A moment with Tanya Goodin: Digital detox travel

Late last year, we debuted our newest service Get Lost. It’s all about challenging you as a traveller to disconnect and explore your way out of uncharted destinations without Wi-Fi or cell service. We teamed up with Tanya Goodin, leading digital detox expert, author of ‘OFF’ and Founder of Time To Log Off, to dig out the real psychological and physiological benefits of getting lost while you travel.

Do you see a strong link between travel and wellness? Is it more important in today’s world than it has been in previous years?

In today’s on-screen and digitally-dominated world real-world experiences through travel are more important than they have ever been.

Not only the chance to experience something new but also the chance to completely disconnect from work which for many people has become all pervasive and impossible to escape from.

What are some of the benefits to getting off of social media and actually enjoying a destination? Are you more aware of sights, smells, tastes?

When you put down a screen and focus on what’s in front of you then all your senses are enhanced. People who have undertaken a digital detox said they felt that sounds and smells were much more vivid because they weren’t distracted by a screen, they were FULLY focused on their experience.

Are there mental benefits for an ‘unknown journey’ and an ‘unknown’ destination? Does a culture of mapping out every specific, especially with travel, lead to wellness benefits or is it better plan as little as possible?

Tech tools, apps and search engines make our lives easier and less challenging – but at what price? Our brains need real challenges from time to time to rediscover their limitless abilities and dust off some of the ‘rust’ that accumulates when we don’t use them!

Most inspiring place you visited in 2017?

Polignano a Mare, Italy

What’s the one thing you always travel with no matter the destination?

My yoga kit

Best in-flight read?

Any page-turning thriller, my latest is the fantastic The Dry by Jane Harper

What do you pick as your Get Lost environment of choice (Polar, Jungle, Desert, Mountain, or Coastal)?

Coastal

Next destination on your 2018 bucket list?

Galápagos Islands