Tech. Free Trip

Michelle,, it has never occurred to me to travel with any of that stuff,, and frankly, no one NEEDS it. I buy and use a phone card. And, this past trip to Paris I called home twice from my hotel,, and guess what the charges were,, long distance, Paris to Victoria B.C. ( west coast Canada)),, from my room,, each call at least 10-15 minutes long.. The first call was 4.25 euros, and the second one was 5 euros. Thats it. So bo insane charges like one hears about.

Years ago my friend and I travelled all over europe,, at age 23, with none of that stuff( cause it didn't exisit back them, LOL) and we survived just fine. We called home once to say we arrived,, then once or twice after that,,we did not need to call every few days.

Nowadays it seems like people want to go away,, but not really be away.. LOL

Michelle,

I've been travelling with a Cell Phone for several years mainly because it's a convenience for me. I'm very guarded with my number and basically only family and few other "select" people are given the number. I use voice calls very sparingly and keep in touch with my family mostly with text.

The Cell phone proved to be a very worthwhile travel accessory on a trip to France in June. My primary ATM card wasn't working so I resorted to my backup card (which was issued by the same Bank). My financial institution noticed the "change of use" and called me to enquire and to determine the reason for this. It's a good thing we got that sorted promptly, as the alternative would have been that BOTH of my cards would have been "locked" and I would have run out of cash very quickly!

If there are those that want to travel "unplugged", that's their choice. However, I will continue to travel with a Cell phone.

Cheers!

I finally convinced my travel partner to leave her laptop at home . . . but not her Crackberry. I will admit I got a little weary researching the correct hardware and most advantageous phone/web plans. But as we are making reservations on-the-fly we will use our smartphone to surf hotel sites and make room and museum reservations - very convenient. I do, however, envision myself prying the phone from her hands as we drive through scenic areas!

If you don't work, or work for someone else where your absence isn't that important, then perhaps you can go tech free. (And to say no one needs it shows naivete.)

I, however, run my own business. I don't make lots of phone calls while traveling but being reachable by email is important. In fact, it's because of the newest technology that I can take extended vacations. In the old days, I was calling back to the U.S. on a regular basis or would check to see if anyone called. Now, all they have to do is email and they do that only if necessary. (I do not carry a computer with me. Mostly a wifi PDA but I'm upgrading to a crackberry. )

I also use the internet to change plans, look up info, and confirm reservations.

Oy Vey, Is this topic gonna be the like the "should I wear shorts" debate? Would "tech free" also include no electric razors, hair dryers, curling irons, cameras, or ipods? How about this crazy concept: if you don't want to travel with any toys with then don't. If you like bring along a few gadgets (like myself) go for it.

Michelle, for the first time this year i will have a cell phone. On my last 2 trips to Europe, we ran in some delays, we got lost in France and our train got delayed in Switzerland (imagine that!), both times it was very late at night and we needed to call our next hotels to let them know of our very late arrival. We also think it will be good to havea cell in case of emergency. I now travel with my notebook, because i want to keep in touch with my son, i would not travel without it anymore.

I travel at home and abroad without a cell phone. However, pay phones are fewer and farther between than they used to be. So, in an emergency or delayed plans, it can be difficult to find a phone to use if you don't have a cell. In England a couple of years ago I arrived, in the rain, at a smallish train station. I wanted to call my B&B host or a taxi for a lift to my B&B. There was no phone at the station. "It's down at the corner," is what the stationmaster told me. After I walked to the B&B (fortunately, it had quit raining) I told the B&B host that I had not been able to call him. He asked me why I didn't just "borrow a phone from someone." If I can get a cheap cell phone in England next month, I'm considering getting one. Like here, in Europe the expectation is that everyone can make a call from wherever they are, so public services have dropped off. If you are in your hotel room, you may have a telephone. Some of the rooms (inexpensive) that I stay in have no phones.

I too made trips to Europe years ago without any technology--of course it didn't exist then. But I also traveled then without travel insurance, health insurance, sunscreen, or decent walking shoes. I wouldn't do any of those things today.

I wouldn't think of being without a cellphone. It weighs practically nothing, but when you need one, you really need it. On my last month-long trip to Europe, one of my aging parents was hospitalized for an emergency procedure. It gave me immense peace of mind to be able to call frequently for updates on the situation.

It all depends on your relationship to the technology in question. If you are addicted to the cellphone and can't stop yourself from calling or texting people constantly, then I can see that it might get in the way of experiencing Europe. But if you use cellphones sensibly, they won't get in the way of your vacation.

