The Modern Age of Travel

How bloody awesome is it?

Can you imagine travelling for long stretches without the ability to Skype home? Maybe it costs you less than a dollar. Maybe 10. But way back when, you probably had to out your way to send an expensive telegram, or post a letter that would reach them in weeks, or just a phonecall that would cost you $40.

And how about carrying a laptop with you that lets you Skype in private? Wifi. God bless Wifi.

Travel websites and travel forums where you can discuss with others, get tips from English-speaking people who have been in the dark corners of India or survived lavish cities on a shoestring budget. Lonely Planet may get some dissing these days because it’s “too mainstream” but heck. Those guys revolutionized the way we travel. How did they make it so damn reliable? How many of us citykids would dare to wander out if not for handbooks that just smooth out a little bit of the unpredictability?

When you want to stick your nose up at the mainstream, you can find all sorts of other lesser known portals or independent travel blogs. Or read a whole bunch of sites and chart your own tips for your holidays. Best place to find temp jobs, best vineyards, best beach resort, that little old guy in the little old village who will help you out.. It’s amazing. As long as you know where to read, you can find the good stuff. Which is the other thing — the internet. Travellers don’t want to keep their knowledge to themselves — being able to publish online for free is yet another charm that I’m sure the old-school guys wish they’d had.

I’ve found myself wondering about these things when I was travelling. Especially Skype and the ability to beg your parents to send you some moolah that you can withdraw the next day. Seriously, that is awesome.

Cheaper flights, budget airlines, more bus companies and holy-groupon-batman cheap couponing… it’s amazing that travel is so much more accessible.

Of course there is the flip side. Like how everyone imagines they are a traveller just because they bought a camera and a plane ticket. But then again, if that’s the price for us to open our eyes, why not? Better that than people being ignorant douchebags spending their money on stupid things right?

Also we never truly escape because we spend so much time still connected with home.
Well for me, I still like some safety. So while I may not be doing the “authentic travel” rustling in dry bushes and scouring for bugs to eat or exploring a new religion in the mountains… I still think it’s amazing what a difference travel can make.