12 ms·

Travel without a phone

113 points by galfarragem 7y ago

roland35 7y ago
It is funny how we now feel lost without a phone when in a new city! Back in the 90s and 00s I remember studying a paper map before embarking on a new trip, it was always fun to try and memorize the main roads of a new place!
simbas 7y ago
I just travelled with my SO and another couple. Everyone on their phone, all the time. Posting to IG, looking up the "best" restaurants and attractions. It seems they can't see value in wandering and discovery. Not my kind of traveling...
- aeternum 7y ago
  I've traveled both with and without tech. My observations: With tech: - More efficient, saw more in a short amount of time. - Easy and quick to get around due to maps, many transport options. - Had some really good food, expensive and crowded, but good. Without tech: - More stressful, but a richer overall experience. - Much less consistency with food, some good, some really bad. - Experienced much more of the actual country, bartered with locals for rides. - More dangerous / stressful.
lloyddobbler 7y ago
I'm a huge fan of this. Have done it many times, and it's an important exercise. Keeps you in the moment. Related: See FullContact's Paid Paid Vacation policy: https://www.fullcontact.com/blog/paid-paid-vacation/ https://www.fullcontact.com/blog/paid-paid-vacation/
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
vishnu_ks 7y ago
I was traveling in Europe last month and met an old Canadian lady in a hostel in Berlin. She must have been in her 60s and she don't own a phone. She had a phone some years back but she left it after 4 months. She travels around with the help of maps and has been to more than 30 countries. I can personally never do this. Its hard enough traveling in a country which speaks a foreign language and has a diffrent culture. But I have very high admiration for people who can do this. I think a better alternative for folks who want to try something like this is to get a sim that has a very limited data plan so that you use the Internet only when necessary.
- Marsymars 7y ago
  My (Canadian) grandfather retired early (50-ish) and travelled extensively for ~15 years with my grandmother. I'm a bit envious of their ability to do so before the modern hoards of tourists and social media. I was a kid at the time, and they'd mail me postcards from each new place they went.
- coldtea 7y ago
  >She travels around with the help of maps and has been to more than 30 countries. I can personally never do this. How so? People did exactly this not just for millennia, but also throughout the 20th century, and up around 2005 or so... What's the difficult / tragic experience one has in a different country if they don't have constant internet access or GPS?
  - vishnu_ks 7y ago
    You are right. Lot of people traveled in 20th century. But a lot more could have traveled if there was Internet in 20th century. Internet has reduced the friction to travel abroad by a lot. You know more about the world now. You can plan travel and book flight tickets, hostels and bus tickets in multiple countries by not even leaving your room from a small city in India. > What's the difficult / tragic experience one has in a different country if they don't have constant internet access or GPS? hmm. I think having an Instant access to Internet is like a super power. You feel more in control as well as save a lot of time. Some examples * Finding exchanges that gives you a good rate in a new country. Lot of exchanges just rip you off and sorting by negative reviews will help you a lot. * I think Google maps is pretty helpful especially if you are on a tight schedule. I had to get a bus late night in Budapest and had only 1 hour to reach the bus stop from hostel. I am pretty sure I could not have reached the bus stop on time if it was not for Goole maps. The maps told me that half the train track is not working because of maintainance and I have to get down at station X and start walking. There were hardly anyone in road at that time and it would have been super scary If I didnt have Google maps. * You often need to use an App to unlock a rental bicycle. Ofcourse there are other ways to rent a bicycle but this is much more convinent and acessible. * Need to contact emergency services but dont know/forgot the number.
joking 7y ago
While I agree with the philosophy, just having the means to resolve a lot of unexpected situations is well worth bringing your phone in. You can have all the pros leaving your phone on the pocket without any of the drawbacks.
gjhr 7y ago
Seems a bit extreme, just make a conscious effort to not use your phone as much. That way you can still use your phone to deal with the myriad potential issues that can come up when travelling e.g. issues with your bank, stranded in the countryside, someone trying to kidnap you etc.
tribune 7y ago
My phone crapped out during my first day at Oktoberferst in Germany. I figured it was the perfect excuse to "live in the real world" for the experience. I certainly did live in the real world. I also spent hours trying to find my travel buddies when we were inevitably separated.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > I also spent hours trying to find my travel buddies when we were inevitably separated. In the old days before cell phones, it was pretty common practice to set up with friends a meeting place in advance, and a schedule to gather there every so often. Something like "at noon, we'll meet up at this tree". My friends and family have never stopped this habit -- it's just a nice backup plan in case one of us loses or damages their phone.
anm89 7y ago
I would say maybe vacation without a phone. If you are sitting on a lounge chair by a pool, I think it might be nice to force yourself to get a bit bored. But don't travel without a phone. A smart phone, more than any other thing let's you travel further off the beaten path and have interactions with people you don't share a language or any other understanding with. I've traveled extensively on motorcycle and there have been so many times where I'll be in the middle of a mountain in the middle of no where and the thought has popped into my head "this would be crazy if not suicidal if I didn't have the combination of maps, translate and some basic search". Even 20 years ago, you would have needed survival and language training to do things that anybody can do today because of a smart phone.
- cstejerean 7y ago
  So what happens when you’re in the middle of a mountain and your phone breaks? Or you’re in some foreign country and it gets stolen? That’s not to say that the phone doesn’t help a lot, but I think a lot of people fail to consider their backup plans should the phone become unavailable for some reason. It might be good to travel without it once or twice just to exercise those fallback options.
  - mantoto 7y ago
    I would walk my creditcard toa store and buy a new one.
  - anm89 7y ago
    It's a back up. I planned my route at the beginning of the day. That alone is worth it's weight in gold even if the phone breaks or get's lost mid day. If so I'd buy an overpriced burner phone at the next town (although in years of traveling I've never just lost or broken a phone at a critical time). I would never have made it to many of the places where I was at without a phone or at least some other GPS
  - mikeash 7y ago
    Exercising backups isn’t always a good idea. Testing your UPS? Yes. Testing your emergency parachute? No. I don’t see a pressing need to test my no-phone backups, and a lot of downside.
jasode 7y ago
>It was a relief to not document everything. [...] Besides, how often do I look at those photos later, anyway? That just goes to show how we're all very different. I have several thousand photos from decades of travel and I go back and look at them all the time. E.g. I recently looked at my own Notre Dame Cathedral photos after the news of the fire. Yes, there are already million photos of that church but my photos show where in particular I stood, the particular weather that day I was there, my friend with me, etc. The one trip I forgot my camera was an 8-hour scenic drive in the Pacific Northwest. I had to resort to using the terrible low-resolution camera on a HP PDA. I don't feel "freedom" like Derek Sivers of not having a good camera on that trip; instead I keep regretting the "lost photos" I wish had. Yes, I get the annoyance with people holding up their smartphones for photos at concerts ruining everyone's experience and the cliche of tourists posing at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And yes, there's the Japanese joke of "Did you enjoy your trip?" and the tourist responds "I don't know -- I haven't seen my photos yet." Maybe my preferences for photos to document my trip acts as a crutch for my imperfect memory. I don't post them on Instagram or Facebook. They're just for me.
