http://motherboard.vice.com/read/tourism-is-capitalizing-on-our-addiction-to-technology-with-unplugged-hotels?utm_source=howtogeek&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
The writer makes the case that traveling without phones, internet, cameras or social media leads to a more enriching experience. I know that /trv/ loves taking selfies and pictures so I'm wondering how do you feel about this?
I think it's ironic that the author felt the need to share her digital detox experience online.
Personally, I only carry a small camera, my mp3 player and go to internet cafes if I want to give my folks some news.
>>1169766
In 2 years of travel, it hasn't been a big deal. I'm guessing the writer (without bothering to read the article) is just adding flavorful language, and probably hasn't traveled much. When I feel an enriching experience, I don't bother taking out the cell phone in my pocket. Eventually, you get bored at any site. I always took a day off per week to lounge around the hostel and rest.
It's the 21st century, tech isn't evil, and it doesn't detract from experiences. Anyone who walks around a heritage site pointing their camera at everything is there for the IG likes, not for the "enriching experience", but live and let live.
>>1169766
I can sort of see the appeal. I spend a week every year camping with my wife and kids in a place with no cell reception, etc., and after the slightly weird first two days it's quite relaxing. But when I'm abroad I mostly prefer to remain at least semi plugged in. I'm self employed and my smartphone is half my office, so there's a lot of stuff I don't want to miss.
>>1169766
>no phone
>no internet
how do you book hotels, flights, find friends? everyone is online these days
sounds like some washed up 30+ year old came up with this
I never take pictures and my phone never leaves my bag. I do use my iPad to read the news, contact family and research travel information
Having a cell phone has been essential imo. Every time I've been on the fence about bringing it along it's proven it's use. Offline maps have saved my ass more than I'd like to admit.
>>1169822
>how do you book hotels
Do it before. Or just go to a hotel and say "Do you have a room?"
>flights
Do it before.
>find friends?
Just talk to people, it isn't that hard.
t. some washed up 30+ year old who never travel with phone or internet
>>1169766
I hate how this is a thing now. It wasn't all that long ago that where this was normal, apart from the camera. Now, while I always leave my phone off, the first thing the rest of my family do when they go anywhere is search for a wifi signal.
It's sad really, the whole point of a holiday is to get away from it all and explore new places, how can you do that when you have your nose stuck to the same facebook page you always look at?
>>1170060
Not everyone who wants wi-fi is 'glued to facebook' you realise?
Its useful to check for travel updates, look up places you have heard about since you arrived, keep in touch with family and other things.
contrarianism from vice
the web makes the whole experience ten times easier to plan, find good shit to see, not spend all day getting lost looking for one hotel that may or may not be shit
It's there if you want it. there's no need to get enraged because some teen likes to instagram everything
>>1169965
>Offline maps have saved my ass
Paper maps were there before smartphones *and* they won't run out of battery! But yes, you do have a point, I rely on offline Google Maps quite a lot as well.
>>1170060
I'd say the median swings well towards the other side. My sister went to Thailand for two weeks in July. Every three hours or so, she'd upload pictures on IG, FB and we'd get Whatsapp updates on what she did/didn't/would do. At a certain you have to ask (and I did ask her) whether she did anything without immediately thinking 'I have to share this on the internet' instead of enjoying it.
>>1169766
This is how I always travel. I don't even like bringing cameras. I think it ruins the experience if you're constantly trying to get good snaps.
>>1170232
Undoubtedly correct if you add the concept "for me." But there is no One True Way to enjoy travel, I really enjoy my camera and the pictures I bring home. To each his own.
Yeah like I'm going to travel to a fucking foreign country without a phone.
Not only would I kill myself before I get there since I like to listen to music on the plane, I'm not risking the chance of being ill or stranded somewhere when nobody can understand a word I'm saying and I'm in the middle of shitting myself to death.
No thanks, I think I'll give this REALTRAVELLER™©® experience a miss.
