So... Another backpacker in APFFN, heh, Lej?
I agree with you, sitting by a resort pool is no fun at all. Whenever I travel, of course I end up going to the main tourist attractions, but mostly as a "moral obligation". I mean, if you go to Paris, you HAVE to visit the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, right? But, in the end, I have a much better time by sitting in a park or going to a bar and having a beer with locals.
I've been to Europe once with my parents, we rented a motorhome and travelled around for about a month. Then, I've been a second time, as a backpacker with my cousin, going from hostel to hostel. And finally, I've also backpacked (alone, this time) throughout England and Scotland when I went to see Gilmour in concert.
In my opinion, travelling is the greatest thing in life, next to sex (and music).
I am now planning my next trip, in about a month. I changed my plans quite a few times already, and I'm still in the midst of planning it all, but so far I expect to go to Spain, backpack around for about a month, and then settle in Salamanca until January. Afterwards, perhaps I'll go to the Netherlands. But we'll see. Machu Picchu seems to be incredible, I have a few friends who have been there, and the pictures and stories they tell are amazing.