Charles Nucci is someone who lives for traveling. Several decades ago, he started traveling, using his thumb and, later, an old banger of a vehicle. He tried Greyhound buses and trains. Eventually, he was able to take some flights as well, but they continued to be few and far between. In those days, it was all about saving money by looking at different modes of transportation. If a local flight was too expensive, there would be a train or a bus as an alternative. Before the internet, traveling was about speaking to kind truckers and asking for a lift, or speaking to other backpackers for tips and tricks. Times have changed significantly, although some things will always remain the same – namely, it is always about saving money.
Traveling Since the Internet
Today, finding a good deal is a lot easier, and a lot less time consuming. Thanks to the internet, and the thousands of price comparison websites, it is easier than ever to find a cheap mode of travel. Everything can be booked online, from your transfer taxi to your train ticket, and from your plane journey to the bus. Thanks to the competition between the different websites, you can also find a variety of discounts and special offers. This means that the same mode of travel through one website can cost substantially less than if you were to go through a different website. And with the widespread availability of coupons and other such options, travel really doesn’t have to cost all that much anymore.
Has Something Been Lost?
Today, people still share a good deal with each other. They post it on social media and tell the world about the fact that they are able to get from A to B at a seriously reduced cost. Some of that is about hoping that others can benefit from the deal as well, but a lot of it is actually about showing off – showing the world that you were able to get this deal whereas others weren’t. And while social media is meant to be social, it does miss that real human touch.
According to Charles Nucci, we have lost something because of the internet. We have lost those late night chats in the hostel, or those exciting moments sitting on a beach hoping for a place to stay the night. We have lost the thing that brings travelers together. Today, those late night chats still happen, but everybody has their cellphone with them to check how they can easily get to their next location the next day. At the same time, however, Nucci knows just how important the internet is, and how it has facilitated so many people’s ability to travel. It has also made people safer and it has ensured young people can stay in touch with their family members and friends back home. That is something to be loved and embraced. But at the same time, it is important to not forget that traveling is about being social, and that is about real human contact.
