siesta

SO I'M OUT EXPERIMENTING AGAIN, AND YES, I STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS JUST WANTS TO WRITE IN CAPITALS! BUT MAYBE THAT IS THE WAY EVERYTHING WILL BE FROM SIERRA LEONE - YELLING!!  SO YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME FROM ACROSS OCEANS AND MOUNTAINS!!  LOL  OH YEAH, AND NO PARAGRAPHES EITHER!!  ANYWAY, SO I'M HANGING OUT IN MY HAMMOCK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FISHKILL RIDGE AND MOUNT BEACON. I'VE GOT SOME DECENT PICTURES BUT NOT SURE HOW I WANNA HANDLE THEM FROM THE PHONE HERE.  I'M EATING A NICE LUNCH OF COLD CHICKEN SAUSAGES AND CHEESE AND CRACKERS. I NEED SOME VEGGIES HERE BUT LEFT EARLY IN MORNING AND DIDN'T GET ANY ON THE WAY.  OTHERWISE, IT'S COLD, 54F (11C) AND GETTING COLDER IT SEEMS, DESPITE WHAT THOSE LIEING METEOROLOGIST WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE!! LOL.  THE REAL ISSUE IS THE GEAR. THE WOOL IS GREAT FOR WARMTH AND QUICK DRYING, BUT IT IS NOT WOVEN INTO A DOUBLE LAYERED WICKING FABRIC TO PULL THE MOISTURE AWAY FROM MY SKIN. MEANING, WALKING IN MY COLD SWEAT DOESN'T HELP, NOR WILL WALKING IN MY HOT SWEAT IN SALONE (SL). BUT I'LL TAKE THAT HOT WEATHER OVER THIS COLD STUFF ANY DAY!!  THINKIN TO JUMP INTO MY SLEEPING BAG HERE, BREAK OUT MY BOOK, "HOW EUROPE UNDERDEVELOPED AFRICA", AND SEE WHAT COMES OF IT!! I'M THINKIN A NAP!! ;)

Experimenting in the Woods...

Training ground...

(written Saturday October 9th)

So today is a day for experimenting. right now I am typing this post in to my phone as this is looking to be the way things will be in Sierra Leone.  I also spent a two hours today out in the woods with my full pack on. It measured in at 35 pounds (16 KiLOS) WHICH IS NOT BAD (YES I HAVE NO IDEA WHY EVERYTHING IS CAPITALS NOW EITHER). I STILL HAVE SOME THINGS TO ADD. THERE WAS NO FOOD IN THE PACK, I STILL HAVE TO ADD THE STOVE, A PONCHO, MAYBE A WINDBREAKER, MEDICAL KIT, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. THE THINGS IN THE PACK ARE ALL FULL THOUGH. THERE WAS FIVE LITERS OF WATER, AND ALL THE SOLUTIONS ARE COMPLETELY FULL.  (ITS NOT LETTING ME PUT A PARAGRAPH EITHER...) REALISTICALLY THOUGH IT ONLY SEEMED A BIT HEAVY FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES. ONCE I GOT OUT AND UP TO PACE IT WAS FINE.  I HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE IN THE BAG FOR MORE STUFF. I WILL BE FINE. I'VE GOT ROOM AND WOULD BE FINE WITH MORE WEIGHT. IDEALY, THE LIGHTER THE BETTER, BUT I'VE GOTTA EAT!! ;) (PARAGRAPH) AS FOR THE BLOGGING, WEL I THINK U CAN SEE THAT ITS NOT IDEAL...  I DON'T LIKE IT ALL IN CAPS, TYPING WITH JUST MY THUMBS ISN'T IDEAL, AND NO PARAGRAPHS IS ANNOYING. I ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DATA IT IS USING EITHER. AND IF I CAN ONLY WRITE WHEN I'M ONLINE I THINK WE'LL MISS A LOT.. :-/

So this post was not able to be finished online as I was trying to get the pictures uploaded and it dropped me.  Discouraging...

