How important is Internet on your European travels?

A little over 4 years ago our family was traveling from London to Inverness by train. We were delayed 2 hours when a lightning stike took out a signal. My oldest daughter took out here IPod Touch connected to the trains WiFi and sent an email to the b&b we had booked letting them know we were delayed. Since that time I now travel with some form of electronic device so that I can stay connected.

I took my ipad2 to Europe recently. Besides keeping track of family and friends, I was able to make a last-minute hotel reservation and check on transportation schedules from my bed.

It's not important to me/us at all. I have no interest in porting around extra equipment or wasting my Europe-time using it; travel in Europe has become a much-needed release from the tether of technology that dictates my existence at home nowadays. I spend the techno-time needed for travel at home, prior to the trip, and travel pretty much the same as I did before the advent of portable online devices.

I like to travel as light as possible and I'm not someone who is constantly slumped over my smartphone.

I'm pretty happy with my Ipod touch. It's small and covers a lot of bases: music, travel alarm, email, skype, check the weather, maps, store itinerary, confirmation numbers, contacts phone numbers, off-line language translation app. You have to be near wifi to use any online features - but wifi is so widely available in Europe, it's not much of a limiting factor for my uses.

Its not important to me at all.. don't travel with it, haven't noticed my travel experiences to be any poorer for not doing so.. perhaps its a case of not missing what you have never used. I use paper maps.. they work.. I am not one for restaurant review.. I rarely even look them up at home .. I sometimes will note the name of a place that everyone raves about, I write in a little notebook I carry with me. I don't stay in touch with home.. I tend to phone once or twice for a 3 week trip, once to say I have arrived and once about 1/2 way in.. I am used to the days when phone calls were very $$$ and people sent post cards.. I do purchase a phone card for local cards if I am in a city for a period of time. Last apartment I rented had a phone with free local calls.

I think it may make things easier for some people.. but they have things they need or want to do .. or a different travel style of travel ( I don't need to make reservations as I go, I have already made them ) but for those who like or want some flexibility in their travel style then the abilitiy to contact hotels as they go would be good.

I have travelled for months with none of the above tools.. internet , phones, ipads,, etc.. its not hard to do if thats how you learned to travel..

I am one of the people with a smartphone glued to her hands, even when traveling. As my husband points out, for us it's the same as carrying a book with us, plus it's so much more. I put some of my guidebooks on there, though I don't enable it for phone communication (I use wifi plus Skype). I would say the wifi has come in handy more often than not because opening times change, we can reserve tickets for some attractions that way, we can check the weather for the day, we can plot our way through subway diversions, etc. Also, since I don't pay for a phone, I use the wifi to keep in touch with my mom, who is used to hearing from me every day (only chid with a single mother, so we're close).

I also have a fabulous app that will give me all the subway maps of the world. I don't think it needs wifi if you've downloaded the maps in advance. There are all kinds of other useful travel apps too.

I also bring my tablet, now an iPad mini, for entertainment on the flight and reading before bed. My husband brings his iPad 2 and a handheld gaming device, but I wouldn't want to carry quite that much.

I carry a netbook, though I leave it at the hotel during the day. I use it for
blogging at night and uploading photos from my SD card each day. I also use apps on my smartphone (wifi only), but I never use it for restaurant reviews or price checking.

I took my I-Pad mini on my last trip and it was really nice to be able to Facetime with people at home. Free wifi was readily available (sometimes only in the hotel lobby, sometimes in the hotel room too). I also used it to do some light research, i.e. locations, opening times, prices, and to wind down at night with a game. I left it in the room. I'm not a techie at home but loved having this device with me.

Last year while in Budapest I came down with a terrible cold. When the minimum supplies I travel with were gone I was so happy the apt had wifi and I could google on pharmacies within a mile of my address. The map showed me the closest one and the translator ap helped me get the over the counter meds I needed. It saved my trip and I will never travel again without at least my smart phone.

Have a smart phone, love it. Not at all against tech - early adopter here.

That being said, I don't generally plug in when on vacation in Europe.

I think it's kind of sad to think that we can all go to Europe now and be happy because we DON'T have to interact with people.

Ask for directions and get a local recommendation? Not anymore! Technology has vanquished that need!

Go to a cafe and ask your waiter or the manager for a recommendation for a place to eat? I am aghast, sir, that I would have to stoop so low. I will hie myself to Yelp and read a bunch of reviews by tourists who ate there once, three years ago!

A few years ago my mother went to Paris as her sister's guest. One night they wanted to go someplace nice for dinner. Mama was all for talking to the apartment manager - but my aunt and my cousin both whipped out laptops and started searching for reviews. Two hours later, they'd searched and argued themselves into a "too late for dinner" situation and ended up someplace they all hated. Not saying that was the fault of tech, but would it not have been easier - not to mention more fun, and more of an adventure - to ask someone? A human person someone? Or to - I dunno - walk out the door into PARIS and take a stroll and look at menus?

As for the whole "it's an entertainment system in my pocket!" aspect of tech, well... yeah. Okay. And being stranded in an airport with bored, whiny kids can't be a picnic. On the other hand, in most every other situation (that is, when not locked in an airport) you're in Europe! Wouldn't you want to make the most of down time to explore?

