As a father of two in a quite modern city, having a good internet connection is almost always a necessity. Even so if you are working remotely or from home which is quite popular these days. Me and the wife also use the internet for entertainment purposes (Netflix, PS4, you name it). Having a good internet connection is viewed as a normal thing in first world countries. Question is can you survive without any internet at all?
My Experience Living Without Internet
The first time I was “forced” to a situation without an internet connection is when I was invited to teach at West Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia for a 7 day BJJ seminar. Imagine the shock and horror that I went through after the local guide told me that the only internet available was around 10km from where I was staying. Keep in mind that going back and forth between the area is not possible because I have to teach 8 hours a day.
Thankfully I arrived on a Saturday morning and I forced my guide (and myself) to travel to the area with internet so I can do some research on how to live without the internet for 7 days. Sorry for making you travel with me on a Sunday morning Sonny! Here are some proven tips that will help you survive in a place without internet.
Save Everything Before Going
What does that mean? It means you have to save every “digital” content that you might need during your travel to the internet-less area. You can download Youtube videos and save it to your Youtube account so you can watch it even when there is no internet. This is pretty important in my case because I have to teach martial arts techniques and the best way to show and relearn those are by using videos.
This also applies for any document or spreadsheets that you might need access to in your stay. If you’re like me and you like to use Google Doc and Sheet then make sure you have downloaded all the flies BEFORE going away. What happens if you forgot a document or two? Check out the next tip
Prepare Your Mobile for International Roaming
Roaming is a technical term that basically means you can call/text or use the internet when you are traveling outside the geographical coverage area of your mobile network. Each mobile network will have different options for its international roaming services. Keep in mind that prices will almost be more expensive to similar home internet plans so pick a package that makes sense depending on your length of stay.
This is true in most cases because 90% of the world is already covered by mobile networks. However, this tip might not work if you are traveling to a very isolated area. Here is a list of places known for their lack of internet. Keep in mind that for most of you this tip will work fine
Prepare Cash (Paper!)
With the explosion of cashless transactions, you might not be thinking that some places in the world are still living in a paper cash world. Even when you already did the previous tips above you still need to make sure you have enough cash money in the correct currency. It might seem simple but this tip will save you from potential shame and despair of not being able to buy anything that requires paper cash
Conclusion
Wherever you are going it is important to prepare for important things such as luggage and ticket. Internet is arguably one of those important things as well. Because honestly I can’t live without the internet. Can you live without the internet? Let me know your experiences!