Tuesday, June 5, 2018

I have revised my opinion on why Millennials are so obsessed with travel

Millennials' passion for travel is well documented. Research will tell you that to them, "experiences matter more than things." But I always had a tiny, terrifying suspicion Instagram Culture had convinced a whole generation it's more rewarding to photograph life than live it.

I've recently discarded that theory, too. (Or last least downgraded it to Interesting But Unprovable Cocktail Conversation Fodder.) My new theory is Millennials are obsessed with travel because technology makes it easy as hell.

Don't want to figure out exchange rates? No worries, your credit card now works worldwide. Ditto your cash card, which means no more hunting for safe spots to buy local currency.

Google Translate makes it easy to get around without knowing a single word of the local language. (No more spending your pre-trip months memorizing a list of key phrases like, "Where's the bathroom?")

And you can junk your transit schedules and your maps. Just type in the monument you're searching for and Google will provide real-time directions. Unless you're Gen X or older you have no conception of how seismic this change is. I can't emphasize it enough. I have vivid memories of standing on street corners with paper maps unfolded wide, spinning in a circle looking for something, anything that might give me any clue where the hell I was. I remember the stress of having to keep one hand on my wallet and one hand on my backpack while I craned my neck up at a spinning list of bus departures written in a foreign language. All those worries are just... not worries anymore.

No wonder every Millennial I know spends their vacations overseas. Travel is awesome and beautiful and educational. And these days, it's as simple as ordering pizza.

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