I find the "information gatekeepers" comment fascinating. Websites are no less of "gatekeepers" - you just get a lot of more noise in your signal, IMHO. I think somehow the internet creates the illusion of choice and abundance, without actually increasing anything material at all.

Sorry to be Mrs. Philosophy, but that's my take on it. And I have ADORED that series of tubes since I was first able to log on!

You can have my smartphone when Rick Steves prys it from my cold dead hands.

Andre L,

Im avoiding e revolution as much as possible. I work with alot of the people that have their face BURRIED their phone/tablet. managers hate it, and i hate it due to the fact they dont work as much, make more mistakes from my experinece. I sit/chat w/friends at lunch and break and 99% of us acutally talk face to face. Then a person will come site down, say hi and then burry their face in their phone. I see alot of that on my trips. On top of the Eiffel Tower, inside the Louve in front of the Mona Lisa and anywhere else.

I will buy buying a tablet/pad of some type to take the place of my 1.5" 3 ring binder filled with my travel info, maps, tickets and notes. but it will stay at the hotel and will only be used to reference what i need to do/see that day or the next. I will probably transfer some of the info onto any map i can buy locally. i try to travel light and that will include when i touch down and do my sight seeing. I do my research up front so i dont waste my limited time there. yes, its nice to have info at your fingertips when looking for open/close times, but chances are im usually there, so i will read it off the sign. As far as restaurant reviews, i dont read them. when it comes to food and personal things, its all relative. what i like maynot be what you or 99% of the world likes. Now if it came down to searching for a good dim sum place or something like that its nice to be able to search for it. but i will usualy ask local and chinese if possible.

now to the good things of the e revolution. Since i had been screwed by an airlines last year i had to rebook my flight with out a computer at hand. Not fun and i will be using that tablet/notebook for that purpose. It will be the ONLY reason why i get one with 4G functionality.

I also carry a cell phone that i use for emergencies and its always off unless i am waiting for a call. I just got it last year in London. Its a basic one that can access the www, but i limit it to anytime i can not find an internet cafe. The only reason i use the internet is to monitor any changes in my travel plans if a hotel or flight has been changed. I also check my personal emails at home too, but since they know im going, there isnt alot of activiity on it other than fowarded emails.

Yes the electronic stuff has all of the nifty things to make travel easier, but i choose and like to travel to talk FACE TO FACE with others, not to have my face plastered to a flat screen.

I have to pass on something i thought was funny. I was at the North side of Victoria Station (london) walking around it since ive never been on that side. I didnt take my paper map with me since im becoming comfortable with that area. this japanese couple approaced me with their iphone and was trying to ask for directions to the victoria bus station. They showed me on their iphone what they were looking for and the map showed it on their phone along with the compass pointer. I knew where the bus station was due to a previous encounter with other travelers and i didnt know where it was nor did i know there was one nearby. so i tried to gesture to them go around the train station and its down that block, but they didnt believe me. I didnt have my paper map to show them, but the iphone wasnt able to show the train station bus station in one shot. the funny thing was that they had this expensive phone and app and didnt believe what it was telling them. Also, the funny part was that they had to actually try to ask someone.

I think people will do/buy/use what they want. If it gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling having all of the e stuff, then go for it. For me, people have died because they listened to their e stuff more than common sense so i will let others be the beta testers.

happy trails.

I'm with Kira on this one. Andre-put down that device and look at the painting! Watch the musicians onstage instead of watching the concert through a little screen as you record it. Look at the menu and see if the current patrons look happy with their food. Talk to the stranger next to you.

I have a smart phone but don't use the smarts in it much. I can see using the internet for reservations, flight issues, etc.

Look up. You're about to get hit by that bus you're tracking.

Good discussion, and Kira makes some good points. We took a 7-inch Android tablet on a 4-week trip last month, and it helped us make hotel reservations, find opening hours, check weather forecasts, keep up with e-mail, and send a few pictures to friends. The most valuable tool was probably the app for RATP, the Paris bus/metro/RER system. We did a lot of bus travel this trip because of all the stairs on the metro, and the app made it easy to plan routes that might involve a transfer or weren't clear from the sketchy map RATP provides.

That said, my wife did observe sometimes that I was engrossed in the screen when I could have been looking at beautiful buildings or interesting streetscapes or people. Usually we left the tablet in the hotel or apartment, mostly for weight reasons, but when I was carrying it around I felt some compulsion to use it more often than I really needed to.

We used to take a netbook, which was easier for e mail and storing photos but otherwise too heavy, plus it had to be hauled out at the airport checkpoints. We're not ready for the smartphone, too small for anything but calls imho. We bought unlocked GSM phones here and SIM cards over there (not as easy a process as RS and Harold describe, we found, but that's another story).

Also we both took Kindles, mine loaded with the relevant guidebooks as well as recreational reading. My wife spent more time than maybe she needed to keeping up with the news. Using them for reading saved weight, but an e reader isn't optimal for retrieving info from a guidebook on the fly.

So, mixed verdict from us. Tradeoffs, as you might expect.

Ahhh, from ARPANET, dial-up 300 baud modems to portable gizmos operting at high speeds that can provide amazing utility at times. I use a smartphone and sometimes a tablet when traveling to stay in touch with family, reconfirm reservations, etc. However, I generally leave such in our room when sightseeing each day. Less distraction from enjoying what's before us and less to lose. Some folks are so enamored with technology in their hands to the exclusion of incredible surroundings.

