So what if most of us are addicted to our mobile phones when on holiday?

Hello, my name is Nikki and I am a nomophobe. I have a raging fear of discovering I have no access to mobile technology. But I'm not alone in my addiction to being constantly-connected​; a new survey from TripAdvisor has revealed that over two-thirds of Brits have been on holiday with someone who refuses to be parted from their mobile phone.

Why do people have such a problem with it? Surely the world of travel has evolved beyond taking a map and a compass to explore the reaches of the world.

I travel a lot and I almost always travel alone. I would literally be lost without my smartphone.

The map function is my lifeline when it's dark, I'm tired and by myself and just want to find my hotel or a good restaurant fast.

It's not useful for maps - it's a social necessity too.

And yes, I know what you non-nomophobes will say, 'Why don't you ask someone?' Well, I often do, but what should I do when there's no one around? And how will someone in the street link me to reviews of where I'm going and help me decide whether unfamiliar local restaurant A is better than unfamiliar local restaurant B? 

But let's be honest, it's not just handy apps like maps and so on that make having a smartphone by your side all day and all night a social necessity, there's the fun of sharing that experience too.

Just a few years ago you'd have to wait until your photos came back from the chemist to show bored people your blurry beach shots and close-ups of unrecognisable foreign food delicacies. No more. Now you can make sure you get a perfect shot, upload it online  and within seconds share that with everyone on Facebook and Twitter. 

Smug folk who boast-post on Facebook have given us a bad name

I can already imagine you non-nomophobics pouting about 'boast-posting' and yes, 64% of Brits admit to posting an update or photo of their travels on to a social media site to make those at home jealous.

And okay, while I groan at the people who've obviously just visited some amazing world landmark, and who rather than revelling in the moment have chosen to take a picture and instantly post it up, I love the conversations that get started because of 'boast-posting', the recommendations that I get and the new people I start talking to who've responded to a hashtagged image.

But there's an easy fix if you don't like it; you know where the unfriend/unfollow button is, right? 

Tell me what you think. Are you a fellow nomophobe or does the idea of having your mobile on holiday with you terrify you?

Nikki Bayley is a travel writer who can be found Twitpic-ing pretty much everything @nikkibayley She also blogs about her new life in Canada.