Well there you have it,, people wanting to go away,, without being away( out of touch)!

My husband and I find we can leave our business in competent hands,, so we just go and let them deal with issues. A phone call home once a week seems to work for us... so we don't bother with a cell. Mind you we do tend to stay in places for at least 5 or 6 days at a time,, hence we have lists made of the places we stay at ,, so we could be contacted in an emergency. We have just been lucky that we have yet to have an emergency important enough for staff to call us on vacation,, or something they couldn't handle.

It does seem others really feel the need to still be in touch.

I thnk if one rents a car and travels alot ,, then a cell phone may be handy for some emergencies while on road.. I don't know,, as I am sure I wouldn't even know who to phone in the middle of nowhere! LOL

We do not keep in touch with family while away every day,, so a call once a week seems to do fine for us.I know I have read that some people do like to call alot more often.

To each his own,, but, I do stand by my "no one NEEDS' all the tech,, they are really still conveneicnes.. as people have travelled for the last few thousand years without them..

No one needs to have a bathroom in their room--it's just a convenience;

No one needs to have air-conditioning in the summer--it's just a convenience;

No one needs to have wheels on their luggage--it's just a convenience;

No one needs to take a plane to Europe when a boat will do--it's just a convenience.

No one needs to use the internet to plan their trips when a guidebook and stationary will do--it's just a convenience.

People have traveled without any of these for thousands of years.

One person's convenience is another persons necessity.

Are the donkey tours ready to go yet? They have been fine for thousands of years, so forget that bus tour.

p.s. LOL

After not having a cell phone with us on our first trip to Europe and really needing one -- emergency-type problems -- we take one with us now. I'd rather have it and not need it than vice versa. We also took a netbook computer with us this year and found it very helpful. We've finally learned to pack light enough that it's not a problem.
I do not communicate with work while I'm gone.

I have mixed feelings about it. I know when to put my phone(blackberry) and computer down. 99% of the time I am traveling alone. So my phone is my safety net, my back up file system, my map, my back up camera, and my reminder of things I want to do. My computer (netbook) is my way of letting my friends and family back home see what I am doing.

But like I said I know when to put them down and enjoy what is going on around me. Now my friend that is going with me on this trip next week has me worried. She bought an Iphone just so she can stay in touch with her friends while she is gone. I know it's going to be a huge issue.

Let me add....My Blackberry....

--allows me to download all my reservation and confirmation information including itinerary

--acts as an address book

--has built in GPS so I don't need to keep taking out a map

--has a built in Mp3 player to provide entertainment on long train and plane rides

--allows me to check the weather ahead to know what to expect

--let's be browse the web in case I need or want to change my itinerary or reservations

--let's me keep in touch with others

--acts as a back-up camera

--lots of travel related apps available for download to make life easier

--can download a dictionary to help me translate

--no need to look for wifi spots as it works almost all over Europe.

--plus many more.

It makes my travel easier. And aren't we all looking for ways to make travel easier?

I'm really finding this whole conversation interesting. I left the USA 7 years ago, before wifi, texting, blackberries, GPS, netbooks....So i'm really out of touch with the typical American's relationship with technology. Keep it coming. I need to prepare myself for culture shock for when I move back to the USA.

Frank II is right. Everyone has their own way of doing things and just because you couldn't do something in the past is no reason to dismiss it now. No one forces anyone else to bring something with them (cell phone, etc.) and if you don't want to do it yourself, just don't do it. It is not fair be critical of someone else if they choose to do things a different way.

Hi,

All we take is a calling card so we can call home. I won't even look at the news, a newspaper, etc. I can see enough of that at home. I prefer not to be "connected" while I'm away.

Paul

do I NEED to have my netbook or laptop...NO....
I traveled last two trips without it....on my last trip to Mexico I took it and glad I did.

there were many times I wished I had it with me not having to rely on hotels or cafes....
so it is coming.

Cell phone is something that I am not so concerned about.

I think it is a personal choice.

"...So i'm really out of touch with the typical American's relationship with technology. Keep it coming. I need to prepare myself for culture shock for when I move back to the USA...."

America's relationship with technology???? I didn't realize Europeans were so "Amish". I don't know how to break this to you but the largest Cell phone manufacturer is European: Noikia. And guess what, according to the Economist, Italy has the second highest rate of of cell phone ownership by capita in the world. The US and Canada don't even register in the top 50 (http://tinyurl.com/noz8ll). It would be more prudent to ask your friends and neighbors in Vicenza how they cope.