KEY-freaking-BOARD!!

Yeah, so the most frustrating thing of late has been trying to get everything connected.  I have gotten the phone fully connected to the computer it seems.  It still says I need that "driver", but everything seems to be working fine, even connecting the computer to the internet via the phone.  (yes it makes me think about taking the computer... but without power...!?!... hmmm...)  So it seems I've gotten past that part of intgration.  However...

The keyboard now not only won't connect to the phone, but also won't connect to the computer anymore either.  Obviously, I do not need another keyboard for the computer...  With the phone though, I feel like I've gotten at least to understand what I need.  The installation CD that came with the phone only has drivers for the phone's opperating system (symbian) up to the 3rd edition.  My phone has the 5th edition.  So obviously it would seem that I would want to get my hands on the drivers for this more recent edition.  I however can not find them online anywhere.  I also have tried to just simply connect the keyboard to the phone using bluetooth wireless.  This can theoretically happen two ways, the phone giving a code to type in to the keyboard, or the keyboard already having a passcode.  The issue I'm having is that the phone only asks for the keyboards passcode and doesn't offer the option to generate one itself.  There was no passcode that came with the keyboard... so no connectivity.  So now, I'm figuring that if I can get the driver for the keyboard for the operating system I need that I should be ok...  sigh...  I'm 'figuring' though... 

Why don't you just have more on you?!  :p

I put in an email last Thursday to the keyboard manufacturer (with whom I've communicated productively with before), and am hoping they can solve the issue.  There are statements online saying that they have done this before for other systems.  I still haven't heard anything back from them though and its Monday.  Drsim Palce!!  (means "holding my thumbs" in Czech, their equivalent to "crossing one's fingers" for good luck...;)  Uvidime...  We'll see...  ;)

Let there be sunlight!!

So on Friday my solar panel arrived.  It was a cloudy day that I spent pretty much entirely with my family, so I didn't get to experiment with it that day.  Saturday however, was a bright beautiful sunshiny day.  I had run my phone all the way down to one bar out of seven on the battery meter and figured... what better way to experiment!!  I started it charging at 9am and set the timer... 

It was quite discouraging at first.  It took about one hour to go up to the second bar, and then at 3 hours we were still stuck on two bars.  It also seemed that every time that someone sneezed near the solar charger (or the sun went a bit behind a cloud) the phone would stop charging and not pick up the charge again automatically.  We (my entire family was monitoring it) were getting NO WHERE!!  But then the day started to heat up, by 3 and a half hours we hit three bars, then four, five, six, and up to seven at exactly the 5 hour mark.

Simply put, when the sun was low in the northeast United States' autumn sky, we weren't getting much of a charge.  But once the sun got closer to us and heated up, it charged quickly.  I think that in good sun in Sierra Leone I should be able to charge the phone in about two hours, maybe three at the most. 

After initial frustration, this turned out to be a very rewarding conclusion!!  At three hours I was thinking I was screwed..  but two hours later, I had one more box ticked!!  Nice. 

However... the computer is a different story.  It does not even register as being plugged in when on the solar panel.  Yeah we were experimenting with an "inverter" as we didn't have the right plug yet, and that needed to be powered as well.  But regardless, it doesn't look like we will get far with charging the computer this way.  It looks more and more like the computer will end up having to be left at home for this trip.  We shall see, I can get a charger specifically for this model of computer and try it.  But when do you stop spending money!?!  I do need to eat over there...  :-/

Nokia... :(

The following post was written September 30th, from my phone.  It was however not submitted at that time because this experiment was not successful and I have yet to figure out how to make this work!!

So this is a bit of an experiment. I am typing this post into this new mobile phone to see how it could work while in Sierra Leone. It is obviously at a typing speed much slower than my thought, so I wouldnt say it was really the best option, but worth an experiment.
 

