Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations

It Ain’t Easy Being Connected in Eastern Europe

Yes, I know, I haven’t posted on here for eons. It’s not for lack of trying though. I’ve got a small little laptop I can pop into my daypack and take anywhere, plus a jump drive with all my random thoughts and documents on it. Neither has been much help in Hungary or the Moravia region of the Czech Republic though. Bottom line is, plan on not being tethered to home in these places or you’ll be constantly frustrated. I’m working here, but if you are not, just give it up and be a pure traveler, with no connections to home.

It’s not that the technology doesn’t exist, or that it’s all that expensive when you can find it. People in these parts just aren’t all that concerned about being online. They’ve got wine to make, beer to brew, plums to pick, bike rides to take, and neighbors to talk to for hours. Not a bad life actually.

So if you’re trying to do a lot of blog posting or e-mail sending, good luck. When you do find a connection, it’s liable to be slow and prone to cut out. It will likely be in a pub with a progressive owner, but all the other customers there will be smoking and drinking and staring at you the wierdo - the one sitting alone putzing around with a laptop. If you find a rare Internet cafe somewhere, park yourself there and get everything done you need to get done for the week because it will likely be days before you see another one.