I fully own that I hate roughing it. Camping sounds like the seventh level of hell to me. If you're a camper, more power to you, just don't expect me to join you. I went camping a few times when I was a girl scout - about 25 years ago, and it was more than enough.
I used to have a co-worker who said her idea of roughing it was a hotel without room service. While I actually prefer staying at the mid-level hotels with included continental breakfast and free WiFi to a full-service hotel with a restaurant and a la carte services, I understand the sentiment.
For my family, I would say "My idea of roughing it is being without internet." We are a fully plugged in family. We travel with two iPads, three iPod Touches, a Nook Color, an Android phone, and a laptop. (An iPad, an iPod Touch, the Nook Color, and the Android are mine.) I am actually typing this on my iPad with keyboard at McDonald's.
Unfortunately, for us my in-laws live in a different world. They love living in the middle of nowhere. They get only minimal cell signal (texts can go in & out, phone cuts in and out, and no 3G) at their home, but have finally made some progress with a DSL line and WiFi at their home. Their vacation home is even worse. Absolutely no cell signal, and they don't have a network connection. If you hang over the sofa you may be able to pick up one of their two neighbors connections. But, the stronger signal had a horrible internet connection that kept dropping so I just gave up this week. They're planning to retire to the vacation home in the next year, so I hope they have an internet connection when they are there full-time
As a blogger, it is extremely frustrating for me to be out of touch like that. As a professor, my husband suffers similar frustration when he has to post podcasts of lectures, submit papers, and carry out student correspondence. Sometimes I wonder where he came from, he is so different from the rest of his family.
My daughter has grown up with technology all around. A DVR, her own iPod Touch (hand-me-down), access to an iPad, so she also struggles at their house.
And yes, I found the lack of an internet connection more roughing it than the lack of air conditioning - of course we timed our visit for June when it is not as hot and humid as it is in July or August in Pennsylvania.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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