The Best Technology for Travelers

You are probably expecting me to go into a review of a new laptop or tablet here, but that's not at all what I'm going to do. Indeed, sometimes we forget that the best technology for travelers is that which allows them to travel at all. When you strip away the internet, smart phones, and other gadgets, what are you left with? Transport.

The evolution of man was not enough to help him survive and thrive. He had to move out of his niche and metamorphose from a barbaric creature to a civilized one. He started to experiment with his immediate surroundings. The innate inquisitiveness of a human led him into knowing the mysteries surrounding nature. Gradually he learned to make use of them for his personal benefits. Fire provided him with warmth, water washed away his dirt, and animal hide protected him against the cold. He then moved from this primary ground knowledge to the more advanced level.

Creator’s creation – man became a creator himself. The invention of the wheel is one such invention that caused man’s pace of progress to dart towards ever soaring heights. Mankind was introduced to a new phenomenon of exhilarating comfort via the bullock cart, plow, and also the pulley wheel. The wheel made man free to move into a wider space of knowledge and resource. His energy came to be utilized then and he began to reap the rewards of his efforts.

This invention was conducive to growth and hence life began to be centered on it. It had many advantages. It proved to be a time saver and also reduced the mechanical effort by a large fraction. Also the output obtained had the best satisfaction level. The wheel made commuting short distances a pleasure and with this pleasure, mankind tried to seek more ways of getting benefit from it. Enter the joy of traveling. Traveling became a hassle free task. With the beginnings of primary globalization more and greater distances needed to be covered in the shortest time frame.

This resulted in the birth of a dimensionless pool of facts and their applications. It has since come to be known as Technology. It covers all the spheres of human development. The development that was a result of research, need and desire for progress.

Today we have innumerable options of employing technology in our travels. Each new gizmo or gadget tries to lure us with innumerable touts and examples of their respective benefits. The various offers do not seem to ever reach an endpoint. Each minute brings in a modified version of its half a minute elder sibling into the technical world. V1 leads to V2 and 1.0 leads to 2.5. And so it goes.

This makes traveling a well calculated affair. The race towards higher progress has been replaced by the race towards higher income. Hence the modern traveler is under both severe economic and time constraints. The best choice is for a a limited time only since it suffers constant competition from the others. The modern man is withering between his choices. To choose the best for all time is not possible because each has a built in obsolescence date which is a unique characteristic asset of its own.

The technology offered to travelers knows no bounds. To travel through air is equally convenient as compared to traveling through the gushing waters. Faster versus more comfortable. There can be no comparative grounds between a submarine and a Boeing. Of course submarine travel isn't yet a commonplace situation, but perhaps it will be.Each has its own set of privilege and luxury. While one takes us into the heart of the ocean the other makes us fly through the vertical limits. Similarly the cost effectiveness of train travel has no meeting grounds with that of a cruise.

In a world such as ours it is important to give at least a semblance to maintaining the equilibrium level of income. Our democratic leaning world demands both more and higher public transport usage. Due to economic constraints we cannot afford to provide the entire population with equality of quality in the desired mode of travel. Hence the best technology for travelers is undoubtedly trains, trams, and buses. These offer the best combination of public accessibility, speed, and cost effectiveness.

Another very important factor is the geography of a place. This again narrows the spectrum of travel options. In Bhutan, for instance, the rocky terrain gives no way to the construction of railway tracks. Hence the best way to travel is via air or through government supported buses.

Traveling also offers the best means of recreation. Be it for a family tour or for business travel, there are an array of automobile options. The best technology available is private cars and private buses. The private sector has made a major contribution to each country’s aggregate transport system. To choose the best from the best travel deal is a tough choice.

In the present scenario, we hold witness of the fact that the world has awakened to global environmental concerns. There are many viable options of green automobiles that help us become agents of social change. The importance of renewable energy has been recognized. Finally, conventional fuel is starting to be replaced by energy efficient fuels that reduce poisonous emissions. Also we have an option of choosing from the solar cell operated vehicles. Thus less energy consuming technology becomes the best for travelers.

And as we come full circle, the bullock cart seems to be the best choice for reducing the rampant pollution level! Yet what was a boon for the ancient times does not fit into the modern lifestyle. The standard of life has risen. Life moves way ahead of the snail’s pace. Even a student today cannot travel without the school bus. We need to bring the most primary mode of travel into full swing. The multitude of traffic jams and the thronging crowd needs to be managed. The technology that best meets these demands is bicycle commuting.

Unlike the way a Mercedes pertains to the elite class, the use of bicycles is not confined to any such constraint. It has been used as a mode of travel by all classes. It is undoubtedly the best technology for travelers. The health benefit by cycling is icing on the cake. In addition, the low cost of its maintenance and easy handling makes it the best.

To choose the best technology for travelers means that we need to fulfill certain parameters. The personal choice of each individual plays a vital role. To choose one technology over the other does not necessarily make the chosen one the best. The rapid pace of advancement of technology itself offers tough competition to the existing tech. The human resources invested in industry is massive. As a result we constantly hear of new travel inventions each day. This holds good promise for the future. The world is looking forward to the ‘best’ technology with a universal appeal and practicality.

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