- brianpayne2 7y ago
  Agreed. It's hard to read this post without feeling some sort of judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe from it. Even if this person is young, it still gives that impression. Different strokes for different folks. If you enjoy traveling sans smart device, go for it. That will never be something I do and I don't feel bad for it one bit.
  - coldtea 7y ago
    >Agreed. It's hard to read this post without feeling some sort of judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe from it. And there's nothing wrong with a judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe in itself... Some things were better "back in the day" while others are improved today...
  - kelnos 7y ago
    I think if you read it with more charitable glasses on, it's nicer. There are many people who will respond to this, and think, "wow, yeah, I do spend a lot of time on my phone when I travel, instead of enjoying a new place", and might (at least) resolve to waste less time on their phone. There are others who will think, "that sounds like a cool idea; I'm going to try leaving my phone at the hotel on my next trip and see what happens", and then maybe have a cool experience. If you don't want to do this, or already have a good handle on your phone use (so that you aren't using it to distract yourself from life), then maybe this post just isn't for you. There's no need to dump on it, or the author, for presenting a different way of doing things.
dreen 7y ago
I've been really happy since de-smartphoning myself and using a Nokia 8110 4G feature phone. It has google maps and whatsapp (though I rarely use the latter), weeklong battery life and a super cool slidy thingy. It has a screen way too small to use for browsing anything and although it has a camera I havent used it yet. I still use my old smartphone as an internet-connected mobile media device and a PC remote, but I dont carry it around with me. Disconnecting the "phone" from "smart" has been a success.
lazyjones 7y ago
That's interesting coming from someone who is old enough to remember how things used to be before everybody had even (dumb) mobile phones. Unfortunately, the world has changed and it now assumes everybody has a smartphone: no phone booths, phone books, paper maps available in many places, you are often pointed to URLs for further information on anything...
- coldtea 7y ago
  You can find paper maps almost everywhere for free - in most hotels, tourist places, airports on arrival, etc (not to mention, buy one in advance). Phone booths, there are not, true. Not sure why you'd need phone books, on the other hand. I've never consulted one in my decades of trips, whether with a mobile or not. To call your hotel or something similar without a mobile phone (and without having jotted down the number back at home), you can always use a directory service. Also any airport has an information booth where they'll tell you.
lucb1e 7y ago
I was hoping the article would go into how one can travel without a phone. But it's just the "look at your phone less" story (which is also true, I totally notice it myself when I'm in situations where I can't look at my phone). The issue with this is that I don't know how to get anywhere (conveniently) or find public transport connections without my phone.
- xxpor 7y ago
  I recently was in Prague for a day and mobile data wasn't working for whatever reason for me. I was able to get wifi in the train station, which let me download google and here offline maps for the city. So I was able to navigate around, but couldn't check twitter/hn etc. That worked out pretty well. I could have also bought a paper map but who wants to deal with that?
  - lucb1e 7y ago
    ExactlyIn my case I always have maps downloaded with public transport data (using OsmAnd, no Google license needed), but it's not quite as good as routing with live updates. I don't know about your country, but in Aachen, Germany they drive using a "from" schedule. So if it says "line 3 to Haaren: 09:33" then that doesn't mean "at 0933" but "somewhere from 0933 onwards but definitely not sooner".
- coldtea 7y ago
  >The issue with this is that I don't know how to get anywhere (conveniently) or find public transport connections without my phone. Almost anywhere you go, even developing world, they have all kinds of small guidebooks and maps, often given for free, with all the public transport connections. You can ask any passer by for directions (god forbid they might be wrong or difficult, and you lose some time!), take a cab, ask the bus driver, check the diagrams at the subway station, and lots of other ways... People say it like it's some arcane magic to do so, whereas even back in 2000 or so, there were no "apps" and instant access to public transport connections, or such, and billions still managed...
  - 7y ago
RandomInteger4 7y ago
No.
- coldtea 7y ago
  Resounding YES.
nbrempel 7y ago
It's funny – I went on a backpacking trip when I was younger for 6 months. This was a couple years before the advent of smart phones. I travelled all over the place in super rural areas. I hitch hiked around and bought maps at gas stations and ask strangers for directions. The only technology I had was a camera and an old iPod for music. Now, if I go out in a new city I feel anxious without my phone – even when I'm right downtown with access to transit! I don't think foreign places have gotten any harder to navigate. I think maybe all this technology in our pocket has made us less personable and less likely to make quick friends with a stranger for the mutual benefit of sharing information.
mantoto 7y ago
Funny we just came back from Japan (first time) and we thought about how lucky we are that we don't waste our little time to find our way. There was a couple next to us on a bus with a smartphone (probably 40-50) and they asked school kids unsuccessful if that bus is going to the right direction. I showed them my Google maps with our current location and the bus stops/route to tell them the bus is going in the right direction. I also (even with high usage of Google maps) can remember a lot about roads and stuff. After all I still have to map the map with the real world.
marinman 7y ago
I think there's definitely value in disconnecting and "living in the moment" but let's not pretend smartphones haven't improved many aspects of travel. Google Maps alone has saved me so much time and effort. Translator apps have helped me communicate outside the tourist traps. Even things like Uber have made traveling a much more pleasant experience. So yes, I think I can do a better job of being mindful about not using my phone to say, browse twitter.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  I fully admit that I may be an outlier (particularly here) on this, but I can honestly say that smartphones hadn't improved my travel experience very much.
VBprogrammer 7y ago
For me there are plenty of occasions where people should really learn to put their phone away. People taking terrible photos / videos of fireworks; recording the worst imaginable quality version of their favourite song at a concert; walking in a busy train station at rush hour etc. However I struggle to put travel in the same bucket. I'm not a huge photographer but it's still nice to have a couple of snaps to look back at. The ability to find a genuinely nice local restaurant instead of being shepherded into yet another tourist trap and everything in-between. I do sympathise with the idea that always knowing where you are limits the freedom to get lost down some nice backstreet. However, with a little self discipline you could take the opposite view, having your phone in your pocket gives you the freedom to wander aimlessly safe in the knowledge that the best route back to your accommodation is trivial to find when you are ready to return.
miguelmota 7y ago
I agree that people take an abundance of photos and videos that they rarely or never look at them again. I have short term memory so taking the occasional photo here and there helps bring back memories though.
SoylentOrange 7y ago
