16 Lessons from backpacking 45 days without my iPhone
A Picture Story!
No, it was not planned.
But isn’t that how all great adventures start?
They say sometimes an unfortunate event is a blessing in disguise. Ironically enough at the time, I was looking to turn my backpacking trip into a life hacking project but didn’t have any ideas…until I accidentally took my iPhone swimming in the Palawan Islands on day three.
And so the challenge was decided for me!
For the next 45 days I backpacked across 6 countries and 15 cities without my iPhone — which is similar to what people did pre-1990's. However, the twist was: how will the experience differ now that the world had become digital and wired-up on smartphones?
Note: I had my GoPro
Well, let me share my wisdom!
- Quitting social media cold-turkey won’t kill you. No Facebook, no Instagram, no Wifi won’t kill you. While traveling, there will be plenty of stimuli to engage your senses. If you can’t find any, you’re doing it wrong. Go explore!
2. Appreciate the moment and just be. There was no urge to whip out my phone and snap a few photos, wondering what filter would look best and generate me the most likes. There were only those ephemeral minutes or seconds where I could truly take in my surroundings and cherish them, tucking them away in my memories, unshareable to you suckers on social media.
3. Special moments shouldn’t be forced. We try to force these — the perfect sunset, or the perfect coffee in the afternoon, and then put them up on social media for justification by “likes.” But people appreciate different things and moments that were supposed to be “special” may turnout indifferent(e.g. I felt very impartial to Chiang Mai). Don’t force it.
4. Print your flight itinerary or jot down your flight number! I was traveling to Cambodia from Bali through the Philippines and had to prove I was going to leave the Philippines or else I could not be issued a ticket. Luckily my flight to Cambodia was with the same airline to the Philippines. On the other hand, being stuck in Bali probably wouldn’t have been so bad…
5. The world is flat. In Cambodia, I saw monks with iPhones and iPads. In Dili, East Timor, the owner of the hostel I stayed in had an iPad and asked me to add her on Facebook. Unfortunately at the time I didn’t have my iPhone to do so. Who is the primitive one now?
6. No access to the news makes one perceive the world with one’s eyes and see it for the beauty that is rather than fear it. The media usually showcases bad news and warps our view on the world, making it seem more dangerous than it actually is. No, I did not know of the missing AirAsia flight, nor the hostage situation in Sydney when I was traveling. Yes, there are dangerous parts of the world but you can choose not to fear it — unshelter yourself and live a little!
7. People everywhere are pretty much the same. I was walking through the largest market in Bacau, Timor-Leste, which was basically a long unpaved, dirt road set between shops built from sheet metal and wood. Along the way we interacted with children and shop owners. Despite their utter poverty and language barrier, all of that was transcended with eye contact and a smile. The smallest of human gestures can build the strongest of connections. Interact with them in person, not behind the lens of your smartphone.
8. Create rather than consume. Without a phone, I didn’t have access to wifi, music, or my audiobooks. That just leaves a man and his thoughts…
9. Music sounds amazing live. I developed a deeper appreciation for music. Having gone without listening to Spotify for over a month and then stumbling into a live jazz session in Bangkok was like hearing music for the first time!
10. Phones are necessary to keep in touch with family in case of emergencies.
11. Be less social on media and more social in person. Because I was rarely checking social media, I no longer cared about “keeping up with the Joneses.” I had no activity on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, etc. as if I no longer “existed.” And because I was traveling to so many places, many of my friends didn’t know where I was or what I was up to…and I didn’t really bother to update them. New places, new friends!
12. Meetups become less serious. You have a meeting point and a time. But if your friend didn’t show up, there was no way to get in contact. But you’re in Siem Reap. You’re in Bangkok. You’re in Manila. Go explore solo!
13. Meetups become more special. Being in a foreign country aside, meeting up with someone without a phone feels like receiving snail mail: old school but definitely memorable. One time in Bangkok, I met up with a friend by calling him with another friend’s phone while he borrowed his taxi driver’s phone. We later bumped into another mutual friend on the street! The more creative, the better!
14. Don’t carry your water-damaged phone in a bag of rice through customs. You will be questioned!
15. Conversations become more engaging. When was the last time you had a deep conversation with someone? When was the last time you went through lunch or dinner without checking your phone?
And lastly,
16. Don’t plan too much, just go with it and get lost. It’ll make for better stories. I promise ☺.
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