The USA on zero bytes per day.

Zero Data

My mobile phone contract doesn’t include data roaming in the US. I could pay £6 per day for some data, but I’d need to remember account passwords and details I’d long since forgotten.

So I’m experiencing the US on zero bytes per day – out and about anyway.

I’ve downloaded maps of the area I’m visiting, so I can navigate with no data, but I can’t search for anything – I thought this used to be a feature of downloaded maps?

Photos – I can’t search my local photos on my phone with no data connection.

Translation seems hit and miss with no data – it works if I type in text to translate (and have the language downloaded) but live translation from an image doesn’t work. I know that used to work.

It is interesting to see how many features that should be able to work locally on the phone feel the need to call out to the internet and exchange globs of data.

This experience will definitely make me think twice about how much info I’m inadvertently giving to Google every day.

Saw a henge!

Stone henge

We’re off to the Imberbus 2024 event, and as Stone Henge is kinda-sorta on the way, we stopped for a visit.

The stones themselves haven’t changed much in the 25 years (almost to the day) since I was last here (parked up in a lay-by on the A303 either before or after the 1999 eclipse), but the facilities are much improved.

A bit pricey, tickets are ~£25 for an adult, plus ~£20 if you take the return bus from Salisbury, but worth it.  If staying in Salisbury, we can strongly recommend dinner at the Haunch of Venison pub.

In the chapter house of Salisbury cathedral.