Blog 5: Savor the Trip, Don't Tweet It

When you come to think of it, technology takes up a great part of our lives!

We use cell phones, surf the Internet, watch TV, and many other great technologies to make our everyday lives much more easier... But what is easier isn't necessarily always the BEST thing to do.

Think of the "olden days" when you were younger and think about how much fun it was to go on a vacation trip and stare out the window while looking at all of the beautiful scenery in a different city, state, or even country! "Vacation meant leaving the world you knew for a world you didn't." This was the best thing ever when it came to having fun, but ever since we, as small children, were slowly being introduced to TV, phones, cameras, video cameras, and computers in the 1990s, we were also slowly drifting away from what was the whole point of a vacation. I remember when I used to do that. Nowadays, we still go on trips around the world, but with our "handy-dandy" technologies within the palms of our hands. "Now it's almost impossible to avoid seeing a vacation through the prism of your portable gadgets."  

The GPS is constantly telling you where to turn, when you could have gotten lost and found yourself somewhere you weren't expecting to be. You see famous national landmarks through a screen of your camera, when you could have seen the same sight with your own eyes. There are apps now that tell you the perfect route to experience your trip and have your browser show you recommendations for dinner and hotel spots, when you could have traveled endlessly on your own trying to find somewhere to stop or somewhere to go. We are greatly immersed into technology, maybe sometimes a little TOO much and "that essential, spontaneous part of the vacation is at risk of extinction." Technology has made travels a less memorable, less meaningful experience in the 21st century. 

Not only are we immersed into technology more than we should be, but we also tend to look at the world or our vacation spot through a screen of your phone or computer before we actually arrive there. We don't bother looking at the real thing when we get there... we always want to know what we're going to expect. This is another problem when it comes to using technology on a trip. We look at videos of wherever we're going, and we expect it to be JUST like that, but really, it's just a bunch of videos that give you a brief glimpse of what is actually out there..."It's fake, because you never had the experience in the first place." 

Yes, I agree with you. Technology is probably the next best thing in the world today, and using it gives you quite an advantage... However, vacation trips are for enjoying what the world has in store for you. Laying off on some technology during the trip is a great idea, as it gives you more time to actually enjoy your trip. But what Christopher Elliot is trying to get across is that "technology isn't really the issue; but too much of it is."

You will miss out on a lot, and when you come to think of it, what really is the purpose of your trip when technology makes up more than half of your time? To me, using technology is fine, like let's say on the plane, but when you step off of the plane, I think it's time to put it away for a while and enjoy the world while you're there... Otherwise, it could ruin your entire trip.

You probably can't live without technology, but try putting it away for a day, and you'll be surprised on what you'll find and discover!!!

When I go to Australia and New Zealand, I plan to learn about the culture of the countries, as well as enhance myself in the scenery... In other words, I want to learn something new and "breathe it in", because I never know if I will ever come back to same place again. This trip is more like a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. I am very excited for it now, and while I'm there, I want to take it all in and come back with stories to tell and pictures to show. I want the trip to become a part of me, and I never will want to forget it! 

I am going there in order to get away from the everyday, not just record the trip and take a bunch of pictures. Yes, I will have my camera with me, since it practically goes wherever I go, and yes, I will take lots of pictures, but I will not exceed to the moment where I won't even know what is going around me or even where I am. Being there is the key to understanding wherever it was you went... As everyone always says, "You had to be there to actually know what I'm talking about."

At first, I wanted to go to Australia because I have never been there before and wanted to experience it. But now, as we learn about the country more and more everyday, I am beginning to realize how much fun I will be able to have, and once again say that "I have been to Australia and New Zealand." Elliot's article emphasized something that I sometimes ignored during trips and just took an advantage of. If I'm glued to electronics and technology, I won't really have the chance to BE there, and hopefully, I will not do that and take away memories and sights that not many people will have the chance to.

I want to live in the moment of the trip!

As of right now, we already have our technology boundaries set for the trip... and I think it should stay that way. 

We should have the chance to use our cameras whenever and wherever to capture moments we don't want to forget, and use phones and listen to music back in our hotel rooms, or in case of an emergency. But bringing laptops or any other non-useful electronics on the trip, isn't that great of an idea...

I think that these simple boundaries should be fine... And I know personally that I won't be attached to my own electronics, and so will my classmates. Honestly, it's not THAT hard to put away technology for about 12 days... Is it?

Living in the 21st century is a great honor, as we get to use technology wherever and whenever, but too much of it on a trip of a lifetime is a bit over the edge and not such a great idea... 

A 21st century girl, like me, should be able to enjoy the world in the way of the past with no problems at all!