We Like the Free Wi-Fi

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We are huge proponents of free Wi-Fi. It's always the smaller, poorer cafes, hotels and terminals that have free wireless, while the large, rich chains such as Starbucks and Westin charge an arm and a leg for access. Airport lounges are the worst. Not only should Wi-Fi be provided free by the Port, but at a minimum, the super exclusive executive lounges should provide it gratis. The cost to do so is tiny compared with even the daily complementary newspaper or magazine budget.

Luckily, in Virgin Gorda, the Marina offers free wireless Internet across the whole harbor. Several of these posts were done while sitting in our rented jeep in the evening, windows rolled up and A/C on. You see, the mosquitos, sand fleas and no-see-ums are brutal in the evening if we were to sit out in the breeze, and it's incredibly hot even at night in a car with the windows rolled up.

We're also using SkypeIn, which is an actual Seattle based phone number that lets people dial us and either rings our laptop if we're online, or lets you leave a voicemail that is easy for us to retrieve. This service is $38/year. Phone companies, cell companies and even Vonage are charging way too much for their product. With Skype we can also call out to virtually any country in the world for just a cent or two a minute. An hour call typically costs about $1. Of course you can talk for free with anyone if they also have Skype on their computer. It only costs money to call a landline or have your own phone number.

I'm sure we'll have more stories of contortions for free Wi-Fi in the months to come, but for now we're huddled in a jeep in the dark wearing still-wet swimsuits.

This random post contains some random photos around Spanishtown. It's quite rural, with a population of about 3000.

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Photos

Crossroads
Near downtown Spanishtown

Church and Hurricane Shelter
There are always multiple churches and Christian denominations on these small Caribbean islands.