Do We Really Need All This Technology When We Travel?
Posted on Jan 22, 2012 | 43 comments
A few months ago my Iphone slipped from my daughter's hand, found the end of a nail protruding from the floor boards of our dining room, and died.
Now this is something none of us ever want to experience, but I have to say - I'm glad it happened.
I never bothered getting my phone fixed and that has made all the difference. Sure, I missed it at first, but as time passed I quickly realized I was missing a lot more when I had the phone around. I found myself observing more. Showing patience. Listening. I started playing with my kids more at the playground.
I always thought technology was a necessity as we travel in the modern world, but looking at it now, I think we might actually be better travelers without it.
Not a day goes by without me finding a blog post, a tweet, or a status update about someone losing or breaking their precious little gadgets. If you know a traveler, then you know a seemingly tragic story involving technology.
Cameras get stolen. Phones get lost. Files get corrupted. And the worst part is that once you get slammed by technological tragedy, you absolutely have to pony up the money and get yourself a replacment that will make everything better.
It is an endless cycle.
I travel to experience the new. I travel to observe and take in what the world has to offer. No doubt technology can help add to my perspective and improve my travels, but are these benefits enough to outweigh the distraction and inconvenience that modern technology can cause?
Do I really want to become reliant on a laptop that might break in the middle of nowhere and cause me to spend my travel funds and search for a replacement?
10 years ago in China I spent endless hours searching hostels and Chinese bookstores for English translations of any half-decent book. These searches were experiences. I met people in these bookstores - I saw things. I became a semi-expert on English literature because it was the only thing I could get my hands on.
What travel experiences will a Kindle get me?
I don't hate technology. I use it each and every day. But I can't help but think that my travels might be whole lot more enlightening if I just leave the phones and pads at home.
I'm curious what you all think of technology and travel. My guess is that many of you agree with me, but you're not planning on parting ways with you Iphone any time soon. We will see.
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I have found that since my laptop met its demise in Slovenia a few months ago, my life has been freed up more. It came at an inconvenient time, as we were just starting to really invest in creating our site. All that being said, every time Kurt is on the computer I go find interesting things to do. I go for walks, explore new neighborhoods, take some interesting photos, and connect more with locals. I have yet to give in and get an iPhone, but when/if I do, I hope I will have the sense to turn it off from time to time!
There is a time and place for technology. You just have to be balanced with it. I am trying to set aside 2-3 solid hours a day to just do all the blogging and photo stuff, and keep my senses freed up the rest of the time.
Loved your take on Romania the other day!
I totally hear ya. I meet all these wonderful people on Twitter and go to a meetup... where we all are bent over our devices. I am often torn between dragging my camera bag out to hunt for photos ("material") during a trip and just going "techie naked" into the world to experience that feeling of Now without composing the blog post in my head as it happens. I need better discipline to control my devices.
Kevin - The Mad Traveler recently posted..The Mad Traveler’s A to Z of Travel
Nice image of the tweeters Kevin! I'm thinking if I ever get any money I would hire a good photographer and social media expert to just follow me around and do this stuff for me, but then ! guess that is a whole different set of concerns.
For me, travel is best when I am in a place or a conversation and could care less about anything else. I agree, compose the blog in your head for later. Nice thought.
We all need better discipline.
You've hooked me on this one Justin! I am still stunned at the sheer number of people who are flabbergasted that we didn't travel with a GPS. "You rode a bike all the way from Alaska to Argentina WITHOUT a GPS?!?" Why, yes, we did.
We carried maps. You know those old-fashioned paper things that work no matter where you are? The things you can pull out of a pannier way out in the middle of nowhere where you don't have a prayer's chance in hell of getting cell phone reception and they still work perfectly fine? The things where you can see the whole country AND tiny details with just a simply shift of the eyes? Yeah - those.
"And you didn't carry a cell phone?? OH MY! What would you have done if you... you... got lost? Or separated?? What would you do without a cell phone?"
We did exactly like people used to do 20 years ago. We reasoned things out, made wise decisions, and carried on. Did we get separated? Yep - we did. Once. In three years. And a cell phone wouldn't have helped in the least as we were way out in the boonies with no cell phone reception anyway.
Yes, there is a place for technology, but I think too many people have become too dependent upon it and have lost common sense.
Nancy from Family on Bikes recently posted..A bicycling kind of love story
I am with you. There have been times when I wished had a cell, but they are few and far between. I actually think I have gotten lost more with a cell phone cause I wasn't paying attention. I have had a phone for about 2 years of my life, and it didn't do me much. It's cool, but it's a distraction.
