lifestyle. Backpacking is a fairly new phenomenon that has come about thanks to Globalization – easy travel, the global village, cheap airfares and an entirely new tourism industry that feeds and feeds off of backpackers. As Braga experiences different emotions, frustrations and makes some small self-discoveries he finds that his experiences are pretty much shared by all who decide to carry their lives on their backs. When he finds himself feeling lonely in his first few days in Sydney, Australia his feelings are articulated by the many fellow backpackers he turns his camera on to interview. All explain a similar feeling of depression in the first few days away from home and the loneliness of seeing beautiful landmarks by yourself, with no-one to share them with. But eventually all Braga's backpackers agree that a decision to make the most of a unique situation sees them making easy friendships with those they share a Hostel with – and this is a subject touched upon many times in 'A Map for Saturday' – the friendships that are made and broken in maybe a few hours, or a few days. Braga muses at one point that as a backpacker he has become very good at saying goodbye, not quite sure if this is a good or bad thing? A fellow American backpacker Braga meets in London feels the short-lived friendships are a blessing and special if only because unlike 'normal' friends who drift apart over a period of time, when backpacking it is easy to mark where a friendship began and ended. It is a bond made over a very short period of time, remembered in association with a place in the world.

In the second half of Braga's documentary, and at the tail-end of his year-long journey, he makes the interesting observation that while travelling he has only met two fellow American backpackers. Braga admits that in America, living the American dream means working all year long to make enough money to go away for two weeks on a luxury holiday. Where other cultures seem to have a high respect for self-discovery and soul-searching travel (he notes that the majority of backpackers he has met are proud Canadians) in America ad campaigns for travel aren't focused on 'roughing it' but rather, 'lapping it up'.

In the last half of his final episode Braga is clearly world-weary and maybe even a little tired of the backpacking lifestyle. Every fellow backpacker he interviews admit that eventually 'the five questions' they are constantly being asked begin to annoy ("where have you been? where are you from?", etc) and as one Irish backpacker admits, even the sights begin to bore "oh, another waterfall" he dead-pans. An English woman admits to being fed-up with living out of a backpack from day to day, and having to repack every day. And finally as if the universe is telling him personally that enough is enough, Braga is mugged in Rio De Janeiro – it's time to go home. And here Braga's final musings concern the backpacker when they return home. How hard it is for those who traveled solo, to not have anyone to share their experiences with completely – and it seems true enough, how to explain to someone who has been working behind a desk all year what a trip around the world was like?

Never having backpacked myself – watching Braga's documentary made me want to give it a go. I only wish there had been a bit more practicality to his backpacking doco, a few helpful hints as opposed to purely focusing on the emotional journey of the individual backpacker. Braga's documentary is uplifting, funny and sincere – I also just wish it had been made into a 6 part series as opposed to two hour-long episodes. There must have been a lot of editing of his year-long journey – so much has obviously been condensed down. Perhaps a longer series would have allowed more observation of the various cultures and countries and more even handedness between the physical journey and the spiritual one, because Braga is a producer and does have an eye for scenery – some of the shots he's captured are absolutely beautiful, it's just a shame that there isn't much focus on the various countries so much as the personal journey he is on. Still, that journey is an important one and fascinating to watch - particularly Braga's time spent in Thailand so soon after the Tsunami, or his daring travel to Nepal during a time of civil unrest. HIs time in these two places is perhaps the most fascinating because there is lengthy observation of the cultures and current political climate as well as how the countries impact upon him personally.

Still, 'A Map for Saturday' is a must-see series. Braga has explored a fascinating lifestyle that few dare to experience, and he has found a way to communicate and relate those unique experiences through funny and observing commentaries. I particularly liked his explanation of how it felt to be going home after a year abroad, after a year of travelling and discovering: "it's like breaking up with someone you love, like quitting a job".

I'd rate it higher but I think the film doesn't have enough shots to show the really awesome aspects. It's mostly interviews with other travellers talking about their own opinion on travelling, rather than actually showing the real-life shots of the mostly *cultural* experiences that are had on the journey.

By the end of the film, I wasn't left with a burning desire to pack up my things and go back out to do it all again. I think it's because my personal interest in travel is hardly based on the interpersonal relationships at all. But that's the only thing this documentary seems to cover. Travelling is more than just meeting new people in hostels.

However, Brook Silva-Braga I'm sure you'll read this, so I'd just like to say that if I was somewhere in the world and I met you, and we talked, and you told me you were making this movie, I would be hugely impressed - you definitely made the most of your time away. And we'd no-doubt form the classic 'traveller friendship' you described in the movie, hah.

I give the documentary a 6 because it sadly didn't really cover the key aspects of travel that I was expecting to see, and instead just focused on meeting new travellers and how it 'feels' to be one. However for the effort and generally awesome motivation and hard work that will have gone into making and filming it for a full year, I give a 10/10, because, as I said, it is a hugely impressive thing to do, no matter what.

I'm interested to know how it's perceived by people who've never left home before.

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.

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.

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.