Thomas Friedman on “The Land of NO Service”

Putting aside the prolific wildlife, the breathtaking landscapes and the gentle proud people, one of the most important aspects of the safari experience here in Botswana is that you have to "disconnect". These days, as a fully wired member of contemporary society, it is hard to imagine what it is or was like to live without all of your gadgets, cell phones, email or all of the above. While many of us revel in the unforeseen freedoms of modern technology and are thankful that we are always connected and can work from anywhere, the price we pay is, ironically, that we no longer have to be anywhere. We have lost our ability to be present in the moment and to be conscious of where we are when we are there. Thomas Freidman of the New York Times wrote an Op Ed piece on visiting Botswana and what he witnessed as a result of being "disconnected". Whilst in Botswana, in the bush on safari, you have no choice but to be HERE and to be present because this is the 'Land of NO Service', like it or lump it, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/opinion/16friedman.html?_r=2.