I'm really thinking heavy about what we want and need when when we travel.
And if you can do it with maps for 3 years, then the rest of us are very capable. I'm looking forward to maps!
When I go anywhere I must take the technology with me. I have to keep in touch with the office (oh, the joy of having a 24/7 car rental business...) so I must have a way of communicating and even logging into the computers here.
But the nice thing about there instruments is they have a switch off button. If you use it it's just as not having it at all. I know that when technology is there within reach it's hard to resist the temptation, so it all comes down to discipline. Teach yourself to ignore it and use it when its helpful.
I agree. It's about discipline. And it's also about realizing what you're missing out on.
Thanks for the comment - good point!
A friend told me few weeks ago (she is a teacher) " I'm scared of new kids generations. Instead playing together in the garden during the break, they're all watching the mobile phone display updating their status on facebook (10 years old!). And if you try to talk with them about this things they become really aggressive".
Creepy!!
How will they travel in the future?
P.s. If you find english mistakes ... sorry, I'm italian!
Nice to meet you.
Elena
Sadly, I will probably have more English mistakes than you Elena.
That is such a great question. How will they travel in the future? I am going to steal that Elena and use it in a future post. I have worked with kids for a long time. I found that if you give them a good reason to ditch the phone and Facebook, then they will. I think they are just bored. I was too as a youth.
Great points! Thanks!
Cameras get stolen and phones get lost - Thats what travel insurance is for.
Files get corrupted - That's what backups are for.
Technology is a tool and should be used as such when on the road. If you are carrying tech to sit on facebook all day then you are certainly right, it isn't required.
Wayne - Solojunket recently posted..Elephants, “White water” rafting and more in Chiang Mai
Yeah - I get it. Thanks for the comment.
I suppose I see travel insurance as an annoying necessity. Not so much paying for it, but dealing with it if I do get something stolen. Who needs the hassle. I figure no camera - no hassle. But of course one can't really be a travel blogger without a camera. I guess you balance it and take the bad with the good.
Oh Justin. I'm afraid we can no longer be friends! You didn't replace your iPhone?? Are u mad!!! Lol. We are sittin gin the science centre while the kids play and attempting to find the damn train station to take us home on our iPads. I'm not sure we could do this without technology - we've been out all day and I can't feel parts of my feet and back!! You think we're overdoing it on day 3???
Tracey recently posted..Day 1 – Malaysia – Life Changing Year!
Mad? We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.
Tracey I think you're learning how to walk again. This experience you're doing is a fresh start, and that comes with bumps and bruises. No, I don't think you're over doing it.
I get what you're saying on techy stuff. It helps. But I never want it to replace my common sense and conversation. Isn't it fun to just try and ask for directions?
Hehe. Asking is quite interesting. We get everything except for place names!! They have to write those down for us! You'll be pleased to know we used paper today not iPads for directions!!
Tracey recently posted..Day 2 – Malaysia – Little India
See - I knew you could do it! Save those maps and names of places. They will be so important to you someday.
Hi Justin
I'm really feeling my age! When I last backpacked , in India, you were considered really high tech if you had a cd player instead of a Walkman. Now , 18 years later we are doing it again with our 5 kids. At our last backpackers, everyone was sat huddled around the power sockets, writing or reading in silence. Or skyping loudly, assuming no one else at the table could understand their language Or couples sat together, facebooking separatly. Weird.
I agree. It's been a long time since I did the backpacker thing and I am not sure I am ready for the NEW world. I remember sitting around and talking for literally days! It was great! I hope travel doesn't lose that.
Thanks Jill!
Great post Justin. When we travelled in Canada for a year both of us didn't have cellphones and it was a blessing. Still had our laptop but that was so we could watch movies.
But we definitely don't miss them when we can't use them!
Must say though as a travel blogger it is nice being able to keep on top of things with my smartphone and laptop close at hand
Cole @ Four Jandals recently posted..Diving in the Red Sea from Hurghada
As a blogger I really am glad I don't have the phone. My office is anywhere in the world for 2-3 hours a day and after that I close my office doors and get outside. The back and forth between the blog and the real world drains me. I need to leave my blog work at the office, but it sure is hard sometimes. You get ideas and want to share. Technology sure creates a platform for that.
What were your best parts of Canada? Did you make it to Newfoundland?
I do not think you can abandon technology altogether. Photos can be priceless at rekindling memories of various aspects of life. But I understand you also do not want to maybe spend your entire time behind the lens.
