Our worst internet reception was Alaska, but it was so port intensive that I could intersperse freely with my cell phone. But before the ships became "cell phone towers", I felt that email was the way for the kids to stay in touch. Of course, all of our kids are grown and could handle things until they got in touch with us.

When we went to Turtle Island, Fiji, in 1989, they had nothing on the island except an emergency radio. When the sea plane flew in, it brought any faxes received at their mainland office. Bernard had sent one, then he proceeded to stand over the fax machine (remember, this was when fax machines were fairly new and interesting); the office manager had a good time with "swinging from vine to vine, fax clutched between their teeth", and "tom toms echoing through the jungle". Truth was, the seaplane brought it but departed before any mail was handed out. Mark eventually read the fax, penned his reply, and the seaplane took it back when it flew again. Which wasn't every day.

So, I guess we *could* live without that instant communication we've all become accustomed to, but it's better when we don't have to.