Disconnecting while traveling in the digital age

I find that a lot of the disconnecting happens naturally because I'm occupied doing something new to me when I might normally be scrolling to pass the time. In other cases, it doesn't bother me too much. It's helpful to be connected for things like directions, tickets, and all of that. It can also be a treat to go back to the hotel room and stay up late streaming something, even if it has nothing to do with where I am, when normally I might need to go to sleep to get up early for work.

That said, it can be nice to disconnect more fully. When I travel alone, I always bring a book so I have something to "do" in public, and I find that much more fun than scrolling when I'm on public transportation, in a restaurant, etc. The western Amtrak routes are good for disconnecting in the States - no wifi and very irregular cell service! I also treasure some backpacking trips where we've had zero service for days. I think it helps to have a spectrum of what feels right.

I remember those days - I started traveling to Europe in the 1990's and had NO phone. I used the TIC's Book-a-Bed Ahead when I was in England to find my next bed and breakfast or called people to make reservations for places to stay. And when I lost my money belt the day before I was to leave England (which contained my passport, money, and credit cards), I had to run all over the place like mad. Luckily I had brought a blank check which enable me to get money from American Express, then get my photo taken, get a new passport, and so on. But my point is that I made do and fixed the problem without technology.

That being said, I have no problem using technology to make my trip easier. Google maps allows me to get to my destination without getting lost (usually), apps hold my train tickets, other tickets, and contact information so I don't have to carry multiple pieces of paper. I can look up information about a museum or castle instantaneously. And I bring my Kindle so I don't have to lug dozens of paperbacks like I used to. I use my phone to take photos so that I don't have to bring a camera. I even bring a power bank so that I can charge my phone (which gets depleted after all the photos and GPS-ing).

But when I'm peacefully sitting in a cafe with a cappuccino, I leave my phone in my purse. When I'm climbing the steps to a beautiful castle, I take photos with phone but otherwise don't use it. I don't call people when I'm overseas unless there is an emergency. I don't scroll through Facebook or TikTok and I don't check email unless I'm in my hotel room. And before I retired, I never did any work on vacation (unlike many of the other attorneys at my firm).

I think each person has to find their own compromise. I'm not willing to give up the conveniences of modern technology but I refuse to let it rule my life or destroy my peace on vacation.

It isn’t technology that is the problem. Technology can make travel much easier. An example, City Mapper app made a huge difference on a recent trip. Disconnect from tech and I would have disconnected from a great resource.

Where the disconnect need to be is when it distracts from fully experiencing the moment while traveling.

A telephone call home on my first trip in 1970 required going to the post office and ordering a phone call. The operator would tell me in a few minutes to go into a phone booth to speak with home. I did receive a telegram saying my niece was born--and she's almost 52 years old.

Now, I try to back off on communication when on vacation in Europe. If the hotel has a good wifi signal, I'll check my mail. Otherwise, I'm good to stay off my tablet. (Note: I no longer carry a laptop due to weight.)

We're also going on a cruise next month to the Eastern Med. I'm not about to pay what the cruise line wants for internet service. So we'll be on our own when in ports. My wife's going to have international service on her T Mobile service, but I don't expect her to use it much.

Anymore, technology is vital to efficient travel, from ticketing, to maps, communication, documents, guides, payment, covid proof, and the list could go one. To not have technology for a multi-city trip is just hobbling yourself for the fun of it.

It comes down really to discipline, shut off the notifications, plan a specific time of day for social media (if that is your thing, for me, not.) or email, find some way to limit calls (send them all to the mailbox).

i don't disconnect. what would I do without google maps giving me live directions and telling me the next turn to take or booking all my stays via airbnb? translator apps that spit out sentences in text or in an actual voice! websites like rome2rio that help me plan my itinerary? as far as social media and email i use them as needed. i don't stay glued to my devices as my students seem to do. i am old enough to prefer looking up and looking around, haha!

I’m not a real tech person. This is only the 2nd Europe trip that I’ve had an international plan for my cell phone. I used it some in Sept/Oct. I used it WAY more this trip.

I used Citymapper a LOT in Paris and I have always been a paper map gal. I even used it for navigating thru Vondelpark in Amsterdam yesterday to meet up with a forum friend for lunch.

I had all my museum, train tickets, boarding passes, various Passenger Locator forms, and finally the negative Covid test on my phone. Some I had paper backups, others I did not. The place where I got my Covid test ONLY offered results via email. In a weird twist the hotel wifi was out for 2 days so they could not print out results. It all worked well on my phone.

