Computers have the world and the advent of the internet brought on more far-reaching changes. For instance, students of today hardly ever consult a library book if they can simply type a keyword into a search engine and have all the information they want within seconds. Even that rite of passage, backpacking through foreign countries, has changed now that people can do their travel research online.
Even as recently as five years ago, you could immediately identify backpackers by their scruffy looks and the way they would pass the time with some cards. They would sit in budget eateries writing postcards and then try and track down a post office. Today's backpackers still look scruffy but if they need to kill time, they take out their computers and Skype their loved ones back home.
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.
Hostels had to make changes to keep up with the new trend in backpacking. Gone are the days when all they needed to worry about was providing clean and comfortable sleeping quarters and bathrooms. Now one of the first things backpackers ask when they arrive at a hostel is what the Wi-Fi password is and whether there are working electrical sockets in the dorm rooms.
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.
The type of person who goes backpacking has also changed. In the past, most backpackers had recently graduated or were retired from their jobs. Now you don't have to quit your job to travel but can take it with you instead, so more working professionals go backpacking. They even support themselves during their trip by working online.
Of course using the internet for all your research on your journey has its drawbacks. Information may be more current than in a guidebook but it doesn't mean that it's up to date. In addition, businesses have caught on to the power of reviews and that glowing testimony about a hostel or a restaurant may very well be fake. Even the negative reviews are not always the real thing since any business will benefit if their competitors get bad ratings.
When you go backpacking, it's best to use a combination of resources. Guidebooks are perfect for maps because you can't consult the internet when you're standing on a busy street corner. To get the most reliable information about hostels and restaurants, talk to others who've been there. For the most up-to-date information about departure times, prices, weather and security conditions, however, your best option is to do your travel research online.
Even as recently as five years ago, you could immediately identify backpackers by their scruffy looks and the way they would pass the time with some cards. They would sit in budget eateries writing postcards and then try and track down a post office. Today's backpackers still look scruffy but if they need to kill time, they take out their computers and Skype their loved ones back home.
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.
Hostels had to make changes to keep up with the new trend in backpacking. Gone are the days when all they needed to worry about was providing clean and comfortable sleeping quarters and bathrooms. Now one of the first things backpackers ask when they arrive at a hostel is what the Wi-Fi password is and whether there are working electrical sockets in the dorm rooms.
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.
The type of person who goes backpacking has also changed. In the past, most backpackers had recently graduated or were retired from their jobs. Now you don't have to quit your job to travel but can take it with you instead, so more working professionals go backpacking. They even support themselves during their trip by working online.
Of course using the internet for all your research on your journey has its drawbacks. Information may be more current than in a guidebook but it doesn't mean that it's up to date. In addition, businesses have caught on to the power of reviews and that glowing testimony about a hostel or a restaurant may very well be fake. Even the negative reviews are not always the real thing since any business will benefit if their competitors get bad ratings.
When you go backpacking, it's best to use a combination of resources. Guidebooks are perfect for maps because you can't consult the internet when you're standing on a busy street corner. To get the most reliable information about hostels and restaurants, talk to others who've been there. For the most up-to-date information about departure times, prices, weather and security conditions, however, your best option is to do your travel research online.
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