Andre L.,

What an interesting topic! In addition to the internet, I'd also add cellular (non-smart) phones to the question, as I've found those are a very useful travel accessory.

I've been surrounded by technology for a large part of my life, both at work and at home, so it was a natural extension to also apply that to travel. I tend to take more of a "pragmatic" approach and only use technology which makes my travel easier in some way. I'm careful to ensure that it doesn't become the main focus of my trip, and I DON'T sit with my face buried in a screen when I should be looking at the sights or talking to people.

On the latter point, a couple of good examples that come to mind are....

• On one of my recent stays in a Hostel in Rome, there were a group of '20 something kids in the Dorm room, each with a tablet or Netbook. They would go out (presumably sightseeing) for short periods of time, and then it was back to the room with a screen glued to their face. My thought at the time was, "why did you even bother coming to Rome - you could have done that at home".
• On my visit to Florence this year, I was sitting in a Trattoria for lunch when a group of four guys (they also looked like tourists) sat down at a nearby table. Each one of them pulled out a Smartphone as soon as their backside hit the chair, and they spent the entire lunch with their noses pressed against the glass. Not a word was spoken, except for dealing with the Waiter.

When dining I prefer to "people watch" and I also chat with people at nearby tables or whatever. I've also had some interesting talks with restaurant staff, including a Waiter in Florence this year (he was also a photographer) who gave me a lot of good information on Camera shops in the city, something I was looking for that day.

Some of the Internet (and other) technology that I find useful on travels....

1. iPhone - I've only had a Smartphone for a few years, but I've found it quite useful so far both for calls as well as checking rail schedules or whatever "on the fly". As I travel solo part of the time, I like to be able to maintain contact with my family at home via text messages. It's a multi-purpose device with also stores phone numbers, travel information, Guidebooks and many other things close at hand if needed. It was especially useful this year when buying a Camera in Florence. After narrowing down my search to two models, I went next door to the Bar for a Gelato and Coffee while I checked some of the online reviews for the two models. That really helped me to choose between the two Cameras.
2. Netbook - this is another multi-purpose gadget and one that I feel is important. I try not to spend too much time on E-mail or surfing the net when I'm travelling, but I like to use the Netbook when I'm back in the hotel at night to diarize my experiences, store photos, perhaps make a Blog entry or confirm travel arrangements for the following day. I will admit to browsing the HelpLine for short periods of time during travels.
3. Garmin GPS - this is useful both for pedestrian use or for driving. I find it easier to use than the Smartphone, and of course it doesn't use any data roaming so there's no cost.
4. Cameras - As photography is an important part of my trips, I always have both a DSLR and a P&S.

My use of technology during travels is always a "work in progress", so I'm always fine tuning this a bit for each trip.

Cheers!

Interesting question, topic and discussion. True, use of the Internet has made traveling a good deal easier, provided more flexibility, and also increases chances for impromptu, the winging it style of traveling, and sacrificing planning. I use the Internet in planning the basics without sacrificing flexibility as regards to train rides. Most of this techno stuff I easily do without on a trip in Europe, no need for an iPad, net book, smart phones, tablet, etc. I only carry a cell phone on me.

When I arrive in a big city, it is impossible to miss an internet cafe/ call shop, most often outside of the train stations. For telephoning I use a phone card at a pay phone or go to the call shop, suits my purposes fine without having to worry about getting the tech stuff stolen, being robbed, or my own negligence in losing it. For information I would rather ask someone, if your interlocutor is lacking in one language, switch over to another or ask someone else. On restaurant recommendations I ask the hotel staff or the Pension.

Weather info is given at the train stations affecting delayed trains, etc. I saw this at Munich Hbf. on the electronic board.

I take an iPad with me and use it,but not much for entertainment (traveling is entertaining e ough). However, it's my alarm clock, email device for corresponding with hotels, transportation systems, and friends. I use the camera as a backup camera and to email photos to friends. I also use it to photograph train schedules at the station, and I download google map directions. I also buy iBooks while I travel, guidebooks, histories or novels set in the cities I'm visiting. I use Pages for journaling whenever I feel like writing something.

I love my smartphone!!! But I turn it to airplane more when I travel. I only use it for a back up camara and and an alarm clock. I like being mostly disconnected when I travel. I like seeing new sights not looking at my phone. I will look for hotels and restaurants reviews before I go but not when I am travelling. I like to be able to have a lot of flexablity in my travels.

I like my e-reading app as I can access it offline and enjoy a good book.
I do check my emails when I am at the hotel or at an internet cafe. But I usually do not stay connected long.

I take my tablet and ipod touch with me and often connect online at night in my hotel room if they free wifi. While out and about, I'll have my ipod touch and if I come across McDonalds or Starbucks where I know they offer free wifi, I'll connect just briefly to upload a picture, or make funny status updates on facebook :) I won't spend my precious vacation time looking for free wifi while outside.
Having access to internet is convenient for checking the weather in case I have to switch my plans up and checking for directions. I can do without internet for about 3-4 days and then after that, I'll be itching to get back online to see what I missed or what's happening with my friends and family.

