I have written about guidebooks before. Here is another take on guidebooks. It reinforces the importance of going “old school” versus electronic. And you may not have internet access where you are staying, such as a tent in the Serengeti. If you do some online research before you go, I strongly suggest printing it out, or downloading it to your smart phone or Dropbox.

Robert Reid’s points for why you should use a guidebook (he has a website called Reid on Travel)

“Because it:

…knows more than you do, and tells you how to learn

…can save you money

…helps you plan a personalized trip for you, by you

…gets you to places where no one goes

…gets you to places where everyone goes

…gives orientation to a region better than any other travel source

…is your friend, perhaps your only friend, in a place you’ve never been before”

So, here are some of my reasons for using a guidebook.

Many times, I do not carry a cell phone to foreign countries, mostly due to higher cost of keeping the iphone connected.

It always tells me a decent place to stay.

And more importantly, it tells me what to avoid, as in unsafe parts of town, or where the pickpockets and gypsies hang out.

Allows me to build upon the experience with online research before I leave home.

BLOGS

The problem today is that many bloggers are paid to publish their experiences. Disclosures are either found in the small print, or most likely, not at all. Just so you know, I have not accepted hardly a dime for my blogs. However, given the right circumstance, I might be willing to sell my soul for something like the Orient Express or the Trans Siberian Railway.

I have found honest bloggers, who despite getting paid for their trip, always give a fair and balanced report. They are the minority!

Yelp and TripAdvisor

These are powerful tools in providing feedback to other travelers, as well as the vendor or company itself. Often times, it has been my only recourse when trying to get a refund, or at least warn others about a bad experience. When I ate at Yankee Pier in Lafayette, the experience was disgusting. The chef was using the men’s room with me, and did not WASH his hands upon leaving. Fortunately, we were done with dinner. I can only hope my Yelp review kept some people away!

I have been given refunds in exchange for removing negative feedback. Try it sometime!

At some point in your life, you have been stuck in your hotel room by yourself, of course. It could have been a strange city, or an injury or illness. It could be a curfew, or unsafe conditions outside. And what if you did not have any television, radio, or internet? Could you keep your sanity, and fill the 24 hour space?

One such scenario is easily repeated, in our National Park lodges, where televisions are rare, and weather conditions can temporarily “shelter” even the heartiest travelers.

Rule 1: Bring a book!

Rule 2: Bring a deck of cards or small board game.

Rule 3: Bring something to write on (paper or ipad).

Rule 4: Bring a sleeping pill.

Rule 5: See Rule 1.

The most frightful thought for me, might be the absence of an internet connection! I think the older generation, basically anyone over 50, can find something to do. But I wonder about the twenty somethings? Think about it next time you are in a hotel room in a strange place. And what about food and water? They might be as scarce as decent entertainment.

It was a real struggle in Africa. Books were scarce out in the Serengeti. Reading lights were even more scarce. The sound of wild animals filled the air. It was unsafe outside of my room or tent. There are scarcely any lights out in the distance. It is an unusual sensation, one that requires some adjustment. Did I adjust? I managed, at best.

What would you do? What would you do?