Day 280: Lima, Peru
Since my deep dark secret that I wanted to try to travel indefinitely and become location independent a flood of support has come in and I’ve been so appreciative.
At the same time I was starting to feel the weight of announcing such a big decision publicly and somehow fell into an Internet wasteland where I was spending hours online but doing nothing productive.
I decided I need a drastic change. But how do you do that on the road when everything is a drastic change – you go spend 10 days at a Hare Krishna eco-village.
For the record, I’m not Hare Krishna. I’m a lapsed Catholic who has no intention of unlapsing.
But I like the idea of doing yoga, organic gardening and learning a new culture.
But mostly I’m drawn to
- No Tweetdeck
- No Facebook
- No checking stats 10 times a day to validate whether you actually like what I wrote
I know you’re thinking that’s great but what the hell does that have to do with cyborgs
A while back I read a post from Mars Dorian on digital personas where he oddly mentions cyborgs. On the bus ride here I chose to watch Amber Case’s TEDTalk on my iPod because it was titled We are all cyborgs now and was blown away by how the world conspires to send messages, as Amber says:
…really when you have no extenal input, that is the time when there is a creation of self.
When you can do long-term planning. When you can try to figure out who you really are…
Every time I take a risk, I step outside my comfort zone, the world rewards me. Here it was telling me that I was heading in the right direction.
Watch the video as Amber explains that we’ve all become cyborgs because we’re so connected to technology.
But for the next ten days I will be connected to nothing. No Internet. No phone. No cyborg.
See you on the other side of the wall.
I love how you make a decision and go for it. Have a peaceful time! 🙂 I could stand to be unplugged from my entire life for a bit to get done what I really want to do, but here I sit…
Ayngelina,
I am sure you are going to be able to move forward even though change tries to hold you back. Enjoy your time away from everything.
sounds lovely. enjoy your time off!
It must have something to do with my age and the fact that I grew up without technology. I use internet and everything connected to it as sparesely as possible. I still prefer reading a book to iphones I don’t even have one)and personal conversations to FB chats. I disconnect easily. See you on the other side of the wall.
I think sometimes we become too concerned about what we will miss if we do not stay on top of the technology game. You are right to allow yourself time away from the computer. Missing technology is a little like missing a soap opera. No matter how long you are away from it, you can always catch up and get back into the flow of things. Like Inka, I remember the time when we actually had party lines….we shared our phone line with another family (I assume neighbor). You could actually pick up the phone and hear the other family’s phone conversation, so you had to wait until they were through. And we rented our phone! So, you’ll be ok. Have fun!
I know what you mean. I can spend hours working on my photography and my website on my laptop. Then you realize you didn’t leave your hostel or talk to another human being all day, and you start to wonder if you have the right priorities.
You’re going to have an amazing experience. Can’t wait to read about it in a couple of weeks.
Enjoy being away- I kind of like it when something is “keeping” me from the internet… that way I don’t feel like I’m letting anyone else down for not being around.
Good luck… I can only imagine what this type of experience will be like!
The Domestic Yogi approves of this message. (and needs to step away from the computer….)
It’s funny that when we left for our RTW in the fall of 2008, we decided not to bring phones with us. Neither of us had smart phones yet, so we weren’t always connected like we are now, but still, it was so free-ing not to be tethered to a phone for a year. That being said, I would imagine if we left tomorrow for another long term adventure, our phones would be coming with us.
Really thoughtful and interesting post Ayngelina! Glad you were able to take time to disconnect. Very important, I feel like. B well, Phil
Fantastic idea! I’ve disconnected a few times for diving trips literally hundreds of miles from nowhere and I have withdrawal the first day or two, and then I get into it. Think it’s especially important when you’re making life changing decisions as you are at the moment.
I love TED!! I haven’t seen this one yet, so will definitely check it out 🙂
Enjoy your time away… I’ve realized I start to get “edgy” and feel disconnected if I’m somewhere without internet access (come to think of it, those feelings also occur if their is no beer access, either, but that’s another story). We could all use a break from the technology that chains us… enjoy your time away!
Good luck with the self-imposed cyber-exile, Ayngelina. I think it’s a great idea.
