Putting a geek in the middle of no where with no Internet - Here's what happens

Putting a geek in the middle of no where with no Internet

Here's what happens
A photo of Pete R.
By Pete R., a solo traveler, travel blogger, and photographer with over 11+ years of experience.
Updated on

I'm not a hardcore geek per se, but I did spend most of my waking life on the Internet. Since my business (BucketListly Blog) revolves around the Internet, the decision to be disconnected did not come easy.

Last month, I decided to go on a 7-day trek through the Himalayas (Annapurna base camp) in Nepal alone, and I was able to experience and observe what it would be like to be cut off from the world and be completely disconnected from the Internet. Here are the things I've learned throughout the trek:

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Dining room is my only social network.

Since I spend 8 hours a day trekking in the forest alone, social interaction becomes rare. As social animals, we are wired to socialize, which is why bored people escape and reside on Facebook. While on the trek, I spend the entire day climbing stairs, and the only time I am able to have a conversation with someone is when I arrive at the lodge and everyone is sitting in the dining room waiting for food. That's where I find myself most of the time, sitting in the dining hall, striking up conversations with people I share tables with.

The amazing thing is that we humans, when we lack instant access to the social interaction provided by the Internet, will fall back to our roots and interact with each other through the traditional art of storytelling. People gather in groups, share stories about their adventures, and engage with one another in a meaningful way. I have, for the first time in my life, witnessed a truly raw emotional phenomenon that unfortunately is fading away in our society. No matter how great technologies are, engaging people through face-to-face storytelling will always create a much more meaningful relationship between people.

People are friendlier

Since everyone was also being disconnected and no longer bound themselves to the screen in front of them, people turned to each other and started conversing, the old-fashioned way. Everyone always said hi to each other, told jokes like they were longtime friends, and helped each other out without expecting anything in return. Attention is easier to come by in a world where people get distracted by all sorts of things.

I sleep better

Since there's not much to do in the evening while on the trek, most people will go to bed at around 8 PM. I also found myself doing the same, but to my surprise, when I woke up at 6 in the morning, I felt more rested, regardless of all the exercise the day before, than when I was living comfortably at home. The rate at which our bodies recover themselves fascinates me. All I need to do is give my body enough sleep, and all my energy is replenished the next day.

There's no doubt that the Internet has greatly impacted the way we live, but did you know that you are also getting less sleep because of it? The Internet is addictive, and we tend to lose track of time while using it. How many of you check your phone before sleeping? I'm sure the majority does this because I also used to do it as well. How is it that the tired me on the mountain can become more restful than the comfortable me in the city? I believe that's the side effect of the Internet.

I am calmer

After 5 days without the Internet, I realized how peaceful I was. There's nothing to rush for, no email to reply to, no tweet to tweet back, no chat to respond to, and best of all, there's no news to read. I had no idea what was happening in the world, and I prefer it that way. The more news I consume, the more depressed I become. All I had to do up there was to try and make the next step safely. This is the first time I was able to become stress-free for the whole 7 days, and it was bliss.

So this is what life without stress is like?

Our modern lifestyle enables us to do more, but is doing more what we really need? Life is as simple as getting to the destination safely, but we tend to complicate it by doing the wrong things. Being disconnected for a whole week made me realize that most of the things I do - the things I believed I couldn't live without - don't matter. It also taught me the importance of storytelling and how rare meaningful interactions are in the age of social networks. The best thing you can give to people you care about is your attention.

Let me propose an experiment to you. Tomorrow, instead of chatting on WhatsApp, try turning it off and let people call you. Say hi to strangers, don't consume any news, slow down your life, sleep early, and let me know how you feel the next day.

Further Reading for Inspiration

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