Email While Travelling
Another trip to the Internet Cafe.
The first Internet Cafe I visited in Mexico was not a great experience. For one thing, it was expensive and the keyboard was awful. I have since found other Internet Cafe is that are much cheaper, and have much better equipment. Still, using a browser in Spanish is very difficult. In Spanish keyboard is very confusing for an English speaker. It took me for ever to find the apostrophe for example.
The next time I went to an Internet Cafe, I used my USB key. Before leaving for Mexico, I loaded it with portable apps. It is possible to install software such as Firefox for browsing, and Thunderbird for e-mail, on a USB key. There are several big advantages to this. For one thing, all the software is an English. For another, I can carry my shortcuts in my address book with me. Another big advantage, his privacy. All temporary files stay on the USB key.
On previous trips, I travelled for months even years without the benefit of e-mail. It is really nice to stay in contact with people, both my friends at home and new people and me on the road.
A USB key brings us to a whole new level. But the USB key into any computer, and within a minute or to have the familiar environment I can work in. This makes it very easy to compose new e-mails while uploading my inbox. Great for slow connections.
For me, traveling used to be technology-free (apart from my camera). OK, and my short-wave radio, my immersion heater so I can make tea in my room, my digital watch, my calculator … and one or two other little things. It used to be mostly technology free. Not any more!