The post guidelines say that the post must be about European travel. This thread is about the advantages and disadvantages of traveling with technology. That surely meets the guidelines from my perspective.

I've found that you really need a cell phone. I remember traveling a several years ago without one and everyone wanted my mobile number. It certainly would have made things easier with our rental car on Orkney. Since then it's made it easier when I'm being met, to check on reservations, to touch base with my dad when he was ill and more.

You can get away and have your personal technology with you. If you take the company email with you it's a bit more difficult to be separated. This year I am taking my lap top. I'm doing a walking trip with lots of photographs and I'm so looking forward to uploading each night and sharing them with my walking friends over a ale or a whisky.

I too was thinking of getting a British phone, but since I don't have a person cell phone, I've decided to get my own iPhone. I know exactly how to turn off the data--thank you everyone who has posted about this over the last few months!

Pam

Another interesting discussion / debate on the HelpLine! When I first read the OP, I had no idea it was going to turn into such a "hornet's nest".

To add to my original post, I'll probably be adding a Netbook to my travel gear on the next trip as well, as it will be for my convenience. I've resisted packing a computer along so far, but I've been finding that an increasing number of lodgings are providing Wi-Fi for guests. Since I usually travel solo, I like to be able to keep in touch with my family back home every few days. This will eliminate trips to the Net Cafe.

I found on my trip a few months ago, that I was often touring and dining well into the evening, and the Net Cafes were usually closed when I needed them. Having a Netbook will be much more convenient, as I can take care of E-mail later in the evening.

Although some hotels these days often have one Internet terminal in the lobby, I've found those tend to be "in use" much to the time by other guests. In addition to E-mail, the Netbook would also be useful for photo back-up, something that is always important on my trips. One other benefit of packing a Netbook is that I won't have to deal with the variety of Keyboards used in Europe (the French keyboards just about drove me crazy!).

Cheers!

Andrea, I wasn't being critical of anyone,, I was stating my opinion,, which is ,, you can travel quite nicely without all that stuff, thats its an" extra" ,, people still do ,, just because you do not agree does not make you any better dear. Now,, did you actually have anything to post about the subject, what is YOUR reply to
Michelles post,, I mean, the point of the forum is to answer the OPs post first,, then perhaps discuss opinions.. not just wiegh in on others opinions.

Cellphones are debatable if they are necessary, but my wife and I find traveling with other tech part of the experience. We enjoy blogging from where we are staying, uploading photos to facebook so family and friends can follow along on our travels, and the benefits of having an email connection that doesn't cost 7E an hour and you have to deal with a crappy computer where the keyboard is laid out in a different configuration that you are used to.

Granted our last trip we were a little tech heavy. We did have our SLR with a couple lenses, a netbook and various iPods, etc. While we used them every day and night I have to say I got tired of dragging them around.

I can understand why folks might take the position that they personally are willing not to have phones with them, taking their chances that an emergency won't occur. But I am honestly at a loss as to why people would take the position that no one else needs to take their phones while they travel.

Count your blessings if you have been so fortunate as to have led a charmed life and never had an emergency while you were away. Many of us have not been so lucky, and many are not willing to roll the dice that they will be so lucky in the future.

Mike S. in NY said, "America's relationship with technology???? I didn't realize Europeans were so "Amish"." I don't know about the rest of Europe, but Italians seem to be able to put thier phones/computers away. It's illegal to use a cell phone and drive, so that is not an issue here. People rarely take or make phone calls when at a restraunt or cafe. Never seen 'crack berry' addicts. Teens are testing all the time, but that's to be expected. We have all the technology, but it doesn't seem to me that Italians see thier phone or computer as an extension of themselves as many American's do.

Michelle, it may be a bit off topic,, but thats like the whole car thing.. in America, ( Northern America) many teens expect to have a car, or assess to one,, by age 17 or 18 .. even IF they live in a city with decent public transportation.. as opposed many people in Europe( teens or adults) who don't even own a car.

Jon,

"We enjoy blogging from where we are staying, uploading photos to facebook so family and friends can follow along on our travels"

I've thought of Blogging and uploading photos, but in my case I suspect it would be a waste of valuable travel time, as I suspect most of my family and friends wouldn't even bother to read it. I have enough trouble getting them to sit still through a short slideshow, so I'm sure a Blog wouldn't be well received.

Cheers!

I am with you totally, Michelle.

