Is travel still travel, or just virtual travel?
 

Nah, but seriously, with all this new digital stuff, do we really travel anymore? There are apps for everything now: booking, discovering, even “living a local experience” from the comfort of your couch. But aren't we losing the essence of travel? The moments of improvisation, hardship or even surprise?

Welcome to the forums. Not exactly sure what you mean -- but if you read some of the threads, and especially Trip Reports, posted here, you will see members of Fodors actually travel, not just virtually . . .

Maybe the OP means there is a lack of adventure because travelers aren’t driving around looking for zimmer frei or getting off the train and being accosted with people with signs offering rooms for rent.. that sort of thing. And all the travel websites where someone visits a town for two days and has the top ten places to visit, with lots of affiliate links.

There were print guidebooks to read on your couch back in the day, and oh how I miss the delightful ring of the fax machine, knowing that Rome hotel could be faxing a confirmation. Good times.

It is easy to be nostalgic. I am, sometimes.

If you really want to be spontaneous in your travel, you can, but you risk not getting accommodation and pay extra for a Eurailpass. Nah, give me nice safe pre-planning any day, I don't miss risk at all...

Lavandula

"The moments of improvisation, hardship or even surprise?"

I didn't realize this no longer exists in travel. Every trip I've ever taken has involved some level of improvisation, hardship or surprise. In my case the hardship is usually lost luggage. But sometimes it's long lines at the airport, flight delays, unexpected illness, hotel issues, etc. The improvisation and surprise happen every day, and that's why I travel.

I still cycle and walk into restaurants in the middle of nowhere, covered in the dust of the street. No travel guides there and sometimes you get table clothes and sometimes Formica.

Ditto. :)

The OP does bring up a phenomenon that has been noted by many before: the feeling of going through the motions on a trip after intense pre-planning.

I understand this can happen, and I do things to combat it:

I try to leave some openings in my itinerary.

Once I've mainly decided on a route, I drop all the planning and looking at travel porn. I try to stick to text only or start to ignore the trip entirely until it comes time to go.

I am ok with missing things, even big things so I can explore the more humble stuff.

I go for the widest array of sites and activities possible. I can miss seeing another cathedral or museum if I can instead go swimming or hiking or kayaking, going to the theatre or concert, going up a cable car, taking a cooking class.

As one example, in Beijing, we spent time going to a store to have custom chops (ink stamps) made with our names in Chinese.... although it took a long time to consider all the design elements, plus we had to return to the shop a couple of days later after they were made. Breaks up the routine of traipsing from one monument to another.

I sometimes feel that there is a risk of reducing the surprise and delight element from visiting a destination if you over research before travelling. There is a risk of a deja vu feeling when you finally stand before the real thing. But nothing beats actually being there. Like shelemm, I try to stop researching and planning once I've decided where I'm going to visit and for how long, and certainly stop looking online some time before departure if I can.

For me it's a bit like going to the ballet - I only go to live performances because watching it in digital format just doesn't give the same feeling.

Although the digital world makes it so easy to research and make reservations I do miss the pre-internet world when we just turned up somewhere, found a place to stay, and left when we were ready. Fixed schedules are obviously less spontaneous but with so many travelling nowadays and everyone booking ridiculously far in advance, it results in others feeling that they have to do the same or risk missing out.

I like your ballet example. Well said.

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