I spend a decent amount of time on the road, and it’s amazing to see how much easier travel has become in the last 20 years. Yes, things have become more crowded, and lines have gotten longer. There are less “secret” cities and unknown gems, but think of what we’ve gained...
We used to print out Mapquest directions and research routes for transit and cab fares (the hard way). If you didn’t have a good restaurant near the hotel you were probably eating from a chain restaurant (or worse). Taking a wrong turn had much bigger implications. Taking a taxi was usually the standard “no I don’t want a metered city tour, thank you”… Restaurant reviews?? Unheard of, besides actual food critics.
Compare that to today: Consumer reviews for where you’re staying, what you’re eating, doing and seeing. Real-time travel directions at all times, even advanced planning based on trends. Most local restaurants available by one of the many delivery apps, if you’re stuck at the hotel. Ride sharing services available at the click of a button with no money passing or gimmicks. Flights with individual entertainment.
It’s easy to complain about traveling in the modern era, but most complaints are about too many people everywhere. The entry to travel has been lowered significantly, making it less of an “adventure” and more of a fun ride worth planning. As it gets easier, we will see more and more people seeing the world. I think that’s a beautiful thing. Grateful on this Sunday to live in a time like this.
I’m aware Uber, DoorDash, AirBnb and them have plenty of issues to figure out, that’s not the point of the post. What are the things you remember most about “the old travel days”?
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