New Year, New Discoveries: Traveling with AI
Welcome to the New Year, a perfect time for new plans and adventures! Since my teens, I have believed that travel is a key part of one’s personal growth and greatly impacts life choices. It's not just about the destinations; it's about the journey - that starts with dreams and planning.
With the latest technological innovations, millions of people can now afford amazing travel experiences around the globe. And I hope that these experiences promote better understanding and appreciation of different cultures and ways of life.
ChatGPT made waves and was selected as the word of the year in 2023 by ‘The Economist’.
I'm excited to share a few highlights about how it has remarkably enhanced our travel experiences, proving itself to be an indispensable and continuously learning travel assistant, companion, and advisor. My husband and I, constrained by time, couldn't conduct an exhaustive research on France and Spain for our 6-weeks Sabbatical. So, I decided to experiment by tailoring ChatGPT conversations to our tastes and preferences, and happy to share a few of them here.
Traversing France with ChatGPT 3.5
Our first adventure was a road trip across France, from Burgundy to the Basque Country. We sought roads that we hadn’t explored before, deliberately avoiding the routes through Dordogne, Toulouse, and Bordeaux. Instead, we yearned for unique stays in lesser-known places, without driving more than four hours a day. In less than fifteen minutes, ChatGPT helped us craft an itinerary featuring hidden gems like Albi and Clermont-Ferrand – cities previously unknown to us, each with its own unique allure.
Take a look at our chat:
Traveling Spanish Northern border with ChatGPT 3.5
Our adventures continued from San Sebastian to Figueres, traveling along Spain's northern border. With no prior knowledge of the area, we relied on ChatGPT to chart a course through culturally rich, scenic, and distinctive areas. This led us to Jaca, a region about 100 km east of Pamplona, an absolutely amazing area full of unbelievable sites. This area, now etched in our memories, calls us to return and explore it more deeply.
Take a look at our chat:
Culinary Quests with ChatGPT 3.5
Our passion for culinary delights has been a constant companion on our travels. Even before ChatGPT 4.0, we received successful recommendations in many places by asking questions like: “We love a restaurant ABC because of such and such. Could you please suggest a restaurant with a similar ambiance and level of cuisine in the area of XYZ?”
Of course, you need to validate ChatGPT recommendations and consult Google or Bing. But in a matter of seconds, ChatGPT shares insights into the ambience, atmosphere, architecture style and so much more!
Chat about restaurants in Rome:
Drafting Walks with ChatGPT 3.5
Our adventures bring us to new cities and towns that we love to explore, to connect the old and the new, to enjoy the diverse architectural styles, traditions, cuisines, and local temperament. There is no better way to experience all this than by walking the streets and neighborhoods.
To our delight, ChatGPT was able to effortlessly design walks through any city according to our requests and preferences.
Chat about a walk in Lyon:
Exploring Italy in 2024 with ChatGPT 4.0
In 2024, our sights are set on an extensive trip to Italy. While we know certain regions well, others await our discovery. For instance, how long should one spend in Milan? With a simple prompt, ChatGPT 4.0 can outline major attractions, rank them, and organize this information in a table complete with opening hours, highlights, and recommended visit durations, all exportable to an Excel document.
Chat about Milan:
Please note that the link to a downloadable Excel is an advanced feature and is not shared.
And when it comes to exploring the Palladian Villas in Veneto or finding the best thermal resorts in the region, well-crafted inquiries to ChatGPT 4.0 can provide current information, delve into history, and so much more.
Chat about Palladian Villas:
And this is just a start of our planning…
Happy Travels
Here’s to a fantastic year and amazing trips made even better with your AI co-pilot! There’s no doubt that your co-pilot will be learning and improving through the years to come.
For instance, it would be great to see it integrated with Google Maps and to have it serve as your own local guide on your walks and explorations.
May your journeys be full of new discoveries, great food, and memorable experiences.
Share your thoughts, insights, and inspirations on traveling with your own AI co-pilot!
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This is such a creative and fun idea to enhance travel -- thank you for sharing!