After retiring young, I spend too much time on the internet, and my laptop is very efficient due to my being so used to it. But the 17" laptop is just too heavy to travel with any longer.
I joke that the only reason I carry a cell phone is so I can call for assistance if my boat strands me on the lake. I seldom even know my own phone number. I also joke that I've never bought a Smart Phone, as I'm not smart enough to work it.
But I did get a TMobile Smart Phone last week as their $50 all in one plan includes free texting and emails overseas. International voice calls are 20 cents per minute (including back to the U.S.), which is a very reasonable rate.
My Smart Phone is setup where it can call through WIFI, which would mean calls home from my hotel will be free.
When traveling, I do keep up with local and national news on the internet. But it's not a vacation for me or our daughter unless we minimize contact and mentally get away.
I've never used a GPS on any travels. I usually go into Mapquest.com or GoogleMaps and take notes on how to get from point A to point B. And I usually know a city's street layout before arriving in a city.
I won't know how to act with a GPS guiding me. There again, I think I'll cut some copies of street maps before leaving for Budapest in the Spring for backup.
This may be a turning point in my travel life.

I like my i-phone to use as a camera, as an alarm clock, or emergency info gathering (what time does the next train come) as well as being quickly available if something should happen to family members either here in Europe or in the US. I would hate to have to wait until I got back to my hotel after a day of sightseeing to find out there had been an emergency early that morning and now it is 12 hours later. Yes, people use to do this, but they used to have to wait on letters before the invention of the phone and telegraph too.

My i-pad is fun to play games on while waiting on layovers, or sitting in a hotel room where there is nothing on tv, just to get sleepy. I also have info pages downloaded that I can refer to while traveling, so I don't have to take a guide book with me. This lightens the load considerably. I don't use an i-pod though and have no audio guides downloaded. I prefer going on tours with a real person who can answer my questions.

Interesting replies, different people have different relation with technology.

Now something I don't understand... tablets or big smartphones are light and thin. They don't take much space and don't weigh too much at all. So how would they interfere with the desire to "travel light"?

Regarding Internet cafes, I think they are a vanishing breed. Maybe my perception is wrong since I don't use them, but I think they are disappearing fast at least from major tourist traffic areas here in the Netherlands. The city I currently live in used to have half-dozen Internet cafes on the city center, now it has none.

It's practical so yes, the internet is important on my European travels and essential when I am planning those adventures. I'm typing this post on my 13 inch Mac Book Pro in my friend's Belfast apartment. Could have done it with the mini iPad that's on the nearby dresser but prefer the larger screen. Have both with me on my 24 day trip. Take an inordinate amount of photographs and my preference will always be to upload them to the larger tablet. iPad mini fits in my Pac Safe bag so is with me when I'm out and about. Have noticed I'm using it primarily to check emails, checkin for flights, double check reservations and for reading my iBook selections while on trains and buses. Did bring the cell phone. Haven't used it once. Live and learn. Interesting subject Andre. Thanks for bringing it up.

I don't use a smartphone much when I'm actually walking around because of expensive data connections and because I prefer to use a pocket-sized map book of some kind. But I definitely use my tablet when I'm in the hotel for entertainment and to check weather/openings/schedules in advance.

One thing that hugely irritates me is wi-fi charges in hotels - I think nowadays it should be considered a basic service like lighting/heating. Especially when a hotel charges over ten euros for 24 hours.

My ipad mini is no larger than a paperback, and in some cases...lighter. Beats carrying around guidebooks for multiple cities, beats carrying or buying books or magazines to read for those long boring train rides, music to listen too (tho I have my ipod for that). I can upload my photos at the hotel at night and share them with whoever on facebook cares, can do my journaling, or at least make notes along the way for future reference. Keep in touch with family/friends on email (and check email so I don't come home to 500 emails in my box).

I downloaded an awesome map app and can pin the places I want to see in each city and map them out and can also use it in the city to see where we are in real time...check on tours that I may be interested in booking to see what times of day are still avail (did that in LA for the Sony Studio tour)...make notes and keep track of spending to see how much the trip really did cost.

But my ipod saved the day in France last year...we don't have a cell (and I didn't pick one up when over there, but that may change next trip)...and I mistakenly bought tickets for the slow train from Nice to Avignon instead of the fast train...and we had someone going to meet us at the train stn, except the slow and fast arrive at diff stations. Also, a torrential rain/thunderstorm delayed the already slow train for another hour in Nice. Do you think I could figure out how to use the payphones? Nope - not even with my credit card...so I was able, when we changed trains in Marseille, utilize the free wifi at McD's and trade messages with him about what happened (bless you McD's...and luckily he was monitoring his messages).

So, I love my tech (just not cell phones) and the ipad and the cord/plug and the sd card reader take up less space then a 300 page paperback. I'm not an early adopter...I don't have to have the newest smartphone and never owned an ipad til the mini came out...but you can do so many things in one place with it, I find it very convenient.

Plus...it was great in Cali when I had to do a few night before hotel bookings...easy peasy...I won't just show up at a hotel...may be over my budget and don't want to waste time hunting...we actually may wing it more on our next Europe trip since I know I can easily book (and read reviews) a hotel/BnB for the next night.

My iPad saves luggage weight by replacing several books and a bunch of print-outs, and a camera with charging device. It also replaces a small laptop that I used to carry. It is possible to use computers at libraries in Britain. I have done that in the past.