Today's a tough day, frustrating. To sum it up, I spent an hour on the phone with Nokia customer service only to be told the issue would go higher up the tech support ladder, but that they will have to call me back in 2 to 3 business days...!?!? Basically their support system is that the customer service person has to email the technical service people while you wait on the phone (without even any hold music!!). You can't speak to tech service directly. They relay your stuff via email, then answers back to themselves and then back to you. But their answers didn't help me, so another email, another hold... ?!?! Absolutly absurd!!  Worst customer service system EVER!!
 

So that pretty much sums up the day. Lots of effort, no tangible results. This new phone has the same major issues as the last one and Nokia has no clue how to even let you speak to someone who knows anything, nevermind to be able to solve this problem. It's a joke really. Incredibly annoying..

As it was, in writing trying to post this, the phone allowed me to write it in the notes function and to copy it.  But there was no paste option once I opened my web browser on the phone.  Thus, it didn't get posted...  Back to drawing board...   

So I'm not crazy... (at least not about this;)

So I finally called Nokia about the issues I was having with the phone and it seems its not "user error" after all!!  The rep said that I received a refurbished phone and that it was not working properly.  I am not sure of the specifics or if this is 100% verifiable as I bought it "new" from Amazon (not 3rd party, but actual Amazon). 

Yeah... lets hope you can help connect us humans...

Basically when the Nokia rep asked for the serial number, and I told him I bought it new last week, he seemed pretty shocked an said that it was actually refurbished.  Could be had been sitting on Amazon's shelf for a while or that somehow they got  duped and sold a bad batch  as new.  But they say they buy only new from the manufacturer...  Not sure, but the bottom line is that I have had lots of success with both seller and manufacturer of the years, so best not waste time speculating.  The phone isn't working properly, so they'll send another one and I'll go from there.   

 An exchange via Amazon can be here in 3 days, so I went for that.  I am a bit worried that it will be from a bad batch and maybe there will be issues again, but ordering direct from Nokia takes longer and the phone is $30 more plus shipping.  So I'm going exchange first.  If there is an issue then I'll be up against the wall.  I'll have to take what I get from there as I scramble to leave.  This really does mess up my experimentation scenario.  I still have to be sure the phone and keyboard will work to buy the right solar panel.  I might just have to buy the panel and hope it all works out...

Technology... $%#%&...      

Electronics

So let me just say one thing first: I hate electronics.  There are some things that 'men' are supposed just love, cars, gadgets, electonics, whatever.  Well I am obviously not one of those guys.  I hate all of them!!  lol.  I do like building things though, not sure that matters...  Anyway, I can't figure out all these electronics devises for the life of me.  I'm a thinker, I'm a project manager, but I'm not a techy...  :-/ 

Right now I have a wonderful netbook, a 'smart' phone, and this incredible little waterproof flexible keyboard.  What I am trying to do is to figure out how to get them all to work together using Bluetooth wireless technology.  Theoretically I should be able to sync everything together with no wires.  Theoretically... 

Amazingly, when I first started setting things up it seemed that I had things better than I do now, even though I don't think I've even changed anything.  The computer makes sense to me, nothing new here really.  But I'm trying to connect my phone (Nokia N97 mini) with the computer.  They recognize each other and I've now got them 'paired', but I still can't transfer anything between the two.  Seems I need the 'driver' for it, but it searches for it online and installs it, yet then doesn't work.  I am also trying to get the computer to connect to the keyboard, but I can't get it 'paired' so I don't have to install it each time (not gonna be desirable if in the woods with limited internet access). 

The worst things about all of this is the stupid phone!!  Not that there's anything wrong with the phone itself - I'm sure its more user error than product error - but I just am not interested in spending so much time trying to configure things over and over again.  I set up Facebook and it worked Friday, and then not yesterday, and now does today?  My email is set up, and loaded everything/was working Friday, but now nothing loads as of yesterday.  I set up the wifi to work and despite being connected, it isn't always working even though it says it is connected.  The keyboard won't connect either.  I still seem to need that pairing number.  I thought of something new to try but now the phone doesn't even seem to be able to find the keyboard.  I just don't get it.

