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Backpackers Part with Technology?
Cutting corners wherever possible, vagabonds are unwilling to part with certain amenities of the modern technologically enhanced world
The adrenaline rush of going to a new distant, or not-so-distant, land is enough to get any vagabond high. The anti-drug for travel junkies, it is a like a drug in itself. They need it and are willing to spend their last penny on a plane ticket or another night in a dodgy hostel. As with any habit, good or bad, sacrifices have to be made to fuel it. Backpackers, budget travelers, middlemen and high-rollers all have to decide what to splurge and save on when it comes to spending, seeing and going. The infamous gap year or a semester spent abroad virtually dictate that young people must jet off with little more than change in their pocket - if not now, when? With subsequent birthdays comes the realisation that toting a sleeping bag to avoid dirty sheets is not necessary to experience different cultures and as school turns into employment, two month vacations shrink to two weeks but allow for a significant upside - an expansion of the wallet.
One thing both the adult and young travellers have in common is luggage. Big backpacks and wheeled suitcases can't carry all of the world's possessions despite the best packing skills. Careful choices have to be made whether going away for a long or short while. Lightweight and multifunctional clothes tend to be a must, basic toiletries are not up for debate and the only things left to skimp on become electronics. Hair dryers, straighteners, irons can be pushed aside with relative ease, but when it comes to modern technology even the most cash concerned traveller is willing to splurge on certain delights to keep them company. Laptops, mp3 players and mobile phones top the list of what to invest in. Lightweight and waterproof are especially important, while long battery life is crucial when lodgings with electricity are replaced by campsites.
Armin Dervoz, a 25 year old Bosnian who has voyaged throughout the United States and Europe, prioritises based on his mode of travel though his iPod never leaves his side.
"I can't imagine being on the train, bus or plane without music," Dervoz said.
A fellow Central European connoisseur, Alex Hoskinson, currently teaching English in Hungary, agrees on bringing his iPod though he admits he can do without it.
"When I'm travelling alone, it's a must but there have been plenty of times when I just didn't use it," Hoskinson said.
The beauty of the iPod is that it's compact and barely makes an impact on space or weight. It can save the lonely explorer from silence or a pesky neighbour only too willing to have a chat. Its newer brother, the iPod touch, carries the additional perk of internet access. When short on internet cafes, the device can help to stay in touch while away from home. It can also provide crucial entertainment even on short trips and Yule Castellanos never leaves home without it. The 21 year old Mexican student lived in the Netherlands for a year abroad, making frequent hops across the border to Belgium and longer holidays to Spain, always ensuring her iPod is in her bag, no matter how small that may be.
The downfall of the internet enabled device is that it relies on free wireless networks or can be subject to heavy charges from phone providers, for bloggers like Hoskinson it also provides little when he wants to update Hungary is Alex's Classroom. Though he can slide by without a laptop in most cities, the quality of photos taken on a mobile is not enough and even the newest iPod touch still lacks in the technology altogether.
When reminiscing on her trip to India during the summer of 2010, Sarah Goler agrees, "A cell phone was pointless because it was difficult to get usable SIM cards, but a camera was worth it to document every amazing experience".
Currently living in the United Kingdom, Goler is spending her weekends exploring the English countryside and feeding her love for hiking, always remembering to take her camera for the trip. She recommends that if really trying to optimise on space, taking one camera and charger when travelling with a significant other is a good idea and it means less cables to keep track of with every move to a new city. The consensus among those who live for weekend getaways and those who cannot settle down anywhere for long is that electronics, like expensive organised city tours can be skimped on and the experience can even be enhanced without them. Not subject to the worry of getting a laptop stolen or a mobile phone lost, focusing on a camera is the one agreement travellers of all types come to. Travel is about making memories and a camera is infinitely better at ensuring they are remembered for a long time to come than a portable, well, anything else.