A week “off grid”…….

So I write this on a Saturday morning in June 2022. We are heading off on holiday, but this is a holiday with a difference. We have a very small cottage booked, in a remote location in Scotland and we have a wood fired heater, gas to cook AND NO ELECTRICITY! The place looks idyllic, it’s secluded, close to the beach and surrounded by trees.

But for a whole week, we’ll have our phones (until the batteries run out) but no access to computers. And I for one am excited and a little bit concerned. I also wont have a hairdryer which presses my vanity buttons, because I will look a little wild!

I, like so many have come to rely on my computer. I check it every morning and through the day, and if I don’t, I check my phone. And as I'm packing, I’m asking myself - what are we going to do without electricity. No TV, we’ll have to read (until it goes dark) or play cards or talk. We can no longer check out with the TV.

And cooking will be basic, and we’ll have no fridge to cool the wine or beer. So many things I take for granted won’t be there. And yes, you could say we’re going camping, but camping involves campsites and lots of people and noise. This is remote!

And yes, we can still drive to a pub, or buy an ice cream on the beach. But this is going to be a very different experience, which I believe will teach me a lot about myself, and also be a great break.

It’s making me reflect that when I go on holiday, I often do some work on my PC. I rarely switch off totally. I’m always in “connection” yet what is connection?

So I will use my limited phone battery to share the experience on Facebook and Instagram…. ironic yes. But more because I’m curious about how this reduction in access to technology will change me and what kind of holiday we’re going to have!