Traveling through Nova Scotia recently, I got another lesson in how thoroughly the world is run online.  To make a reservation for lodging, even when standing in front of the charming Harbourfront Cottages, I needed to go on the lodging’s website to see if anything is available. Many places, especially smaller ones, like B&Bs, don’t have friendly clerks waiting at the front desk to help you. You need to do all the work to acquire a room for the night.

Unfortunately, I discovered my cell phone didn’t work in Canada. That meant I didn’t get the texts from the airline telling me that my flight had been delayed or that the gate had changed. Luckily, my companion’s phone was working, but I realized once again how we have become totally dependent on this small pocket-sized device to navigate the world.

Without my cell phone, I couldn’t easily check my email, learn about the latest political scandal in the U.S. (a relief, too), get directions to the next town, or find out what friends were doing.  Because we were totally reliant on one phone, we had to make sure the battery was always charged, or we would be helpless—driving in circles—clueless without Google maps to guide us.

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