the end of paper maps?

what a loss

To me, a GPS device makes perfect sense for navigating to urban destinations. For business meetings, that is. If I'm planning a holiday, however, my first priority is to buy a really good map of the intended destination country with lots of topographical details - a Michelin, preferably.

I can spend hours following the lines of valleys, feeling the rhythms of rugged terrain and discovering sleeping villages and isolated monasteries. Then we drive over and explore those beautiful areas for real.

Using a map means familiarizing yourself with the landscape. Thinking about alternative routes. Alternative destinations. Traveling with a map is serendipitous - finding the unexpected is half the fun.

Traveling with a GPS device, in contrast, is about moving from home to hotel as fast as possible. The best thing that can happen to you on the way is: nothing. Anything else would inevitably slow you down.

there's more to life than this

A pre-programmed route to a pre-programmed holiday experience may be appealing to some people. But, methinks, large groups of people will abhor such a life style. Embracing the unexpected and enjoying the journey, not just the destination, will remain an attractive mode of traveling.

The joys of paper maps extend beyond the actual trip: your traveling experiences get anchored to the map you're using. I can pull any map from my collection and recall how I climbed that mountain, when we camped near that stream. I don't see myself waxing sentimental over a collection of GPS waypoints that way...