I travel (for pleasure) a lot with my wife. I want to talk about phone uses besides the camera (which I think others in this thread have covered extensively). We have a DSLR camera, and those photos IMO are much better than what phones could take at the time. First, when we were in Japan having a phone was invaluable for transit. We used a few apps to keep track of where each attraction was relative to the subway stops and bus routes. Otherwise we would have had to carry and constantly pull out 3-5 maps. Second, my wife likes to sleep in and I don’t. So I’ll wander the area around the hotel in the mornings, and she texts me when she’s up so we can have breakfast together. Third, in China it was basically impossible to get a taxi the “normal” way - everyone was using local ride hailing or taxi apps. In other countries like Vietnam, using the local apps is part of experiencing the culture (we ordered takeout on Dash, and took a ride on the back of a scooter). Finally, I carried a kindle version of two guide books. I would not have been able to do that without my phone. They were invaluable for making backup plans (ex something was closed, or we finished somewhere early and what do we do now). There always has to be a balance - being on your phone all the time is unhealthy. But leaving the phone behind can also make it hard to function in the modern world.
RustyBucket 7y ago
I have elderly mom and grandma in my home country who have never traveled and now cannot even if I help them. So I make photos and send them to my parent via whatsapp right there, on the spot. And this is the closest I can bring my parents to experience what I do and see. I can navigate without a phone and I search places to it judging by the smell and how many people are eating inside, but can't get rid of the phone because, ironically this will be selfish.
decebalus1 7y ago
That would be a no from me. I get the spirit of the post, but with a little self-discipline you can reach the same level of 'mindfulness' and living in the moment holier than thou sentiment. Setting aside the value of the phone when/if you lose or get your documents/wallet stolen, although I love to navigate unfamiliar places, I would like the piece of mind of having a full fledged GPS navigation feature in my pocket. If not for me then for my family's safety. Not to mention calling emergency services. I get the whole 'living in a moment' thing but we also live in reality, where shit happens. And the farther away you are from your homebase, the bigger the shit can be. It's also useful to be reachable in case for example a member of your family is in distress. It would actually be super mindful to find out one of your parents passed away while you were on your 'living in the moment' trips. > Besides, how often do I look at those photos later, anyway? Often, actually. I live abroad and my parents and I trade holiday photos all the time. Some of them get framed. That's not the point of the vacation, though. But I would be very sad to not have my phone with me when for example my kid would build a sandcastle. Next up, travel without money and barter for everything!
chadlavi 7y ago
I travelled internationally before cell phones. Maps. Guidebooks. Pay phones. I would not like to do it again. Oh plus, your phone functions more or less like a wallet or credit card in a lot of places now. I wouldn't be able to use the suica system in Tokyo, for example, without a phone.
- junar 7y ago
  You can easily buy a physical Suica card from the vending machines at train stations. English language interfaces are also available. Mobile FeliCa was practically unheard of in non-Japan smartphones a few years ago, and is still limited to only a few phones today.
meerita 7y ago
I don't know why, I barely document anything when I travel. maybe it's because I go to places where I can go anytime later with ease. Maybe if I travel long and rare places I would change this behavior. I think I've been in 5 european countries and I barely have pictures from these places. Having a crapy phone also helps. I only use it for Maps, ops, etc.
falcolas 7y ago
Ironically, I felt this way during a recent rock concert. So many of the people around us were spending more time watching the recording of the concert they were filming, or with their backs turned to the band for selfies, than they were watching the actual concert. I mean, to each his own, but I had a lot of fun being involved in the concert. I can't imagine it being as much fun being tethered to the ground while ensuring that my video is properly framed and free of the hands.
- grawprog 7y ago
  Is there ever actually a real point to filming at concerts on your phone anyway? I've never personally had a video at one turn out that wasn't just a bunch of noise, so I don't really see the point. I also can't stand trying to search for concert videos on YouTube and all that keep popping up are crappy cell phone footage labelled ridiculously labelled as HD. Sure maybe the video looks nice, but the sound makes your ears bleed.
josh5555 7y ago
Agree with this idea or not, Derek is an amazing person and a great inspiration. I always appreciate his ideas and his book list is amazing. I highly recommend it.
jedberg 7y ago
Oftentimes when traveling we use our phone to select our meal. We use Google/Yelp and just pick a place with good reviews in English (because we know they will cater to our American sensibilities if other English speakers had a good time there) and then just go. We've found some real gems that way. Places that were so good we purposely went back again the next day. Without my phone, those meals would have never happened. We would have walked into the first place we passed by, which maybe was good or maybe wasn't. At least with the phone our chances of finding something are much higher. Also, I totally look at old photos of trips all the time. Especially when Facebook reminds me that it has been X years since I was last there.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > We use Google/Yelp and just pick a place with good reviews You must have better luck with reviews than I! Personally, I've never really noticed a strong correlation between the reviews a place gets and how good the place actually is.
  - sixstringtheory 7y ago
    My favorite signal: go where it's busy! Locals know what's good, and especially in a developing country, you want to go somewhere that is moving product, instead of having it sit in questionable storage facilities, incubating things your gut isn't prepared to deal with. - Best food I had in India: all the hopping street food and holes-in-the-walls (and yeah, a fancier restaurant or two) - Only TD I got in India: an opulent tourist trap where we were the only people eating. That made the drive from Agra to Delhi extra memorable!
    - JohnFen 7y ago
      > My favorite signal: go where it's busy! I agree -- this has been my go-to for a while: eat where the locals eat. But you do still have to be a little discerning. The old saying, for instance, that you should eat at places that truckers favor isn't accurate unless you're a trucker, because they have additional requirements unrelated to food, such as whether or not you can maneuver and park an 18 wheeler in its lot.
JohnFen 7y ago
I go halfway to this -- if I'm flying or leaving the country, I don't bring my phone. But I do bring a phone -- it's just a burner feature phone. But then, I've never been a picture-taker at all, even when traveling. I learned years ago that the act of taking pictures degrades my enjoyment of the experience.
thrower123 7y ago
Traveling without a phone is the way to do things. Actually being on vacation and unplugged from the world is such a respite. You do have to actually plan things beforehand, which is likely a problem, if you have become accustomed to the "yolo, I'll just google it" on-demand information lifestyle, but you can still print out tickets and receipts and get physical maps. I mean, you should be doing this anyway, just in case the technology fails, but most people, in my experience, are not prepared for contingencies to that level.
oarabbus_ 7y ago
I'll never forget the experience of drunkenly conversing with an Argentinian friend I made in a Parisian hostel who spoke not even a lick of English by both of us taking turns speaking into Google Translate on my phone. I'll travel with a phone, thanks.
aledalgrande 7y ago
When I read the title I thought it was about oppressive border agencies requesting access to your devices and scanning all your data during current age travels.
