Ten years ago, a weekend journey to a nearby hill station was likely to involve typing a postcode into Multimap, printing out step-by-step instructions and then enduring amateur navigation from my partner in the passenger seat. Stopping 15 times in the middle of nowhere and rechecking the turns with the small shops on the highway.
A decade on, Google maps and the inexorable rise of the smartphone have radically changed how I locate, navigate and plan my journeys. It acts as my guides for everything from driving holidays to nipping to the shops. It has become the de facto interface between the the physical and the digital world, meaning people need never be lost again - even if they don’t have a sense of direction, I have been using google map for over 10 years now, I have taken 6 backpacker trip in last 5 years, I have covered as many as 12 countries, over 32 cities and I have never felt lost - thanks to google maps!.
As soon as I land in a new city, the first thing i do is to board a Hop On Hop Off tour bus, usually they are quickest way get an overview of the city. Since I am a big sucker for history, I usually get down at all possible stops which has some historical significance and legends attached to them.
I feel captivated by the stories of the city, culture and the architecture, I make it point to gather as much information as possible, I usually incorporate them in my reviews and Photos that I post on google maps. I also figure out any hacks which can be of help for my fellow backpackers saving them time and money.
For exm in my last backpacker trip to Alcazar, in Seville (Spain), I figure that entry to the Alcazar is free on Monday afternoon during 4pm-5pm (October-March) and 6pm-7pm (April-September), but only if it’s a “working Monday” (ie, not a holiday), I have shared this information on my review of Alcazar I am sure it will help many backpackers save 12.5 euros on the ticket price.
I am also a big foodie, during my backpacker trips I gather recommendations from the locals on famous eating joints which are near to tourist monuments but still cheap and in budget, I try my best to review such outlets on google map and mentions if they allow the use of their Washroom to tourists.
I hope to continue helping my
fellow backpackers through my honest reviews and feedback.
Cheers GoogleLocalGuide !