Plus, I don't know about you, but I do not have the best memory. Getting my ideas and what we did throughout the day into a journal (whether it be electronic or on paper) or the blog can be essential to keeping track of everything, especially when you will be on a long adventure and things might get lost in the fray. If you are away from the computer for a couple days, you might forget some of the great details that help build the story.
We had friends who traveled the world for three months recently. They do not "blog" but started on online journal while they were away. It was fascinating to read their daily adventures. At times they were without access to the computer, and when they got back online, I think I remember it being tough for them to really keep track of what happened when and how.
The balance is really going to come down to how you plan to tell YOUR story. We are all here to follow along in the adventure.
Technology, used respectfully, is supposed to make your life easier. If that means you can get well written and feel good articles written in a couple hours a day to keep track of what you did, than so be it. If you go the paper and pen route though, you may cause more work for yourself in the long run having to later get it all out on the screen.
Good luck, and sorry for the long-winded response.
"Technology, used respectfully, is supposed to make your life easier."
I think with every piece of technology I have and use I need to ask this as a question.
Am I using it respectfully and is it making my life easier?
Great thoughts! Thanks!
Great one Justin!
I remember the times when I had to search for a phone booth in Japan to call hotels and ask for a room. Great that was!
I'm with you that the travel experience will become totally different. Maybe not automatically better, but different.
Technology is a great asset nowadays where we can search advise and ideas from soulmates and fellow travelers though our social networks. That might bring you to places you would have not found when you where searching translations in a Chinese book store.. LOL
Seriously, I believe it's again about balance. Leave the technology at your hotel room for a day and really enjoy without distractions.
From reading various posts about online information and technology overload, it seems we are crossing borders here where we long back to days where we were not connected all the time. Funny...
Emiel recently posted..The real value of Family Travel – Interview with Heather Greenwood Davis
You know, I guess it comes down to what you use technology for. I like it for photos and the blog stuff, but for communication and searching and getting to know my destination - I think I'd just rather do it do that by myself!
I am a great user of technology and a Internet advocate, but i don't trust it all. I don't really use my phone as much as most people do. If there is something really important or I need a creative moment, i will definitely write it down. I am also a great lover of paper. I buy notebooks quite often. Not those fancy moleskin things, but the cheap metal spiral binder things. I just like being able to spill my mind onto a page. To sit in a cafe and write or doodle or create randomness onto the page in ink. I once spent a two week summer camp stay with a large notebook just drawing in it. Still have it here somewhere.
I like maps better than GPS. I have a better sense of direction with them.
That all said I do get a bit jumpy without Internet for a few days. I like that fix. And I worry that my blog will whither without me.
Andrew recently posted..One Day in Hong Kong
Andrew - I can relate with everything you said! Thanks!
Technology is a necessary evil for a travel site publisher I am afraid especially if agreeing to participate in press trips.
The 'client' has agreed to take us to a destination to promote it and are looking for a return on their investment. One of the reasons they are turning to 'new media' becuase we are 'immediate' and being in contact with social media via laptops and smartphones means we are able to create some excitement for a destination whilst actually travelling there.
They no longer have to wait for us to return home and then get the article past several redrafts via the editor before they get any return.
Without the 'tech' our immediate impact would be decreased. I am not saying it is not also possible through a great website, it just adds another dimension.
Iain Mallory recently posted..Hot Air Ballooning – A Catalonian Dream Dawns
Well said Iain. It certainly increases our ability to get things done. And I assume that many of us wouldn't even have the ability to travel long-term without technology. We use it for so many things. I just hope it doesn't make us miss the good stuff out there.
Great post and great comments to ponder. I'm with you though Justin...there's a time and place for it. I'm not anti-tech obviously but I definitely try to keep it in check. Definitely trying to get the little explorers to understand they shouldn't rely on it i.e. the GPS runs out of batteries...maps and compasses don't. Know how to use both b/c technology can fail you.
And as far as being connected 24/7, there are certainly situations that require it but that's a rare exception. Most cases are self-imposed from what I've seen.
Val in Real Life recently posted..Geocaching 101
You have to keep it in check. Like someone here said - it's about discipline.
As you know technology is both a savior and a curse. Sadly it is more than just a convenience on our Journey. Since ours is a long-term working road trip we are dependent upon technology and particularly our computers to allow us to do what we do. Beyond the work aspect and the blog, there is of course the convenience of being able to do research, planning and easily stay in communication so long as there is a connection.
As you note, all of this comes at a great cost, primarily in the lost human contact that we forgo by either spending time in front of technology, or by doing things online we might previously have done via human interaction.
