Forget the romantic image of the backpacker adrift and incommunicado in paradise. Today's travelers are more wired than weird. On Samui it all began at the end of 1996, when Briton David Stewart opened the doors of Go Internet Caf , the island's first. Things were different then. They sometimes asked to use our e-mail account to get messages forwarded to them.
Old grannies come in and peck away at the keyboard - obviously without any grasp of a computer.
All they know is they need a screen that says Hotmail in front of them. Gone are the days when travelers headed to a new location unsure where they will be spending the night. Just browse the Web, find some accommodation in the next town and e-mail to make sure there's a pillow with your name on it. In places like Samui, Net access has become less a money-spinner than a basic utility. Like mattresses, electricity and running water, a website and a network of PCs has become an essential tool to attract guests.