Writing Break From Technology

It's hard, almost impossible to write about or even think about technology when you're in a remote village in Corsica France. The only time it comes up and in a big way is around cost. For example, phone cards versus SIM cards for your GSM phone.

Both are incredibly high, so expect to pay a lot if you want to continue communication with the states or elsewhere in the world. Don't even mention the word Skype because when it wasn't performing like a snail before its recent crash, it had to behave nicely with all of your applications when traveling (boooinnng) and it still isn't available on most public machines.

The other time it comes to my attention is the noticeable lack of it in businesses, particularly ones you are trying to do transactions with, i.e., bus, train, ferry, hotels, restaurants, etc.  And accessing the Internet for schedules to and fro or booking a room in advance is incredibly useful.

Yet, if you have more time on the road and you're lucky enough to not have to conform to a traditional corporate vacation schedule, over-access to technology can get in the way of having a peaceful journey. There's a reason you don't find people with laptops on ashrams or in yoga centers.

So while I don't plan to access typepad.com to put finger to keypad much in the next several days, when I do, it is unlikely to be about tech. On a late warm August summer day, if you had the choice to read about a new widget or a hike through the Corsican mountains, which one would you choose??

Speaking of ashrams, I visited one years ago when it was easy to leave laptop behind, but haven't done so since devices (one after another) have started invading my life. Maybe that's a future trip for the hell of it. An ashram would be good for me I think.

As for the 30-60 days of complete silence a few friends have told me about, I contemplated it for all of 5 minutes. I get meditation, I get cleanses, I get yoga, I get the spiritual journey, I even get crystals, but not one word in two months??  Maybe a Pisces or a late Capricorn could deal but it would be death for a Sag :-)  Now, back to those Corsica mountains.