It’s 5 AM in the morning. My alarm wakes me up. I am glad I used my smartwatch, which only vibrates, so my wife can continue her sleep.
Excited about the things to come, first thing I do after a small thankful prayer is checking the cryptocurrency rates for today. It’s all about crypto or better blockchain technology as from today onwards. Together with my co-founder of Cryptomizers (https://www.cryptomizers.com) I will leave for the Token Fest “The Business of Blockchain” today. San Francisco, here we come. An excited, but even more a great revelation will follow during the journey that has just begun. The trip to San Francisco is about to reveal me the necessities and great applications of the blockchain technology. It’s about logistics, time management, ease of use, money, security, identification and even personal (travel) comfort. Want to know what I learned today? Want to become as excited as I am about the usability of blockchain technology? Want to experience a travelling story from a different angle? All great motives to continue reading! ENJOY THE REVELATION.
So this day started early. Woken up by my smartwatch, bags are packed and my father is waiting for me to bring me to the railway station to catch my train to Schiphol airport. Yes, it’s my dad who woke up as early as I did. The 15 minutes’ drive gave me my first revelations on how blockchain technology could have helped me to easify my life. I packed my bag yesterday, bringing my own clothes to San Francisco, where a guy – let’s call him Barry – has the same physique and (fashion) taste as I do. Would it not be reasonable to just be able to borrow those clothes in a smart way without bothering about carrying my own same stuff to San Francisco? Yes, it has to be trustworthy, secure and easy. And yes, I want some comfort here as well. Isn’t that something the blockchain was build for in the first place? It would have saved me the waiting in the queue for check-in.
Along the way I see many cars driving in the same direction as we do. I feel privileged my lovely father is willing to bring me to the railway station. But, with so many cars driving the same direction (with people that had to get up as early as I had today) would it not be more convenient to be able to pick one of those “strangers” to drive me? Yes, we have companies like “BlaBlaCar” and “Toogethr” and I have looked at those several times. My experience: those apps are great for long distance rides – let’s say city to city, but they aren’t usable for the small 15 minutes rides, because the incentive is just not there. Blockchain could help here as it takes out the middlemen, which increases the rewards for the one driving. It could maybe also have saved me the train journey, as I might have found a ride to Amsterdam.
At Schiphol Airport revelation continues. Automated check-in is really helpful! Blockchain could bring the next step. With currently developed (blockchain) applications like https://www.civic.com and https://www.thekey.vip my luggage could be checked-in using my digital identity. A warm “Welcome to Schiphol Airport Mr. Buter” would be a great start at check-in without even having to scan your eTicket! Confirmation will be done automatically with my characteristics scanned during my walk to the front desk. Secured by the blockchain confirmation process I will than be able to just hand over my bag, which gets labeled automatically. Of to grab myself a coffee – as no more passport check needed! Yes, I still need to go through the body scan, but that’s the only queue I will face, today.
“I would like a Caffè Americano, please”. Easy payment with https://www.ethos.io/, https://crypterium.io or https://gulden.com. NFC will do the trick. And due to the coffee token, which is allowed to use my digital identity information and knows about my coffee preferences at this (early) time of the day – blockchain technology could save me placing an order. Gone are the long queues (what I am still surprised about) at Starbucks, Illy or other coffeehouses.
Next revelation I got during my journey was after boarding. Airplane overbooked. Common in aviation industry as all capacity needs to be used and there is always an certain percentage of no-shows. Could blockchain technology help us to maximize capacity used without the disadvantage of overbooking – dissatisfied passengers not flying due to less no-shows than calculated? I believe it can! And what about the crowded airplanes? Will blockchain support us with new opportunities here? What about the single booked private jet only using 2 of the 20 seats? Blockchain could firmly support to maximize the use of capacity and show me “book luxuriously – book private jet. When capacity is maxed out – prices per seat drop – so it might become affordable to have a comfortable flight with lots of legroom not to talk about new business opportunities that might be achievable on those flights. It’s the data, it’s validity and availability combined that creates those new opportunities. Blockchain technology in its purest form.
Multi Media restriction in the entertainment system– could it be solved by blockchain? Yes!!! Projects like https://iungo.network – decentralized global wifi access (so even in planes) and https://substratum.net – decentralized web will give passengers the opportunity to freely choose whatever music they want to listen to, whatever movies they want to watch and/or whatever games they want to play during the flights. And…..it would still give the airline company the opportunity to maximize their earnings!
Arrived at San Francisco Airport and – yes you understand it – my next blockchain adaption was shown: ESTA application form not needed anymore due to blockchain information storage and confirmation of data reliability proving that I am who I am and allowed to enter the United States (or any other country for which I need an “entrance document” or VISA). Same for customs declaration form. That leaves me only with the reasonable questioning of that friendly customs officer.
Taxi pre-ordered and still too late – won’t happen with the localization hardware connected to the blockchain for confirmation purposes. Taxi driver will get an alert when my airplane has landed and another one when I claimed my luggage and walk towards the arrivals hall. Sharing a cab could also be pre-defined, although I see the disadvantage of less earnings for taxi drivers. It might solve near future workforce deficit though.
Exchanging money at high cost, ridiculous exchange rates only to support that old fashioned bank director to get paid that seven or eight figures salary? Not needed anymore. Special world wide insurance contracts? Not needed anymore as that could be supported by blockchain technology and/or applications. Roaming rates for phone / internet access? Same – not needed!
And to finalize – as this list could be unending – that lovely Tony, managing the hotel we stay in – tips and recommendations are fun to talk about for travelers that don’t have a clue for what to do, where to go, where to eat. What are the best places? Review sites? Yes of course! Who guarantees their objectivity? Who assures me that their reviews are fair and honest views? Blockchain technology, people!!
For me it has been an awesome journey. Not only the traveling to San Francisco, but also the small things in life that – no matter how embedded in our system, there’s a big change approaching. It’s called blockchain adaption! For every single person on earth, for all SME’s, for all multinationals – Blockchain Technology will change our lives!!!
Blockchain technology will easify, bring trust, progress confirmation, upgrade user-friendliness to the next level, open new doors and take out the middlemen! That’s what this revealing journey made me aware of even more! I look forward to mass adoption. I look forward to see some of my dreams – written down above – come true. Follow me in this journey and become as astonished as I am about the broad possibilities and deployability of this revolutionary technology.
It will be a Cryptastic time!
