5 Gadgets that may Ruin your Backpacking Experience
Photo by: Jer
Packing for your adventure should be based on the “less is more” principle. Some things are essential (think underwear), some things are useful (extra sweater), some are considered a nice luxury (face lotion). Some items are straight out unnecessary and could potentially ruin your trip experience. Below are the uncool gadgets you can leave at home:
Laptop Computer
Even though the tech gods have created laptops that weigh less than air, there is no reason for you to bring one on your trip. Most places abroad have internet cafes. Going to these internet cafes is an experience in itself that you should not miss. You can upload your pictures, meet other travelers or locals and avoid sitting in your room on your computer, cut off from the excitement going on all around you. Facebook can wait.
Navigation/GPS system
The best part about being in a new place is the feeling of not knowing whats around the corner. Your exact coordinates are unnecessary. Navigation systems are good for pilots not for backpackers. So take it into your hands to explore your new surroundings on foot. Go ahead and make some wrong turns. You may come up on ancient churches or impromptu street performances, a new restaurant or a relaxing park. There is no shame in asking people for directions; you may even make a new international friend. Make your own mental maps.
Blackberry
These things are ridiculous on their own, but taken abroad they become hunks of technology better used for bricks. Making a phone call abroad is easy and cheap. Just like internet cafes, phone booths are easy to find and are good spots to meet people. When you stare down at your blackberry, you miss the world around you. So tune in to your new surroundings and give your thumbs a well-needed vacation.
Hair Straightener/Curling Iron
Okay girls (and maybe select boys), most people in the world aren’t that interested in how good your hair looks. These hair tools are not useful abroad and will only take up space in your backpack. Also with the wide array of international plugs, just getting these things to turn on will require you to spend time and money looking for a compatible converter (as a side note, the wrong converter can cause your gadget to blow up). Better you work on discovering your natural beauty while traveling than worrying about how you look. Its more worldly that way.
Handheld Translation Device
(Lingo Xplorer)
It is undoubtedly uncomfortable at first to be in a country where you have no idea how to say please or thank you. Don’t give in to the easy route and use a translation device. Stick it out. Figure out how to say things with your hands and eyes. You will pick up essential words; its the just the way humans work. Along the way, you may even realize you know more than you originally thought. Learning even bits and pieces of a new language brings you closer to the culture you are visiting.
Sometimes gadgets can simplify your busy life. But keep in mind that simplicity comes at a price. You can often miss out on great experiences by overusing tech tools, especially abroad.
Written by: Anna Starostinetskaya
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I’ll take my chances with a netbook and leave the internet cafes to those who want their identies stolen and emails hacked into. Thanks but no thanks.
My GPS is used for geocaching, not to actually find my way anywhere. Geocaching is a lot of fun and I’ve done it all over the world.
Not planning to take my blackberry, don’t use a curling iron, and really, who uses those translator devices these days?
Agree with everything, altough I’d definetly bring my GPS for geocaching and in order to create routes to geotag pictures later (I can’t afford a new gps enabled camera) for a travel blog, but if you’re bringing it to follow directions it would be better to leave it home…
Zune and iPod: Most persons compare the Zune to the Touch, but soon after seeing how slim and surprisingly smaller and light it is, I contemplate it to be a instead distinctive hybrid that combines attributes of equally the Touch and the Nano. It’s extremely colorful and lovely OLED screen is somewhat scaled-down than the touch screen, but the player alone feels really a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as significantly, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, whilst getting just a hair thicker.
I’d personally add the iphone. If you can’t disconnect from your smart phone even while traveling, you probably shouldn’t be traveling in the first place.
I love this! Spontaneity and adventure are key. Sometimes knowing too much can ruin everything.