I hate using phones, especially when a non-English language is involved. Email works great. Last-minute, I still make a phone call.

I am so glad I brough my Ipad with me on our last trip. I didn't have it out much during the day, but it came in very handy for downloading the pictures I had taken that day. I had heard so many horror stories about people's SD cards crashing, I was glad to have the back up. It also let me shoot quick emails home to let the parents (who tend to worry even though I am over 30 and married) that we made it and were OK. It also let me share some of the pictures with family and friends. We were there during Memorial Day weekend and were able to visit my Great Uncles grave at St Avold. So being able to share those pictures with the family for that weekend really meant a lot.

Also the GPS in the car saved us so much headache. It was able to get us exaclty where we wanted to go. Since the main reason for our trip was a family reunion (70 German cousins we never knew we had!) It helped with getting to some of the really out of the way places. Also it let us skirt around bad traffic. Plus saved on a ton of fights.

Also on the plane ride my games, books and magazines helped to pass the time and allowed me to pack even lighter. Normally I am a 4 book minimum girl and that tends to make my carry on really heavy. Plus I added on a flashlight, compass, and calculator. So win win there as well.

Other than that we really didn't use it that much. I can see the pros and cons of both. I think there is a happy medium somewhere in the middle.

Really interesting topic!

Yes, I have heard exactly the same on internet cafes being a vanishing breed, particularily in England. But where I stay at Kings Cross the call shop I use is still there.

In Germany it seems the call shop/internet cafe is more likely to be found near the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), such as I know of on trips since 2009 in Hambug, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich. That's another reason for staying in the train station area. In Berlin-Charlottenburg is a call shop even closer to my Pension than that opposite from Bahnhof Zoo next to the Dunkin' Donuts, which is gone anyway. This call shop is located in Savignyplatz.

Paris is another story. The one I used closest to Gare du Nord is gone, still others are around but not as convenient from Nord. In Vienna is an internet cafe across the street from Westbahnhof, the same side of Mariahilferstrasse as is the hostel.

'DI like to resist the notion that just because someone has their phone with them, that means they are not enjoying their European experience to the full. In my case, I bring my iPhone but don't get network, so I am enjoying paintings instead of trying to talk to people online the whole time. I only use it for the occasional picture that I can later upload to Facebook, or when I'm on Wi-Fi at a café or something and want to write home. I also keep some reference information such as guidebooks and maps on there. That's it. I don't understand using technology can have a middle ground. I like the break from constantly connecting to other people online actually.

@ Andre L.

>" Now something I don't understand... tablets or big smartphones are light and thin. They don't take much space and don't weigh too much at all. So how would they interfere with the desire to "travel light"?"

i think they can be lighter than my 3 ring binder that i madeup and took on my last trip. they ARE less bulky. Its not just weight, its volume too. one thing that would keep me from "carrying" my tablet or notebook around is size. I can carry a paper map in my back pocket w/o any issue. If i sit down on it, it has a crease. If i sit down on a notepad or tablet. it could break. I havent bought any cargo pants yet for travel to put things in the leg pockets, but i have worn some around town and they can interfere or catch on things. also i havent bought a man purse or day pack to use either. I really like being able to walk into a museum without having to "checkin" something. that may change in the future, but for now, its the way i travel.

> "Regarding Internet cafes, I think they are a vanishing breed. Maybe my perception is wrong since I don't use them, but I think they are disappearing fast at least from major tourist traffic areas here in the Netherlands. The city I currently live in used to have half-dozen Internet cafes on the city center, now it has none."

ive never needed one in Amsterdam, yet. But i did notice and find them in all of my travels last year and this year. Sometimes it took a 10 minute walk, but i was able to find one or two. Yes, they could be vanishing, but i think they will be here to stay for a while. WHy? because what i noticed of the people using them were the ones that probably didnt have the $$$ to buy an isomething, tablet, notebook or PC. Also several of the internet cafes i visited had phone booths and were in use alot.

as with anything else, since they all close, it may open up some opportunity for someone else to make a go of it.

happy trails.

For me, I went off the internet grid for 18 days in Italy last month and it was great. Once we boarded our connection in NJ, my phone was off until we landed back in the states. I am young at only 35 but I still like to connect with people. Why look at a map on your phone, when you can find a local and ask for directions and spend a few extra minutes chatting with a person. I think that is half the fun of traveling is meeting people who will talk to you and what better way to start then "dove san marco?" I would make local calls the day before to confirm with our 2 guides. For eating sure you can look up reviews, but same thing I like to talk to people. In Rome we found a nice caffe for lunch and gelato spot just by talking locals and asking what places they like to eat. And i don't mean finding people in front of a big sight and asking them, but we purposely would walk blocks away to what we think is a non touristy section and look for friendly locals to talk to. I think the internet takes away from the expierence. Why go to a place that 463 people in the US give 4 stars to, when you can find a local start up a conversation and get their recomendations that none of those 463 people have never been too, and who knows you may even have company for dinner.

Without Internet, how could I stay in touch with the Graffiti Wall?

