The Do’s and Don’ts of using Technology whilst Travelling.

Published On February 23, 2015 | By whistler | Elsewhere, Uncategorized

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Think about your daily life, how much of it centres around technology? Probably most of it!

Whether you’re checking your emails, being nosey on Facebook, messaging on WhatsApp, or reading a book on your Kindle, technology plays a huge part in our lives, whether we realise it or not. When it comes to traveling, technology can certainly enhance the way we get around the world, but it can also hinder it too. Like most things in life, there are pros and cons.

Dos

  • There’s an app for that! You will no doubt be aware that no matter what you’re searching for, you’ll find an app of some sort. Download a language app onto your phone, obviously related to the country, or countries, you’re travelling to. Learning a few words on the go is invaluable, and you’ll gain more respect if you at least try to speak some of the language. We all know how hard it can be to learn, so an app will give you the basics. The other major benefit? It’s always in your pocket to refer to.
  • Take plentiful photos. Whether you’re carrying a digital camera, iPad, or your phone, capturing images of the amazing things you see will give you something to remember in the months to come, and to freeze your memories in time. Don’t be afraid to snap away!
  • Use sites like Trip Advisor to check up on places to visit whilst you’re out and about. Having Google in your pocket will easily advise you on the things to see and the things to miss, meaning you focus your time on the good stuff, avoiding the bad.
  • Use technology to stay in touch. Safety has to be a major consideration whether you’re going on a bog-standard holiday or a full expedition. Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, Tango – these can all be used to call for free if the other person has the app installed, and provided you have a Wi-Fi connection.
  • Streamline your packing. These days, a phone is a camera as well, a tablet is a Kindle and a laptop, and so on. Streamline your packing by thinking carefully, such as maybe buying a Kindle Fire, so you can have your Kindle, laptop, and tablet all in one piece of equipment.

Don’ts

  • Think about the last time you went out for dinner with a friend and they spent half their time on their phone, were you annoyed? Of course you were! Step away from the phone when you’re out and about, it’s rude, and it means you miss what’s around you.
  • Don’t always rely on booking online. It’s easier to look on a website to book accommodation, but you’re not helping local businesses if you do that, as they only receive a very small percentage of what you pay. Instead, ask around and book locally, also boosting your confidence in maybe speaking the language.
  • Don’t spend your day checking your Facebook, you’ll totally miss what you’re supposed to be doing, and similarly, step away from the emails! Traveling is meant to be time away from normal life, and our phones these days are more of an anchor to stress and social media than they have ever been before.
  • Don’t forget safety! Don’t wave valuable pieces of equipment around, as you’ll make yourself a target for theft. Be careful!
  • Don’t forget to back up! Accidents can and do happen, and you don’t want to be losing all your photos etc. Regularly back up your data, either with a memory stick, online storage, or a removable hard drive.

There’s no denying that technology has changed the world, and it has also changed the way we travel, for good and for bad.

 

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