Once upon a time, smartphones and tablets didn't exist. And travel (well, life, in general) was very different. Technology has revolutionized the way we travel, in ways both good and bad.
We're feeling kind of nostalgic for the travel days of yore, so let's take a walk down memory lane and remember the relics of pre-Digital Age travel...
1. International Calling Cards were a must when traveling abroad. How else would you stay in touch with your friends and family back home?
![phonecard]()
Now, you don't even need to use a phone to get in touch with your family back home. Skyping over WiFi is way easier.
2. You didn't pay baggage fees, which is good because your carry-on was packed with all the books on your vacation "to read" list...
![stack of books]()
Imagine packing those in your luggage... E-books make your bag a whole lot lighter.
3. And all those CDs and your Discman and your Gameboy and your travel journal and your datebook took up some space, too.
![walkman cds]()
Tablets for the win.
4. When you arrived at your destination, you relied on physical maps... not a map app that helps you when you get lost.
![travel map]()
5. You had to call your airline to check flights. No internet updates, no emails, no texts. Just phone calls.
![phone call landline]()
6. You had to read guidebooks or chat up locals to find out the best places to eat, drink and explore.
![travel guide books]()
Yelp, and the Internet in general, makes that a very different experience.
7. Traveler's checks. Those things don't even exist these days.
![travelers check]()
8. You lugged around a camera (or a bunch of disposables), rather than snapping thousands of pics on your smartphone.
![kodak disposable]()
9. And when you got home, you developed all those rolls of film and were so excited to see your prints!
![old camera film]()
10. There was an element of surprise. You didn't know exactly what your hotel or destination would look like or the menus of the restaurants you'd eat at before you go there.
![surprise traveler]()
11. You became pen pals with people you met along the way.
![writing a letter]()
Now you just friend new buddies on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
12. You never had to worry about updating your social media constantly. You didn't need to worry about unplugging. Traveling meant freedom.
![wanderlust]()
We're feeling kind of nostalgic for the travel days of yore, so let's take a walk down memory lane and remember the relics of pre-Digital Age travel...
1. International Calling Cards were a must when traveling abroad. How else would you stay in touch with your friends and family back home?
Now, you don't even need to use a phone to get in touch with your family back home. Skyping over WiFi is way easier.
2. You didn't pay baggage fees, which is good because your carry-on was packed with all the books on your vacation "to read" list...
Imagine packing those in your luggage... E-books make your bag a whole lot lighter.
3. And all those CDs and your Discman and your Gameboy and your travel journal and your datebook took up some space, too.
Tablets for the win.
4. When you arrived at your destination, you relied on physical maps... not a map app that helps you when you get lost.
5. You had to call your airline to check flights. No internet updates, no emails, no texts. Just phone calls.
6. You had to read guidebooks or chat up locals to find out the best places to eat, drink and explore.
Yelp, and the Internet in general, makes that a very different experience.
7. Traveler's checks. Those things don't even exist these days.
8. You lugged around a camera (or a bunch of disposables), rather than snapping thousands of pics on your smartphone.
9. And when you got home, you developed all those rolls of film and were so excited to see your prints!
10. There was an element of surprise. You didn't know exactly what your hotel or destination would look like or the menus of the restaurants you'd eat at before you go there.
11. You became pen pals with people you met along the way.
Now you just friend new buddies on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
12. You never had to worry about updating your social media constantly. You didn't need to worry about unplugging. Traveling meant freedom.
