Frustrations about the backpacker scene

Being in my mid 30s and travelling around the world on a budget I
can't help to feel very old and "different" from the usual backpacker
crowd.

Just about everybody staying at these hostels are in their early 20s,
fresh out of school, and it's really all about partying, getting drunk
and going on organized package tours. Not my kind of thing any of that
-am I the only one feeling/being "different"?
I'd like to get some sleep during the night so I can get up in the
morning and get the most out of each day, but with all the partying
that's pretty hard. Banging doors, turning on the lights, talking
loud, raving around drunk and acting like idiots in the middle of the
night when staying in a dorm....
A complete circus if you ask me!


I thought backpacking was all about exploring and travelling -being a
"traveller" as opposed to "tourist" where everything is risk free and
pre-planned. Isn't that what an adventure is about? Taking chances,
plunging into the unknown, doing different things from back home?
Well, it is to me anyway, and so far I've travelled for almost 3
months through Asia (Hong Kong, Beijing, Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore) and now currently on the east coast of Australia.


I get these package tour deals shoved in my face wherever I go, and
it's very hard to do something different as there's just so little
information available for anything else. (hehe... that's what's good
about newsgroups where you can get tips from people having been here
before!).


Anyone sharing my frustrations/experience?
Are there alternatives around for the more serious traveller who's NOT
willing to pay hotel prices?


Hallvard