Though I wouldn't trade what we are doing for anything, I would pay dearly at this point in our travels to once again travel for a period the way we did in the late '90s when we backpacked through Asia for 4 years -- sans technology, except for a walkman and some tapes if you can believe that. We had so much more time to meet and interact with people... obviously one of the joys of travel. We also were actually able to read book, dozens of them. Now all of that is just a dream. More often than not we spend WELL more than 40 hours a week in front of our computers trying to keep our lifestyle on the road while we are traveling. Hey it ain't a vacation.
The one thing we don't have though is a smartphone. When we left on this trip more than 5 years ago there were no iphones. Now, I want one so that we can be more interactive on FB & twitter posting images as we experience them, and the convenience when you need to look up an address or phone #, answer a question, etc. However, I think we may be better off, when we are out and about we don't have a silly little device in front of our eyes all the time. I guess that's the balance we have taken, not to mention the fact we can't afford an unlocked phone and internet plans everywhere we go.
Bottom line i n this day and age is you have to come up with a balance that works for you while consciously trying to minimize the technology dependence as best you can.
Eric @ Trans-Americas Journey recently posted..Our Latest Work: Antarctica, New Orleans, Honduras & Hot New Hotels
That's the perfect reply Eric. It certainly is a give and take.
I suppose we are all using technology with travel to get to the places we want to be in life. If you get the smartphone, just be careful, it's so addicting.
Really looking forward to going through you travel history and seeing where you have been the past five years. What an adventure - even with all the work!
Hey great post. I agree entirely. Travelling without technology is so much more rewarding - you miss so much if your head is stuck in a laptop or kindle and all you're doing is contacting people back home.
Infact I wrote a simliar kind of post a while back that you might like http://journeytom.com/2011/03/08/travel-technology/
Cheers
Tom
Tom recently posted..Travel books and guides
Every once and a while I'm nostalgic for the "good old days" of only relying on an out of date guide book to figure out where to stay, but mostly I'm just grateful for the GPS function on my iPhone since I'm directionally challenged.
Laurel recently posted..Frescos: The Most Dangerous Cultural Attraction in Europe?
But Laurel, are directionally challenged because you rely on the GPS? That - along with the secret of life - is a question to be answered.
Thanks for the comment. I am going to try to find the best(and cheapest) hotels by asking the first person who says hi to me every time I enter a new city.
In a way I agree, but then, as a travel blogger I NEED access to technology to continue to grow my blog (which I one day I hope will become my business - or at least my springboard into a travel business)
Jade - OurOyster.com recently posted..Budget Travel In The Philippines
I agree. We are certainly feeding the beast. Oh well, what's a travel purist to do?
when I tell the 'younger generation' now that when I travelled my mum often didn't hear from me in months they all stare at me in horror and disbelief. I continue with ... "when I did call 'often reverse charges' mum still kept the call brief as she was paying"!! how times have changed...
it still amazes me how we still managed to meet up with friends in a strange city, weeks after we made plans to do so without 'technology' to guide us. technology - a necessary evil nowadays I'm afraid...
I love being offline, when we're doing stuff. My son and I have a laptop each and a camera each, and I have a deliberately non-smart phone. Which sounds like a lot of tech, but when you're working and learning on the road and this is actually your life, I find we need it. That said, it's great to be in the desert or the jungle and fundamentally a million miles from an internet connection, and often even a mobile phone signal.
Theodora recently posted..Voices from Post-Revolutionary Egypt 4: The Guide
I feel like we are some of the last hold-outs on the I-Phone. We have a regular phone that just makes calls. Sure it would be handy to have Internet access wherever we went, but then we would always be connected. So much of our travels are about getting away, experiencing something new and taking in the world around us. I don't think I could do that If I'm constantly looking down at a gadget.
Mary @ Green Global Travel recently posted..THE PERUVIAN AMAZON- Day 1 Photo Gallery
I can stand having access wherever I go Mary, how would I see anything. I can't do 2 things at once, so I figured get rid of the phone. I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I know this post was from a year ago, but still great! My friends freak out because I refuse to upgrade to a smart phone or carry around an Ipod. haha Also, if it wasn't for my blog, I don't think I would have facebook or twitter.
I've had my "dumb" phone for going on 4 years I think? It's literally held together by duct tape and the front touch screen hasn't worked for about a year.
It flips open and I can still call and txt which is all that I need. I continually get frustrated when I go out to social events and 75% of the people are glued to a screen. I can't do it. There is too much around that I want to do/see/interact with.
Excited to see you guys make the big leap here soon, best wishes and I'll be reading along!
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