How Doing Travel Research Online Has Changed Backpacking

How Doing Travel Research Online Has Changed Backpacking

by Marcie Goodman

The arrival of the internet caused many changes to how people live their lives. Information about anything is now instantly available and many kids have never heard of the Dewey Decimal System. In addition, computers are becoming smaller and more portable so even traveling has changed completely. Backpacking as a rite of passage for young people is very different now that they can do their travel research online as they go along.

The scene has changed incredibly fast. Five years ago, traveling with a computer was something only a few backpackers did. Most backpacks contained a guidebook, a novel and a deck of playing cards for killing time with. Now you can open any backpack and you'll find a laptop or more likely a tablet for reading matter, games, communication and even television or movies.

In the past, few backpackers would start their journey without a guidebook. Nowadays, fewer and fewer travelers carry a guidebook in their backpack and those who do, use the books only for the maps. Some deliberately stay away from guide books so that they can avoid the crowded backpacker's trails. Besides, they have their trusty laptops or tablets to guide them.

The way that backpackers' behavior has changed has meant that hostels had to change too. In the past they had to make sure they were clean and had comfortable mattresses. Now they need to make sure they are clean and have fast and reliable internet, free Wi-Fi and electricity outlets in all the communal areas so that their guests can plug in and log on.

Of course using the internet makes traveling much easier than it used to be. It can tell you about the destination's background and what the weather is like at the moment. You can instantly look up some useful phrases in the language spoken there and even find out how to pronounce them correctly. It's even possible to book your accommodation and transport with a few clicks of the mouse.

Computers have also made it possible to work while on the road. You don't have to get a job as a bartender when you money runs out. Simply replenish your funds with online work. With so much information available on the internet, more and more people are now even getting paid to write travel articles about places they've never been to.

As useful as the internet is to travelers, it also has several disadvantages. One of the most important is that the information you'll find in cyberspace isn't always the most reliable. Those so-called independent, impartial reviews are often paid for by the establishment or have been written by the owner's friends, if not the owner himself. Competitors use fake negative reviews of an establishment to steal its customers too.

The best way of using the wealth of information out there to your advantage is to combine the different resources you can use. Keep a guidebook for easy access to maps any time, any place, because you can't consult Google Maps when you're standing by the side of a busy road. Ask fellow travelers about hostels and eateries they can recommend because they're likely to give honest opinions. For everything else you need to find out, do your <A href="http://www.travelcisions.com">travel research online</A> for the most current information.



<a href="http://www.travelcisions.com">Read more about</a> How Backpackers Doing Their Travel Research Online Have Changed This Rite Of Passage.

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