Before I had a laptop, I was happy to avoid internet cafes when I traveled. It gave me an excuse to forget about work and what anyone might want of me back home. It wasn't until last year that the husband's business mobile phone worked overseas, too, which meant we could both really get away from it all. The last couple years, however, we've both brought laptops with us and his phone now keeps us in touch when we need to be. Whereas I used to spend evenings jotting notes into a journal of what I'd done that day, the last couple trips I've taken I've spent the evenings downloading digital photos into my laptop and (if I had a wireless network around) uploading them so I could send emails to friends and family about where I'd been that day. I'm not sure one is inherently good or inherently bad, and I do think they can be very different ways of traveling.

Donovan has mentioned to me before that he talked to his wife from the summit of Kilimanjaro, which is kind of fun, and I know for emergency purposes it's been much easier to give out the husband's cell number rather than the numbers of the B&Bs we're staying in... And yet there's a small part of me that wonders if all this staying in touch is a good thing?

So - when you travel, do you prefer to stay in touch (via the computer, either your own or in internet cafes, or via a mobile phone), or do you prefer to tune out and just check in every now and then to let people know you're still alive? If you're a computer junkie (like me), do you find that you miss being online, or are you too distracted by the traveling you're doing to notice?

I am somewhere in the middle.

I don't bring my laptop on personal trips. Too much risk involved, plus, too much extra baggage. I bring my cell phone for text messaging people I meet along the way, and for an alarm clock, but that's about it. I check email/news at Internet cafes. So I don't completely check out, but I am also not as accessible. My thinking is if I wanted to be that available, I would just stay local. I like getting away from it all (but like having the option to check in at will).

I tune out totally. I do not bring my laptop on trips or enter into internet cafes. I used to bring my palm that would let me e-mail but that even went flying off into the wild blue yonder, it went almost straight down as it is not very aerodynamic. I like the aloneness of travel for myself. I rarely tavel with anyone, although I like meeting up with my fellow vagabonders and travellers while traveeling. I absolutely refuse to do the group thing. I made that mistake only once. I also admit that I tend to hit the wilds and off the beaten track areas for the most part. TThe only time I hit the internet is within an area that I know is secure to check by bank balance if I think I'm running low. I travel to get away not spend time on the internet or phone. I know that sound selfish but even though I enjoy others travel blogs now and then I won't make one.

I love to tune out when I travel....but I'm the kind of person who doesn't mind airport delays--more time to write in my journal, people-watch, write letters (yes, letters!) I don't even like bringing a camera anymore...all that stuff takes you away from the moment. It was hard at first, but now I really tune into sounds, smells, faces, the color of the sky...I was always suspicious of people who talked about how light is different in different parts of the world, but when you are free of all your devices, you can appreciate things like that. At home, I also keep my computer use to the bare minimum.... but i have chosen a life where I don't need everyone to know where I am.

I did a coast to coast US thing a couple of years ago and I took a cell phone with me. It was the worst mistake ever. There is nothing that sucks the magic out of a moment like your sister calling you and asking "Hey what was that one Anthony Hopkins movie? You know the one with the daimond theives?". Not that I dont love my sister AND Anthony Hopkins, but I like to really get lost in my travels, Jack Kerouac style. It did come in handy on a few occasions, but in the end it just put a damper on my whole travel and now I always prefer to stay in contact through weekly emails or whatever.

I'm somewhere in the middle aswell. I love to tune out completely for a month or more on some remote island but as soon as I'm back in a city I just have to check the news and email family and friends. I never bring my phone when I travel though. I don't think I would be able to relax completely if I knew that people could contact me all the time.

I used to tune out completely, and now I kind of miss that feeling. Bringing nothing but a travel journal makes the experience much more intense.

Sadly, all that has changed. I now get withdrawal symptoms when I'm away from an internet café for more than a week, and I take my point-and-shoot digital camera everywhere. it's fun on short trips, but something is lost on longer trips. I'm not able to immerse myself as well as I used to. And maintaining a blog on the road can be a bitch (my Indonesia section never got completed...)

75% tune out. 25% send emails, post cards, and maybe pickup some local radio.