In a world that is so connected all of the time, I find it really refreshing when I get a chance to cut off the world. I’m not talking about choosing not to go on social media for a period of time (or even uninstalling the apps from your phone), I’m talking about being completely off the grid in that you have no knowledge about what’s happening in the world; i.e. World War III could have be instigated and I was none the wiser.
My day job sends me to remote areas of Australia for work, with my latest project being in the Goldfields staying in a caravan with a 100 m walk the morning commute to the drill rig. Other than ensuring the outside world that I’m alive through a satellite phone, there is a complete disconnect to the world outside our camp. There’s no internet, no television and only AM radio if I choose to go for an hour long return drive to access WIFI; due to work I’m obliged to do this every few days.
It’s so refreshing and carefree.
The news was full of bad news in the days leading up to leaving to site, bushfires on the east coast, the west coast cut off from the other states due to fires in the south and flooding in the north, and the USA and Iran having a disagreement about something. At the moment I don’t know the status of any of these situations or if any others have arisen. You know what I think I’m better for it, the news is depressing at times.
When I do get the chance to connect I actually dread the amount of alert notifications, I sneakily just check my emails, bank balance and direct messages (not group chats). Of course there’s a couple of phone or video calls to loved ones, but these are brief and consist of what’s happening in each others immediate life and when I’ll be home.
It would be nice to remain somewhat disconnected while back in civilisation but sadly it isn’t possible, as it’s now societies expectation that you are connected and contactable 24/7. So if I don’t instantly reply to you, it’s not that I’m avoiding you but rather that I’m out enjoying the world, good and bad.
The Wayfarers Lens 