Earlier this year, I learned that travelling is no longer for the technically incompetent. It’s for young computer whizzes, who seem to be able to research anything on their little handheld smartphones.

I recently rambled about my fascinating trip to Vietnam and Turkey, which was a late-in-life trip taken to close a circle which included a country that had loomed large over my life. The Vietnam War had shockingly been shifted off to the side of my consciousness as a young man, as my self-absorbed student endeavours and jobs took precedence.

The Vietnamese people I have met here in Canada have always fascinated me. Without exception, they are law-abiding, gracious, hard-working and always seem to be smiling. They are relatively recent arrivals to Canada and make important contributions to our proud and wonderful country.

Back last year, I determined to right this wrong, and travel to Southeast Asia to meet them on their own turf. My peripatetic son and daughter assisted me with travel arrangements, and thanks to their enthusiastic assistance and encouragement, my trip went off almost without a hitch.

Needing their help was ironic because between 1984 and 1998 I was the proprietor of a very busy corporate travel agency in downtown St. Catharines. We send business travellers around the world, and happy people to Hawaii. I billed myself as “Ross Ho.”

Computerization had just arrived, and the world of arranging travel was changing fast. I couldn’t keep up and thankfully found a buyer for that business.

Everything is online now, including the airfare components, accommodations, and activities.

And what’s the fun of trying to navigate public transit in Istanbul, Hanoi, Tokyo or Honolulu? I’ll tell you what apparently makes overseas travel possible now. Smartphones!

As I navigated my recent trip, I politely prevailed upon hundreds of locals to guide me from one place to another on either side of the Bosphorus Strait, from downtown Hanoi to Ha Long Bay or around the fascinating and frenetic multi-million-plus resident city of Saigon (officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, now).

Countless scooters everywhere!

How many times did the person helping me almost automatically pull out their smartphone and tap a bunch of letters on the keypad? Bingo, the information I was requesting was clearly printed on the screen, easy to understand and quickly sending me on my way.

Young computer sharpies don’t need printed schedules or travel company booklets. It’s all online now, instantly available. But I wouldn’t have met the dozens of helpful, smiling Turkish and Vietnamese people who gave me a true sense of their countries.

And, now let’s talk for a few minutes about the interpersonal dynamics of retail shopping. Markets have always fascinated me, the epitome of “supply and demand.”

In a bustling Asian market with hundreds of vendors hoping to sell me something, eye contact had always been key. Just a brief glance, but the person working in the stall could determine in an instant who might want their product. They used to glance at each and every person who was passing their stall.

I will now ramble awkwardly to this week’s final thought, talking about artificial intelligence. Travelling without the internet can be an incredibly enriching and refreshing experience. One gets a deeper connection with one’s surroundings. Unplanned adventures, and the discovery of an unplanned adventure when one stumbles upon a hidden gem.

How about a story-worthy experience that might sometimes enrich a trip planned without the internet?

Navigating travel challenges and random opportunities in old-school, creative ways can lead to unique stories.

Enjoy old-style travel. Wake up, open the front door and let the new day take you on an adventure.

Yes, yes, this last trip has convinced me that travel has changed. It’s much more efficient now, but is that a good thing?