Has the internet ruined traveling?

U

utagaura

Active Member
I did a bit of traveling before I could search online and find a forum/video of everywhere in the world and I wonder if it makes the traveling 'less exciting'

Now it seems, you can book even the most backwater hostels online, whereas it used to be you had to rely on your lonely planet map or show up and try and find somewhere to stay. Also, without google-imaging eveything, I really had no idea what many of the places I was going to would look like before I arrived. Now I can go on to youtube and take a video tour of almost anywhere in the world.

lonelyplanet was the first forum I ever went on back in the late 90s and even then there were no photos/ videos or booking hotels online.

Even on here, if at the beginning of the season someone talks about some great new track at Spsace, all I have to do is youtube it and I can see it.

booo to the internet I say!
 
This is an interesting post! I think it's somewhat of a double edged sword - on the one hand, being able to research everything online can be tremendously helpful so that you do know what to expect in terms of travel logistics like pricing, sightseeing information, etc. But on the other side, it sure does take a lot of the inital excitement out of seeing things for the first time. I've often found myself saying "oh, I remember seeing that on youtube and it looks just the same!". Also, sometimes things can be a real downer if the information you've seen online is exaggerated and then when you get somewhere or see something along your travels, it can be disappointing that it didn't live up to your expectations.

But when it comes down to the final point, I think I'd have to take the side of being thankful that so much information is available, because it tends to make me become even more excited about the prospect to travel to new places. It's also kind of like an incentive too to actually get up and go!

Anyways, just my thought on the topic. :)
 
I'd take it one step further and say who the feck wants to travel with a mobile phone??? :confused:

It's the norm nowadays but I loved not having a phone when I was on the road.
 
I disagree. I like the fact that you can do a bit of research beforehand.

If in the past you might have bought a travel guide to find hotel options, restaurants, and figure out what landmarks you should be visiting, now you can just look them up for free, and get various opinions instead of one or two.

If you overload on your research and kill the surprise by looking at YouTube clips and Google Maps, that's your own fault! ;)

I also like having a phone with me... but mainly for making outgoing calls & texts, not incoming!
 
Yes, you can find out a lot more... but also, what about all those other places that are now on the web, but before never were? I remember when I was traveling in some places, i didn't even know where I was going to stay when I got off the bus/ train/ van/ motorbike. Now you can do online bookings for even the grimiest backpacker places. I remember arriving in some cities thinking, "now, if i just get a taxi to take me down this street".. without realising that this 'street' was only about 2 metres wide and only a pedestrian walkway.. that was part ot the excitement of it all.

Yes, Robder, the mobile phone thing... never used one whilst traveling, but NEEDED one in Ibiza, otherwise would never have met up with anyone. Now everyone take one everywhere.

I miss the whole, buy a guidebook , buy an airplane ticket..and get on the plane...back in 5 months.
What countries am I going to? I dont' know. How long will I be in each one? I have no idea.
 
To be perfectly honest. I wanted to go to Ibiza this year but the internet has really soured it for me. (Not anyone or anything said on this forum.) Infact I came here purposely to try and re-convince myself to go.

But, like I wanted to go to the parties and had a hyped up Kevin & Perry notion of what it was, until I saw it on youtube and thought "I've actually seen better parties than that here"
To say that, gets a whole lot of "but you've never been so how could you know?" remarks, especially from those who crap on about "How good it used to be."
But isn't seeing believing? I mean, aren't I seeing an actual recording of a real time Ibiza gig? If it looks **** and sounds ****, then, isn't it ****? Not that all of it is like that, I'm sure it's not ALL like that, but, it just haunts me a bit.

For someone whose never travelled, the internet really makes me want to stay at home to be honest.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
research is always good. beats wasting time wandering around aimlessly and ending up in some "irish pub" somewhere in the middle of nowhere...
 
NakedAge said:
But isn't seeing believing? I mean, aren't I seeing an actual recording of a real time Ibiza gig? If it looks **** and sounds ****, then, isn't it ****? Not that all of it is like that, I'm sure it's not ALL like that, but, it just haunts me a bit.
Click to expand...

so you think 2 minute videos shot on crappy camera phones by some random who is off their tree somehow is in any way representative of what it is actually like clubbing here.

it's worse than me saying "oh i don't wanna see sydney harbour cos i've seen it in pictures and on the TV".

get real.
 
NakedAge said:
To be perfectly honest. I wanted to go to Ibiza this year but the internet has really soured it for me. (Not anyone or anything said on this forum.) Infact I came here purposely to try and re-convince myself to go.

But, like I wanted to go to the parties and had a hyped up Kevin & Perry notion of what it was, until I saw it on youtube and thought "I've actually seen better parties than that here"
To say that, gets a whole lot of "but you've never been so how could you know?" remarks, especially from those who crap on about "How good it used to be."
But isn't seeing believing? I mean, aren't I seeing an actual recording of a real time Ibiza gig? If it looks **** and sounds ****, then, isn't it ****? Not that all of it is like that, I'm sure it's not ALL like that, but, it just haunts me a bit.

For someone whose never travelled, the internet really makes me want to stay at home to be honest.
Click to expand...

I dont think you can judge Ibiza by clips on You Tube! I wouldnt let any clip on an internet site put me off going somewhere.