I dont even own a cell phone. I dont like them. I dont understand why people have such a need to be connected to everything, i.e. cell phones, netbooks, etc.

I always enjoy doing what I want with no one bothering me. If I am on vacation especially, I want to be left in Peace. Thats what its all about.

I suppose if I had an emergency, I would find a way to deal with it. If im in London, I can dial 999 from a phone box. Not a huge deal - they are everywhere!

After I land at my destination, I usually make a trip to an internet cafe just to email and let my husband know I made it ok (I prefer travelling alone) and after a week, I usually upload pics to my Facebook site in case something happens to my camera,etc. Otherwise, unplugged and happy.

I would really rather not know whats going on back home, as that is the reason why I am leaving in the first place - to get time to myself, for only myself and no one else. May sound selfish but, yes, I have learned to be selfish once a year when I escape from it all .... :)

Ken,

We generally did all that stuff before we went to sleep at night in the hotel room. We had wireless at pretty much every place we stayed at, so it was convenient. Didn't really do much else of that stuff any other time except one day in Paris when we were exhausted and sat in a park under the Eiffel Tower for a few hours and watched the locals while using the civic free Wifi. It was a great experience.

In regards to the blog, my mom and other close family members followed it, but we mostly did it as a travel journal for ourselves. Now we can go back and read everything we did each day and see the pictures we took that we have linked in.

Quote from Pats post:

"I do stand by my "no one NEEDS' all the tech,, they are really still conveneicnes.. as people have travelled for the last few thousand years without them.."

Telling people they shouldn't "need" something just because you personally don't "need" it, is no longer an opinion, it becomes a judgement.

Criticizing other posters about their posts not being "helpful" to the OP is like the pot calling the kettle black, if you catch my drift.

Everyone should be allowed to travel in the style that suits them without having others dump weird guilt trips on them with their judgement calls. Check bags or not? Train or car? Cell phone or not? Chain hotel or B&B? Tour or not? 3* or 5* or hostel? Shopping or not shopping? It just doesn't matter!

Let us try a little live and let live and also try to be kinder to each other.

Sorry this is off topic, but..

Ken, count me in as a reader of your blog should you decide to do one and share it with us!

Several years ago, my wife and I were in Hawaii when our son-in-law had a heart attack and died. We flew home immediately to be with our daughter when she really needed us. Without cell phones, we wouldn't have known until we got back that this tragedy occured. Our daughter and our grandchildren were glad we kept in touch.

"...It's illegal to use a cell phone and drive, so that is not an issue here....."

It's illegal to use a cell phone and drive in New York State as well, but that doesn't deter many people. When I was in Milan last year, the locals seemed to be in love with their mobile technology. The largest mobile provider in the world is a European Company: Vodafone.

Pat, you are so quick to be critical and judgmental of others. You were stating your opinion and I was stating mine. I was simply agreeing with Frank II and saying that just because something hasn't been done in the past is no reason to not do it now - if it is right for you. I was in no way saying that I am better than others and I don't know where you got that from. You presume by my post that I must disagree with you and take all that technology with me. You would be incorrect. I have never taken a computer or netbook. I do now take my cell phone for emergencies. My father became gravely ill while I was in Hawaii and I was glad that I was in touch with my family. You can not predict what may happen while you are away, and a cell phone is a small thing to bring with you. And if someone wants to take their laptop, so what? No one is asking me to carry it for them, so I don't care what they bring. The bottom line Pat is that you should not be so quick to judge people. You have no idea about anyone's life but your own.

Michelle, you are in for some culture shock back in ths USA. Here are a few guidelines. Be sure to talk loudly into your phone, especially in restaurants and stores. Everyone else wants to know your business. Reveal as many personal details as possible in your conversation. Fights with your spouse/kids/in-laws, arguments with bill collectors, work problems-these are all very interesting to the people around you. If a sales clerk or server tries to talk to you, just wave them away. Your phone conversation is way more important. If that store employee then turns to another customer, be sure to get mad at him/her for being so rude. (Hhmm...can anyone tell I work retail?)

It was always my impression that Europeans went Mobile faster that we did. It seemed to me like the pay phones vanished and the phone card became a relic of the past. I am going to have to observe mobile phone behavior on my trip this week and next. Do Europeans practice the rude cell phone behavior that Karen suffers from in retail. I think one of the oddest things to see is a table at a restaurant with everyone talking on their phone. ; ) If you haven't seen Julie and Julia look for the scene! Pam

We haven't travelled with a cellphone to Europe but are conscious of potential emergencies back at home. We check email but have also given "our people" at home the phone numbers of where we are staying. Maybe this is naive?? Has anyone had experiences where the accommodation has taken a call from N. America and told or not told you about it?

