For one month now I have not used a travel guidebook once. I didn’t used one in Papua New Guinea nor in Java. I have no intention of using one from now on.

Doing away with guidebooks is like leaving the backpacker ghetto of a city and plunging yourself into its alien reality. It’s cutting off any safety lines to comfort and convenience.

It is, I daresay, real travel.

It has always felt like a bit of a cop-out to whip out the Lonely Planet in the middle of a street to see where I am and where I want to go. There I am, surrounded by locals who know the city far better than any travel writer. And yet, I run to its selective and incomplete advice instead.

It reminded me of WALL-E, where bloated and pampered humans of the future communicate with those beside them via computer terminals.

Without a guidebook, you have to ask for directions and for advice. You have to communicate with hand gestures and drawing if necessary. You have to risk making bad decisions and getting what you didn’t ask for.

You have to navigate a new place using your own wiles. You have to hone your bullshit radar and tell a tout from a friend. You have to actually learn the strange ways of the place you are visiting.

And when you get to your intended destination, or you discover a hidden gem no one else knows, the satisfaction is orbits away from having simply obeyed a book’s directions.

Ask any chef what makes them feel more accomplished: following someone else’s recipe or inventing a delicious dish themselves.

Of course, having practical advice for travel is helpful, at times essential. But you don’t need to spend money and luggage space no bulky book.

Research online
Half an hour of Web time is all it takes to compile a list of attractions and accommodation. Sites like Tripadvisor, Virtualtourist, Wikitravel, and yes, even Lonely Planet are full of tips and opinions from other travelers.

Just ask
Ask anyone. Your waiter. The cab driver. The guy selling Pepsi on the street. Other travelers at your hotel or hostel.

Hit the tourism information office
There’s one just about everywhere. They have maps and can suggest places you might like.

Go high-tech
If you have an iPhone or similar, load it with local maps and travel websites. There are also tons of travel apps with country-specific info.

Just go
Arrive in a new city without any clue. Haggle with a cab driver to help you find a hotel. Walk around without a map. You’ll feel far more alert, far more receptive, and way more adventurous.