Staying in touch. Or the things I have to do to get mobile phone coverage.

I recently spent a week in a community with no mobile phone coverage. This made me very conscious of how dependent I am. We have family spread over half of Australia and use SMS to chat, email and Facebook to see the grandkids, new cars, holiday and event photos and  just plain gossip.
Banking, online shopping and of course blogging is conducted over the internet. No landlines here.


At one of the schools I visit regularly there is one spot on the basketball court where "one bar" is possible. There is often a huddle of staff and community members jockeying for position to get reception and download something.  Strangely reception will happen elsewhere for no apparent reason and for random amounts of time. One day at this school my phone beeped at me in the class room. I was so shocked I turned quickly next to a chair and landed in an undignified heap on the floor. Later on yard duty I was treated to a replay by the year one kids, in language, complete with very convincing acting.


Here where we are parked at the moment reception can be very patchy. K has been known to have an extension USB cable attached to his internet dongle. The dongle lives on the roof and the cable come down from the roof vent  to the computer on the table. Placement is critical. I am unpopular if I use the vent for its original purpose, light and ventilation that is.

I could get lots of exercise roaming the caravan park looking for the best place to download  a book to read.

Bats on the move just before sunset.

 

 

At our daughter's NSW farm phone reception happens at the gate. That is for everybody else who can lean on the gate ordering Chinese dinner or something. Not me! My phone refuses to give me any bars until I am standing in the middle of the road preferably first thing in the morning...... Something to do with signal skip I've been told.

Picture me, early morning checking for emails and SMS or doing the banking standing in the middle of a dirt road in rural NSW hoping that I spot the dust cloud indicating approaching vehicles. Or more importantly that no one comes along to see me in the middle of the road in my jammies with a phone held to my ear.

On a more serious note, I am grateful for the technology that allows me to live in wonderful places in our grand land and still stay connected to the people I love.

No need for mobile phone here. What K does while I download a book.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move.