Why aren't these things simple!?  lol.  Its amazing that as all these things that are invented to make our lives "more simple", the more complicated life becomes, and its not like I'm so old that this technology is beyond my generation.  Am I supposed to spend so much time working on this, contacting, and paying for professionals to make my life easier?  It seems the more I try to get these things to work, the further away I seem to get... 

Guess I'm gonna have to start reading the instruction manuals... ;)   lol...  :)   ahahahahahaha...

Power!!

I spent a good deal of time yesterday looking into how to get my electronic devises powered while I am in Sierra Leone.  This is a major concern for my trip as it is the key to staying connected to this website.  I have been having a bit of a dilemma with my new computer.  I will be able to get a solar charger that will be able to power it, while still being reasonable in terms of size and power capacity.  I have been researching it for several months now and have been narrowing things down quite a bit of late.  I looked at a number of different brands and have decided that powerfilm seems to have the best power to weight ratio and thus would work best for a trip like mine.  But which model should I get?  They have both rollable and foldable ones.  And what about wattage?  My computer apparently needs some 30 watts to charge as if it was pluged in to an outlet (no concerns with my phone as it will charge easily with most any model).

Finally, after laboring over it, I finally just called Powerfilm, and...  JULIA TO THE RESCUE!!!  I must admit that I love some of the shopping I've had to do for this trip.  A lot of these companies are so specialized and focused that they can't help but be really personable.  You get to speak to real people and the same real person each time you call.  In Powerfilm's case the customer service number rings straight through to an incredibly nice women named "Julia".  I of course started asking my questions as I do... until I realized I should just submit my project to her and let her tell me how she would solve it with their products.   ;)  Much easier!!

So Julia's solution is that, technically, I would probably need a 28w panel given my netbook's needs and good sunlight in Africa - but its like 7 feet long!!  So we talked through my budgetary/logistical constraints and - though not guaranteed - I is probable that I could get by with the 14w and probably even the 10w panel.  The constraint is that it would take much longer to charge than a normal outlet.  This however is not such an issue as time I will have, space and weight I won't.  There is no way I would carry (or could pay for) the 28w panel.  I'd have to leave the computer behind.  

We also decided that the rollable one would be better as it is more durable and is waterproof.  The foldable panels, which are more compact and actually geared towards backpacking, are not ideal for me and my trip.  Especially with longer term considerations of rainy seasons and such.  I will have to be careful not to compress the roll though, but weather won't be an issue. 

The connectivity issue will be fine as well.  The panel connects like a car cigarette lighter.  So for my phone I will need a car charger and then I'll also need to come up with a converter for the computer.  I will also need to get a DC to AC inverter so that I get a steady charge.  I will need to look further into this in terms of price and functionality.  But, all told, I can get an affordable and logistically acceptable panel.  Thus I will have power for everything while I'm there.  Nice.  Thanks Julia!!  ;)

More stuff...

So there are a number of things that have been going on of late that I haven't written about yet.  I got my backpack yesterday, and am expecting the Hammock today.  I got this specific backpack pretty much strictly because it had the special airflow back and it was the one of that style that fit best.  As a result, I have no idea what all these pockets and straps are for!!  lol.  Actually, a lot is pretty self explanatory, and makes complete sense given my experience, but still I was going through it last night... so many little intricacies.  Very amusing...

I checked google analytics today and saw that we have officially gotten our first visit to the website from someone actually in Sierra Leone.  May not seem like much, but is still a good step.  I have specifically been holding off on doing much of the marketing until I get closer to actually leaving.  I figure its easier to have people maintain interest in the actual trip once I am there or about to leave, rather than the less exciting build up to it.  So to get visits that seem to just be coming of their own accord is positive.