rednerrus 7y ago
Apple Watch with GSM is the way to go. It has just enough functionality.
jrjarrett 7y ago
I think you can divide this into four legs: "Phone-as-camera" - people have always traveled with cameras since it became practical. They took crappy pictures of fireworks, or whatever, on film. Perhaps a bit more mindfully because of the limited amount of exposures on a roll of film, but it's still a major way to capture a memory. A shutterbug would spend just as much time shooting film and not being "in the moment" as someone with a phone. It's just that now phones work as pretty decent cameras along with all their other features. "Phone-as-nav" - this is a great advance over paper maps in that it tells you where you are on the map. "Phone-as-comms" - also a great advance in that you can get in touch with travel companions or make contact with locations. "Phone-as-distraction" - aha. THIS is where I think the issue comes in; if you are too busy tweeting or reading email or playing Clash of Knights while you're visiting the Pyramids or the Forum Ruins, THAT'S a problem. That's where you need to put down the phone and be a part of what you've traveled to ostensibly see.
- neogodless 7y ago
  The first step for almost anyone is to decide that the "phone-as-distraction" isn't actually a good use of time. In other words, you don't really relax, or learn, or keep up with the Joneses, or build strong relationships. All of that is up for debate if you wish, but the point is that if think you value staring at your phone at home, you probably think you value staring at it when you're on vacation - for example to respond to comments on your travel photos. So, assuming you agree that using the phone for the empty distraction is bad, the second step is just stop using it that way at home, every day, long before you set out on vacation. Get used to that and improve every day of your life. Finally, the third step will be to continue that healthy habit, and avoid the "phone-as-distraction" the entire time you're on vacation, so you can let the vacation be your relaxation, your entertainment, the place you build relationships with the people around you.
- m463 7y ago
  sigh. I think he's actually saying: no-camera - do not document, experience people-as-nav - ask someone people-as-comm - talk to someone nearby no-distraction - :)
- aaron695 7y ago
m463 7y ago
Sigh. It seems everybody is missing the point. Travel without a phone and your experience will be different. What if you don't find the Louvre but find your soulmate?
- jraph 7y ago
  Without a smartphone, it's harder to run into your potential soulmate by walking with your nose on your screen, blindly following a map or watching / reading the same random shit your could at home for cheaper. You could try with a book or a regular newspaper but you might come off as old-fashionned and weird. You can hope someone would find some romance in this incongruous setting though. Might work. Otherwise, you can always act as if you were confused and pretend you ran out of battery.
- driverdan 7y ago
  What if your soulmate is at the Louvre and you never get there?
kelnos 7y ago
It kinda makes me sad to see all the negative responses here. I feel like even the ones who are relatively positive, but still feel the need to list off reasons why a phone can be useful specifically while traveling... are still kinda missing the point. This will not resonate with some people. That's fine. Everyone's specific situation is different. But the author presents a perfectly valid way of doing something, something to perhaps give a try once in a while. Just leave your hotel without a phone for a day, and see what happens. If that's too much, put it on do-not-disturb, and resolve to not take it out of your pocket except in a genuine emergency (or for some pre-determined reason, like an "I'll text you around 3pm to let you know where I am" kind of thing). There are many pleasant in-between alternatives to the binary of "have a phone and be on it all the time" and "don't have a phone at all". The point of the post is to get people thinking about how much they spend time on their phone to the detriment of their real-life activities -- which for many people is actually a big deal -- and maybe nudge behavior a little bit to get people to have some different experiences.
- Funes- 7y ago
  Traveling with a "dumb" phone would accomplish exactly the same, but with the chance to make an emergency call if needed: no camera, no GPS, no games, no WhatsApp--where I'm from, this means no texting, and perhaps even no communication at all with some people--. I've chosen to live that way, whether I'm traveling or not, and I can attest to the benefits of making that decision.
  - kelnos 7y ago
    Cool, then do that. The actual embodiment of the idea is irrelevant. Just do what works for you.
- swasheck 7y ago
  Yeah. I read the post as an encouragement to experience travel through our senses and not through synthesis.
wenc 7y ago
For me, unless I have a fixer or plan to return many times, there are situations that I end up "seeing less" without a phone (or at least a good book that explains the culture). A place is not just a place. There are many layers on top of it. A phone lets you explore those layers by googling (at least this is how I travel). This is especially true of modern technological societies where there are layers of society you cannot interact with without a phone. See something culturally weird? Google it and read the explanation. Stuff happening in another part of town? Phone tells you about it. I write stories about my travels, and pictures help me recall those experiences after the fact (and notice new details). This isn't everyone but it's me. Goes to show that saying a piece of tech categorically enhances or diminishes an experience is bound to invite disagreement--because it depends on who's using it. I don't think it was the author's intention to polarize, but travel touches a raw nerve for many because for many it is an aspirational/elevating experience. Any prescription, especially those contrary to the lived experiences of many, is bound to be emotionally charged -- it's not a take it or leave it kind of opinion. p.s. for me personally, I've traveled many years with/without phone (I'm Gen X) -- and for me, having a phone has undeniably led to a richer, deeper experience.
jordache 7y ago
BS.. author prefers to use journals to capture memories, for later revisit. Other people prefer images, to invoke memories. It's all subjective.
segmondy 7y ago
How about self control? I have seen delete social media, get a non smart phone, etc. It boils down to self control right? If I have my phone in my pocket and check it once every 6 hrs or only when it rings what's wrong with that? The challenge is that of self control, something that even I seriously struggle with, what's the secret? That's what I want to see, how do folks that do it do it. There are those that can ignore their phone, HN, social media, TV, games or whatever they choose to. How do you'do it?
ElijahLynn 7y ago
Did this the other day on a trip to the city. Was thinking these exact same thoughts, "how often do I look at the photos anyways?"! Traveling without a phone removes a ton of decision points too. "Should I take a photo of this?", "Should I look up this fact?". It is really nice. I will say it is nice if someone else has a phone though, in case you really need one for a phone call, to meetup with someone in your group, or GPS. Bittersweet for sure!
AcerbicZero 7y ago
Or, you could maintain a modicum of self control, and leave your phone in your pocket, instead of sticking it front of your face every chance you get.
JoshMnem 7y ago
I spent years traveling without a phone. You don't need a phone or even a laptop while traveling unless you're going to work on the road. I didn't even bring a camera for the first two years. It's okay to get lost and not talk to people back home for weeks at a time, except for a postcard or two.
herjazz 7y ago
Bizarre article. Are people really so beholden to their phones? It’s as if it’s a revelation to him. Maybe it’s my age but it’s obvious that wondering around and interacting with your environment will lead to a richer experience.
rdiddly 7y ago
The phone gives you the joys and ills of knowing. In knowing, you give up the ills and joys of not knowing.
deleted 7y ago
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113 points by galfarragem 7y ago

