Connected, whatever it takes

Salsa af Stavsnas
Ellinor Ristoff Staffan Ehde
Wed 18 Feb 2015 08:09
As we are preparing the journey home we use internet a lot. There is a lot to be arranged and we need to check different options. The kids have to get into a scool etc.
Well there are 3 ways to connect, wifi, 3G (4G) and satellite.
Here we hoped we could get 3G but that is an adventure in itself.
Imagine yesterday, we found our dream bay but got behind a big cliff so I took for granted that we had "radio shadow".
Got into the dinghy with the Toughbook and 2 different 3G sticks.
Drove out and came around the corner, sitting on the floor in the dinghy, big waves rolling, open computer in almost total darkness,
the screen came on and by doing so the little I could see before was lost.
Connected and no signal, 2nd card, no signal.
I really hoped we could get a signal from an island 20 miles away, but no.
Today we moved to the other side of Makogai and looked forward to connect with the antennas in Ovalau.
Again, as the sun disappeared I took off and landed on a beautyful strip of sand with palm trees. The sea was crashing on from the other side and I sat on a big log. My new "office" I thought, a great office with a wonderful view, but, as the screen came on the view disappeared. Then followed a black cloud with rain. No use to try working in that.  Waited for the rain to disappear. So it did, up with the computer, new rain.
Finally I connected, trying to fend off crabs from my feet at the same time. Ants were crawling on the log so I was getting worried that they would find their way into my clothes.Just as I got the first contact with the world the 3G signal died. OK the other card (we have one Vodafone and one Digicell), no signal at all. Wait again, "ah there!" log in and then there is a never ending circle showing it is loading and loading... after 5 minutes is fails.
The sea is crashing in the night and the bugs start to fill the screen and to be honest, I do not like my office anymore so I pack and return to our ship, the best place in the world, even without connection. At least we can send and receive mail by satellite, just everywere, and that is magic! But to use the web you have to be rich...