We cannot deny that technology has greatly favored travel lovers. Nowadays it is much easier to plan an itinerary, buy tickets and book hotels, all online.
Consulting Google Maps or using Waze in an unknown location optimizes our time much more, as it is guaranteed that we will not get lost during the journey, and today we no longer need to have a pile of developed photos gathering dust, as we have albums of trips published on our Facebook or Instagram.
But when does this facility cross the healthy line and take all the magic out of your long-awaited vacation?
1. When admiring a beautiful landscape gave way to the best selfie
Instead of admiring it all before your eyes, there is an almost physiological need to take the best photo to post on your favorite social network, or see everything through the small screen of your smartphone while filming a panoramic view of the place.
Not that capturing the moment is a problem, but when the search for the best photo to post takes longer than the moment you actually enjoy the place, something’s wrong.
2. Vacation or time off can easily be disrupted by an “urgent” call from work
Does it feel like you live in an eternal overtime? The cell phone never leaves your sight, and it looks like the world will end if the battery runs out too? Are you afraid of losing your job if you don’t answer an “important” call during your day off or vacation? That’s wrong, don’t you think?
Vacations are to REST and completely disconnect from work, for the sake of your own mental health, in addition to being a right of any employee. And if you are a business owner and your day only starts after checking your emails, review your concepts. Remember that you’ve invested in a trip and while you’re on your phone, there’s a world to be enjoyed out there.
3. There are no longer any surprises
Everything has already been massively researched on the internet that, when you arrive at your destination, the place will not be known, but recognized. This isn’t a monumental problem, but for those who don’t like spoilers, knowing everything before you even arrive can be a bad idea.
4. The interactions in your last posted photo hold your attention more
There are so many likes and comments popping up on cell phone notifications that many people end up enjoying the rating of the last photo posted more than the guide’s explanations during the tour, or than turning off their mind and doing a digital detox to truly experience that unique moment. .
5. …and you interact more with people online than people around you
Father and mother asking for news, friends asking about that last place you checked in, relatives placing orders for imported goods, and no paying attention to that group of travelers you just met, or talking better with the store attendant super willing to give you tips on what can be done around the city, not even to train the language of the country you are visiting.
6. Discovering a place is a thing of the past
Instead of walking unpretentiously through the neighborhood to be surprised by a restaurant never seen before or something like that, it’s easier just to leave the hotel after researching which establishment is the most praised, the most indicated or the most popular. As the saying goes: what would yellow be if everyone only liked red?
Instead of asking friends on Facebook or Twitter for directions to places, why not take a few days to discover your own discoveries? Sometimes what is good for one is not good for the other, or that corner place never mentioned by anyone can surprise positively.
Traveling is a unique experience that should be enjoyed in the best possible way. Don’t make your smartphone your main company right now, it’s just your helper. Coming back with a bag full of stories is much more enjoyable.