It is funny how we now feel lost without a phone when in a new city! Back in the 90s and 00s I remember studying a paper map before embarking on a new trip, it was always fun to try and memorize the main roads of a new place!

simbas 7y ago

I just travelled with my SO and another couple. Everyone on their phone, all the time. Posting to IG, looking up the "best" restaurants and attractions. It seems they can't see value in wandering and discovery. Not my kind of traveling...

aeternum 7y ago
I've traveled both with and without tech. My observations: With tech: - More efficient, saw more in a short amount of time. - Easy and quick to get around due to maps, many transport options. - Had some really good food, expensive and crowded, but good. Without tech: - More stressful, but a richer overall experience. - Much less consistency with food, some good, some really bad. - Experienced much more of the actual country, bartered with locals for rides. - More dangerous / stressful.

lloyddobbler 7y ago

I'm a huge fan of this. Have done it many times, and it's an important exercise. Keeps you in the moment. Related: See FullContact's Paid Paid Vacation policy: https://www.fullcontact.com/blog/paid-paid-vacation/ https://www.fullcontact.com/blog/paid-paid-vacation/

deleted 7y ago
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vishnu_ks 7y ago

I was traveling in Europe last month and met an old Canadian lady in a hostel in Berlin. She must have been in her 60s and she don't own a phone. She had a phone some years back but she left it after 4 months. She travels around with the help of maps and has been to more than 30 countries. I can personally never do this. Its hard enough traveling in a country which speaks a foreign language and has a diffrent culture. But I have very high admiration for people who can do this. I think a better alternative for folks who want to try something like this is to get a sim that has a very limited data plan so that you use the Internet only when necessary.

Marsymars 7y ago
My (Canadian) grandfather retired early (50-ish) and travelled extensively for ~15 years with my grandmother. I'm a bit envious of their ability to do so before the modern hoards of tourists and social media. I was a kid at the time, and they'd mail me postcards from each new place they went.
coldtea 7y ago
>She travels around with the help of maps and has been to more than 30 countries. I can personally never do this. How so? People did exactly this not just for millennia, but also throughout the 20th century, and up around 2005 or so... What's the difficult / tragic experience one has in a different country if they don't have constant internet access or GPS?
- vishnu_ks 7y ago
  You are right. Lot of people traveled in 20th century. But a lot more could have traveled if there was Internet in 20th century. Internet has reduced the friction to travel abroad by a lot. You know more about the world now. You can plan travel and book flight tickets, hostels and bus tickets in multiple countries by not even leaving your room from a small city in India. > What's the difficult / tragic experience one has in a different country if they don't have constant internet access or GPS? hmm. I think having an Instant access to Internet is like a super power. You feel more in control as well as save a lot of time. Some examples * Finding exchanges that gives you a good rate in a new country. Lot of exchanges just rip you off and sorting by negative reviews will help you a lot. * I think Google maps is pretty helpful especially if you are on a tight schedule. I had to get a bus late night in Budapest and had only 1 hour to reach the bus stop from hostel. I am pretty sure I could not have reached the bus stop on time if it was not for Goole maps. The maps told me that half the train track is not working because of maintainance and I have to get down at station X and start walking. There were hardly anyone in road at that time and it would have been super scary If I didnt have Google maps. * You often need to use an App to unlock a rental bicycle. Ofcourse there are other ways to rent a bicycle but this is much more convinent and acessible. * Need to contact emergency services but dont know/forgot the number.

joking 7y ago

While I agree with the philosophy, just having the means to resolve a lot of unexpected situations is well worth bringing your phone in. You can have all the pros leaving your phone on the pocket without any of the drawbacks.

gjhr 7y ago

Seems a bit extreme, just make a conscious effort to not use your phone as much. That way you can still use your phone to deal with the myriad potential issues that can come up when travelling e.g. issues with your bank, stranded in the countryside, someone trying to kidnap you etc.

tribune 7y ago

My phone crapped out during my first day at Oktoberferst in Germany. I figured it was the perfect excuse to "live in the real world" for the experience. I certainly did live in the real world. I also spent hours trying to find my travel buddies when we were inevitably separated.

JohnFen 7y ago
> I also spent hours trying to find my travel buddies when we were inevitably separated. In the old days before cell phones, it was pretty common practice to set up with friends a meeting place in advance, and a schedule to gather there every so often. Something like "at noon, we'll meet up at this tree". My friends and family have never stopped this habit -- it's just a nice backup plan in case one of us loses or damages their phone.

anm89 7y ago

I would say maybe vacation without a phone. If you are sitting on a lounge chair by a pool, I think it might be nice to force yourself to get a bit bored. But don't travel without a phone. A smart phone, more than any other thing let's you travel further off the beaten path and have interactions with people you don't share a language or any other understanding with. I've traveled extensively on motorcycle and there have been so many times where I'll be in the middle of a mountain in the middle of no where and the thought has popped into my head "this would be crazy if not suicidal if I didn't have the combination of maps, translate and some basic search". Even 20 years ago, you would have needed survival and language training to do things that anybody can do today because of a smart phone.

cstejerean 7y ago
So what happens when you’re in the middle of a mountain and your phone breaks? Or you’re in some foreign country and it gets stolen? That’s not to say that the phone doesn’t help a lot, but I think a lot of people fail to consider their backup plans should the phone become unavailable for some reason. It might be good to travel without it once or twice just to exercise those fallback options.
- mantoto 7y ago
  I would walk my creditcard toa store and buy a new one.
- anm89 7y ago
  It's a back up. I planned my route at the beginning of the day. That alone is worth it's weight in gold even if the phone breaks or get's lost mid day. If so I'd buy an overpriced burner phone at the next town (although in years of traveling I've never just lost or broken a phone at a critical time). I would never have made it to many of the places where I was at without a phone or at least some other GPS
- mikeash 7y ago
  Exercising backups isn’t always a good idea. Testing your UPS? Yes. Testing your emergency parachute? No. I don’t see a pressing need to test my no-phone backups, and a lot of downside.

jasode 7y ago

>It was a relief to not document everything. [...] Besides, how often do I look at those photos later, anyway? That just goes to show how we're all very different. I have several thousand photos from decades of travel and I go back and look at them all the time. E.g. I recently looked at my own Notre Dame Cathedral photos after the news of the fire. Yes, there are already million photos of that church but my photos show where in particular I stood, the particular weather that day I was there, my friend with me, etc. The one trip I forgot my camera was an 8-hour scenic drive in the Pacific Northwest. I had to resort to using the terrible low-resolution camera on a HP PDA. I don't feel "freedom" like Derek Sivers of not having a good camera on that trip; instead I keep regretting the "lost photos" I wish had. Yes, I get the annoyance with people holding up their smartphones for photos at concerts ruining everyone's experience and the cliche of tourists posing at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And yes, there's the Japanese joke of "Did you enjoy your trip?" and the tourist responds "I don't know -- I haven't seen my photos yet." Maybe my preferences for photos to document my trip acts as a crutch for my imperfect memory. I don't post them on Instagram or Facebook. They're just for me.

