Andrew visited us for the weekend with the aim of setting up the remaining aspects of mobile communications, ready for the journey itself.
We will now have four main options:
1. Mobile voice and texts (two new phones so that we can communicate readily between us when on the journey, if we become separated as when passing through flights of locks) Nokia PC Suite allows us to type in a text message using the laptop - easier!
2. Nokia 5200 can inspect mailbox headers and download on demand. replies can be sent but require input using phone keys.
3. The phone can be connected (with USB cable) to the laptop and can act as a modem, which charges connect time on the mobile. Transfer rate comparable with dial-up modem speeds.
4. Laptop can access wi-fi hotspots and we have registered an additional account with Plusnet so that these charges are Pay-As-You-Go via our normal account for broadband.
Hopefully, at least one of these will be generally available for us to keep in touch, update the Blog regularly, upload some photos and to provide any necessary support to TH on the admin system.
We also set up the system for VPN access to TH which then enabled us to set up our General Manager with the ability to access the admin system and email from home (it has only taken about 18 months to fulfil this request!)
