How that gadget of yours can turn a getaway into just a virtual holiday

I have long wondered whether smartphones and other mobile devices are changing our lives for the worse, robbing us of the time that should be spent engaging with the real world.

So as a practical step towards not being so subservient to these devices, a few weeks ago at the height of summer when I made a trip to Shanghai and nearby Hangzhou I resolved to use them as sparingly as possible.

Of course, before I set off I needed to book train tickets, hotel rooms, a cruise and tickets to tourist spots, which I duly did - using my mobile phone.