The Modern World

As my son would say - "she was brought into the 21st century kicking and screaming".

This is how I feel I have spent the last week and all because I could not get my head around some technology which I thought I may take with me on the walk.

I planned to take a papermap and no GPS or laptop but after several people strongly suggesting otherwise I started to change my ideas. Perhaps I needed to be safe. I purchased a mini Samsung tablet - I do not by like Apple so have resisted all the way. This meant I could record all my paperwork - accomodation information, copies of tickets, copies of birth certificate etc just in case I lost my passport, and the dreaded Kindle on the small and light tablet. A few things not to carry. All is good. I then discovered how different a tablet is to a laptop, it has things called apps and no mouse to use. I know I can handle it. As the boys would say - you are a big girl now.

I have used a Telstra phone for some years, I only use for the basic things like messaging and making a phone call. Isn't this what a phone is for, oh no.... Telstra tells me my phone is locked and they will charge me to unlock it even though I own it outright, they advise not to use it overseas. Can someone tell me what is the use of a phone if not to use it. Son suggests a new up to date phone so off we go shopping with my credit card. Samsung seems the best idea so everything will talk to each other. I am getting better at this "modern technology thing". It has apps also and Telstra starts charging me as I start downloading certain apps required. Someone suggests that I change my provider but this idea goes into the "too hard, I do not want to do" basket and I stay with the same provider and same plan for the time being. Can't make too many changes too quickly.

Several weeks back I bought a Garmin watch to track my daily walks and all the other things it decided to track. Big brother is watching me even as I sleep.  I surprised myself and set it up online and got it working on the old phone and the tablet. Very proud of myself. I then changed phones and nothing talked to each other again. I played with it for several days until I knew I had to ask for help from the son. He just rolled his eyes - he is so lucky that I love him. One feels so inadequate when someone half your age can succeed with the push of a few buttons. Everything was talking again  - until the next day. I am beaten so back to the shop, jump up and down and they decide the problem is the new phone. Even I knew that. Why not change the Garmin watch for a similar Samsung watch the shop assistant suggests. This sounds like a smart idea, surely everything will now talk to each other. Out comes the credit card again.

The new flash watch is charged but the correct app will not download to the tablet, no problem to the phone. After some googling the problem is solved with an answer. "This watch is not compatible with the Samsung tablet." I do not throw a grandson tantrum, I pack the watch back in its lovely new box and return it to the shop the next day. The shop assistant does not ask too many questions and possibly a wise decision,  money refunded.

I am now back wearing my trusty $15 Kmart watch that I started with some 6 weeks ago. My little modern technology trip has been interesting and at times extremely frustrating. I am back tracking my walk on my Runkeeper app on my phone and entering it manually in my paper diary.

What would we do without sons and technology.