I just got a smartphone about 3 months ago before I moved to Chicago and haven't traveled with it internationally yet. But I did take my iPod Touch on an international trip last year and found it to be very helpful. I'm not a technology person and don't feel the need to update everyone on my latest movements on Facebook or other social media sites. But I like staying connected by checking e-mail and the latest headlines once a day. When I was in London, I wanted to go to York for a day but I knew that England had received very heavy rains and was experiencing flooding in the north, which resulted in delayed and possibly canceled trains. I think I asked a question on this site about which town people recommended for a daytrip, since York wasn't an option. I got lots of great replies and ended up going to Canterbury, which I enjoyed.

When I visit a new city, I want to be out in that city, exploring, taking pictures, and looking at art, not glued to an electronic device.

I really enjoyed taking my iPad mini. I not longer keep a paper travel journal, but write daily emails to family and friends and myself so I can keep a record of what I did when. I also buy an international data plan for my iPhone. Very happy that ATT now has 120 mb for the smallest data plan, I could keep in tough with emails once a day if the hotel didn't have wifi. The maps feature has saved a lot of wrong turns and un twisting my sense of direction!

Why look at a map on your phone, when you can find a local and ask for
directions and spend a few extra minutes chatting with a person. I
think that is half the fun of traveling is meeting people who will
talk to you and what better way to start then "dove san marco?"

Personally, for non-hazardous navigation, I'll trust an updated map over personal directions anytime. I think this boils down to different navigational skills and preferences. I don't like being given directions, I like to get my bearings (maps) and thus situate myself so I can reach my destination. So digital maps reduce the need to carry lots of maps since you can scale them to your need and they don't take space. I'd still ask a park ranger about the conditions on that day of a tricky isolated trek on a vast national park, but I like not having to ask directions when stopping at a random tiny village and wanting to find what is there to see (I just Google and plug it on maps).

Why go to a place that 463 people in the US give 4 stars to, when you
can find a local start up a conversation and get their recomendations
that none of those 463 people have never been too, and who knows you
may even have company for dinner.

In my case, because I trust the "Law of Great Numbers": one person or many people might be wrong, chances a single person is terribly wrong are much greater than chances an average of many people are terribly wrong. More importantly, native Europeans are also going digital as well, to varying degrees. So if you grasp a bit of the language, you can read reviews of locals on their language and get an idea. Doesn't need to be reviews of American tourists (also, these days many foreign people from places other than US write reviews in English including people traveling from other European countries).

============

Then, again, there is a measure of travel style preferences in play, I think. For instance, on the same series I mentioned on the FP there were some 4 articles written by sociologist, psychologist and 2 professionals I forgot discussing the effects of an "always online" society. One of the points made there is that Dutch trains (on Dutch press) are stopping being socialization places where people would just talk casually and sometimes meet the love of their lives: everybody is plugged in, popularity of "silent coaches" is exploding and what would have been a former "random encounter space" is no more as recent research shows almost 2/3 of adult passengers are using some device or reading or doing something that says "don't disturb me" while traveling. Then all sorts of comments follow, from people loving the new paradigm of no more boredom to others that feel for social isolation as people become more picky of who can get their attention.

When we were in San Fran and going back to our accom on the MUNI in the evening - if there were say 3 dozen people in our car, 30 of them had their faces buried in a smartphone or whatnot. I'd give my husband a knowing look...but if I lived there and did that journey every day...I might be doing the same thing...if you've seen that view hundreds of times, well, it's not interesting like it is to a visitor to the city where everything is new. Did anyone catch the story of the guy waving a gun around on the San Fran MUNI...NO ONE NOTICES because they are all too busy staring at screens...and he shot and killed someone...now that level of distraction is just too much...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/san-francisco-train-shooting_n_4066930.html

I practically live on the Internet---and at the library---in the months before we travel but have little need for Internet or connection once we are abroad. We have moved from laptop to iPad to iPhone and only WiFi. Other than occasionally emailing people back home to let them know we are still alive or checking the OSU score, we do quite well without it.

To comment to Andre L last post.

On my recent trip using the trains i noticed that on a couple of them they announced over the Pubic Address system which cars were "quite" cars. Dont know if that translated into "sleep" or "people with faces glued to screen" car since these were late morning trains. In any case i had some fun, interesting and humbling conversations on the non "quite" train cars.

happy trails.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is how the internet has allowed many of us to travel much more frequently than used to be possible. Due to work constrains, one or two trips out of the country a year was all that was ever possible for us. Throw in unmatching work schedules and forget it. Not anymore. We go just as often as we can now and usually no more than a few weeks notice. I'm in London now on a last minute trip with my husband and at least one, if not both of us have been on conference calls or working on proposals at some point each day all on the iPad/iphone and the apartment wifi connection and once in a pub yesterday. We could have never done that a decade ago. I'm actually making dinner reservations right now for tonight and checking work emails while my husband is watching the Auburn/Tennessee game on his ipad. Can't wait to see what it's like in 5 years!

Leslie makes a great point. My son and daughter-in-law have been able to join us in Europe because they could work part of the time using the internet. Otherwise, they would've had to stay home to take care of critical business. Of course they're also able to travel on their own doing that, too.

My wife and I are retired so we use our iPhones and iPads in Europe like we do at home: to stay in touch, get information and for entertainment such as Kindle books. Formerly we would get local SIM cards for our older unlocked iPhones to have phone service as well as data access when there was no wifi. Now we have TMobile so we can just use our newer iPhones without doing anything and not run up a big bill.

