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I do not now, nor have I ever, owned a smartphone. Yet, I still have a full life.... Impossible to consider, right?
I do have a cell phone, it's usually powered off (mostly because I kept forgetting to charge it and it was dead when needed), and still I have a life without struggle/issue. Unfathomable.
On top of that, when I travel, it's without device that can connect to the internet. Well, I guess my ebook can, not that there's a Sony ebook store anymore for it to connect to. And still I travel, overseas, in foreign lands where I don't speak the local language... as well as domestically. Never an issue. Inconceivable, I know....
Why do I do this? Mostly I don't see any value in the devices, I *absolutely* don't see the $1000/year value that others do.
The really ironic part? I had my first computer in 1986, built my first in 1990~1 (and was online that same time, BBSes before that), made a career in IT/tech. That was the driving factor in vacationing without laptops (or beepers, cell phones, anything else that made me "reachable"), I needed an escape from Work. I think it's funny that people feel like they can't do anything without the smartphone... kinda sad too, if I'm honest.
Whats wrong with having the phone with you, and using it only few moments here and there as needed?
For those who don't travel with their professional camera gear - an easy way to snap few pictures.
In the morning while still in bed or eating breakfast, a convenient tool to do some day planning.
When you see something interesting and unique, you could do a quick search to find out what you need to know about it.
I did travel 20-30-40 years ago with paper maps, travel guides, dictionaries and bulky camera. I know how to use it, but does that mean I need to use it now, when one small gadget can take care of all that and much more?
There is a difference between someone who spends 90% of time on social media and mindless texting, completely oblivious of their surroundings, and someone who utilizes it to make travel a better experience.
When I started this thread, it was not for the purposes of casting aspersions on anhyone's travel strategy or priorities. I just wanted to express how refreshing it was to be in a social community for three days, in which everyone had to find another way to pass their time, unconnected. I did not detect anyone experiencing any debilitating hardships, or threatening to mutiny if the captain did not pull within range of the towers in Sebastopol.
^^^ I experience it every day, because I am not glued or addicted to the phone, and use it sporadic as needed, but I do feel sorry for those who cannot take their eyes of it, or can't entertain themselves without it ...
Of course for anyone who remembers the time before smartphones it is easier to be without one for a more extended period whether by choice or not. The question is really for those who have never been without a smartphone as an adult whether they can live without it for a few days by choice!
Could anybody tolerate a vacation from their phone or internet? How long could you go without being connected?
A couple years ago I took the Black Sea ferry from Odessa to Batumi, three days and nights, and I never heard a ring tone. No connections at all. People had to try to remember how to talk to each other. I think larger cruise lines have connections, but this was just a Ro-ro truck ferry, less than 100 passengers.
If you wanted to be in a place for a few days where there are actually other people and services (meals, bed, etc.) but no connections, what options are there?
Whenever I go on vacation I turn my phone off, and I have never had the need to turn it on until I got back home.
Of course for anyone who remembers the time before smartphones it is easier to be without one for a more extended period whether by choice or not. The question is really for those who have never been without a smartphone as an adult whether they can live without it for a few days by choice!
Yes, having posted what I just did, I should have brought that up what I have put in bold above. I was born in 1938 and spent most of my life without these kinds of devices...worked twenty years in the administration of a computer center, and still use an old flip phone. Tried a smartphone for three weeks and had no use for most of its features, I use a computer at home is all. My laptop is kept charged only as a fallback.
I lived most of my life not believing that I was the center-of-all-the-action; and, second, life was largely a matter of do it yourself or drop dead, you jackass. The smartphone puts people in another psychological space entirely. It is the world of the Digital Nipple.
I do not now, nor have I ever, owned a smartphone. Yet, I still have a full life.... Impossible to consider, right? ... I have a life without struggle/issue. Unfathomable. ... Never an issue. Inconceivable, I know....
I don't think anyone is arguing that it's impossible to lead a full life without a smartphone, you seem to be so caught up in celebrating your ability to live life without one that you're inventing a counter-argument to rail against. There is a big difference between saying a smartphone makes travel easier and saying it's essential or inconceivable to not have one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M
Why do I do this? Mostly I don't see any value in the devices, I *absolutely* don't see the $1000/year value that others do.
What you *absolutely* don't see is that one doesn't need to spend $1,000/year to have value from a smart phone while traveling. My smartphone cost under $100 brand new, and has no cell service so the annual value is exactly $100/year. I use downloaded maps so it works offline with GPS to get around, I use WhatsApp and Google Voice for text messaging with free wifi available almost everywhere, if needed I can make free calls to US using a VPN and Hangout dialer. $100, not $1,000.
When I'm back in the US I get Cricket prepay for $35/month, is that really $1,000/year more than you pay for your flip phone cell service?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M
I needed an escape from Work. I think it's funny that people feel like they can't do anything without the smartphone... kinda sad too, if I'm honest.
1. I'm retired, so clearly my smart phone has nothing to do with escaping from work.
2. I've not seen anyone claiming they can't do anything without a smartphone, that's your strawman.
I just wanted to express how refreshing it was to be in a social community for three days, in which everyone had to find another way to pass their time, unconnected. I did not detect anyone experiencing any debilitating hardships, or threatening to mutiny if the captain did not pull within range of the towers in Sebastopol.
My last experience without out any internet/service was about a month ago, when we spent about a week in hiking and camping. Same as you we experienced no hardships at all.
Smartphones are great tools to make travel easier/safer/reliable, but they are far from essential.
CD is a biased platform in regards to this, we're a bunch of old farts (mostly) who were around before the mass adoption of cell phones.
I do vastly prefer interaction with others over reliance on something online. Sure, you can dig through menus of places to eat, but Only those that have a web presence (and that's probably not even Half of what's out there), the best places I've eaten still don't have a web presence. You can probably give yourself a tour of some place or another and get the gist of the place, but when I was in Italy and toured Herculaneum I spoke with the English guides (private people who do their own thing) and found a man who helped uncover and preserve both that site and Pompeii. And yes, the camera... that would be a good excuse if it weren't for the fact that very high quality pocket cameras can be had for less than the cost of a new "phone".
Yes, it's all personal preference. Some don't WANT to experience unknown, find no joy in it. I like it, even the difficult parts when things don't go right are things I remember later and can usually laugh about. When everything just goes well, the memories don't stand out quite as much. Maybe I like to challenge myself a little more? Or maybe they ARE God's Gift to human kind and I'm just oblivious to the euphoric joys of owning one, having made the decision that I'd rather spend that money on more travel.
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That was the driving factor in vacationing without laptops (or beepers, cell phones, anything else that made me "reachable"), I needed an escape from Work. I think it's funny that people feel like they can't do anything without the smartphone... kinda sad too, if I'm honest.
