- I accidentally booked a stay at a resort in India that had very limited WiFi access.
- I panicked at first, especially since I planned on doing some work at night.
- Surprisingly, I adjusted quickly, and I’m thinking about ways to unplug on future trips.
Some people disconnect when they travel, but that’s never been my style.
As a freelancer, I usually have to work while I’m on the move, and I also like having a way to stay in touch with family and friends back home.
I knew we’d be traveling to remote locations when my family did a tour of India with Intrepid Travel.
However, when we arrived at the Desert Resort in Mandala, I realized I’d failed to notice the fine print that WiFi would be extremely limited at this stop.
Surprisingly, I adjusted much more quickly than I expected
My first instinct was to panic when I learned that the resort intentionally doesn’t provide WiFi in any of its guest rooms.
Even though we were only there for a couple of days, I was convinced my stay would be stressful and difficult without 24/7 access to the internet.
Shortly after arriving, I learned there were a few small areas with WiFi on the property and quickly scoped one of them out to answer a few emails that couldn’t wait.
Then, instead of hunkering down to do more work like I might have otherwise, I put my computer back in my room and explored the resort.
To my surprise, my stress about the WiFi melted away quickly.
While my kids swam, I walked around the resort and marveled at its lovely buildings made out of mud and hand-painted by local artisans. I checked out the resort’s collection of vintage cars, and before dinner, my kids joined me to get henna tattoos from a local artist.
Almost everyone else from our tour group was also out of their rooms — something that hadn’t happened at any of our other stops.
It took being forced to unplug for me to really unwind and be present
At first, I wasn’t prepared to give up my evening routine of responding to emails and catching up on work.
It may not be the most relaxing way to end the night on vacation, but I find that it’s usually worth the trade-off so I don’t fall too far behind when I get home.
I wouldn’t be able to travel as much as I do if I couldn’t work, at least a little, almost every day.
After dinner, instead of settling into my laptop, I grabbed a book and started reading under the stars. The kids played soccer and took turns on the resort’s swings instead of heading off to scroll on their devices.
After a relaxing and restful evening where I was truly unplugged, I slept better than I had in a while. The next morning, without the pull of my computer calling to me, I woke up early to enjoy the sunrise.
I went on a short hike before waking my kids up for breakfast — it was the perfect way to start the day.
Unplugging ended up being such a gift
Although I was only at the Desert Resort for two days, it was enough to remind me that I don’t need to be tethered to a phone or computer all the time.
I left vowing to be more intentional about when and how I use WiFi, especially while traveling. Although I haven’t been perfect, I have a new understanding of the hold my devices really have over me and what I’m missing out on as a result.
Because of my career, I can’t necessarily make staying in places with limited WiFi a habit, but I’m already eyeing another short stay at an unplugged resort this summer.
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