British Expatriate Network

Hi everyone,

First time poster here with a question about phone service. I’ll be going on vacation in Europe with my widowed mother in December. She’s very “traditional,” meaning she doesn’t want me to use my cell phone, laptop or PDA while we’re on the trip. It’s our time together, she says and of course I want to respect that but three weeks is a long time to be completely incommunicado! So I’ll need a long-distance phone service or card that allows me to check voice mail and send messages from a variety of places. I was hoping to try onesuite, but from the recent messages here it sounds as if they are out of commission. They sounded pretty ideal for me, so it that still the case? Are there other LD providers that travelers here prefer? Thank you for your help!

Good lord... are you travelling by stagecoach and steamship too? Tell her the PDA is full of phrase books, the laptop is essential to check schedules and confirm reservations and the telephone is there to call for help.

/three weeks sans the I-bahn? :shock: I couldn't do it.

If it were me, I'd take my cellphone and sneak into the toilet with it. Sounds like you need it for work.

If she doesn't mind you using a phone with a charge card, why don't you just switch off your cell phone when you're not using it?

No cell phone, no computer, no PD - call me old-fashioned but sounds like heaven to me. I think your Mother is quite right on this one. Leave anything that can connect you with work safely at home and enjoy your vacation.

Until you find yourself in a Milan train station at 3am with no way of finding where your hotel is and no change for a payphone... and nobody speaka de eengleesh neither.

/not like that's ever happened to me

Sounds strangely romantic to me. Roflmao. And since I can parlare un poco.. I mean I can say pizza, ravioli, rigatoni, allegro con brio, oh, and nessun dorma of course, I mean who would be able to sleep! :wink:

Surely you and your mother can reach a compromise? Such as phone calls and e-mail only during "down time" perhaps when she is reading or writing postcards after a day of sightseeing, or at night time after you return to your hotel.

Some people - especially older people who have never had the need for or the convenience of modern technology can find the constant interruption of cellphones and rushing to check e-mail every hour or two very irritating and rude. She propbably wants to enjoy your company and feel that she can converse with you and have your full attention.

If I were you, I would take both phone and laptop but keep them turned off until a time when she will not think it amiss for you to check on things.

I can't see travelling without a phone nowadays for reasons stated above, and a laptop has to be useful too. If you don't have them you'll forever be looking out for places to do those things anyway - and your mother will be less impressed with you running off to find an internet cafe everyday!

If this is work-related, she will rightfully think youa re not taking a vacation at all - we went on a week's vacation with hubby's brother and family once - he was on his cellphone several times a day doing business - even walking around a zoo! I felt like throwing his phone in the nearest trashcan - and there were nine of us, not just two!

Can't you use cyber cafes? They are all over the place now and all you would have to do is buy a couple of cups of coffe and have half an hour on the computer to check your e-mails while drinking coffee.

This is what my cousins did when they went touring Europe and found they were great.

You can also pick up disposable phones in Europe that have a one time use.

If you are using any chain hotels, they may have a business room that has computers for you to use. Again, this is something you could do for a quick half hour while your mum is having a bath.

)

I'd be taking my stuff along, or telling mum to go it alone. [no disrespect of course]

You can compromise, and not use the cell phone or computer while with her, unless you are stuck somewhere. Just have it with you for safety, and only check it or emails at night when Mum is asleep.

Never go anywhere without a cell phone. Turn it on to make calls. In this day and age you need a back up. Make sure your cell phone will work over there. The whole problem could be moot.
As to the lap top, well, take it if you need it, but if you're one of those people who can't be without it, it'll be like detox for you, you'll be moody, aggressive, and downright nasty a lot of the time. ( in cases like this I advise large quantities of alcohol!)
Me, i've had a cell phone for several years. i still don't know how to download the messages. I turn it on to make a call. If anyone calls me on it I expect a serious accident if not a death.
Some bloke who knows stuff was saying not long ago that young people these days have no freedom./ They leave the office and they get cell phone calls, pages and wotnot. In the olden days you left the office and they couldn't get you until you turned in, unless of course you were a bigwig with loads of dosh and money in said company.
Being outside the worldwide connection might be a good thing. You might find where the world stands in importance to you rather than vice versus.
Mind if you visiting Brighton, Bognor or Bath, i'd take a toy boy too.

Wise words :grin:

The Internet cafe suggestion sounds like a good one to me. In Europe they're everywhere.

Also you can pick up a local scratch off phone card and use it to make a few calls from a payphone. Some Internet cafes also offer digital long distance phone link-ups too.

I do all of my travelling in North America and I always take my cell phone (switched off). I consider it my personal phone booth. Mostly though when I need to phone long distance I use my YAK phone card. It only costs 5c Can/min.

Laptop, PDA? Don't have and don't need them. As far as keeping in touch or getting information. Again in the US and Canada, public libraries almost always have internet access for free.

Enjoy your vacation and relax.

Unless you intend to or usually spend 23.5 hrs a day on the laptop and/or cellphone and/or PDA - what's the problem??

Take the stuff along, man! :roll: Just don't sit for five hours every morning in your hotel room and ignore your mom while you play online Poker!

KR