brianpayne2 7y ago
Agreed. It's hard to read this post without feeling some sort of judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe from it. Even if this person is young, it still gives that impression. Different strokes for different folks. If you enjoy traveling sans smart device, go for it. That will never be something I do and I don't feel bad for it one bit.
- coldtea 7y ago
  >Agreed. It's hard to read this post without feeling some sort of judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe from it. And there's nothing wrong with a judge-y "back in my day" kind of vibe in itself... Some things were better "back in the day" while others are improved today...
- kelnos 7y ago
  I think if you read it with more charitable glasses on, it's nicer. There are many people who will respond to this, and think, "wow, yeah, I do spend a lot of time on my phone when I travel, instead of enjoying a new place", and might (at least) resolve to waste less time on their phone. There are others who will think, "that sounds like a cool idea; I'm going to try leaving my phone at the hotel on my next trip and see what happens", and then maybe have a cool experience. If you don't want to do this, or already have a good handle on your phone use (so that you aren't using it to distract yourself from life), then maybe this post just isn't for you. There's no need to dump on it, or the author, for presenting a different way of doing things.

dreen 7y ago

I've been really happy since de-smartphoning myself and using a Nokia 8110 4G feature phone. It has google maps and whatsapp (though I rarely use the latter), weeklong battery life and a super cool slidy thingy. It has a screen way too small to use for browsing anything and although it has a camera I havent used it yet. I still use my old smartphone as an internet-connected mobile media device and a PC remote, but I dont carry it around with me. Disconnecting the "phone" from "smart" has been a success.

lazyjones 7y ago

That's interesting coming from someone who is old enough to remember how things used to be before everybody had even (dumb) mobile phones. Unfortunately, the world has changed and it now assumes everybody has a smartphone: no phone booths, phone books, paper maps available in many places, you are often pointed to URLs for further information on anything...

coldtea 7y ago
You can find paper maps almost everywhere for free - in most hotels, tourist places, airports on arrival, etc (not to mention, buy one in advance). Phone booths, there are not, true. Not sure why you'd need phone books, on the other hand. I've never consulted one in my decades of trips, whether with a mobile or not. To call your hotel or something similar without a mobile phone (and without having jotted down the number back at home), you can always use a directory service. Also any airport has an information booth where they'll tell you.

lucb1e 7y ago

I was hoping the article would go into how one can travel without a phone. But it's just the "look at your phone less" story (which is also true, I totally notice it myself when I'm in situations where I can't look at my phone). The issue with this is that I don't know how to get anywhere (conveniently) or find public transport connections without my phone.

xxpor 7y ago
I recently was in Prague for a day and mobile data wasn't working for whatever reason for me. I was able to get wifi in the train station, which let me download google and here offline maps for the city. So I was able to navigate around, but couldn't check twitter/hn etc. That worked out pretty well. I could have also bought a paper map but who wants to deal with that?
- lucb1e 7y ago
  ExactlyIn my case I always have maps downloaded with public transport data (using OsmAnd, no Google license needed), but it's not quite as good as routing with live updates. I don't know about your country, but in Aachen, Germany they drive using a "from" schedule. So if it says "line 3 to Haaren: 09:33" then that doesn't mean "at 0933" but "somewhere from 0933 onwards but definitely not sooner".
coldtea 7y ago
>The issue with this is that I don't know how to get anywhere (conveniently) or find public transport connections without my phone. Almost anywhere you go, even developing world, they have all kinds of small guidebooks and maps, often given for free, with all the public transport connections. You can ask any passer by for directions (god forbid they might be wrong or difficult, and you lose some time!), take a cab, ask the bus driver, check the diagrams at the subway station, and lots of other ways... People say it like it's some arcane magic to do so, whereas even back in 2000 or so, there were no "apps" and instant access to public transport connections, or such, and billions still managed...
- 7y ago

RandomInteger4 7y ago

No.

coldtea 7y ago
Resounding YES.

nbrempel 7y ago

It's funny – I went on a backpacking trip when I was younger for 6 months. This was a couple years before the advent of smart phones. I travelled all over the place in super rural areas. I hitch hiked around and bought maps at gas stations and ask strangers for directions. The only technology I had was a camera and an old iPod for music. Now, if I go out in a new city I feel anxious without my phone – even when I'm right downtown with access to transit! I don't think foreign places have gotten any harder to navigate. I think maybe all this technology in our pocket has made us less personable and less likely to make quick friends with a stranger for the mutual benefit of sharing information.

mantoto 7y ago

Funny we just came back from Japan (first time) and we thought about how lucky we are that we don't waste our little time to find our way. There was a couple next to us on a bus with a smartphone (probably 40-50) and they asked school kids unsuccessful if that bus is going to the right direction. I showed them my Google maps with our current location and the bus stops/route to tell them the bus is going in the right direction. I also (even with high usage of Google maps) can remember a lot about roads and stuff. After all I still have to map the map with the real world.

marinman 7y ago

I think there's definitely value in disconnecting and "living in the moment" but let's not pretend smartphones haven't improved many aspects of travel. Google Maps alone has saved me so much time and effort. Translator apps have helped me communicate outside the tourist traps. Even things like Uber have made traveling a much more pleasant experience. So yes, I think I can do a better job of being mindful about not using my phone to say, browse twitter.

JohnFen 7y ago
I fully admit that I may be an outlier (particularly here) on this, but I can honestly say that smartphones hadn't improved my travel experience very much.

VBprogrammer 7y ago

For me there are plenty of occasions where people should really learn to put their phone away. People taking terrible photos / videos of fireworks; recording the worst imaginable quality version of their favourite song at a concert; walking in a busy train station at rush hour etc. However I struggle to put travel in the same bucket. I'm not a huge photographer but it's still nice to have a couple of snaps to look back at. The ability to find a genuinely nice local restaurant instead of being shepherded into yet another tourist trap and everything in-between. I do sympathise with the idea that always knowing where you are limits the freedom to get lost down some nice backstreet. However, with a little self discipline you could take the opposite view, having your phone in your pocket gives you the freedom to wander aimlessly safe in the knowledge that the best route back to your accommodation is trivial to find when you are ready to return.

miguelmota 7y ago

I agree that people take an abundance of photos and videos that they rarely or never look at them again. I have short term memory so taking the occasional photo here and there helps bring back memories though.