Angela,

Thanks for your post! That might just be the motivation and inspiration I need to give Blogging a try.

Now, if I could only figure out how it all works and which Blog service to use!!!

Cheers!

"It's illegal to use a cell phone and drive in New York State as well, but that doesn't deter many people. "

It's harder to drive stick (majority of the cars in Italy) and talk on your phone at the same time.

That's why god invented bluetooth and hands free accessories.

Michelle, I'm with you, although I do carry my cell phone when I travel for emergencies that I get in. or if my parents call. I certainly don't use it to chat with friends. I'll go on the internet if it's available and if I need some downtime, not really to communicate with friends so much, but so I don't have as many e-mails to check when I get home. Also, I've lived in Germany and Italy since March 02 (except for 4 months this past fall) and you're right, Italians and Germans aren't attached to their technology like Americans are. I work on an Army base so I'm around lots of Americans, and I swear, some people can't go to the bathroom in a restaurant without taking their cell phone! But then again, I prefer to stay low :)

Just because someone brings a cell phone to Europe doesn't mean they're bringing it so they can call home and chat about what's going on all the time. We are bringing ours to make calls in country and to call each other should be decide to do different activities and we need to contact one another. Even here, I get annoyed with people who are constantly on their cell phone. But when traveling, it's a bit of security having that convenience. I don't travel with my computer, either. But I will definitely go to a cybercafe to check my email and give people all the details of the fun stuff that we've done. But if someone has the space in their luggage to bring their computer, more power to them. It's a pretty sweet convenience to be able to book train tickets, check in for your flights, find good restaurants, get maps, etc. To each his own!

Some of us can remember that when you went to Europe the only connection you had were air letters that took a couple of weeks to cross the ocean even with air mail. There is a happy medium between silence for two weeks and calling home hourly. When I was a student in German in the 70's I went to Greece for a three-week between terms trip. My plans fell apart completely and I ended traveling alone at 19 in Greece and headed for Italy. Being typical teenager, I sent a postcard home mentioning this. When I got back to German three weeks later there was a message to call home immediately.

We take instant communications for granted and often curse them for the way they tie us to jobs and other responsibilities. But we should remember the tensions that existed before we had the ability to communicate daily affordably.

Pam

What a fascinating thread! I did both of my trips to Italy sans technology (no phone, no computer). Especially for the second trip, we debated long and hard about buying a Mobal phone or similiar, particularly as our B&B hostess in Orvieto wanted us to call her from the train station when we arrived. We use Tracfone in the U.S. which is pre-paid and doesn't work outside of North America.

Eventually we decided the cost and hassle wasn't worth it and gambled. We also got an entertaining lesson in how (not) to operate Italian pay phones. A phone would have been nice, but turned out to not be necessary. I did visit a couple of internet cafes to check in back home.

The next time I head to Europe will likely be as a solo traveler, in which case I almost certainly WILL carry a phone, for safety's sake. As with just about everything else having to do with travel, it depends on your particular circumstances and needs.

I wouldn't travel with a computer, mostly because I wouldn't want to carry it around, but I can understand why people do. I do take my cellphone, mostly for my own piece of mind. A few years ago, I was in Greece when my father ended up in the cardiac ICU...I was very glad to have my cell phone to keep up with the news. Thankfully he got through it, but since then, I will not travel without my cell. AS the OP said 'A vacation to me is...' which I think is key--we each have different ideas of what constitutes a vacation, it's hardly surprising that we don't all do things the same!

Cheers

Last year in Italy I had my phone, but not my charger, LOL! I DID have my computer and used it to make reservations (or cancel reservations) along the way, to check email and to upload my photos each night. The folks I was traveling with were on their cell phones a lot. One woman in particular spoke to her husband several times a day EVERY day. I hate to think what their cell phone bill looked like that month. Interestingly, as someone who calls her elderly parents almost daily, I didn't miss the phone at all. Being able to catch up via email was fine. So I guess my take on it is that while I don't mind being somewhat out of touch, I like having SOME easy means of touching base with my family and I LOVED being able to look at my photos on my lap top every day. The fact that my camera ended up getting stolen made me that much more grateful for the computer because I didn't lose a single photograph that I had taken.