>>1169791
>>1170096
This, just because you have technology with you doesn't mean you need to spend your whole trip buried in it. If you don't use tech how do you decide what to see and where to go? If anything you're less likely to get a unique experience if you make your choices based on guidebooks and word of mouth.
Plus there are plenty of ways tech can enrich your experience. You can use it to find obscure places, to meet locals, to learn more about the history of a place, to aid in communication/language learning, to keep in touch with people you meet along the way.
>>1169766
I know there are downsides, but for me personally, I agree with the OP. Traveling without these things is a completey different experience and puts you much more in the moment.
I get the benefits of having tech though.
I'm probably the most unplugged person I know. I don't even own a cellphone, have no social media, etc. But even I realize the utility of at least Google maps
>it's a feature
>>1171994
I mean you can go with the flow, without needing some previous decition making on where to go , maybe asking locals idk
But I must say there is no right way to do it, technology does help you save time you just have not overuse it ??
I'm going to take my phone but leave it in my locker at the hostel when I go out for trips. Maybe I'm a weak willed loser but it really is just too tempting to take the phone out to check translations/TripAdvisor etc. It's been more satisfying for me in the past when I've asked locals and actually had to rely on myself a bit rather than using the internet like a crutch.
>>1173802
>been more satisfying for me in the past when I've asked locals
Spending 5 minutes fucking around a local by badly speaking their language when trying to order a simple plate of food because you're too much of a RealTraveller™ to just use Google Translate is exactly the sort of self-centred inconsiderate behaviour I'd expect from the type of person who'd do "unplugged travelling" desu
Godamnit the amount of millenial fucktards in this thread. I bet they checkout facebook on a daily basis while travelling
>>1173828
Of course. What's the point of travelling if you can't upload those painfully staged photos to Facebook and bask in the glory of all the "likes".
I find the best method is the best of both worlds.
I only take my phone. Use it for taking pictures, give some update back home and listening to music.
I try to take as minimal photos as possible. For a 10 day trip. At most I take 6 pictures. Because I've been guilty in the past where at each 'cool; or scenic place I use to instantly think "Nice I gotta take a few pictures at a certain angle". And it started getting annoying.
The one thing I added to my trips and it helped a lot with remembering my trips. Is writing a diary at night or in the morning. So instead of pictures carrying the memories I have a diary of my day and emotions. I add a few pictures and some plane, train or subway tickets or concert tickets to complete the diary. But the last part is usually when I'm back home.
>>1173843
>Diary
This. I sketch or do some water colour. It takes time and the more time you spend observing something the more you notice the details and the more you remember. I look at my sketchbooks and I remember where and when I was for every picture.
>>1173812
Lel, just learn the basics of the language. It's being polite. You shouldn't go to a country if you can't at least order food or ask for directions.
I like to wander around a lot when I travel and my phone makes it easy to orient myself. I don't have any social media (except a last.fm with a few people from /mu/ added). I love being able to whip out my phone and look at airbnb or "food near me" or any random attractions that aren't well known. I like exploring new music and often find concerts listed online. I find that the internet allows me to find things that I, specifically, would be interested in rather than just hitting tourist hotspots and the stuff you are "supposed" to see.
If there are any niche things you are interested in, the internet is the best way to find it. In Japan, I wanted to go see PSF Records. Your average local or even concierge would be unlikely to help you find it, but google led me right to it and I ended up meeting a lot of cool people with similar interests.
>>1173859
I know what you did on YOUR vacation!
>>1173833
>>1173828
>Getting this mad about how somebody else spends their time traveling.
>Samefagging this obviously.
To each his own.
I like taking pictures, I like traveling, I like having the pictures as mementos. If you do not like those things, you'd be a dumbass to do them just because I enjoy them, and I'd be fucking stupid to not enjoy my travel because I do things you don't like.
>>1173861
As I said it never works out like that though, especially in a country which doesn't speak a western European language. People think they're being considerate when it actually just ends up being more of a ballache for everyone involved than had you just used google translate.