Getting closer - trying out the new technology...

For those of you who say that I am a... retentive... thanks... 

This is why we prepare for a cycling trip in advance:

1. Technology

I have upgraded the old little HP Netbook and now have an ipad to travel with.  

Although I have a snazzy keyboard to help me type and do my work as needed, while away, learninghow to use the new technology is not easy.  For example, typing this blog on the Blogger app is a challenge.  It runs out of space at the end of a line and doesn't tell you why, you have to put in yourown line breaks.  Oh dear - 5th form typing skills coming back into use.  So much we take for granted!

I feel clever working out how to Bold as well! (And it really helps if I use the ipad keyboard and not my computer keyboard - duh!).

Next challenge is learning how to upload a photo.  Hmmm, the photo I took 3 hours ago hasn't moved from  my phone to the icloud to the ipad yet...  Appears I need to back them up manually for that system to work. 

Next, the bane of my life when we are travelling - the darn Garmin GPS.  I think it is probably worthbuying shares in that company.  The technology is quite antiquated and I went to download a newUS mapping system (supposed to be guaranteed free upgrades from purchase) - but no, not if you are in NZ!!!  To get the maps that I purchased in 2009 for the US updated, it cost me NZ$139.  Arrggh.Then, it has taken hours to download them onto the unit.

It is such a frustrating piece of equipment that we only use it sparingly - as it chews through the batteries.  At least I wised up a few years ago and we now travel with rechargeable batteries and a charger.   I have looked at GPS for iphones, and because of the cost of overseas data from NZ, I think I will stick with the clumsy Garmin...

Next technology task is to look into the 2degrees prepay international packs. They didn't have anyfor France and Switzerland last year, so travelling to the US we can hopefully use them.  It is frustrating riding along and wanting to know the background on something, and not being able to google it!  Well - nup - they don't exist any more.  Obviously can make far more money charging me 50c a MB. 

Arggghhh.

Any more technology?  I've tried to set up blogger with email addresses, don't know if that will work. Looked at linking the blog with my Facebook page. Honestly - far too hard!!  Google and Facebook really don't like each other and seem to want to do everything possible to make it difficult for you to 

synchronise!

Postscript (I have copied and pasted this into a new blog post as I think I have finally worked out how to add this to Google groups....  By trying to link it to Facebook yesterday using the recommended app, it locked me out of Facebook, so won't be trying that again!!)

2. Photo's

Now, lets see if my icloud has synched yet.....Hmmm no, I can see this being frustrating!  Will keep trying.

3. Camping Gear

Fortunately, most of that has been stored away separately all year.  Peter only has to source the tent and groundsheet, then that is all done!

4.  Clothes

Darn it all - I think I need to go cycle touring all the time, I end up nice and trim and then revert to my normal size.  Some garments a little... tight...  Oh well, hopefully lots of walking then riding will solve the problem. Next challenge is finding all Peters clothes that we need to take - think I've nearly got that project sussed.

5. Bikes

This is Peters zone.  This time, thankfully, he only had to get one of his wheels fixed and 'surprisesurprise' nothing on my bike!!  So, only has to ensure that his bike is re-packed properly.  If he has topack the whole bike from scratch, it is around 3 - 4 hours for each bike.

Well, apart from finding photos on my icloud..  it seems everything else is working properly.  This timewith the ipads and iphones, we are hoping to take only about 500gm and not 5kg (well that is what it felt like!) of chargers with us.  Yay

Next project is praying for decent weather.  I'm watching it regularly, seems to be warming up on thePacific coast (we will be riding right on the coast) hopefully be in high teens to low 20 degrees for mostof the riding.

Yee - hah - the photo worked!!!!  This was take in the middle of the packing of gear.  Remember, it has to fit in 4 panniers and not weight too much.  Think we have got a good set up. New addition this year is  the small green round thing on the bottom right.  The kitchen sink. 

Yes, literally, a kitchen sink.

Hopefully it will come in useful in the campgrounds, but if not it is so small and light that it won't be a hassle carrying it! 

What left to do?

Finish all the work and study.  Transfer $ onto the Air NZ Smart Card.  Only 10 more days (and one Jurisprudence essay worth 50% of total mark) to go.