I have continued to email with Cyril at Zain telecom, and he said that I could very easily just use a modem to plug into the computer and use the internet.  $70-75 for the modem and then $10 for 100mb.  I'm asking him for a full rate card for more usage.  But it is pay as you go so that is positive, no contract or anything.  With this I wouldn't have to buy a $400 smart phone, which would REALLY help my budget.  But I still need to get a phone and I need it to double as a descent camera, so still not out of the woods yet.  But it could give me more flexibility.  I tried calling Nokia yesterday and asking, but think I got hung up on... I'll have to find out more of the technical aspects to it and go from there.  It may be more worth while to do the full-on smart phone given the $75 modem, the cost of another phone with good camera, and future considerations but time will tell.

I have been working on flash cards for Krio, but I must admit am not getting far.  I just can't seem to be too successful without being in country and listening and learning right there on the spot.  This brings me to another thought that has been slowly growing in my mind given multiple conversations I've been having with people associated with the country.  Maybe it would be worth it to spend the beginning of the trip a bit more settled.  Yeah, I know not a new idea, I was already thinking to spend a week in Freetown getting acclimated.  But Kaps with Child Help and I have been talking about some project ideas and with others people about security and not getting taken advantage of - basically involving getting to know my way around the people and language.  This makes perfect sense given all my other time abroad, some places and people will try to take you for all you're worth as a foreigner 'with money'.    I am going to put together an entire post on this in a little bit though that will get into the possible project and these other considerations.  For now though, I just thought I'd put up another update...  

Vibram says no...

So just as I was sitting here this morning struggling with budgets and whether I should really take a sleeping bag or not (given warm temperatures), Vibram comes back with a resounding no.  There was no reason given, but I would imagine my project may just be way to complicated for them or that there is perhaps not nearly enough guaranteed exposure.  Doesn't matter... sad day.  How do I get my hands on a couple of pairs of Vibrams without having to pay $200??  Maybe I can try to get them at cost from somewhere but I just simply can't afford any of this.  My budget has gone up and the expected funding has gone down.

Starting to seem like its kinda far away...

Issues....

Might as well be...

So despite my persistence of efforts, lack of means is taking a bit of a toll.  My five plus year old beast of a computer will no longer start up.  Three days now.  It is putting a tremendous burden on my work for this project.  You realize just how much our lives are centered around computers and the internet these days.  Networking, communicating, researching, whatever...  I have one that I can use, but only limitedly and the internet doesn't always work on it.  Luckily I have been mostly preparing for this and have been putting most of my data and saving things onto a flash disk/memory stick/pen drive (so many names for the same thing...), or writing things directly into online materials such as this blog service.  But it leads to one very definite new priority, computing...  I have been going back and forth with the idea of what to take to try to be connected throughout my travels.  An i phone and a keyboard were my last best estimates, but I have gotten very little response to lead me to believe that I could guarantee this would work there.  I know that Blackberry is functional, though again, have heard they don't travel well.

Putting a Master List Together

So what needs to be done in order to make this trip happen?  I would hope that this could become an open forum from those of you reading it.  Please either just put a comment down below, or send them in, as you wish.  I think the best thing for me with it though will be to put down the broad strokes here, and then to go through each list (and its progress) separately and periodically.  I'm going to link each heading to a search for that topic (some don't have anything written yet though) so you can easily see what's been written if you'd like.

