Finding Internet in South Africa is a major pain in the butt. In the States, we are used to all the Internet our hearts desire. Like an all-you-eat buffet or refillable super-size drinks, Internet plans are all-you-can-surf, and free wi-fi hotspots are plentiful. In South Africa, places typically pay for Internet by the amount of data they use, meaning a lot of places are reluctant to offer wi-fi, let alone for free. Based on the experiences of people who traveled here a couple of years ago, like Theresa and Jeff from Lives of Wander, it seems like Internet is more prevalent, but it is not like it is in the United States or Europe. It is not a given that a place will have it, and if we find it, that we won’t be paying a fortune for the brief limited use of a crappy computer. Even if a place has wi-fi, on many frustrating occasions my computer will connect to the network but will not allow me to access any websites. I’m not sure why South Africa hates my netbook (or why my netbook hates South Africa), but this Internet problem is the bane of my existence at the moment. Although sometimes delays on the blog are the result of me not having time to write, for once, I actually have posts and pictures lined up, just no way to post them. After staying a slew of budget accommodations for the past week or so, we splurged on a nice guesthouse in Johannesburg with….drumroll, please…free wi-fi that actually works on my computer. Hopefully I didn’t jinx anything by saying that, so I can plug away on getting the rest of the Ireland posts out for your reading pleasure. And of course I have lots to share about our wonderful experiences in South Africa. So, as usual, thanks for sticking with me and please stay tuned. Happy Friday, everyone!
Hello, daughter! I am so happy to see posts. I was afraid you & Sean were being stomped by elephants in the wilds of South Africa & I would have no way of knowing. I tried real hard to detach, but found myself getting anxious. Can’t wait to see & hear what you’ve been doing. Happy Labor Day weekend from the U.S.! Love, Mom
S.A was a pain for wi-fi. We found a cafe called Mugg&Bean that was a lifesaver – but it was expensive. The places we stayed all had capped internet too.