1

Hi....

But of course everyone is on their laptops and smart phones

No they're not.... Far from it ! !
Give it a go, it's very pleasant. You might actually have a 'Proper' holiday and see a lot more.
Not everyone on holiday takes all the toys with them.

2

Indeed, a mere 15 years ago nobody had a phone. never mind a laptop to take with them. Just leave the stuff at home, you'll manage perfectly well without it. If you think you need to tell people where you are send them a postcard, it'll cost less than 1 minute's roaming charges, and as a bonus they can't answer back!

3

A breath of fresh air!

Last took a laptop on holiday back in 2008, but I did have a deadline to meet for the magazine I worked for at the time and had to file before leaving the mainland UK. Got a smartphone earlier this year as a means to an end for kick-starting the writing career again, but it's not been used much and in several cases, I've stayed in places where there's been no signal for between five and fifteen miles from where I've been staying.

Started a week's break from work today and the phone has already been switched off. Heading to Glasgow on Monday and it will probably stay off whilst I'm up there. Have done most of the research already and the rest is being made up when we get up there...

If I need to know something, I'll ask rather than use a machine, even though I was the first person to have a mobile on my degree course back in the mid-1990's... May get a Kindle later on for reading and lightness compared to carrying books around, but it won't be a Kindle Fire!

Was a similar scenario when away in September and it'll be the same on the road trip that's in the frame for next year's main break.

4

I tried to discuss this topic last year with a 20 something girl travelling in Jaisalmer, India who had just spent 10 minutes screaming at the poor Guest House manager because the power had been out for half an hour and she couldn't use her hair dryer.

(She variously also complained about the Wifi being turned off at 11.30pm and most ATM's being empty on the last day of a three day religious festival)

5

hear hear!
I had grand plans at one stage to travel without any access to the internet for 6 months with strict rules about not getting second hand info of the web.

I was even planning to start a blog about it, the catch being i wouldnt write the blog, but i would ask people I met to log in and write the blog for me. i.e i met person a at location a heres a photo. I thought it could be a good way of capturing the awesome people that you get to meet when travelling too.

anyhow this idea is on hold for now. still a dream and just might be done

6

Go to Solomon Islands. Even places with power may only have it for half of the day, and then they can't pump water either. As for WiFi outside the capital, what's that?

7

Could be the same girl I once heard say "Wow, you travelled Asia back in the early 90s? How was that even possible without the internet?!?"

But OP is quite right - Wifi is killing the art of conversation.

http://500px.com/doss1

8

The difference beteen teenage girls in Ranger Guides, and the ones in Venturer Scouts: Venturers wouldn't be seen dead with a hairdryer on a camp.

9

Could be the same girl I once heard say "Wow, you travelled Asia back in the early 90s? How was that even possible without the internet?!?"

And ATM's.

In 1972 the bus I was travelling in was robbed in Peru, I only managed to keep the bulk of my cash by using the 'Papillon' method. Fans of Henri Charrière will know what I mean.

Ironically, with most travellers using digital cameras these days, the scarcity of 35mm film canisters also makes this method somewhat less practical.

10

Mad dog, you can talk to me! I'll be the other person in the hostel without their nose in a laptop.