Is unplugging really necessary?

Brave New Traveler has a very interesting article today on the merits of 'unplugging' while travelling.

In it, the author goes through  various tech addictions that are best done without while travelling in order to get the most out of the experience.

I can admire this sort of Zen-like 'being at one with the holiday' style of thinking, but I think I'm too addicted to being 'switched on' to be able to detach my digital umbillical cord. As a large part of my job is keeping my finger on the pulse for all things tech-related, not being able to keep a careful eye on my RSS feeds would just be too stressful while I was on holiday.

Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't check my email, Facebook and feeds with the same maniac fervor that I currently do during the workday. But first thing in the morning or while winding down for the day, I really don't see the harm in staying connected to my digital lifestyle.

So, with no further ado, I'm going to go through the five technologies that the author says we should try and do without and put in a strong case for how they can actually enhance a holiday.

5) Television. Staying glued to the TV in your hotel room so you can watch the latest episodes of Lost and Prison Break is definitely a no-no, but switching to the local channels can give you a great insight into the language and culture of the country you're currently staying in, and maybe even give you something to talk about when chatting with the locals.

4) Cell phone. Uh-oh, oh no she didn't!

But more importantly, part of the idea in traveling is the level of detachment that goes with it. If your intent is to get properly lost in the non-Western world, you won’t want the safety blanket of having familiar voices available at the push of a button—even when you terribly miss your friends and family.

The longer you can keep the worries and doubts of friends and family at bay, the louder your inner dialogue will become. You will reflect deeper, write more expressively, and grow thicker skin by not having that easy outlet when the road gets frustrating.

I really don't see how forcing yourself to be lonely can enhance your travel experience, and the author of this article has obviously not met my mother, who'd probably jump on a place and fly to the country I was in if she didn't hear from me on a regular basis. You're already forcing yourself out of your comfort zone when living in a different country, so what is the harm of being able to hold onto a few small comforts like being able to contact friends and family at the push of a button?

It needn't be about loneliness, either. Calling up your best friend while you're walking through the Great Wall of China or sitting on a sandy white beach in the Philippines to gloat to share your excitement can only enhance the experience, in my opinion, not detract from it.

And what about keeping in touch with all the people that you meet in that particular country?

3) The Internet. Ouch. Maybe if you were on holiday for a few days, but not any longer than that! I guess it also depends on your profession, but as a freelance writer, I need to be able to reply to editor queries and commissions ASAP - I don't get the luxury of being able to put it off till I get back to the real world.

Also, one of the great joys of travelling is being able to send the group email with lots of impossibly fun photos attached, and I am not going to give this up just so I can better soak up the serenity of my surroundings. No, no, no!

I can appreciate the call for moderation of Internet access while you're on holiday, but the thought of going cold turkey not only fills me with a deep anxiety (withdrawal symptoms, anyone?), but also seems entirely unnecessary. The call of the cloud would just be too strong for me to enjoy a holiday without indulging at least once a day.

2) Digital camera. My problem with the author's stance on digital cameras in this article is that she takes it to the extreme.

Knee-deep in the inevitable culture-shock and romance of backpacking the third world, or touring the neighborhoods of Paris, it’s easy to get trigger happy, filling flash cards with every shot that seems “exotic” or “authentic.” We want evidence of our authentic experiences in the real, raw world.

Next time you have the urge to start snapping away, pause. Keep the lens cover on, transcend the desire to capture life in a frame, and take a minute to focus on what’s captivating your attention. Preserve it in your memory by absorbing more details than you would through a 3×5 snapshot.

Fair enough, but I'm sure there's a balance. Advocating a complete lack of camera contradicts man's innate desire to document and preserve. Yes, you can miss out on much of the vibe and atmosphere of a place if your eyeball is planted permanently to the camera's viewfinder, but travel stories to friends and family don't have the same impact without a visual medium. Photos also serve as a visual reminder once the memories in your own head have started to fade, and can be shown to children and grandchildren to prove that 'yes, I was once as young and happy-go-lucky as you are!'.

What's next, not taking photos at weddings? Certainly not, sir!

1) MP3 player. As the author admits, there are too many instances of waiting around while travelling to be able to do without this distraction (flying, bus travel, train travel, etc). By all means take your headphones out when in a social situation to encourage interaction with other people, but in my experience, having a particular playlist for a certain country will bring back memories when you later hear those songs back at home - a point that's explained very well in this article (also on Brave New Traveler, ironically) called 8 reasons why we love music on the journey.

The main thing with technology while travelling is to practice moderation. Personal technology has the potential to be very isolating if not used sensibly, but preaching complete abstinence strikes me as unrealistic and unnecessary.