Recently, I embarked on a summer adventure I had eagerly been waiting for – a trip to the majestic Rocky Mountains, more precisely, to the renowned Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in Canada. Known for its picturesque lakes, towering peaks, and lush forests, it was a destination I yearned to experience in person. Exploring Canadian Rockies should be on the bucket list.
My dreams were composed of feeling the chill of glacier-fed Lake Louise and hearing the whispers of the wind through the Canadian spruce of Moraine Lake’s shore (We couldn’t visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake because of the crowd – We decided to save it for the next time), and relishing the grandeur of the mountains without any interruptions. However, upon arrival in Jasper, I found an unexpected companion joining us – an intangible yet impactful presence – social media.
As I ventured deeper into the heart of Banff, I observed a curious spectacle. Groups of people clustered around the photogenic spots, posing diligently with choreographed smiles, attempting to capture a slice of nature’s spectacle on their smartphones. Yet, in their quest for the perfect photograph, their eyes were not on the awe-inspiring panorama spread before them but on their phone screens.
The infamous #VacationGoals and #Travelgram were playing out live before my eyes. A family I saw seemed more focused on coordinating their outfits for a colour-themed Instagram picture than marvelling at the striking beauty of Peyto Lake. I noticed a couple spent hours attempting to recreate a viral pose they’d seen on Facebook or Instagram. It wasn’t the experience of being there they sought, but rather, the facade of having been there and showing their “Facebook” friends having a wonderful time.
The camera shutters’ clicks (many people forget to turn off that in the phone) echoed through the valleys of eery silence, and I wondered about the absence of birds. And in those moments, I grappled with a profound question: In this digital age, have we lost the essence of travelling or vacationing? Have we traded the joy of soaking in new experiences, sights, sounds, and smells for likes, shares, and comments on our social feeds?
Remembering past vacations with my family, trips were defined by shared experiences – the laughter during a missed turn when GPS did not exist, the surprise encounter with the bland dish at a local diner, and the silence shared during a sunrise. These unscripted and genuine moments were never captured on camera, yet they remain etched in my memory.
In contrast, as I witnessed people meticulously curating their experiences for social media during my Banff visit, I realized that these manufactured moments might fetch likes, but would they bring back fond memories? Of course, a picture might speak a thousand words, but it rarely captures the chill of the wind on the lakeshore, the aroma of the forests (do you know how strange the smell is), the sounds of nature, or the raw emotions of awe and wonder, or the gasps of the breathtaking natural beauty.
At that moment, I decided to make a conscious choice – to be fully present in the experience, to breathe in the fresh mountain air, to gaze at the twinkling stars in the clear night sky, to hear the rustling leaves, and to feel the tranquillity of the serene lakes. I chose to disconnect from the digital world and connect with nature, my friends, and my family.
My Banff experience taught me a crucial lesson – real memories are created when we live in the moment, not when we’re busy trying to capture it. The Buddha-like enlightenment came after my camera died though I hardly took pictures. And while I may not have a collection of picture-perfect Instagrammable photos, I returned home with a heart full of unforgettable, unfiltered experiences. My advice to fellow travellers is this – by all means, take your photos, but do not let the urge to share overshadow the joy of experiencing. Be present, for that is where real memories are made.
Thinking Out Loud 