Why do Canadians have a maple leaf on their backpacks? Is that a real Rolex? And what is 'drop'? What you pack is simply a matter of where you're from.

In the beginning travel was a largely mercantile occupation and those going about the business of constructing empire simply had to remember to pack a flag they could stick in the first beach they landed on.

Now, thankfully, we've grown up a bit and are out there for the sheer fun of it (even if it doesn't seem like it at times). But whilst we all seem to be travelling for similar reasons, and to similar destinations, each nationality still displays very individual characteristics. The Germans and Swiss, for example, are very earnest and will have seen everything there is to see before you've even got your bags unpacked. The Dutch and Swedish are much more laid back and probably won't have seen half of what their supposed to by the time they leave but they'll have had a damn good time whilst doing it. The Israelis and Italians will see the inside of every club in the country and very little daylight.

A good way of telling a traveller's nationality is to have a look in their backpack (not that we recommend you go looking in people's backpacks). All nationalities have that thing they carry with them. One item from home that they can't get anywhere else and that you'll be able to find as jealously guarded as their passport. The Dutch, for example, carry 'drop', a sweet apparently, not unlike liquorice, but which I have never tasted because they've already eaten it all and wish they'd saved some for later. The Italians will be carrying an alarming amount of Techno, which is a shame because they also carry an alarming amount of equipment on which to play it. Loud.

The Norwegians and Swedish, like the Canadians, will be carrying a flag. Either sewn onto their backpack or as a pin to be worn at all times. I can understand the Canadians wanting to distance themselves from the Americans but the Norwegians? Maybe they're making sure no-one thinks they're British. The Swiss can be identified by the fact that their Rolex came from Neuchatel and not the Hong Kong street market where you got your Tag Heuer for a fiver. The Australians and Kiwis will be carrying Vegemite, of course, and a solid work ethic, which is always appreciated in the bars of Earls Court.

The English and Americans are somewhat different. The English wander the world thinking "that used to be mine, that used to be mine", and mourning the passing of Empire. The Americans wander the world thinking "that's not as good as mine, that's not as good as mine", but generally marvelling at the way everything seems to be working despite not being in North America.

One thing you don't see much of any more is tie-dye, which is a shame because the Germans loved it and if you saw some you were bound to be near a decent bakery.