Time Warp

This month we had the opportunity to time travel -- back to the era of no cell phones.

The first time was planned. We spent a couple of days in Canada visiting Andrew, a friend I met when I was 18 and living in Belgium, who lives in Australia and was on an around-the-world trip with a layover in Niagara Falls. We were barely in Niagara Falls for 36 hours. Surely we could live without a cell phone for that length of time! After all, we did have access to WiFi in the hotel.

Andrew arrived after we went to sleep that first night. We agreed to meet in the lobby as we were staying in the same hotel. Then made vague plans that normally work in 2022 -- we'll figure out where to meet up later in the day.

We texted with WiFi at lunch. Later we learned he was at the restaurant next door at the same time.

Andrew was tired, so he went back to the hotel. We went on a tour of the Niagara Falls Power Plant.

Andrew walked over the Peace Bridge to Niagara Falls, NY. We did, too, maybe 30 minutes after he did. 

Once back in the USA we texted Andrew, who by this point walked back to Niagara Falls, Ontario. We said we are at the Hard Rock Cafe (meaning the one in New York) he went to the Hard Rock Cafe (meaning the one in Ontario). 

It so reminded us of what life used to be like before we had cell phones.

The story had a happy ending as we ate dinner at Hard Rock Cafe in Ontario (continuing our step back in time where Hard Rock Cafes rocked) and walked along the falls. We met again in the morning for a chance to say goodbye. Hopefully 35 years don't pass again before we meet up.

The second time-warp experience was unexpected. We met up with Don's cousins at Wildflowers in Pennington, NJ for pizza and a chance to visit. While there we learned we were in a room where data plans could not penetrate. I actually had to leave the room and step outside to text Ashley to let her know where we were. It was crazy! It also meant our conversations were not interrupted by pinging or other phone distractions. 

We are all so dependent on our phones. Those who say they are not, are often ones who expect others to make the plans and do the coordinating.