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... $%#%&...      

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!!  ;)

Sierra Leonean Embassy

Very unhelpful I must say upon first effort.  I have done a little bit of research on the whole visa scenario in Sierra Leone and had this little hiccup with the whole 'fixed' itinerary thing.  I am certainly not looking at this little scenario with a whole lot of time deadlines or specifics; 2, 3, 4, x months, who cares.  I mean realistically I'm thinking three months, but they want purchased plane tickets, finite ins and outs, etc.  I am trying to be more flexible.  The whole point of the journey is to expereince things as they exist, as they come about, and under whatever time frame they take - do what must be done to gain further understanding of the country and how, if at all, I/we can be of assistance.  This flexibility is however, well, indeterminable.  lol.

I called the embassy and the person I spoke to really had little clue.  They only thing they knew was that I had to have an invitation to visit and thought I was an idiot because: "you can't go anywhere in the world without one, every country in requires this!"  Oh, wait except most of the ones I've been to, lol.  I needed one in Russia and China, that's it.  The rest of europe (not just EU), nothing. 

Anyway, the guy couldn't provide much help and I am looking at this project in very specific humanitarian/business terms.  I am trying to bring direct foreign aid to the country.  Now granted perhaps some people there don't want this.  I truely respect this vantage point.  But most all of them want money to flow in, they want investment.  I would think they would do what they could to promote this, or at least accept it.  Now I know this is naive, as it is written time and time again of the obstacles to doing business in some areas of the world.  But no matter, I has hoping, thinking that if I said "this is what I am trying to do... walking through the country... for charity... to raise awareness..."  Hmm...  I mean granted, he was probably just a young guy simply excited about being posted in NYC and looking at his job as some extra anoyance he had to do... but again, I had hope.

After it all, there wasn't much of anything to come from it.  I thought they'd be able to work with me with any visa rigidities over the length of stay.  I figured if they knew why I was going they would be more helpful or flexible...  well, we'll see.  He said, "Call when you are closer to leaveing and speak to my boss" in a dismissive, "I give up on this call" tone of voice.  lol.  I probably needed to speak more to a chamber of comerce type than a consular official.  Add it to the list.  Anyway, no worries, time I have... 

Shopping...

Took a trip to REI yesterday to try to get my head a bit further around the upcoming endevour's equipment.  I've spent quite a bit of time hiking and running on trails, and a lot of time camping when I was younger, but never any real overnight backpacking tours like this one.  So I've gotta get as much informaiton as possible before I start buying anything.  REI is a great place, I've been into EMS and can walk around and look for days it seems without anyone speaking to me, and when I ask them things they rarely have much to offer.  Sad, customer service is apparently not a way to maximize profits I guess!!  lol.  Anyway, I had a list, started asking questions.  I'm planning on doing a week or so on the Appalachian Trail in August to get a bit of time out there before I go.  I've been spending a lot of time running on the trail, wonderful place.  Anyway, this post may be a bit distracted as the world cup is on...  Multi-tasking... 

Ok, so basically the issue is tropical camping and backpacking.  In general I need the lightest weight stuff I can come up with.  Obviously I'm going to be carrying it all in a pack on my back for some three months.  Problem is that that stuff is more expensive.  The other key issue with all of this is my desire to stay as "natural" as possible.  By this I mean, natural fibers, natural products, sustainable scenarios, etc.  There are two reasons for this, one allergies that I have to most synthetics, and second, principle.  If it doesn't happen naturally in naure, I'd like to not to be a part of it.  This of course is very difficult to do in our current world.  Especially in technical scenarios.  Everything is polyester.  It all does amazing things, keeps you dry, warm, cool, washes your backside, whatever.  But I want real, naturally occuring things, yet it is of course more costly to 'grow' in nature than to produce in a factory. 

I have been working with this for a while though so nothing new.  I usually wear cotton everything, but cotton doesn't do well in hot, sweaty environments.  Wool and Silk.  I've been looking at a company called Wintersilks which seems good and responably priced.  The wool however seems to be coming from Smartwool and that is a different story - wonderful quality, yet $60 for a T-Shirt.  Not sure if that is feasible on a budget that includes food stamps...   :-/  We'll see.  I'm still looking to approach Smartwool, Wintersilks, and Vibram on sponsorship basis. 

Prior to this expected aparrel disapointment though I went through all the gear.  I have a backpack that I used to backpack through Europe in 1999, and off and on in other terms since.  It would be adequate, but is not set up for a hydration bladder.  This is a bit of an issue.  I'll have to see if I can rig it up.  It is also not a top loading pack, but like a normal school backpack.  Easier to get to things I think, We'll see.  But I'm going to take it on my AT trips and see how it goes.  Hydration will be key.  I also don't want to show up in a developing country with new flashy stuff.  I'm poor myself (at least by american standards), so A, I can't aford it, and B, I don't want to present myself as someone capable of something I may not be.  This will already be hard to do.

Next, I looked at sleeping, both bags and shelter.  It's going to get 'down' to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (maybe 16C) at night, so its not going to be like I need much.  Of course though everything you see in NY for sale is warmer and they are mostly 'mummy' bags meaning no leg room.  But REI apparently has a 'sleeping sack' which is comfortable to 45 degrees (maybe 6-7C).  They have a down one which obviously could be good for my interests.  I still will entertain blanket options as I sleep year round in flannel and/or down.  Its going to be hot and humid there, so not to comfortable at times.  The other key to tropical treking seems to be to sleep off the ground.  'To much stuff going on down there' as I was told.  Makes sense, especially with the amount of moisture and rain.  I was looking for hammocks, but of course they don't stock them in West Hartford, Connecticut where I was.  Seems like they will be worth looking further into, but not what I expected (no white netted porch type!!).  Seemed like a sleeping bag that you just rope to trees and put a tarp over.  Again, we'll see, probably cost $200 - ouch.  I'll have to do some more online research. 

Cooking stoves... in going to Africa you never know what kind of scenarios you may find for fuel. So the most versatile one takes kerosine, diesel, and one other type of fuel for $130. It was the most versatile and most expensive - but you gotta eat!! Pots and pans, knives and forks.

My next big sticking point was more naturalist induced. Bugs and water. My helper was convinced that I needed deet, I thought he was joking. Hey, let me coat myself in chemicals just for fun and see if it bothers me... nope. I hate to be cynical, but its the only response I can take to what just seems so absurd to me. Same thing with water - no chlorene. Its a chemical that I, A, don't want to ingest, and, B, have always had trouble drinking and swimming in. But this is seen as blasphemy in what has become our artificially natural world. Iodine tablets are fine in "controled areas" such as the US, but apparently tantamount to suicide in other 'less clean' places. There was a UV neutralizer for $100. Lol, no chemicals, we'll see. As for the little critters, I'm thinking I'm going to stick with my brothers advice. When he went to Thailand for the summer he used "All Terrain Herbal Armor" and never got bit (while all the other students with deet regularly lost chunks of flesh!!)

Food however was a better conversation.  Not to much ideology that goes into drying food or dehydrating it.  There seems to be good harty food to be found in Sierra Leone, but I will certainly need to have some lightweight but dense protein with me.  Will probably do some of that before I go and for the AT trials.  Food there will be cheep, but I'm anticipating I will not get as much as I'm used to.  But how else do you understand a country but to live amidst it and use its own resources, at the levels those living there do...