That old woman in the Vienna hostel who gave me a free transit map

I was in the lobby at the Wombats hostel in Vienna last fall, trying to figure out the U-Bahn on my phone. This older lady, maybe 70, noticed and just handed me a folded paper map. Said the battery dies but paper never does. She was staying there too, doing some kind of solo trip. It's been six months and I still use paper maps sometimes. Has anyone else gotten a random tip from a stranger that actually stuck with you?

2 comments

2 Comments

shane_perry2918d agoTop Commenter

I mean, it's a paper map. Not exactly ancient wisdom passed down from a mountain sage. I get it, phones die, paper doesn't, but I've also had paper maps get soaked in the rain and become totally useless. Plus, trying to fold those things back up is its own nightmare.

beth_sanchez4718d ago

Honestly, that story hits different. I read somewhere that using paper maps actually helps your brain build a better mental map of a city than GPS does, something about spatial memory. That lady was onto something with that battery comment, phones die at the worst times. I still grab free maps from tourist info booths when I travel, just in case. Tbh it's kind of nice not staring at a screen the whole time.