Ray - the "quiet car" is the reverse of what you think. It means "no mobile phones, music players or videos".

@ Philip,

Thanks. thats what i was thinking, but sometimes i think differently than others.

happy trails.

Philip, I don't know the deatails about UK, but in Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland (that I know of), the restrictions are on noise, not on using devices. Using a laptop or a smarpthone for anything other than speaking is acceptable (except if you are listening to music loud enough to be hears by someone else).

I consider my smartphone an invaluable travel tool. I would say that it stays in my bag for the majority of the time I am traveling, but is it has its uses when it comes out: alarm clock, organizer (itinerary, reservation confirmations, flight info, train info, etc.), weather forecasting, music, audio tour guide, maps (city, subway, etc.), Facetime, one and only camera, storing copies of my passport, drivers license, credit card, etc., email, flashlight, Sudoku, Capital One app to check spending, mirror, notes, and others that I am forgetting.
I don't think it's fair to say that just because I use it as a travel tool that I am missing out on the experience of traveling, in fact, it makes it more efficient. If you saw me, you wouldn't even know that I had it.
On a another note, I have not found it useful in replacing a guidebook, so I carry that around in addition.

When I travel to Europe I do not bring any computerized equipment with me. I do not need it. My thoughts on this topic are the same as the reply from Russ at Paradise (dated 11/07/13 at 8:55 A.M.), and the reply from Fred at San Francisco (dated 11/07/13 at 3:21 P.M.). When I am on vacation in Europe, I am on vacation from computers. At Europe, I carry my thin and light-weight journal book, I write in it, daily, using an ink pen. And I carry a small digital camera, and a small tape recorder for recording talking and other sounds at Europe.
Here at the Travel Helpline, I enjoyed reading the replies from Ray at Portland in Oregon. I think his replies in this discussion thread were great ! And, I appreciate James' sense of humor in his reply dated 11/09/13 at 6:14 P.M.

@ mariam,

I don't think it's fair to say that just because I use it as a travel tool that I am missing out on the experience of traveling, in fact, it makes it more efficient.

Yes, it can and probably is more efficient. side note...dejavu...this is almost out of the Orignal Star Trek. Dr. McCoy vs Spock.

You maybe using less than others around you. Its your life and your toy so do as you please. I wouldnt let someone here tell you not to or to persuade you to change. also, if you dont feel if youre missing out, then who am i to say you are. I posted and replied on what i observe last year and this on my travels. its my opinion/observation, not fact.

just for fun, the next time youre at an major attraction, stop and look around you. see who is looking at the attraction and who is looking at their e stuff.

just something to think about, i think its a matter of time before theyre able to wire that stuff in humans....just like the borg.....resistance is futile.....

@ ROn,

Im glad you enjoyed it.

happy trails.

@ Ron..."I don't need it" either and don't want to be responsible for all this techno stuff. Using call shops, internet cafes, and pay phones with phone cards in Germany suffices. The cell phone is just for absolute emergencies, always loaded.

Thanks for the follow up. I do feel a little defeated though that this has probably become the latest in the moneybelt/no moneybelt, carry passport with you/not with you, etc. discussions.
I guess in my everyday life, I am nowhere near being overrun by electrical devices, so using it for things here and there while on holiday does not feel overwhelming.
I do agree that some are probably too attached to it. I work in a high school and on my way down the stairs to exit the building the other day, I counted dozens of students sitting for their rides glued to their devices rather than conversing.
Sorry, not a Star Trek viewer. I am Dr. McCoy or Spock?

I haven't used internet specifically while traveling in Europe much, but I use non-internet apps on my iPhone. I do use the internet extensively while planning a trip to Europe.

Thanks to my iPhone I can ditch the physical guide books. I have those loaded on my phone as e-books. I have several off-line maps loaded, so I don't need to fumble with large paper maps on crowded city sidewalks. Almost anything that I used to print off and bring with me can instead be saved as a PDF and accessed on my phone. In a few weeks I'll be visiting several German Christmas markets. Each market has a brochure with a map and a schedule of events. I have saved all of those on my phone. I have an app for public transportation, so now I know which subway or tram I need before I get to the platform.

There's also several apps that aren't specifically travel apps. I use the notepad app for all sorts of small bits of information rather than carrying around an actual notepad. I've used that to help remember the code to the front door of the VRBO apartment or the name of that obscure artist I saw at the museum. I use a units converter because I'm not good I going from square meters to square feet in my head. Only a few other people have mentioned it, but the flashlight app has been surprisingly useful. At the apartment in Paris I never did find the light switch in the hall (I don't think the locals knew where it was either since I never saw the light on, even when other people where in the hall), but with the flashlight app it didn't matter.

There's also a variety of language apps that can either help you learn a few phrases in a new language or can be used to display a phrase to a native speaker if you've reached a roadblock in communication.

For all those people who keep photos of their children and pets in their wallet to show to strangers that they meet (do people still do that?), this can now be done much more easily on your phone. If I don't feel like carrying a larger camera with me, at least I can still take a good picture on my phone.

Essentially my iPhone works as a mobile library (and more). I will have my phone with me anyway, so not only is it not taking up space, it is replacing several physical items I would otherwise need to carry.

Can't imagine only speaking to loved ones on a month's travel only twice, especially when so many things are free!
Use my Dell Streak 7 at night for next days plans or even extra camera!