Jason
I need to go on one of those digital sabbaticals too.
It sounds great to get away for awhile. Enjoy the yoga!!
Best luck to you — I think it’s an amazing goal to travel indefinitely!
Yep, we’re definitely on parallel paths. I chucked it all nearly five years ago and have been traveling ever since, but the technology (especially social media) sometimes drowns me. I’m off to a Yoga retreat in Thailand soon, just to reset. Enjoy your unplugged time.
Amazing TED speech, thanks for sharing! I totally agree with you. Actually I was thinking to myself yesterday that I had started to check my Tweetdeck too frequently recently. To a point that it was slowing me in my work. Maybe it’s time for me to take time off from my second self.
But I kinda like being a cyborg though. I’ve always been a big fan of cyberpunk novels and movies 😉
A few years ago I stayed at a B&B in the Gaspe region of Quebec, right on the waterfront where you could hear the thousands of sea birds that nested nearby on Bonaventure Island. The place was built in the 1700s and there was a lamp in my room as far as technology goes. What a fantastic break that was from all the gadgets and technology that surrounds my every day existence. It took a while to get used to, but wow that was refreshing! No laptop, no cell phone, no tv or radio… Ahhhhh
Oh Ayngelina, a digital sabbatical sounds so good…in theory! I’m completely addicted to my gadgets, shamefully. I had a hard time letting go and relaxing, in a few locales, when I had no choice but to be disconnected. Have fun with it!
Hope you have a very relaxing and peaceful time. But when you’re ready to re-connect, I’ll look forward to reading about your experience.
It’s so nice to unplug. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on how it felt and the all-pressing conundrum of how you cope with the backlog once you return. I say go for the Tim Ferriss idea of leaving an away message saying that you will delete everything in your inbox when you return and asking people to resend anything important after your return date. Best coping idea I’ve heard yet.
I think that sounds like a great decision! I could actually use some down time from the net.
No internet!? How does one live without it? I demand to know!
I’m happy for you, you really are inspiring.
I have an 8 day period this summer when I know I will be 100% offline. That is what I now call a real vacation and something I look forward to. This social media stuff is sometimes for the birds.I wish you a perfect, tranquil, but thought provoking 10 days.
That sounds like an excellent plan! Enjoy your time away! 😉
We have been completely turning of the internet after a certain time each day. It just gets too crazy, especially because we work virtually. In fact, we are getting ready to “go dark” right now.
BTW – the our favorite kind of catholic is a lapsed catholic (that applies equally to all religions for that matter).
I can totally relate to needing a more healthy relationship with technology. I love how the Internet has allowed me to stay connected to friends & family while traveling — and helped me meet new friends. But I find I spend way too much time on it and it reduces my productivity. I was better able to compartmentalize my work time and my play (aka Facebook/Twitter!) time when I had a job, but not so much any more. Maybe moving to China where Internet restrictions are high will help me out!
Enjoy yourself. Unplugging is so crucial, I hope you eats lots of organic food, do lots of yoga, listen to your spirit and forget about the internet for long stretches. We’ll be here when you get back!
Sounds like a really sane and good decision…I guess these bouts of un-connectivity would do us all some good. We might see more life, experience it more…
All the best 🙂
Almost can’t imagine taking such a plunge on the one hand…would there be withdrawal symptoms involved? On the other hand, you’re right – it would be great to unplug for a while. You’re doing awesome in your quest for forever travel! Keep it up!
I’ll use my inner powers to connect… just to annoy the crap out of you.
Enjoy.
Damn girl, 10 days without Internet! That sound like a hard thing to do, but it might be healthy to do once in a while. My Internet was down the whole evening yesterday and I thought that was hard.
Well I hope you will enjoy and come back online with a lot of fresh energy. Good luck.
That video was very very interesting.
Great idea! I felt like I was on the computer so much more when we were on the road, I had a fear of not being connected or missing something. We ended up taking a few days to “put down” the laptop!
I think this post sums up exactly what we were thinking when we came up with the title for our blog I-Should-Log-Off. It’s funny b/c the irony of that as our blog title hasn’t been lost on us.