SoylentOrange 7y ago

I travel (for pleasure) a lot with my wife. I want to talk about phone uses besides the camera (which I think others in this thread have covered extensively). We have a DSLR camera, and those photos IMO are much better than what phones could take at the time. First, when we were in Japan having a phone was invaluable for transit. We used a few apps to keep track of where each attraction was relative to the subway stops and bus routes. Otherwise we would have had to carry and constantly pull out 3-5 maps. Second, my wife likes to sleep in and I don’t. So I’ll wander the area around the hotel in the mornings, and she texts me when she’s up so we can have breakfast together. Third, in China it was basically impossible to get a taxi the “normal” way - everyone was using local ride hailing or taxi apps. In other countries like Vietnam, using the local apps is part of experiencing the culture (we ordered takeout on Dash, and took a ride on the back of a scooter). Finally, I carried a kindle version of two guide books. I would not have been able to do that without my phone. They were invaluable for making backup plans (ex something was closed, or we finished somewhere early and what do we do now). There always has to be a balance - being on your phone all the time is unhealthy. But leaving the phone behind can also make it hard to function in the modern world.

RustyBucket 7y ago

I have elderly mom and grandma in my home country who have never traveled and now cannot even if I help them. So I make photos and send them to my parent via whatsapp right there, on the spot. And this is the closest I can bring my parents to experience what I do and see. I can navigate without a phone and I search places to it judging by the smell and how many people are eating inside, but can't get rid of the phone because, ironically this will be selfish.

decebalus1 7y ago

That would be a no from me. I get the spirit of the post, but with a little self-discipline you can reach the same level of 'mindfulness' and living in the moment holier than thou sentiment. Setting aside the value of the phone when/if you lose or get your documents/wallet stolen, although I love to navigate unfamiliar places, I would like the piece of mind of having a full fledged GPS navigation feature in my pocket. If not for me then for my family's safety. Not to mention calling emergency services. I get the whole 'living in a moment' thing but we also live in reality, where shit happens. And the farther away you are from your homebase, the bigger the shit can be. It's also useful to be reachable in case for example a member of your family is in distress. It would actually be super mindful to find out one of your parents passed away while you were on your 'living in the moment' trips. > Besides, how often do I look at those photos later, anyway? Often, actually. I live abroad and my parents and I trade holiday photos all the time. Some of them get framed. That's not the point of the vacation, though. But I would be very sad to not have my phone with me when for example my kid would build a sandcastle. Next up, travel without money and barter for everything!

chadlavi 7y ago

I travelled internationally before cell phones. Maps. Guidebooks. Pay phones. I would not like to do it again. Oh plus, your phone functions more or less like a wallet or credit card in a lot of places now. I wouldn't be able to use the suica system in Tokyo, for example, without a phone.

junar 7y ago
You can easily buy a physical Suica card from the vending machines at train stations. English language interfaces are also available. Mobile FeliCa was practically unheard of in non-Japan smartphones a few years ago, and is still limited to only a few phones today.

meerita 7y ago

I don't know why, I barely document anything when I travel. maybe it's because I go to places where I can go anytime later with ease. Maybe if I travel long and rare places I would change this behavior. I think I've been in 5 european countries and I barely have pictures from these places. Having a crapy phone also helps. I only use it for Maps, ops, etc.

falcolas 7y ago

Ironically, I felt this way during a recent rock concert. So many of the people around us were spending more time watching the recording of the concert they were filming, or with their backs turned to the band for selfies, than they were watching the actual concert. I mean, to each his own, but I had a lot of fun being involved in the concert. I can't imagine it being as much fun being tethered to the ground while ensuring that my video is properly framed and free of the hands.

grawprog 7y ago
Is there ever actually a real point to filming at concerts on your phone anyway? I've never personally had a video at one turn out that wasn't just a bunch of noise, so I don't really see the point. I also can't stand trying to search for concert videos on YouTube and all that keep popping up are crappy cell phone footage labelled ridiculously labelled as HD. Sure maybe the video looks nice, but the sound makes your ears bleed.

josh5555 7y ago

Agree with this idea or not, Derek is an amazing person and a great inspiration. I always appreciate his ideas and his book list is amazing. I highly recommend it.

jedberg 7y ago

Oftentimes when traveling we use our phone to select our meal. We use Google/Yelp and just pick a place with good reviews in English (because we know they will cater to our American sensibilities if other English speakers had a good time there) and then just go. We've found some real gems that way. Places that were so good we purposely went back again the next day. Without my phone, those meals would have never happened. We would have walked into the first place we passed by, which maybe was good or maybe wasn't. At least with the phone our chances of finding something are much higher. Also, I totally look at old photos of trips all the time. Especially when Facebook reminds me that it has been X years since I was last there.

JohnFen 7y ago
> We use Google/Yelp and just pick a place with good reviews You must have better luck with reviews than I! Personally, I've never really noticed a strong correlation between the reviews a place gets and how good the place actually is.
- sixstringtheory 7y ago
  My favorite signal: go where it's busy! Locals know what's good, and especially in a developing country, you want to go somewhere that is moving product, instead of having it sit in questionable storage facilities, incubating things your gut isn't prepared to deal with. - Best food I had in India: all the hopping street food and holes-in-the-walls (and yeah, a fancier restaurant or two) - Only TD I got in India: an opulent tourist trap where we were the only people eating. That made the drive from Agra to Delhi extra memorable!
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    > My favorite signal: go where it's busy! I agree -- this has been my go-to for a while: eat where the locals eat. But you do still have to be a little discerning. The old saying, for instance, that you should eat at places that truckers favor isn't accurate unless you're a trucker, because they have additional requirements unrelated to food, such as whether or not you can maneuver and park an 18 wheeler in its lot.

JohnFen 7y ago

I go halfway to this -- if I'm flying or leaving the country, I don't bring my phone. But I do bring a phone -- it's just a burner feature phone. But then, I've never been a picture-taker at all, even when traveling. I learned years ago that the act of taking pictures degrades my enjoyment of the experience.

thrower123 7y ago

Traveling without a phone is the way to do things. Actually being on vacation and unplugged from the world is such a respite. You do have to actually plan things beforehand, which is likely a problem, if you have become accustomed to the "yolo, I'll just google it" on-demand information lifestyle, but you can still print out tickets and receipts and get physical maps. I mean, you should be doing this anyway, just in case the technology fails, but most people, in my experience, are not prepared for contingencies to that level.

oarabbus_ 7y ago

I'll never forget the experience of drunkenly conversing with an Argentinian friend I made in a Parisian hostel who spoke not even a lick of English by both of us taking turns speaking into Google Translate on my phone. I'll travel with a phone, thanks.

aledalgrande 7y ago

When I read the title I thought it was about oppressive border agencies requesting access to your devices and scanning all your data during current age travels.