Happy Travels!

The internet is something that I find to be important when booking a hotel only because I tend to extend my trips as they are coming to an end. Having my laptop and internet allows me to contact the airline & dog kennel to change dates, it also allows me to find another hotel in case the one I'm staying in has no availability. Having the internet is also helpful because I'm very close to my parents, so I like using Skype to show the scenery outside of my hotel window.

I can't imagine traveling without it. That does not mean that I travel with my nose in my iPad any more than I traveled in the past with my nose in book. I love info about the places I go so and used to travel everywhere with a library. I'm sooooo happy to put that library on my iPad which can also be an entertainment center, a research center and the occasional camera. I still am looking at the painting, but now instead of reading, I can be listening to an audio explanation of the artwork. There is a free app for MOMA here in NYC which it great. I always search to see if any Museum I visit has something similar.

I don't have a problem carrying my iPad. I carry it every day in the US in my walk/bus trek to work. I've finally landed on a messenger type bag that has a cross body strap. I am sure I will do exactly the same on my next trip to Europe.

BTW quiet cars exist here in the US as well. These cars where you do not talk. If you have a conversation with a seat mate, the expectation is that you will murmur and not disturb others. These exist on metro North and New Jersey Transit and I think even AmTrak. :) As mentioned you can use your device, but must turn off off all noises.

Pam

We use iPhones at home but haven't bothered to use them much in Europe. We plan everything before we leave so it's mostly just bus schedules or tube maps.

We take a MacBook Air which we use each evening after our touring to download photos and create a blog for our family and friends. Then, when we return home, we turn the blog into a photo book using Shutterfly. Since we write the blog each night, it's still fresh in our minds. We've done this for the last four years.

We also check our email in the morning before leaving the hotel and in the evening after we're done touring, but we only respond to family and close friends.

We make sure our hotels/B&Bs have free wifi before we reserve our rooms.

I have come to the point that I will not stay in a hotel that does not offer free Wi-Fi. I cannot imagine traveling any longer without my Iphone. It is the only electronic device I bring. Amazingly, I never purchase any special data or phone packages. Through the use of Skype, wifi, emails and texting, the typical extra cost I pay for two weeks in Europe is $3.

Before any trip, I research a TON about where I'm going, local customs, best routes, places to stay, best places to eat, etc. I travel alone so the more I know, the more secure and confident I feel.

On location, I like to use my phone for maps and GPS (I'm pretty "directionally challenged"). I'm also a foodie, so I like to look up high rated restaurants, though I've found it's helpful to ask locals for their suggestions too. I also download Rick Steves' guidebooks to my phone so I don't have to lug around a book. I skype with my family too on occasion.

Some people use high tech devices for travel, some do not, and both ways are fine.

Hi Andre,

FYI, I wanted to let you know that TripAdvisor is working on exactly what you mentioned above in your question (augmented reality-bout having info at your fingertips about each thing you stop to see, such as a painting at a museum). They are located here in Massachusetts and I recently saw a short report about it on a local news magazine-type tv show. I'm sure they're not the only ones trying to do this, but I thought I'd let you know it should be happening in the next few years. Keep your eyes out for it!

I'm with you on this Andre, Internet is essential when we travel. My daughter has a health condition and on our last trip overseas we had to fly back to Australia quickly. We would have been lost without the iPad to book flights back home and to keep in touch with the family. My husband and I travel with a phone each, I have a kindle (easier on the eyes) and we share the iPad between us. My husband needs to keep up to date with the stock market and we also use internet for booking flights, accommodation, checks out guide books, maps etc. the pad stays in our hotel safe most days and we use our phones while out and about. We both like to keep up to date with the news back home too. I remember the days when we didn't have mobiles and computers but now that we have them we'd be lost without them.

Interesting to see this thread get pushed up right when I'd ordered a new Garmin GPS for our upcoming Europe trip. (it's a refurbished one where it wasn't that much more than just buying the map set for our current nuvi) As someone whose vacations usually involve a lot of self-drive and additional self-navigation, I find that it dramatically reduces our stress levels on the road. Before a trip, I program the location of our hotels and planned attractions in there so that all it takes is a push of a button to show us where we need to go. Miss a highway exit because you couldn't get across a couple lanes of traffic in time? The unit will recalculate the route on the spot so you can just keep going until the next exit and find your way without fuss. Want to see where that interesting looking side road goes to? No worries because once it's been explored, you just hit the touch screen a few times and you're sent back to the hotel. And while it's not perfect, it generally does a really excellent job in getting us through a one way street maze when driving in an urban core can't be avoided. I'm also looking forward to trying out the new nuvi's 'get there by public transportation' route option.

We finally recently got a smartphone, and one of the selling points was being able to figure out traffic issues in rural areas. We were coming back from Sarasota at Thanksgiving, and started to hit bad traffic congestion where I-75 and the turnpike meet. Called a friend at their house and had them check the Florida Highway Patrol traffic incidents web site from their PC- turns out I-75 was entirely closed up by Ocala because of a huge wreck. With a smartphone, we can check with the FHP directly on the intrawebs and try to figure out a detour even sooner.

I also like the smartphone apps for things like virtual boarding passes- nice to have one less piece of paper to try to keep track of.