• Gear - Backpacking/Living
• Briefly though: hammock, backpack, sleeping bag, hydration, cooking setup, first-aid kit, clothing, footwear, tools, misc, etc.
• Communications
• Phone
• Computer (possibly)
• Keyboard (if no computer)
• Solar Charger
• Networking/Relationships
• US based sponsors - I will be looking at companies such as Vibram and other similar businesses with specific interests in what i will be doing to help either with products and/or financial support.
• US based individuals and organizations that are affiliated in some way with Sierra Leone.  
• Sierra Leone based organizations and individuals that can help facilitate things on the ground during my trip.
• Language
• English is the 'official' language of the country, but Krio is the lingua franca and the one that I need to be working on.  I've been meaning to post of this for a while and will soon.  
• There are also many other tribal languages that I will try to have pleasantries down with.  The two main one's are Mende and Temne. 
•  Travel
• Flight
• Visa
• Accommodation for when I first get in.  (am thinking to spend the first couple days in the cheapest place I can find to get past jet-lag and get acclimated.) 
• Itinerary
• Finances
• Donations
• Existing cash
• Registry
• Marketing
• Email updates
• Business Cards
• Post Cards
• Networking
• Medical 
• Yellow Fever Vaccine
• First Aid
• Insurance
• Anything else I may need, but don't want!!

I find myself just assuming I've left some really important thing out - like 'breathing' or something - but this will have to be the start.  And again, by all means, add all the comments or responses you can.  I need the most exhaustive list I can!!

Posting/Email Test...

Sorry for this, but I just saw something that might help with the posting/emailing part of things and the linking to the site.  So for those getting this via email, let me know if you were able to read the rest of this on the email or had to link to the website...


So the rest of this is really not a whole heck of a lot, but how about some more music!!!

Appalachian Trail

So I'm getting geared up to head out on the Appalachian Trail for what looks like a 16 mile saunter.  Going to go from Route 20 in Pawling to the "Wiley" shelter which is right before the connecticut border.  It'll be an 8 mile out and again back.  Given my experience with hiking like this though I have a sneaky suspicion I won't be able to walk the whole way.  Out and backs just kill me and I usually end up just running back.  When I went to Greece and hiked from see level up a 1500m (4500ft) mountain, and then ran the whole way back down and was back by 1pm.  I think I am just so used to running that walking feels so slow and my mind just gets itchy!!  But I'll be packing up not just a regular backpack.  I'm gonna take the pack that I would take to Sierra Leone and pack it full of stuff to weigh it down.

Just finished a big old american breakfast (yes, I'm cheating - first experiment and all), and am packing up kind of a grazing scenario for eating.  I've got some nuts and dried fruits, left over grilled chicken, some raw broccoli, and blueberries, but I'm out of rice cakes and raw bars.  My local Stop and Shop here doesn't carry either routinely.  Poor planning, but I'll survive.  Gonna take 6 liters of water with me, A, just in case, and B, it will weigh the backpack down!!

I'm going to send messages to the Facebook/Twitter scenario which will feed onto the Walking Lion site.  So anyone with nothing better to do on a saturday (or probably just my mother) can check it.  But anyway, its 10am, and getting to be time to be moving.  I do want to be out there for the hottest part of the day which should be about 3pm.  Actually, I shouldn't be in much of a rush, I must admit I don't 'wander' very well on hikes.  Usually just get after it, A to B.  I used to have a great hiking companion that would pretty much race up mountains with me!!  No more...  Now not sure how it will all work out...  Giddie Up!!

More Communications

So I spent a moment yesterday in 'The Mall" (Poughkeepsie Galleria), no not reliving junior high glory days, but looking into some communication options.  I went to the AT&T booth and hung out with Jesse and Kevin (hoping I got the names right - not my strength!).  They were great, and with lots of good information and interest in my trek.  I went to AT&T because that's who I use right now and also because they use sim cards/the types of phones I could use abroad.

Their solution - which seemed pretty ideal - was the i phone.  I can basically do everything I want to do with it from wireless keyboard to messaging to email and blog posting, pictures, video, etc.  All seems quite simple.  And I could get the old one for $99 or the new one for $199, if I go onto my parents plan (I'm currently on the pay as you go/highway robbery plan).  I would have to change my current number though, but wouldn't pay anything more than I am now to be on their plan, and my communications issue would be solved for about $130 plus tax (keyboard and phone), or $230.  the newer phone has a better camera and a flash, unfortunately possibly both needed and worth the extra layout.   I had been budgeting about 200 each for phone and netbook (at a possible family discount), and was pretty aware that was an incredibly optimistic estimate.