rednerrus 7y ago

Apple Watch with GSM is the way to go. It has just enough functionality.

jrjarrett 7y ago

I think you can divide this into four legs: "Phone-as-camera" - people have always traveled with cameras since it became practical. They took crappy pictures of fireworks, or whatever, on film. Perhaps a bit more mindfully because of the limited amount of exposures on a roll of film, but it's still a major way to capture a memory. A shutterbug would spend just as much time shooting film and not being "in the moment" as someone with a phone. It's just that now phones work as pretty decent cameras along with all their other features. "Phone-as-nav" - this is a great advance over paper maps in that it tells you where you are on the map. "Phone-as-comms" - also a great advance in that you can get in touch with travel companions or make contact with locations. "Phone-as-distraction" - aha. THIS is where I think the issue comes in; if you are too busy tweeting or reading email or playing Clash of Knights while you're visiting the Pyramids or the Forum Ruins, THAT'S a problem. That's where you need to put down the phone and be a part of what you've traveled to ostensibly see.

neogodless 7y ago
The first step for almost anyone is to decide that the "phone-as-distraction" isn't actually a good use of time. In other words, you don't really relax, or learn, or keep up with the Joneses, or build strong relationships. All of that is up for debate if you wish, but the point is that if think you value staring at your phone at home, you probably think you value staring at it when you're on vacation - for example to respond to comments on your travel photos. So, assuming you agree that using the phone for the empty distraction is bad, the second step is just stop using it that way at home, every day, long before you set out on vacation. Get used to that and improve every day of your life. Finally, the third step will be to continue that healthy habit, and avoid the "phone-as-distraction" the entire time you're on vacation, so you can let the vacation be your relaxation, your entertainment, the place you build relationships with the people around you.
m463 7y ago
sigh. I think he's actually saying: no-camera - do not document, experience people-as-nav - ask someone people-as-comm - talk to someone nearby no-distraction - :)
aaron695 7y ago

m463 7y ago

Sigh. It seems everybody is missing the point. Travel without a phone and your experience will be different. What if you don't find the Louvre but find your soulmate?

jraph 7y ago
Without a smartphone, it's harder to run into your potential soulmate by walking with your nose on your screen, blindly following a map or watching / reading the same random shit your could at home for cheaper. You could try with a book or a regular newspaper but you might come off as old-fashionned and weird. You can hope someone would find some romance in this incongruous setting though. Might work. Otherwise, you can always act as if you were confused and pretend you ran out of battery.
driverdan 7y ago
What if your soulmate is at the Louvre and you never get there?

kelnos 7y ago

It kinda makes me sad to see all the negative responses here. I feel like even the ones who are relatively positive, but still feel the need to list off reasons why a phone can be useful specifically while traveling... are still kinda missing the point. This will not resonate with some people. That's fine. Everyone's specific situation is different. But the author presents a perfectly valid way of doing something, something to perhaps give a try once in a while. Just leave your hotel without a phone for a day, and see what happens. If that's too much, put it on do-not-disturb, and resolve to not take it out of your pocket except in a genuine emergency (or for some pre-determined reason, like an "I'll text you around 3pm to let you know where I am" kind of thing). There are many pleasant in-between alternatives to the binary of "have a phone and be on it all the time" and "don't have a phone at all". The point of the post is to get people thinking about how much they spend time on their phone to the detriment of their real-life activities -- which for many people is actually a big deal -- and maybe nudge behavior a little bit to get people to have some different experiences.

Funes- 7y ago
Traveling with a "dumb" phone would accomplish exactly the same, but with the chance to make an emergency call if needed: no camera, no GPS, no games, no WhatsApp--where I'm from, this means no texting, and perhaps even no communication at all with some people--. I've chosen to live that way, whether I'm traveling or not, and I can attest to the benefits of making that decision.
- kelnos 7y ago
  Cool, then do that. The actual embodiment of the idea is irrelevant. Just do what works for you.
swasheck 7y ago
Yeah. I read the post as an encouragement to experience travel through our senses and not through synthesis.

wenc 7y ago

For me, unless I have a fixer or plan to return many times, there are situations that I end up "seeing less" without a phone (or at least a good book that explains the culture). A place is not just a place. There are many layers on top of it. A phone lets you explore those layers by googling (at least this is how I travel). This is especially true of modern technological societies where there are layers of society you cannot interact with without a phone. See something culturally weird? Google it and read the explanation. Stuff happening in another part of town? Phone tells you about it. I write stories about my travels, and pictures help me recall those experiences after the fact (and notice new details). This isn't everyone but it's me. Goes to show that saying a piece of tech categorically enhances or diminishes an experience is bound to invite disagreement--because it depends on who's using it. I don't think it was the author's intention to polarize, but travel touches a raw nerve for many because for many it is an aspirational/elevating experience. Any prescription, especially those contrary to the lived experiences of many, is bound to be emotionally charged -- it's not a take it or leave it kind of opinion. p.s. for me personally, I've traveled many years with/without phone (I'm Gen X) -- and for me, having a phone has undeniably led to a richer, deeper experience.

jordache 7y ago

BS.. author prefers to use journals to capture memories, for later revisit. Other people prefer images, to invoke memories. It's all subjective.

segmondy 7y ago

How about self control? I have seen delete social media, get a non smart phone, etc. It boils down to self control right? If I have my phone in my pocket and check it once every 6 hrs or only when it rings what's wrong with that? The challenge is that of self control, something that even I seriously struggle with, what's the secret? That's what I want to see, how do folks that do it do it. There are those that can ignore their phone, HN, social media, TV, games or whatever they choose to. How do you'do it?

ElijahLynn 7y ago

Did this the other day on a trip to the city. Was thinking these exact same thoughts, "how often do I look at the photos anyways?"! Traveling without a phone removes a ton of decision points too. "Should I take a photo of this?", "Should I look up this fact?". It is really nice. I will say it is nice if someone else has a phone though, in case you really need one for a phone call, to meetup with someone in your group, or GPS. Bittersweet for sure!

AcerbicZero 7y ago

Or, you could maintain a modicum of self control, and leave your phone in your pocket, instead of sticking it front of your face every chance you get.

JoshMnem 7y ago

I spent years traveling without a phone. You don't need a phone or even a laptop while traveling unless you're going to work on the road. I didn't even bring a camera for the first two years. It's okay to get lost and not talk to people back home for weeks at a time, except for a postcard or two.

herjazz 7y ago

Bizarre article. Are people really so beholden to their phones? It’s as if it’s a revelation to him. Maybe it’s my age but it’s obvious that wondering around and interacting with your environment will lead to a richer experience.

rdiddly 7y ago

The phone gives you the joys and ills of knowing. In knowing, you give up the ills and joys of not knowing.

deleted 7y ago

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