I suspect I’ve graduated from the Verizon $10/day plan to the monthly plan, lol.

I did do a little scrolling, sometimes when eating alone or waiting. I don’t use my phone much for calls so that is not an issue.

The disconnect I want is all the random texts from home interrupting my activities in another place. After a trip when I felt like I had a blow-by-blow of all the stuff happening at home, I started muting my phone or turning off cellular/wifi more during the day. I can catch up in evening (or not). Responding more slowly to texts made my interlocutors send fewer and remember that I was away (so maybe I didn't need the cute dog/kid video just now).

Go to Trevi Fountain, make a wish and toss the phone in.

(I think it has to be right hand over left shoulder? or is that salt?)

I hear you. For many years I left my phone at home. I travel with a laptop/tablet for work too, and I don't stop working when I travel (its my business).

What I do is set expectations. I change email footers to state I'm in a different timezone/ limited availablity. I check mail once a day.. I communicate with my business partner on whatsapp - so we don't have to be online at the same time. I tell people on SM that I'm taking a break.

I am also paying per MB for cellular access so that stops the mindless scrolling too. So basically the phone stays on wifi only unless there is an emergency and then I'll turn on cellular.

I've very aware of which apps work offline e.g. mapsme and which dont . Iuse Evernote to download all electronic tickets and have them available off line. There are other ways to do it - but I use Evernote for other reasons and the offline mode works flawlessly for documents and websites.

Here's what I do (using an iPhone 11).

Have data and wifi for when I need it and use airplane mode when I don't need it (I decide my ‘rules’, but I know that mindless scrolling doesn't help me relax and enjoy, but that I will occasionally need maps/whatsapp/look up stuff. etc). Airplane mode also helps manage data draining apps (just me?).

I 'turn off' my work email account (under settings/mail/accounts/exchange and then toggle off mail). I know this is potentially a culture thing, but in NZ in my experience, it's perfectly normal and acceptable as an employee to be uncontactable when on holiday, so this is completely fine). The emails all flow back in when I toggle back on. I have an email out of office with alternate contacts.

My voicemail message says I won't be checking voice messages (again, normal for my work).

I use my contact favourites to allow only phone calls from certain people/family and all other phone calls go direct to voicemail (also helpful because of timezones). I have an app which converts my voicemails to text, so can read any voice messages (or at least the apps interpretation of) and decide if/how to respond (somehow less intrusive for me than voice messages).

I use a 'focus' setting and have created a 'holiday' setting that is a modified 'do not disturb' - which turns off pretty much all notifications and allows no calls/texts except for favourites. No pinging texts/emails/phone/notifications/calls etc. 😌

I just realised another advantage of using my Europe SIM on my trips.... nobody has the number. No texts. No scam calls. I can use it, but it never demands my attention while I'm out sightseeing.

I also read Cameron's blog and found it very interesting.

I've travelled with a smartphone with cellular coverage for the last few years, and there's no way I will ever travel without it as it's so incredible useful in many ways. I tend to use is as a tool rather than a distraction or source of entertainment. I've found that it's also essential as I often travel solo, and it helps to keep in touch with family on a regular basis to let them know that I'm OK. It was essential on a trip a few years ago when I ended up in a European hospital for a week. It was my only source of contact with the travel insurance company, my travel agent and my family.

Using the roaming plan with my home cellular network isn't the cheapest option, but in the overall cost of a European trip it's not really a big deal.

It's very simple.......technology has made my travel life easier.

Rather than have to take out my credit card or fiddle with cash, I tap my phone to pay. I use apps to keep my tickets and itinerary easily accessible. I read books with my kindle. I use maps and directions to find out how to get places. I read local news to see if anything is going on that would cause me to change my plans.

I can choose whether or not to take a call. I don't have to answer texts or email immediately. I don't bother with social media or the need to post where I am.

At meals, since I am solo traveler, I can take out my phone and read about what I plan to do later that day or the next. I can catch up on world events or any changes to plans.

You get to pick and choose what technology you use and how you use it. But comparing back to my travels before the internet and mobile phones, I'm glad I have these tools to make my travel easier.

One last thing....set up a "Do Not Disturb" on your phone. This way you won't receive any phone calls or alerts during that period. I have it set up so only family members can get in touch with me during those hours. (In case of real emergency).

