I have a question for those of you who travel, near or far. Is it a Travel Sin(tm) to wear headphones while traveling?
I’ve been going back and forth on this one myself, which is why I’m asking for your input. Yesterday I headed to the central business district of Brisbane looking for some maps, a haircut and wine. I’ve never been in this fine city before and it was a walk of about a mile or so. For some reason, I really wanted to listen to familiar music.
And then I was conflicted! “But” my mind stammered before leaving the apartment, “you have to TAKE IN all the sites, smells, sounds of a new place! Otherwise you’re not really experiencing it!” While the other side of my head just wanted to listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the end the Chili Peppers side won, but the thought lingered with me the whole time I strolled.
For the record Brisbane is a modern city of 1.2 million souls. It’s not that unlike Seattle, where I have lived and worked for many years. I don’t hesitate to wear headphones in Seattle if I want to shut things out, so why would Brisbane be different?
For a while I did remove the headphones and what I heard was a large city. Horns, tourists, kids yelling, music from downtown cafes filling the air. Normal big city stuff. With the headphones back in, I didn’t feel like I was missing much.
At the core of the question, for me, is the fact that music has a fundamental ability to alter our perception of a place. Music is great at messing with our minds, bringing about emotions that weren’t at the surface a moment ago (think of how well music makes a scary movie even scarier). For those that listen, most of us use an iPod
In my mind I’m still undecided. Sometimes I think it’s a Travel Sin. Sometimes, well, sometimes I just want to escape into my own world while exploring another.
What do you think? For you, is it Travel Sin to walk around humming your own tunes from the iPod while strolling through new environs? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your opinion!
I might really enjoy listening to music while walking the streets. I’ve never had an i-pod and it has been more than a decade since I used my Sony Walkman.
My observation in most cities when traveling is a large proportion of people are tuned in and tuned out, particularly students and work commuters.
I wouldn’t do it but then again I don’t do headphones or blue tooth even when I’m not traveling.
I’m thinking of my experience in Southeast Asia. Tourists tend to meet other tourists and become pals because it is more of a backpacker-tourist culture. Having headphones in would make you look unapproachable.
But walking in a city alone with headphones? Maybe wouldn’t make much of a difference to your overall experience.
i don’t use headphones because i have ear problems. that said, i think it is very useful for kids to use – it is a nice way for them to adjust slowly, instead of all at once. i am not sure – i see everyone using them all of the time, so our global culture must be looking for a way to spend some alone time amidst a crowd. no?!
I try keep unplugged when walking around so I can be aware of what’s going on and maybe meet people. On the other hand, whenever I’m stuck sitting for hours my iPod is my lifesaver! Who wants to travel thousands of miles hearing screaming babies and loud obnoxiousness? I find it helps me forget that I won’t be moving for a few hours and better appreciate the scenery (from a window etc)
Wow, I love that you wrote this post! I wear my headphones religiously here in Rome (where I do live, so not exactly traveling), but I’ve often pondered that this is putting up too much of a wall. I suppose that’s part of why I do it (before I used to get too many comments on the street, so it’s a way of blocking that out), but what am I missing? It’s funny though, I’ve tried to do without when I’m riding the bus or walking and it’s hard to get out of the habit! One nice thing about going out with my camera to photograph is that I then need to take off the iPod and refocus in.
Yes, I think it’s a travel sin. I think the point of travel is to experience a place as much as you can. Wearing headphones shuts out one of the major senses and yes, makes you unapproachable if alone. Personally, I never do this because I want to be fully aware of my surroundings, both for safety’s sake and the experience of it.
I think it’s up to you. You can experience your travel in different ways. And it doesn’t mean that putting on a headphone once in a while will make you miss the whole experience. I think part of traveling is to make us happy. So do what you like and be happy. 🙂
If you’re a train/plane I can see wearing an iPod.
Wearing an iPod you’re more likely to be less aware of your surroundings making you a prime target for pickpockets.
I live in Rome and only wear my iPod when working out.
I do get into my own world when listening to music. If I’m in a new city I want to really experience it or what’s point of traveling?
It really depends.
Are you somewhere nominally familiar? I live in London, so I’d keep my headphones in while in the center of Paris as well. It’s just nice that things are a bit quieter.
However, it’d be a major travel sin was I to wear them in a remote Mexican puebla, as it sounds so different from home.
And somewhere like New York… well, it sounds different to me so it would be a sin. I’d still want to shut out the clatter after a day or so though, once it’s not so new to me anymore.
Wear them when you’re used to a place, otherwise, leave ’em out!
When traveling, I think it would be considered a sin to keep your headphones in. Part of this is, of course, not being able to take it all in. But I also feel more safe in strange places if I can hear everything. Even when wandering around my own home city (Philadelphia) with my camera, I refuse to take the iPod. A subtle sound might be indication that something is about to happen, and I’d hate to miss a photo opportunity because a portion of my brain was dedicated to the music, and not to the world around me.
When out-and-about, I only do headphones when I’m working out. It helps me focus on the workout. Therein lies the truth…the headphones help me to ignore the world around me, so how efficient would it be if I needed to take it all in?
I confess I sometimes walk around strange cities with one ear bud in my ear as my compromise.
Brisbane might sound like any other big city, but what about the people around you? You can’t hear those Aussie accents with your headphones on.
Another option, find out about the local music scene (or Aussie music in general) and listen to those tunes.
In the long run, it’s only a sin to wear headphones if you think it’s a sin.
I think that it really depends.
If you are travelling with other people or are missing out on an opportunity to meet people, then yes headphones should be done without.
On the other hand, music for me is such a great way to experience something. I listen to my music, and there is a connection with that song and place. Sometimes music is what helps me love a place I am travelling in even more. There is tons of music on my iPod that reminds me of certain destinations when I listen to it. I wouldnt have that if I wasnt listening to my music. Dido makes me think of Japan, and Death Cab for Cutie reminds me of Paris. Besides, it is not like I am wearing my headphones every second of the day.