Disconnect to reconnect – the importance of switching off and going ‘dark!’http://thai-nomad.com/disconnect-reconnect/I am a Scotsman. Born and brought up on the outskirts of Glasgow in 1970. I caught the travel bug early on in life – traveling to California as a twelve year-old (to visit family), and then hitch-hiking around the Scottish Highlands with a rucksack and tent on my back from the age of 14. I first hit the road ‘proper’ on my own when I was 17 years-old back in 1987. I was headed for Jersey in the Channel Islands: a small group of islands located in the English Channel near France. Back then life was less complicated – every week I’d ‘clock in’ with my parents via a short, expensive phone call, to reassure them that I was still alive and that all was well (even if it wasn’t); occasionally, I’d pop a letter in the post to a friend with details of my exploits and adventures, but – on the whole, connectivity from afar in those days was limited.Since my Jersey days, I have had the good fortune to have lived and worked overseas (on and off) for extended periods of time. I have made many friends throughout my travels – some, I have managed to stay in contact with over the years, and others – unfortunately, I have not. There is no doubt, with the advancement of technology, that staying in touch with people has become much easier over the years. Technology – in general, has made life easier for most of us; I love the fact that we can do all manner of things from our smartphones and laptops, but an unintended side-effect of this technological revolution is that although we may be more connected with people through social media and the internet, physical interaction has decreased for most of us as technology has advanced.In many ways, the more connected we have become online has resulted in us being increasingly disconnected offline. The evidence of this is all around us – a casual conversation at the bus stop between two strangers, for instance, isn’t always the easiest thing to initiate if the other person has their head buried in their smartphone. In the past, especially when traveling (in my experience), physical, human interaction was vibrant and healthy. Awkward silences existed in certain situations between strangers, but usually enough social skills had been acquired by both parties to overcome these moments and a conversation of sorts would ensue.Now awkward silences can be avoided entirely by whipping out your smartphone and immersing yourself in facebook or some other internet/phone related activity. Avoiding physical, social interactions with diversions and distractions such as smartphones and other devices, especially for young people, isn’t the best formula for developing social skills. Oftentimes, the more connected you are online, the more isolated you become offline.I am not anti-technology, or some old, aging ‘technophobe’, far from it – I embrace technology, and am an advocate of online business, in particular, but I also believe in the importance of establishing ‘balance’ in life, and know that too much of anything is never a good idea.As a travel blogger/writer, I spend a lot of time on my phone/laptop/internet. In fact, like many people today, I probably spend too much time online, which is why I regularly disconnect from the internet to reconnect with reality. I especially like to do so when traveling.On a recent trip to Thailand I went dark for 5 days. I am married to a Thai national and have two Scottish/Thai children: a girl (16), and a boy (12); after spending 11 tranquil days in my wife’s parents village in Buriram, northeastern Thailand we headed for Koh Samui in the south of the country.Shortly after arriving on Koh Samui I switched off all my devices, and kept them switched off for the duration of our time on Samui. My wife and children followed suit. The internet-free days that followed were productive, fun-filled days that strengthened the bond between myself, my wife, and my kids. Communication resumed to healthy levels within a day, and with no distractions such as social media to contend with, we were able to appreciate Samui for the beautiful location that it is.My advice to you – if you are anything like me, is to disconnect from the internet to reconnect with the important things in life.http://thai-nomad.com/disconnect-reconnect/
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