On the Mekong river Netbook and DS in hand

Floating on the Mekong river glued to Netbook and Nintendo DS


I’ve been lucky enough to do some traveling in the last month through Southeast Asia, most of which has been far off the beaten path. When you’re deep in the jungle miles away from steady electricity and proper plumbing, you really don’t expect technology to play a big part in your day. I quickly discovered how untrue this has become. I did a similar trip through South America four years ago and I was surprised to see how much technology has changed this brand of traveling in such a short period of time.

Here are some things that I’ve noticed:

  1. Lonely Planet has become a joke. 90% of the content in guidebooks is useless to me. Here’s the situation I run into over and over: I see a good-looking restaurant or guest house in the guidebook, I go and come to discover that the place is double the price that is listed and/or too busy too accommodate me. I’ve also found that businesses featured in guidebooks have no incentive to keep providing great service. They’ve received a golden ticket by the likes of Lonely Planet or Frommers and they know they’ve got it made. This really didn’t happen 4 years ago (in the case of LP, at least). Instead of relying on a guidebook, I much prefer something like Travelfish.com, where user reviews exist, editorial is continuously updated and there are far more listings. If I were a traditional guidebook, I’d be spending a lot of time beefing up my website, mobile apps and online community.

  2. The iPhone is the most essential travel tool out there. It’s my newspaper (NYT, NetNewsWire, Instapaper), currency converter (Converter), foreign language translator (Translator, LingoSoft Phrasebook), journal (Notes), boombox (iPod on stereo) and connection to home (Skype, Google Voice). For better or worse, I have my hands on my iPhone for hours each day, even when I’m deep in a Cambodian jungle or crammed in some tiny boat on the Mekong.

  3. Once-transient travel buddies are now friends for life. On my last big trip in 2006, I’d meet people who I’d talk with for hours on a bus or in a hotel only to part ways and never see them again. Facebook changed that completely. Now any meaningful conversation ends with an exchange of names, which in a matter of hours turns into a friend request. Because of Facebook, I have real chance of maintaining and growing a relationship with someone. I consider this to be nothing short of awesome.Sure you could have exchanged emails or something four years ago, but we all know how well that usually works out.

  4. Free Wi-Fi is essential and increasingly available from local businesses. Because of #1, having an Internet connection on my iPhone is required each day. I’ve gone on long walks holding my iPhone out waiting to pick up a free signal so I can get quality information. Sounds pathetic, but in places where you’re being fed misinformation by locals who want to make some cash by getting a referral fee or something, the iPhone is the only honest source of information out there. It’s interesting to see how many businesses loudly tout their free wi-fi on their signs, posters and the like.

  5. Traveling alone has never been easier. The prevalence of online communities for foreigners is staggering. In every part of the world you’ll find a forum, Facebook group, or Ning site that will help you get oriented and meet fellow travelers. Sites like HostelWorld allow you to discover who is traveling on the same route as you and staying at the same hostels. On a semi-related note, The Economist just posted an interesting piece on being a foreigner. Check it out here - http://bit.ly/8AwGB9.

  6. Successful guest house managers are often social media savvy. Here are some cool things I’ve seen guest houses do: 
    1. Direct their computer’s start-pages to their Facebook or Twitter page
    2. Friend me on Facebook after I check out
    3. Coax me into reviewing their business before I checkout

    4. Monitor online conversations and make improvements to their guest house based on complaints/suggestions that they find.

      Impressive when you consider that a lot of these places are basically shacks in the woods with no hot water and miles away from civilization.

  7. Google Voice + Skype app + iPhone is a killer communication tool for a traveler. I can send and receive texts, get all my voicemails (transcribed and emailed to me), make unlimited calls l to the US for a few bucks a month, and IM to my hearts content… all from my iPhone.

  8. Travelers love their Netbooks. Seriously, I can’t go 5 minutes without seeing one of these little things.

  1. jessepickard posted this