Comments on: The Joy Of Traveling Unplugged

By: Maui Mike

Maui Mike — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:33:42 +0000

Congratulations: You got it right, Ms. M.

I lived, worked, and traveled in the Middle East, Africa, Western Europe, and the Caribbean during the 80s and 90s. This was WAY before portable music and digital cameras came into my life. When on leave, I traveled solo. I was then (and still am) an incurable shutter bug, but in those days of 36-exposures-a-pop, my camera was more often in my backpack than around my neck. I found out years later that my memories and impressions of the places I’d been were stronger and more vivid than any photographs could ever have been.

This was brought home to me dramatically when I was doing field work in Tanzania in 1988. A colleague talked me into taking along his betamax video camera (a BIG monster!) to record some sights-and-sounds of East Africa. I didn’t use the thing for weeks. I only brought it along when I was given the opportunity to hitch a ride with an Abercrombie-Kent game drive during a 10-day break from work. Our driver ran us all over the Kenya and Tanzania looking for “game”. One day we came on a fresh lion kill, a water buffalo. The carcass was COVERED with scores of huge Nubian Vultures! I shot about one hour’s worth of betamax tape of what should have been a memorable experience for me. When I got back to civilization, I popped the tape in the player. To my horror, I did not remember ANY of what I was watching! I had been so immersed in wrangling the high-tech camera during that entire hour that I forgotten all about actually SEEING the event with my own eyes. Judging by the imperfect yet dramatic footage, it must have been really something… but I’ll never know for sure. I don’t own video equipment for that reason.

Now I live on Maui and only use my digital SLR camera sparingly, and not before I have REALLY LOOKED at something… it’s just too easy to miss all the great scenery here if you’re squinting through the viewfinder all of the time!

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By: Mackenzie Berg

Mackenzie Berg — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:08:47 +0000

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have my camera with me on most trips, and wasn’t suggesting that anyone give it up altogether. Photography is one of my greatest loves!

I’m only suggesting, based on my own experience of getting trigger happy and trying to get the “perfect” shot, that sometimes we can benefit from putting it away for an hour, day, whatever.

This way, when you come back to the camera, you may have some new ideas for how to choose an angle, frame, etc, because you’ll have likely focused on more senses than just your sight.

Thanks everyone for your comments!

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By: Byron Gaudette

Byron Gaudette — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 07:30:46 +0000

Hmmm, I agree with some of the things you said. A cell phone is definitely not necessary while traveling. MP3 player, also not necessary; they just cut you off from the rest of the world around you. I would like to travel without a laptop, but I’m going to bring one because it is a powerful tool to have with you. Obviously, it has so many different uses. But a camera I could never do without. I agree when you say that you are able to “use your sense to reflect on the beauty around you”, but I love taking photos too much. A picture will do something justice if it is a good picture. I love looking back on photos and thinking back to the time when the photo was taken, such as who was with me, what we were doing etc. I sometimes get very nostalgic and start choking up while looking back on old photos. It is the best way to capture a memory. And it is also a great way to meet other travelers or locals by taking photos of them, or asking them to take one of you.

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By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:37:57 +0000

My mother has been hassling about taking a mobile, I’m dead against it I hate having one at home let alone on the road. I think I’ll take my Ipod if only for long flights, etc. I’m definitely conscious of not letting it block out the real experiences.

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By: Daniel Harbecke

Daniel Harbecke — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:00:51 +0000

I think the key is moderation.

Let’s face it – if you spend enough time wandering around, sometimes it gets a little boring. Long train rides, getting stuck in the university-turned-hostel with dozens of screaming kids in the halls…. When you start getting morose about being lonely and how no one understands you at home, some favorite tunes or a word from home can be manna from heaven.

Still, there’s a gnawing temptation to have a constant soundtrack going in the background… then a quick duck into the Internet cafe to cruise the usual sites… then maybe answer everyone asking “NOW wudduya doin’?”…

I think a lot of the tech is a shield against culture shock, a way to feel more at home away from home through familiar routines. If you’re on some form of pilgrimage, I suppose constant reconnection (so to speak) to old habits would be counterproductive. But those little subpockets of entertainment that take you out of the moment can be mighty refreshing now and then.

In all things, moderation. Even in moderation.

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By: Turner

Turner — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:58:17 +0000

Yep, that’s a definite Catch-22.

I doubt anyone reading this is traveling without using the internet (naturally, if you’re reading this) or a digital camera. However, if you could find me a place in the world where I could travel comfortably and not have access to a outlet or a place in which to buy batteries… only that would give me enough willpower to give them up. You think if we became permanent vagabonds we could just cheerfully forget about those loan payments? Not looking them up online helps.

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By: Justin Berg

Justin Berg — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:24:36 +0000

You know, if you keep this up there is always the chance the travel channel will pay you to go on your adventures… Of course then you would have to surrender to technology all over again, with the HD cameras and all. This is a great article! I want more.

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By: Ev

Ev — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:25:15 +0000

Good read, I feel the same about technology as I travel too, for the most part I try to limit my use of it

I’m about to head out to my first solo trip around Thailand (and SE Asia) and would love to hear if you have any other tips or thoughts considering you’ve done it as well but you have no contact info on your author page.

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By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:56:00 +0000

It’s nice to hear someone refer to these nifty little music devices as an “MP3 player” and not just “iPod”.

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By: Cedric Pieterse

Cedric Pieterse — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:42:45 +0000

Africa is an ideal spot to get “lost” as outside the towns and cities, there is no cell phone connections, no electricity to charge laptops and cameras and you will soon grow tired of kids posing for photos and adults getting pissed off as you try and take photos. You will leave the camera in the backpack.
There is this cool backpackers on the “Wild Coast” of South Africa called Bulungula. This place has no electricity, no cell phone reception and some very cool local Xosa people to chat with. You will arrive here to stay for two or three days, because those that have been there will tell how awesome it was, and before you know it, two weeks will have passed…
check it out

http://www.bulungula.com/

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