Interwebs

I can't believe that this trip is coming to a close and I only have four nights left here in Kabul. Besides the interesting work and experiences so far, I think having access to the internet has been the single biggest factor in helping me pass the idle time. Thanks to the web, I definitely don't feel like I'm 6,000 feet above sea level and thousands of miles away from home.

I am able to send emails to friends and family, update this blog, read the LA Times Sports section, watch American TV, basically do everything I would be doing from my SF apartment. Interestingly, the server at the hotel was down last night and I couldn't access the internet. This made me realize how much this technology is relied upon and also how, in the not so distant past, access to such information on a global scale was extremely limited.

I remember traveling through Europe in 1996 with the college mates and having to search for newspaper stands that had English language newspapers to get some state-side updates. (I was in Barcelona and learned about Tupac's Las Vegas shooting this way. It was in USA Today. Don't ask me how I remember such things.) The point is, a mere 10 years ago, when one was traveling internationally, you knew you were away from home. No internet cafes, no satellite TV, not even DVD's to help pass the time. Only newspapers and a long distance call on a pay phone were the accessible tools to get in touch with home.

Today's technology has made traveling so much easier. Since I've been here I've made hotel reservations in Paris, paid credit card bills, and coordinated a trip to LA in March. Although missing face to face contact with friends and family remains difficult, thoughts of being homesick have been minimal. Last night, I had hoped to get online as evenings here coincide with the middle of the business day in San Francisco. When I found out the network was down, I was at a loss. I could have read or watched a movie instead, but I was focused on getting on-line. Without access to the information superhighway, I felt stranded. Luckily, I reconciled by watch some golf tournament on TV and falling asleep.

Today, the office email server is down limiting my productivity, but at least I can still get on-line....hence this entry.