Seat of Our Pants

We were recently asked to participate in a study on how new technology has impacted the backpacking culture. Here are the questions and our answers. If you’re a backpacker and would like to add your input, the researcher (Mr. Cody Paris at Arizona State University) would be grateful for your contribution. Just send your answers to cody.paris [at] gmail.com.

Do you more closely identify yourself as a Backpacker or a Flashpacker? Why? Can you please briefly tell me about your experiences as a backpacker or Flashpacker?

Neither and both. We weave in and out of these categories, depending on where we are. In Myanmar, for example, backpacking is the only way to go if you want make progress as an independent traveler. In India, spending just a little bit more cash than a “backpacker” gets you quite a lift in terms of standards and ease of travel.

In your opinion, how have the innovations in mobile connective devices (laptops, iPhones, etc), the Internet, Web 2.0, Social Media affected the backpacking experience?

It has been a revolution. Collect calls to our parents have been replaced by blogs and Facebook – which we check nearly every day. Keeping in touch is now more up to the other end then it is for us. In 10 months of travel, we’ve been disconnected for a total of three weeks.

How have these technological innovations affected the backpacking culture?

It helps the backpacker when they’re researching their trip. It’s a great way to stay in touch with the people they meet along the way. But, when on the road people still rely on their paper guidebooks. They certainly research the net while on the road, but the majority of their info is still coming from those books. Some, not many, travel with their laptops. We rarely see anyone with iPhones, however mobile phones are now common (you can buy sim cards anywhere)

What types of social media (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Blogs, Flikr, etc.) do you currently use regularly while at home and while traveling, and are there any major differences?

We use all the above. The difference between our use of them is time. We have far more time while on the road to access these sites and produce content for our blog than we had when we were at home working.

Are there a particular types of social media that you do not use? If so, please explain why.

We have no use for LinkedIn nor do we use smart phones/iPhones. LinkedIn is a work-related tool – for obvious reasons we aren’t looking for work right now. Smart phones seemed like a hassle and/or too expensive for us to use. Their services are also replicated by our notebooks, more or less.

Who do you usually connect with through social media, and who is the audience that the content you create is aimed at?

We connect with friends and family via our social networks. Our blog is available to anyone and we’re actively looking to promote it. It’s mostly for fun and furthering interest in travel, rather than for advertisement income.

If you use social media when traveling, why do you use it? Please walk me through how you use it? When you use it?

We use social media, especially Facebook, for two reasons. The first is for personal use (updating friends and family and reading about them). The second is to promote/update the fans of our blog through our Facebook fan page. We access our social media accounts nearly every day from internet cafes or when available through a wireless internet connection.

What social connections to you usually maintain while traveling? Home, friends, work?

Home and friends and our wider blog audience.

How have recent technological developments made backpacking ‘easier’, and increased the independence and mobility of backpackers while traveling? Do you think this is a positive or negative development and why?

The amount of information available online is getting better and more reliable. Because of this, it makes traveling less intimidating & gathering information feels much easier than in the past. There is also conflicting information that sometimes complicates things, especially when you go off the beaten path. So we would say that it’s made it both easier and more complex. Overall, it’s a positive thing though.

Do you carry a laptop, mini, internet capable phone, standard cell phone, digital camera, digital video, HD video, GPS with you when you travel? Any other devices that you must have when you travel? How long have you carried each type of device with you?

We carry two netbooks, a digital camera, digital video and three USB sticks. We’ve had them since we left home 10 months ago.

When traveling, do you worry about the security of your tech devices? What steps for security do you take if any?

We used to worry about them but we don’t worry about them much anymore. You learn what you need to do to keep your belongings safe after being on the road for a while.

If possible can you describe what your backpacking experience was like pre-Facebook, and pre-iPhone? How has it differed from the backpacking experience and culture now?

Maintaining contact with other backpackers and people you meet along the way used to be e-mail driven. These days everyone uses Facebook. This makes it easier to both ignore people if you wish or reconnect at a later date.

Are there any differences between virtual friendships and physical friendships?

Yes.

How has the ability to stay connected affected the backpacking experience? Previously the ability to maintain a level of anonymity and fleetingness in relationships on the road could have been considered part of the excitement, but rarely did those relationships extend home and over time. Has this changed? Have you maintained relationships with people met on the road as a result of information and communication technologies?

The ability to stay connected has only changed forms. You still need people skills to form and maintain any relationship. We met on the road and because of our ability to e-mail we were able to maintain a relationship that resulted in our marriage a few years later. Would it have been different now, using social media? Probably not. As we said, a person is either worth keeping in touch with or their not. New innovations don’t change that.

Please discuss any ways in which you’ve used technology to overcome language or cultural barriers to social interaction? For example, use of Google scholar to translate foreign friends Facebook status or blog posts, or the use of translator apps on 3G cell phones, etc.

We haven’t done or used any of that.

Please let me now of any other insights you would like to share concerning recent technological innovations and society, backpacking, traveling or anything in general?

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.