Travelling then and travelling now - for the better or for the worse?

I was talking with a middle-aged gentleman at work recently about my upcoming travels, and he mentioned that he undertook a similar expedition down the east coast of the US and into Central America when he was about my age, in the late 1970's.

We discussed the experiences he had and the places he saw, and most notably the pro's and con's of travelling then in comparison to travelling now. How do they compare?


On the one hand, the proliferation of the internet allows a constant and never-ending stream of information and advice, not to mention the ability to communicate with persons across the other side of the globe. But, on the other hand, sometimes I feel that the level of instant communication that we have with our friends and family is taken for granted. 


We've all wondered how people coped for so long without mobile phones, how convenient they are and how many problems and inconvenience they rid us of. In fact, a whole episode of the television show Seinfeld would have had its entire premise debunked if the protagonists had mobile phones as they try to locate each other in a car park. Hearing of how my co-worker would often go days or weeks without communicating with anyone really reminded me how much things have changed.

I got the sense that the lack of communication, much like the lack information at ones disposal in comparison to today, really made him feel like he was seperated from his world back home, iliciting a much greater sense of independence. I couldn't help but feel that in terms of gaining a sense adventure and achievement, the traveller of today is somewhat, ironically, disadvantaged, as pangs of jealousy swept over me.

As a reasonably technologically savvy person, I have an almost overwhelming ability to capture, edit, and record everything I encounter, allowing me to keep an impeccable record of what I've encountered. On initial glance, this seems an overwhelming plus, but is it really?

Whilst myself and my travel companions will be taking advantage of much of the technology available to us, we're more than aware that the time available to limited and to experience first, capture later. Obviously we'll have a significant focus on capturing as much of our trip as we can, whether it be via writing, photography or videography, but not to the extent that it diminishes the ability to do other things. It's all about finding that perfect balance.