Challenges the practices of the travel industry, sharing stories of memorable discoveries and misadventures that demonstrate how to enjoy a technology-balanced vacation.

Kugel takes the modern travel industry to task, determined to reignite humanity's age-old sense of adventure that has virtually been vanquished by spontaneity-obliterating websites. Sharing tales of his own perfectly imperfect adventures, Kugel explains how to make the most of new digital technologies without being shackled to them. This leads to rediscovering the joy of discovery. -- adapted from jacket

"An indispensable philosophy of travel for tight-belted tourists and first-class flyers alike. During his legendary tenure as the New York Time's 'Frugal Traveler,' Seth Kugel redefined our twentieth-century concept of the 'budget vacation.' Whether making room in his itinerary for last-minute detours or welcoming an interchange with a total stranger, Kugel, now one of America's most beloved international travelers, has come to realize that he just cannot say 'no.' He restored a youthful spontaneity, combined with a dash of mischief and whimsy, to traveling on the fly, and here he invites us to finally 'get off the grid,' embrace that wrong turn, and arrive at the very best trip we didn't plan. In crackling language that becomes the very philosophy of Rediscovering Travel, Kugel provides two indispensable maxims: the less you spend, the more you see; and the very best adventures depend on escaping the clutches of the modern travel industry. Kugel recognizes that travel has become something of an app addiction. Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and hotel rewards systems, while providing convenience and accessibility, may mean the end of old-time wanderlust. Rediscovering Travel urges you to move 'off-piste,' reminding readers to look for those towns that don't show up in the guidebook, or to take an afternoon aperitif at the nearby watering hole that has zero reviews on Yelp. Not every experience of venturing beyond the aggregated wisdom of the internet is, of course, fruitful, but Kugel has a knack for turning calamity into comedy, whether relating his ill-fated attempt to score an invite to the neighborhood pig roast in Mezőberény, or recalling the perils of a cramped boat ride down the Yangtze River. Chapter after chapter of Rediscovering Travel becomes a celebration of the curiosity that was always there, reacquainting readers with the inimitable joy of discovering something new."--Dust jacket.