(oops pressed save early)
The idea of going and spending 10 days away from it all, truly away is fantastic and many of the best memories of our trip were from little places here and there where we were completely cut off. Enjoy your cyborg days and get some extra yoga in for us!
LOVE that you’re doing this, Ayngelina! 🙂 I hope to do that a bit later this year when I go back to Australia. I hope your time is truly restful in body and spirit, and that you return to us renewed, inspired and focused. 🙂
I hope you do refuel happily. As a fellow lapsed Catholic, I can relate to the urge to go meditate… And also to the urge to simply down tools, junk the internet, abandon social media and have a bit of space from the behemoth that a blog can become… Look forward to seeing you on the other side…
Actually this is one of the things I like about internet being expensive on my ship, I’m forced to disconnect (or go broke).
So true that sometimes we need to unplug! I just got back from a hectic (and beautiful!) tour in India where I could hardly find an Internet connection. At the beginning I was so worried I was neglecting my virtual life, but then I realised I had just to seize opportunity of spending ten days away from my daily routine. I didn’t miss the net at all, and actually now I miss India more and am planning the next trip there!
You’re doing such an amazing thing, going after that something to discover more about yourself away from the technology we all depend on so much. I admire you. 🙂
Very awesome! I hope you stay slightly “technology” connected so we can see pics! haha
Nope not even the slightest bit connected, you’ll have to wait!
Love the new look site!
There is nothing better than unplugging and just getting away from it all. Sometimes I feel I am staring at this screen more than enjoying the world around us. Gotta love yoga! Enjoy!
Well done!!! Great and very drastic idea but pls, tell us later on if it has worked out for you.
Hope, the Hale Krishnas are not driving you crazy..as they do this to me. But if you pop up in like 2 days and say, you couldn’t handle it, I would understand you:)))Have fun there and make lots of pictures!
Can’t wait for your “back to life” post after 10 days.
Love, Steffy
Wishing you all the luck in the world, I actually bought an iPod so I’d have the Internet in my pocket everywhere I went,,,,sad I know.
I love this! Lately, I’ve been feeling the same way, just a bit to connected to the blog, and ultimately, feeling that I work all day, but nothing seems to get done. I applaud your decision to go into this 10 day journey, and can’t wait to hear more about it!
It is amazing just how much we are connected to the internet now and it is easy to lose real productivity in the three areas you mentioned.
Fortunately in my case I enter Facebook only once in a blue moon to see my profile stuff, though a bit more just to post updates on the website page. I was recently away from internet for about 5 WHOLE days. Doesn’t sound like much but it is still a refreshing reality check.
How can you be away form the net in 1o days and at the same time get a new webdesign…?
Nice design by the way 😉
I totally need to do this at some point. Please let us know how it goes! …after the 10 days, obvs.
i cant do that, 10 days without any form of technology is like torture to me
I watched that video a few weeks ago as well, and it did made me realize how much technology I use everyday. Last summer I had no phone/internet for almost 2 weeks, and to be honest. I loved it. Did sometimes wonder about all the important emails I was missing, but it did it like it though. No distractions, and suddenly so much more free time 🙂
Yes, while we have technology, we feel we cannot do without it. Once it’s gone, we find we just adjust and find other things to do. I’ve gone back and forth with this. I love having a connection to the world, but when I don’t I don’t really miss it. Weird dichotomy.
Nice to take a break once in a while to rejuvenate.
I also plan on traveling and be location independent. I’m just waiting for time until I can make that big decision.
First time here! 😀
Sort of a digital sabbatical, if you will.
There are times it seems so freeing when you can do it, then you ask yourself, why you don’t do it more.
That freeing time, when you are out, experiencing the world, is when you are gaining new material to write/create about. It gets those juices flowing.
Best of luck on your sabbatical.
Hearing you Ayngelina! Could do with some time unplugged myself… as soon as I finish this damn report! …and thanks for plug on facebook by the way!
You are going in the right direction. Look how many comments this one post generated!
I think your new life is on the way.
Enjoy your silent internal time!
Amen! Enjoy your time re-centering and stay open to inspiration from within. Meet me in BA begining of March?
That’s really brave, Ayngelina. Ten days unplugged!? I would be freaking out. It’s probably a 100% percent good thing, though.