So it seems ideal, BUT, can the i phone work in Sierra Leone?  They were saying that it requires a data package, but what is the service there like?  The country has plenty of mobile phone service, but how advanced is that specific service?  Would an i phone work on it and to what extent of coverage?  The one company Zain offers Blackberry Enterprise services, but I didn't see anything about an i phone.  Another service, Africell has a pretty poor web page and I didn't get far.  Comium markets mobile internet (using GPRS), but still no word on the i phone.  I'll have to contact them and see where that gets me.  But it still is encouraging that I should be able to get the keyboard and simply use the internet over the phone for all my needs.  It may have to be with a blackberry though or something like that, but we shall see.  What I had hear about blackberries was that they were not great for international stuff.  Maybe I was wrong...  ;)

Facebook and Twitter

So among other things I have spent much of the morning setting up a facebook page for walking lion and a twitter account @lionwalking ("walkinglion" was taken).  Feel free to befriend, like, or whatever else it is that one does on these sites.  I am not sure how this will all work, but it seems that I am set up so that if a post is made on facebook it will show up on twitter, and my 'tweets' are linked in to show up on the left column of the walking lion website.  I can 'tweet' and post on facebook via my mobile phone as well.  I also set it up so that a post on walking lion goes straight to facebook and then the chain continues.  This will allow me to do quick updates from my mobile phone while moving, or write a full post and both will show up throughout.

I am still having a problem with the emailing from walking lion though to people, on facebook it only shows up as the title and there is no link and people still aren't brought to the page.  So It seems that I am right back to the start, I must figure out a way to be able to post on the website and have it automatically send and link the post to followers and the other media sources.  We'll see, still work to be done...

Connectivity Revisited

So the clock is ticking on getting things moving towards leaving to go to Sierra Leone.  I need to start accumulating some of the things that I will need to take.  I woke up this morning after just charging my phone yesterday and its already down to two bars.  The battery's going, so why not get start thinking about a new one?  And the computer as well.  Why not get used to using it here and now?  I'm thinking of doing a 20 mile day-trip on the Appalachian Trail this weekend, I need to be able to pack as close to what I'd be taking at least weight wise.

Phones, phones, phones.  I need something as inexpensive as possible with as much as possible...  hmmm...  sounds like everyone!!  lol.  But more importantly, I need an unlocked phone that uses a sim card.  I need it to be quad band, 3G capable, connectible to a computer, and internet ready.  It would also be outstanding if I could get a fabulous camera function so I can combine the weight and not care two things.  I also need to contact the companies in Sierra Leone and see what kind of internet connectivity and fees they will have.  I was hoping to get a friend involved that works in the phone industry and would be able to provide expert advice, she's been non-responsive though.  :-/  Tough with voluntary stuff...

So It looks like I might have to do something on my own.  I haven't gotten a phone in a long time and there is a lot of a process to go through to make sure it will all function there "in country."  The thought crosses my mind whether I should just get something there.  But in general things are so much more expensive in that setting.  The other issue is that in looking at phones these companies all have country specific marketing and availability.  Actually, I should say that they pull out the US from it all.  If I was buying a phone in Europe it would be simple, they are compatible and flexible there with global communications.  The US...  not so much.  Anyway, for example, I want to buy a phone, but I can't just see a list of a manufacturers phones.  They all have which carrier they use.  I don't want one for a specific carrier.  Just a phone.

Or is it just a phone...  This post is now fluid...  All of these phones can do absolutely everything I want to do on my trip; from pictures, to messaging, to the internet, but there is just no typing solution other than to type with your thumbs...  Why carry an entire netbook if you could just take a phone and a little keyboard?  Ooo...  previously all the flexible keyboards looked big, but I just searched: 'mini' flexible keyboard and got some interesting results.  It would be ideal if they made a flexible (rollable) keyboard the size of a laptop keyboard.