I looked up where we went in Greece last year (just for the fact we were in line with the airport runway so was worried how close the planes would be!) but now I wish I hadnt, there was no need to, you take it as it come when you get there. Much more fun. :)
 
I definitely think the internet helped me a lot when was travelling. I researched places I'd heard of, places recommended by people, ways of travelling from place to place. Without the internet I'd never have heard of and visited some of the amazing places I did.

I didn't relyon the net totally though, I only booked up my first 2 nights in a hotel, and our accomodation over Christmas / NYE, everything else was done by reading Lonely Planet... or sometimes when we arrived in a new place not having a clue where we were... knocking on each guesthouse and asking for a room until we found one!

I think the internet is great, its like having the best of both worlds. But I agree, probably best to do a bit of research beforehand, but the most fun is finding your own way around a new country :)
 
It helps but it also means all the truly amazing places are full of twats from Surrey who read about it on the internet and now HAVE to take 8 million pictures of it once they're there.
 
What ^^^ he ^^^ said.

The loneliest parts of the planet are no longer lonely enough.

You can't go anywhere anymore without having to put up with a barrage of smug chat from any number of aching backsides who would visibly start to fret if they didn't think that their travel itinery was at least 10% cooler than everyone elses.

Hopefully the locals will eventually get sick of them and start lopping their arms off with scythes on sight.
 
Hmmmm I dunno. If you go by the book then even the lonely places are filled with hundreds of other travellers doing the exact same thing as you! 30 years ago to have seen Ankor Wat was a rarity, now it's basically one of the main things to do on anyone's travel itinery.

I recommend doing what we did, get yourself kidnapped by Kashmiri gang and held hostage in a houseboat for a few days.... now that was lonely!
 
But anyway, in addition to that.... to travel anywhere is amazing and not many people do it, so to up sticks and move out of your comfort zone in the first place is recommended IMO. Ok so the main tourist routes are well travelled now and lots of people are doing the same trips, but it's better than doing the same tube journey to work every day!
 
Every review / guidebook / report is subjective - as it is based on someone's opinion or experience.

Everyone should have an idea of what interests them or excites them, start from that and follow your instinct.

I agree that a little research can enhance your holiday / travel because you can uncover lots of good ideas before you land and save precious time getting your bearings.

But it's all about balance, if you are slavishly going to follow an itinery in a popular guidebook then you will follow a well trodden path.

But one thing that isn't in the guide books is the people you can meet, good and bad, and the people you travel with, which make the journey memorable and worthwhile.

I've met some fantastic people and some right knackers, but they certainly made the journey more interesting.
 
NakedAge said:
But isn't seeing believing? I mean, aren't I seeing an actual recording of a real time Ibiza gig? If it looks **** and sounds ****, then, isn't it ****? Not that all of it is like that, I'm sure it's not ALL like that, but, it just haunts me a bit.

For someone whose never travelled, the internet really makes me want to stay at home to be honest.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

you have NEVER travelled out of melbourne yet you are convinced by what you see on a YOUTUBE video??? i dont get you @ all dood..... ever heard of the saying "YOU NEVER NEVER KNOW, IF YOU NEVER NEVER GO????" ibiza is an amazing place. especially the 1st time! & you will NOT find a party in melbourne compared 2what you find there in ibiza EVER!! :rolleyes:

anyways, back to topic: i kind of like the fact that i can now book a hotel on the internet & not have to deal with the **** i did 11/12 years ago when i started travelling.... remember when you had to ring in advance (which we all know is sometimes impossible because you never know what hot guy will ask you to catch some train with him in the morning to frikkin berlin do ya?;)) & you would have to find a fonebox with your massive backpack, ring 20hostels/hotels to find a bed, find the place, only 2realise its a filthy fleapit & start all over again the day after.....:spank: no thanks... i like the internet..... i dont like having my fone on me too mucho though.... i travel to get away from that ****e,.,,,
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think any kind of footage will ever replace those "had to be there" experiences that life can offer no matter how great the footage is.

The internet can make it all feel somewhat stagnated which in turn can give you a filtered view of the world.

If you use the internet as the whole yard stick to measure what life can offer its no wonder you can be left feeling somewhat deflated at the idea of visiting certain places or doing certain things.
 
am i thick or is there not actually a statutory obligation to look at everything on the internet?!

not that i've been all over the shop, but a read of the lonely planet never ruined anything for anyone - good point on the not ending up in the irish bar

but you tubing the places you are going to go to? thats just weird :confused:;)
 
I think the internet has made the world a smaller place.

It used to be that going to South East Asia was far off and exotic, now most people I know have been.

Also, yes there are places that you have always been able to book by phone or were mentioned through a travel agency or guidebook, but now it seems soooooo many places have their own website.


It had definitely made traveling easier... you can book all your tickets/ trave/ hotels/ trips online...but is that a good thing?

For example, when I booked a trip on a felucca down the Nile 13 years ago, you had to go walk around and find some group to do it with and barter on the price, or maybe you would get a different deal/ meal depending on who you went with. Now you can pay online and who knows where the money goes? Straight to the guy who takes you on the boat? to some tour operator? sure, maybe that happened before, but not to the same extent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top