Agree. I noted this as well. The optimistic way to look at this, however, is it obviates the need for maps, plane tickets, guidebooks, a compass and a couple other items that you would surely bring, otherwise. The real faf is the power source (being tied to towns), absent a mobile solar panel (which adds weight, volume, and clutter).

Oh, it's definitely a practical choice, agreed. But it seems to completely go against the minimalist escapist travel ideal that is romanticised in the article.

There's was not an escapist pursuit, they still wanted to be connected to people.

An iPhone or iPad is a total minimalist thing. It replaces a camera, a music player, books, a mirror, a flashlight, a phrase book, travel guides. And that doesn't even touch on the communication benefits of having Skype in your pocket.

If you took a camera, a music player, books, a flashlight, a phrase book and travel guides with you then you would not be being minimalist. Replacing them with one tool is physically more minimalist, but in terms of distractions or intellectual 'stuff' about the same.

If Skype didn't crash on iOS and destroy the battery, it'd be great! As it stands, I would prefer not to have it if travelling around the world :-)

Having said that, I have used it on Android whilst by a Cornish harbour to ring home, so I get your point!

The credit card did it for me. I think there's a difference between minimalist and just not packing things because you have the money to just buy whatever you need later. Not to mention the ability to return home to your job as a professor.

Actually, if you have a smartphone with no plan (quite reasonable if you're travelling a lot), then you still get your map (Osmand), compass, flashlight, books, etc, and at the same time "get away from it all" from a communications standpoint.

Not everyone uses their device as a work tether.

I could certainly use a map/camera/note taking device on any trip, no matter how minimalist. As she wrote, the point of the trip was not to suffer.

It doesn't sound like they were trying to get away from it all, but instead was an unburdening from the physical hindrances that weight down travel. A smartphone/tablet helps in such a pursuit, replacing maps and cameras and phones and books and itineraries, etc. It also enables them modern agility because they can find a place to eat/stay/wash/etc with ease virtually anywhere -- this used to be a major problem of travel, and was the reasons we made fixed plans in advance.

It sounds fantastic to me. I despise travel generally for all of the stuff that goes along with it (fixed plans, fixed times, loads of luggage), so this sounds simply brilliant to me.

And for all of the talk about clothes, note that clothes are something you can buy with ease and little expense anywhere, if the situation demanded.