I just got back from a houseboat trip in Tennessee last night and spent 5 days without any Internet service. Talk about being off the grid. I have to say I really enjoyed it. Even if I wanted to check e-mail or find out what is going on the world, I couldn't.
I use T-Mobile as the carrier for my mobile phone and have found that it is pretty much on par with my previous provider, AT&T. My son has his work phone through Verizon, which is a company whose stock I own. I bought it because they have a generous quarterly dividend, not because I think their stock will appreciate. That being said, my son had Internet service on the trip and kept feeling tempted to check e-mail. When his wife would catch him on his phone, she would remind him that he was on vacation. I should have taken the chance to snap a picture of him on the phone like he did of me in Yellowstone a few years ago.
I have another buddy I travel with to the most remote places in the country and he has Verizon for his carrier as well. Most of the time I don't get service, he still does which has me questioning if I should get a cheap Verizon account too. I thought that Verzion just had better coverage in Utah but now I am discovering it is nationwide. I pass this information along not to help my stock investment but to share my anecdotal experience as I often travel to very out-of-the-way places in the country for various outdoor adventures.
Last night I arrived at the airport and decided I would check my e-mail before boarding my non-stop flight back to Salt Lake. I had an insane number of e-mails but not one needed my attention before today. This morning I checked my work e-mail and had the same results. Naturally I had an auto-responder for my work e-mail so everyone knew I took some time off. That gives the added benefit of people asking about my trip.
The only reason I would have needed to be reached on this past trip is because of a once-in-a-hundred-year storm that hit near my house. We received 2.28 inches of rain one evening and it came down so fast it caused significant flooding in the area. My house received no damage that couldn't be cleaned up with a broom (mulch needs to be pushed back into the flower beds is all). Had my basement flooded like some nearby, I would have wanted the person watching my house to give me a call. Unfortunately there wouldn't have been anything I could have done about it in Tennessee but I think that is one of the things you want to prepare for before arriving home at 11pm on a Sunday evening.
I have to say that I am fine being out of Internet service while on vacation. Hopefully you feel that way too. If you find yourself in the other basket and wishing to remain connected, think about Verizon if you are not already using them for your carrier.
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