Disconnected in Jamaica - One View

There's something to be said about not bringing your smart phone (iphone/droid) to Jamaica. For one, you cannot connect. Yet, realizing that there are rental phones in Jamaica, i'm beginning to believe that not having a gadget may be good for the mind on vacation. One of the NYT bestsellers, Hamlets Blackberry by William Powers, talks about how new technology usually creates busyness, and the author explains the new technology in the times of Plato, Ben Franklin, Shakespeare, Seneca and Gutenberg and compares it with our current screen dilemma. But for Jamaica, if you go without a gadget, you may engage differently with the people in the hills. It forces you to be aware. Now, on the beach, the ipod might come in handy, but not getting emails, and not surfing the net, probably is a good thing. Screens (notebook/terminals/phones) maybe need to stay disconnected for maximum effect.

I could not agree more! I only use 2 pieces of electronics while in JA... my ipod and my digicel. The ipod stays in my room on a docking station so I can have music in my room. My regular cell stays off... with only my digicel on, only family from home and friends in JA can reach me.

I am amazed how much this lack of technology forces me to interact more, it is great. I am able to "disconnect" from the hustle and "connect" to the people of Jamaica.

need the digicell to get ahold of my friends on the island and the laptop every 3 or 4 days to upload pictures in case I lose on of my cameras, and for tunage in the condo. Other than that the electronics can stay away ;) With an entire culture to explore who needs the rest of it. And this from a geek ;)

Except for my Digicell fone and ipod for music thats it for me..No computers, no tv, and loving every minute to get back in touch with my other senses and make some actual eye-to-eye connection with people..Except for work relations never understood this need for all this other stuff when taking a break from your day-to-day life...

Radio only for me...I like listening to the Kingston traffic reports in the morning... :p

I just advise everyone in the office that I'm out of touch for the 10 days we go each year. They have the number of the hotel in case there's a crisis, but no direct connection to me.

Wench, just take the USB cable for your camera and you can stop by an internet place and get your pictures burned to a CD as backup. That way you have no temptation to check Email...

I am debating even bothering to get a cell phone at all..I can't see as I would really need it...

I stayed at White Sands for 17 days in 2008 and there wasn't a tv in my room. It was weird not having it but I got used to it fast and I'm glad it wasn't there. I read the bible a lot that they had in the nighstand drawer and spent a lot of time on my balcony people watching and more time at the beach. I only used my cell phone to call home to check up on family.

I never bring my phone or get a digicell. I leave all the information on how to get in touch with me in an emergency with my kids and my mom.... and I have also told them what constitutes an emergency. I don't think I would get half of the self care time that I get while I'm on vacation if I did bring those things. If I need to call someone while I'm down there I usually just borrow someones from the resort and give them a few dollars for helping me out. After having a particularly stressful year a few years back I made the decision to completely unplug while there... and for me, I totally feel the difference when I'm there and feeling mentally rested.

I hear ya, beachgirl, that is about what I plan doing..just give my family a way to get in touch with me in case of an emergency, and have some 'me' time.

hahahahaha - still a techhead - and if I didn't drop a message to the kids every 3 or 4 days they lose their minds. NOT worth the hassle when I get home;) Do it all at once takes 1/2 an hour over coffee in the morning = s'all good bra.

as a solo traveler, having a means of communication provides me with security - if i was without that, i'd feel a way about being alone out in the world with no support system. then again i'm not typically compelled to constantly go online or check e-mail, etc. I'm not like that in the first place. my POV is that technology serves ME, at my convenience - so there's not really any big stress factor associated with it, that i must 'escape' from. Whether i totally disconnect or not, it doesn't really make a difference in my peace of mind. in fact it gives me more peace of mind knowing it's there if needed, while traveling alone all over the world.

having a local Digicel makes it much easier to connect with friends, make arrangements and reservations, call drivers, etc. (not like the old days when you'd spend half a day gettin up to someone's yard only to find them not home.... and have to try it all over again next day, never know who and who was where, constantly keep missing one anedda.... now THAT is a flickin annoyance) -

so i welcome the technology, for me it's a fabulous convenience that makes my movements around the island much easier, and therefore more relaxing....

Have never brought a phone with me. Last trip was the first time I brought any electronics with me. I purchased a small netbook, which was nice to have for the flight, but the only thing I used it for in the 2 weeks we spent in Negril was to set my rosters for the NHL hockey draft I was involved in. I don't see the need to keep in conact with anyone when on vacation.