Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - what the hell you need a mobile for....

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- - what the hell you need a mobile for.... (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/the-hubb-pub/what-hell-you-need-mobile-34642)

... but sometimes...

A mobile was very handy when we got stuck between the Kazakh and the Uzbek border. The Kazakh stamped our Single Entry visa and wouldn't let us trough (we didn't give them 'present' so they returned the favour). The Uzbeks simply didn't had immigration police at that border post and couldn't let us trough.

So first we called the Uzbek consulate in Brussels. He would fix something in an hour or so. Phoning over and forth between the customs guys and somwhere in Tashkent started, but no go... . Next day we tried the French embassy in Tashkent. They where very concerned about us having food, a place to sleep and means to charge our phone. After three unsuccesfull days we got a phonecall from the Belgian embassy in Moscou (ooops,the french don't get us out here, but hey, at least foreign affairs know where we are), they would involve interpol, the Belgian consul in Astana and a guy in Almaty. Two days later we where escorted trough Kazakhstan to a different border post, and processed into Uzbekistan.

Not sure how long it would have taken without a phone... .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Cartney (Post 186134)

Mobiles are great!

Have used mine several times to get my bike transported when it broke down. The alternative would have been VERY long hikes to get to a garage/public phone.

Also, on the occasion you want to phone home when travelling they are a lot handier than going to one of those phone shops.

Matt :)

Yes this is the way to use the mobile.....not for the usual chitchat, but to avoid trudging miles to find a phonebox. 99%of the time it's off. Not that you can find a phonebox now anyway, since everybody got a mobile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caminando (Post 197063)

..., but to avoid trudging miles to find a phonebox. 99%of the time it's off.....

Some people would argue, that this is part of the journey? Part of discovering the world?

Having said that some people say we should go back to the trees, there's are even some people who say that was a step too far and we should have staid in the oceans. (see Hitch Hiker's Guide for this brazenly stolen semi quote).

Incidentally I take my phone with me when-ever I go traveling as I'm the soppy sort who needs to talk to the wife back home every now and again.

UK mobile contract, in Namibia on way to South Africa.
I receive a call from my mother in SA. I little drunk I decide to chat for a while. That call alone cost me £100. My bill for 2 months was £589.....
As I now ride a KTM, that could have paid for alot or repairs!

Hi,

I have a basic nokia, but after downloading Opera Mini it makes the web browser quite usable. Handy for weather reports etc.

Regards

Robin

Quote:

Originally Posted by orrin (Post 197074)

Been there - done that :(:(

Last trip to Nam, Bots and ZA Mike used roaming to receive only from home while I had local SIM cards that cost virtually nothing to make local calls when necessary and used the free text service to message the girls back in the UK.

There are ways and means

Margaret

You're never too old