We’ve all been there. In a moment of down time, we’ve picked up our phone to scroll our socials, only a photo stops us. Suddenly, we begin swiping right. No, I am not talking about Tinder. I am talking about other people’s vacation photos.
Maybe it’s the deep turquoise blue of the ocean behind them. Or perhaps it’s the stone streets of a place we’ve only ever dreamed of going. And of course it’s the smile on our friend’s (or some celebrity’s) face as they’re living their best life.
For a moment, we are transported into their trip. We feel joy. We are genuinely interested in where they ate or seeing the view from their hotel room. Until we remember, we are still in our everyday life.
Ever so stealthy, discontentment seeps into our chest.
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Then, it is our turn. Our turn to go somewhere new and fabulous. A bucket list destination, or one we’ve seen someone we follow visit. So, we begin making our “must-see” list, including the things we’ve seen on Instagram.
Next, if we’re planners, we check the hashtags of the place we’re going. We get restaurant ideas or start plotting interest points on google maps. Then we head over to TripAdvisor and check the ratings of all the places we’re thinking of going.
As planners, we begin to feel this nagging fear: What if we’re missing something?
But then, as a planner, we begin to feel this nagging fear: What if we’re missing something? What if there is something really cool to see and we don’t get there?
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The Internet has made travel amazingly accessible. It has made it possible for us to rent people’s apartments in expensive cities, rather than trying to stay in hotels we can’t afford. It helps us find great restaurants in small towns—and stay away from the sketchy ones. We can buy our plane tickets, rent our car, and make AirBnB reservations all by sitting down at our computer or using our phone. Then, while we’re away, we can share all our photo’s with our friends and family back home.
The internet is fantastic for travel.
But it can also give us a serious case of travel FOMO.*
Just recently, Tony and I experienced this on our trip to Nashville. While we were there, we saw three fantastic concerts—one even at the Ryman. We ate at some stellar yet not fancy restaurants. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, saw the Grand Ole Opry, walked down Honky Tonk Highway, and even saw the city skyline from the John Seigenthaler Bridge. Yet, even with all of this, we left feeling like we missed something.
Did we really miss anything? Or, has all our time online made us afraid that we have?
As two detailed planners (Lord, help us), we had researched where we wanted to go before the trip. Only on that last day, we both wondered what we’d overlooked. And we questioned, did we really miss anything? Or, has all our time online made us afraid that we have?
TripAdvisor, Yelp, Instagram, Pinterest and so many other sites are truly remarkable tools for travel planning. But they can also give us the impression that there is such a thing as a “Perfect Trip” or a “Perfect Itinerary.” When these terms are so subjective. A fantastic trip for you may not be great for me and vice versa.
Not only that, but at times our trips become more about capturing that iconic instagram photo than actually experiencing the place we’re visiting. As if I didn’t really go to Nashville if I didn’t get a photo of me in front of the “I believe in Nashville” mural (which of course, I did). As fun as it is to join others in posting these photos for friends to see—every time, I can’t help but come away wondering if my experiences are becoming less by taking part in these rituals.
As fun as it is to join others in posting these photos for friends to see—every time, I can’t help but come away wondering if my experiences are becoming less by taking part in these rituals.
Researching and planning for our vacations is good and important. We all want to make the most of our trip. Only lately, I am beginning to see that at some point in the process, we all need to step back, refrain from planning every moment, and leave room to be surprised. Perhaps even (gasp), don’t sweat it when we come away without that iconic Instagram shot.
Vacation and travel are a gift, not for our social feeds or friends back home, but for us.
Vacation and travel are a gift, not for our social feeds or friends back home, but for us. Focusing so much on what we’re told online to see or on posting the perfect photo, can keep us from being fully present to the place we’re visiting. Our reasons for travel should be fun, rest, adventure, and even gaining a new perspective on life. Let’s not miss these things in pursuit of the virtual. Let’s create memories we can taste, touch, and experience—not just post online.
How has the internet and social media helped you travel better?
Is there any way it is taking away from your travel experiences?
*Fear of Missing Out
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Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
