Travel Today Compared to Travel Thirty Years Ago

Posted on by buildingtheloveshack

Flying back on the plane on Monday from our lovely vacations in Mexico, had me thinking about how things have changed in travel over the thirty years I have been traveling. Let’s look at that.

To start with was my lap top bag. Here I was off on vacations and in my carry on was my lap top, my Kobo, four cameras and two cell phones.

Vacation of thirty years ago, I would have been carrying, a crossword puzzle book, four paper backs, one camera that had film in it and a pad of paper and a pen.

Thirty years ago we would have come home and dropped off the film, hoping to have got good shots on the camera. This trip, not only can you see your shots as soon as you get them, but now I downed loaded the pictures and videos each evening and was able to work on them.

Thirty years ago, in the note-book, I would have taken notes on what I would write on when I get home. This trip I wrote two chapters on the book and edited five more, all writing on my lap top sitting by the pool.

Thirty years ago we would have made friends with someone, exchanged  addresses and sent Christmas Cards. Today we exchanged email address, added each other to face book and shared blogs. That’s just the technical part.

Thirty years ago, there were very few families and fewer people traveling in the retired plus group. Today the majority of the people we met were Baby Boomers. Some were retired, some were closer to our age, the children were grown up but still had work to go back to. Yet, their still were very few families with small children. Travel has gotten more expensive and more family friendly places like Disney Land and Amusement Parks, have been created to entertain children.

Islands have gotten more modernized. I remember going to the Caribbean, taking a bus that had no air-conditioning,driving on old roads with pot holes in them and looking forward to the taste of the island.

Today you are on buses with air-conditioning, driving on paved roads going through cities instead of towns.

Fast food chains and restaurants are showing up every where. I personally still don’t go near them, I can live without Starbucks and Hooters. They will never taste or smell like, the fresh mountain grown coffee or a fajita’s cooked on an open grill.

Where there was once markets to buy crafts made traditionally by the island people, have now been taken over by jewelry stores and designer clothes.  Once you walk away from the main streets, now owned by companies trying to enhance the travels and those big cruise ship with all their guest and their dollars, you can still find crafts and traditional food. You just have to go a little deeper into the towns to find those wonderful markets.

The lovely little homes built by hand for the people, by the people, are now becoming condos. And sadly to say, each place now has people trying to sell you Time Shares. So much for being left alone on your vacations.

That being said, travel is till one of my biggest pleasure. I still enjoy the island and the people. I still enjoy the traditional foods and crafts.

Meeting people from all over the world has also been one of nicest and most interesting parts of travel. And there is still nothing that smells as nice as the sea, or as restful on the eyes as the sun sparkling off the blue ocean, expect maybe the twinkling of the stars on a clear night looking over the ocean.

Travel has changed and so has my way of travel. I still go to the island to see the island and the people. I  try hard  not to leave any damage by me being there and to support the people of the island who proved so much care and the beauty they offered.

That being said, if it wasn’t for the modern technology that I brought along with me, I wouldn’t  be able to show you this video that was shot on the Island of Cozumel.

There has been no editing done on this, it in original form and color. You see, those modern cameras, adjusted themselves, yes even under water to give us this video, shot by husbands.  I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

I will post some pictures on the next blog. I will also try to post a few videos, but modern technology may have advanced, but it seems to take a very long time to up load a video.

 

 

 

 

 

21 thoughts on “Travel Today Compared to Travel Thirty Years Ago”

  1. Pingback: Travel Today Compared to Travel Thirty Years Ago – Building The Love Shack

  2. This made me smile, as I could relate so well to the differences in what we used to bring on long trips, compared to what we bring nowadays. Even when I’m packing light these days, I still have gather up all the technological items, which makes everything so much heavier. Great post and I love the video. That’s something we couldn’t really do 30 yrs ago. 😉

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  4. Well, not just 30 years ago, even 20 years ago this would have applied. These changes really came about rapidly in the last 15 years. But the one thing though is that if we cruise the islands, there is still the element of making aquaintances with folks dining at the same table.

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      1. Yes we love cruising. Well first of all being lazy and all, one does not need to unpack luggage every day…and the meals are there – anytime of the day! Plus if one sits at the formal dinners, get to connect with people who we never will otherwise. Some will be interesting, others not so friendly, a few very engaging…

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      3. Absolutely. Aside from the eating (which is mostly heheh), there are events – auctions of art, appreciation of gems…yes all trying to sell you something but all you need to do is to shut the wallet and sit in the comfort of the room and watch others do the spending. Its fun…

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  6. Travelling by plane has changed for me huge!
    As a child, my father worked for United, and when we flew out of O’Hare , we parked in employee parking and walked up right to the gate. No passing through security at all!! On top of that, while flying, we would get to meet the pilot, sit on his lap and ‘fly’ the plane!
    I can barely stomach flying now. I can’t handle the invasion of privacy I feel. I think the TSA views my anxiety attacks as possible terrorist activity and always pulls me out of the crowd for closer inspections. It must be the red hair 😉

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    1. I have to say so far flying has still been good for me. But a long time ago I was on a plane that the ice was so bad our lights were coming on and off in the plane and when we landed there was so much ice we slide and missed the building by inches. At that point I got anxiety for a while when i flew, now I am good again.

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