I think there are maybe a few levels of disconnecting, too:

-Disconnecting from work. This is the vital one, and tricky for lots of people. I used to run my own business and didn't feel like I had much choice but to be regularly available—work was a constant preoccupation. I even traveled with my laptop. I "great resigned" (though I still have a low-key jobby-job) and that's no longer a factor—I don't even have work email anymore. But I've known people with all levels of ability/disability to successfully disconnect from work. A friend whose work phone includes international roaming so uses that, but he can't help but look at his work email every time he reached for google maps. Others who don't trust their ability to break the happiest, so disconnect or remove their mail app. Others effortlessly walk out of work before vacation and never think of it again until back in the office.

-Disconnecting from all/most of your life at home, including friends and family. I have no qualms with checking/replying to messages from friends and family. Sometimes sending a photo of something that made me think of someone, like a modern postcard (I now only send real postcards to my nieces and nephews and my friend's kids.) Or making the occasional Instagram post. Personal email isn't a problem for me. I'm among those who rarely use it for personal communication, and scanning it a couple of times a day for something important is barely a thought. (It helps that there's never anything inportant.)

-Disconnecting from technology significantly or completely. As others have mentioned, tech has become so common that there are significant inconveniences to dropping it completely during a trip.

I am really good at not looking at travel forums, email, Facebook etc while on vacation. I do use my phone for taking photos and if in a new city, for maps.me . I get immersed with wherever we are and forget about the other stuff. My husband, not so much. He takes a quick look at emails as he can rarely ignore work stuff, by nature of his job. Due to that, I tend to make some of our trips to more remote areas where there is no cell/internet such as the Alaskan bush. That is always perfect as we visit family that live there, he cannot work even if he wants to, and it is a great way to disconnect. I remember the first time we went though and when we got back to Fairbanks all of our phones just blew up. It was a really weird feeling to be disconnected completely for a couple of weeks, then bam!

I really, REALLY, needed my recent trip to London, and it worked like a charm to clear my head--my only concerns were finding places, food, and souvenir tea towels...since I travel solo I am already in my own little self-imposed happy bubble. I do check my email and I like to see what's going on on FB, usually in the morning, but I don't read my local news or work emails. Despite being a huge fan of British TV shows, I never once turned on the TV in my room--and I was thus able to finish 3 good-sized novels in 8 days. While on trains or waiting in a restaurant I make a point not to get out my phone, though I might write in my travel journal. I can't avoid calling my elderly parents. I find just being away from my daily routines at home and work is enough to make me feel disconnected in a way that is meaningful to me.

I'm with Amy in that disconnecting while travelling comes naturally. I may only look at my phone at the end of the day to read the news or in the morning, and that's pretty much it. Otherwise, I just look around and people watch. If I'm going to look at my phone I might as well be home. I want to take it all in--the plants, people, pets, weather, buildings.... everything.

Christa, well said. Actually, I'm enjoying reading everyone's thoughts here.

Part of getting away is also getting away from the reflexive, monkey mind use of the phone. Then again I'm not a constant phone checker to begin with, but at times I use self discipline to put it away.

We are able to disconnect more easily by preparing ahead of a trip. We make as many necessary reservations and purchase as many tickets as we can--or as we dare--before we leave our house, and--sorry, Trees--we print off copies to cover for spotty wifi; we recycle them as journal pages. It's not difficult for me to turn off the digital world, but my husband suffers. There have been times when I have waited and waited for him to put his phone down in the morning so we could leave the hotel/apartment. So, in order to make the best use of our time (and to preserve our marriage) we instituted a rule that with the exception of photography and digital storage of tickets, etc. we would limit technology usage to the evening after a full day of touring. We have both been amused when traveling by numbers of tourists walking past wonderful things with their face down, focused on their phones.

I see no need to disconnect and enjoy what my phone technology has to offer. I am not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TicTok, so there's no social media drama to keep up with. But it has my travel tools, tickets, & etc. It's my notebook when I need to write down and keep track of things and information. It's my still and video camera. It carries my music catalogue and offers up any number of media materials to entertain myself.

I've been to concerts where people were more into social media than the show right in front of them. I've found when I disconnect for a few days or longer it does something positive for my brain. After a week or so I'll check back with the news and it's pretty much the same old song and dance. I didn't miss anything, and if I did, so what? Maybe it's because I've been "on call" for the vast majority my life, and I'm just sick of the electronic leash.