Just got off the phone with the manufacturers of a mini flexible keyboard (pictured) made by Genica and sold by their sales subsidiery geeks.com.  But the salesperson spoke of PDA keyboards for phones.  He said they are tiny, but for full two hand typing.  Couldn't be much smaller than a netbook...  My big question was operating systems and plug in.  These normal keyboards are USB and seem to all be for Windows.  Phones don't usually have either, so maybe pda is the way to go.

Well, it certainly helps to just speak to people.  It is amazing at how simple it is to get answers with human to human contact.  People are really the best source of knowledge, not the internet..  But the best pathway forward right now seems to be to look at phones and to see what phones have compatible keyboards.  I must admit that I really liked the idea of water resistant and flexible given Sierra Leone's climate, and most pda keyboards are solid, but there may be a few options given what it looks like online.

Ooo...  There looks to possibly be flexible mini keyboards with bluetooth and pc/mac/pda/smartphone compatibility.  That would be ideal, getting closer... if I can just find one that's just right...  I"ve found all that but big and pink!!  Ok, time for Chi Gung, a run, and lunch though...

Communications

So the trip itself is going to be a challenge for sure, but staying in contact is going to be something that will be essential, as blogging is a key to the whole project, actually it is the heart of it.  My whole goal with this project is to chronicle it, to raise awareness, to draw people in, and to assess things on the ground.  Obviously the walking and meeting people is the assessment and important, but means very little without the awareness and bringing people in.  This is all about information, and that is the blog.

So how do I do this while backpacking through the small post-war West African country of Sierra Leone?  I have looked into mobile phone service and Satellite phones there as well.  There seems to be plenty of mobile phone service there, and sat phones are quite expensive and tough with data.  So it doesn't seem worth it, especially with multiple mobile phone providers there with varying coverages.  The other nice thing with the service there is that they all use sim cards (smart cards), so with an unlocked phone I could just get sim cards for each provider and then simply swap them out depending on the service. As far as coverage, the country's coverage seems the same as most places in the world, stuck mostly to population centers, but the country isn't very big (about the size of South Carolina).  So if I was to walk 15-20 miles a day I would certainly not spend to much time out of coverage.  So the question then becomes what capabilities do I have with those networks?  Is it 3G?  Internet compatible?  Can I simply write things and then upload them onto the web right then and there?  These are questions that must be asked.  It is hard to get answers from Sierra Leone for these questions though while I'm in NY.

As far as hardware goes, this is something that I would want to handle from here in the US as things will be much more expensive there (Yes, more expensive in a place with much less purchasing power, ironic huh?).  As of right now I am looking to solve the communications issues by taking a small "Netbook" with me, a mobile phone, and the ability to connect the computer to the internet and/or phone.  I had considered taking a phone with full internet and word processing capabilities and then a flexible key board.  But the key boards are not lap top sizes and would take up more space than the Netbook.

Power is obviously going to be an issue there as well.  They use British type plugs (which are huge), but I will be basically camping so without access to outlets.  There are however small compactible solar panels that you can roll or fold up into a backpack.  It really is a great little scenario, you unfold them and leave them facing the sun on the outside of your backpack with the wire running into the computer or mobile phone.  As you hike throughout the day the batteries charge.  Wunderbar.

The computer itself needs to be really small and light with a very long battery life.  They have these Netbooks that are tiny little things.  They become a bit of an issue in terms of typing as the keyboards are really tight, but I would certainly be able to manage that as it would save so much weight.  These computers can be about 2.5 pounds.  Really nothing comparatively, and that is the real key - weight.  When you are carrying your life on your back, the lighter your 'life' can be, the better!!

Anyway, there is a lot of research to be done.  I need do some sharing of it and bring some other people in to work with on it though.  Doing things on your is very rewarding in many ways, but not as rewarding or as motivating as it is when you can share it all with others...