Technology has become an omnipresent and unavoidable part of our lives over the past few decades. We started with dial-up internet and massive home PCs and have transitioned to a life in which smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and more devices seem to never leave our grasp.
This has, undoubtedly, changed the way we experience and view travel. Whether it is for better or for worse, there is no doubt that having unlimited information and tech tools at our fingertips has meant that we don’t travel like we used to.
There has been a recent trend of people who have looked to set technology aside and make vacation plans specifically with “tech-free travel” in mind. But is this a feasible thing to do in 2021?
The short answer is that it depends on how you define “tech-free.” Technology is unavoidable, but if you are aware of this and focus on reducing your exposure and use of it, you can certainly opt for travel in which you are able to “disconnect” and focus on living in the real world.
Tech-free travel shouldn’t mean leaving your cell phone at home, for example. It can, however, mean keeping it in airplane mode while you’re out of your hotel room and exploring. It doesn’t have to mean avoiding any sort of screen while out and about. It does, though, mean that you should keep your eyes peeled on what’s happening in front of you.
A complete avoidance of technology isn’t possible in the 21st century and this is something that we should all accept and deal with before attempting to eschew actively using it while traveling
Keep your goals realistic and do only what you can control while trying to avoid technology as you travel and you’ll end up having a successful and rewarding experience.