Making plans - technology flavor

I’ve saved money, I’ve given notice at work, my sister will be in my house to hold down the home front, I’ve been building up my miles accounts for years, and I’ve started committing to a lot of travel plans in the next few months. What else do I need to think about? Yep - technology.

Staying in touch: 

  • looks like I can buy data plans that will work for my iPhone in all the countries I’m planning to hit so far. Switching to some other plan like Google fi might make more fiscal sense but it’s only in beta for the iPhone and I just don’t want to mess with connectivity. I’d rather throw some money at it and keep it otherwise simple. Also open to having a burner phone or swapping out my SIM card.
  • I have an iPhone SE 2020 and intend to stick with it - sure, the newer cameras are even better, but what it has is really very good. 
  • I have an iPad I can bring with me - I don’t tend to watch a lot of videos or shows, but … I might want to? 
  • I gave away my kindle and haven’t decided if I want to ask for it back. I tend to read on my phone, and if  I have that plus iPad do I really need yet another thing? I don’t think so.
  • I bought a Bluetooth keyboard I can use with both iPad and phone - thinking it’ll be helpful when I want to type a fair bit and don’t have the patience for swiping on a phone. I’m using it now - it’s okay, not great, but think there’s a learning curve too. 
  • I’m starting this blog - I’ll post pics on fb and IG but I don’t really want that to be the only place I put stuff. 
  • I’ve long had a pro flickr account and intend to use it to store photos - have the feeling my phone is going to fill up (though I’m good about choosing the best shot and deleting the rest …but I’m going to be taking a lot of pictures).
  • I’ve been looking into binoculars. Looks like I can get a very decent set for $315 so I will probably do that. I should do it soon so I can practice using them!
Other than that - I can’t think of anything. I’ll have a lengthy trip to Canada where I can see if the phone & pad & keyboard arrangement feel sufficient. 

Perhaps next post I’ll start talking more about travel plans! 


Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 8, 2022 at 8:10 AM

    Keep up the good start at blogging. Makes me feel we are somewhat in touch. Maybe I will be inspired to take some direction in my directionless life.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

July = Family time

Image
 I’m spending time with family and have been getting some real summer in!  I flew to meet up with my SIL and niblings, and we four went to see my parents. We got in lots of beach, park, and library time, along with some summer food faves like lobster rolls, frozen lemonade, and ice cream. Plus a very successful sea glass-hunting expedition! Then I flew with them to their home in much hotter places, but I get to see my brother and enjoy a few more days with the kids.  One cool game we played is called Dixit. Everyone is dealt a few art cards, and one person picks a card and says a word that their card evokes for them. Then everyone else chooses a card from their hands that evokes the same words or feeling. We didn’t bother with scoring but it was pretty fun, and great to get a glimpse of how their little brains work. This is the set of cards we used for the cue “patience”: And the adults are having fun working on a backlog problem my brother has from a cocktail subscription kit! 
Read more

Elephant visit

Image
  It’s been amazing and I’ll post more later when I’m on better wifi. We’ve stayed at a posh lodge on the Lewa Conservacy, did a walking safari & camped two nights (supported by 13 camels and 8 Maasai tribesmen), visited a school and village, then flew north to the Samburu region.   It’s a lot to absorb! Today, to get something up here, I’ll share about yesterday’s visit to the Retiti Elephant Sanctuary. Young elephants sometimes fall in wells, or their parents die, or they get separated from their herd somehow. Community members spot them and call the Sanctuary.  Sanctuary staff come assess the elephant calf, give immediate assistance if needed (getting them out of the well, for example), and wait 72 hours to see if the mother/herd return to collect the baby.  If not, they’ll take the calf to the sanctuary for as long as 5 years, feeding them, reintroducing them to the wild, and eventually helping them integrate with a herd. They give lots of chances for the younger ones to find t
Read more