Chris thinks I’ve been wasting rather a lot of time recently trying to work out how to get the Internet going on my inferior Huawei smartphone, which worked wonderfully with an unlimited Vodafone Sim card while I was in Australia, although I never needed to use the email function as I had my computer with me. Sadly, the Tesco pay as you go card was somewhat lacking by comparison (especially as the money disappeared off it even when I wasn’t using it!). I wouldn’t normally worry too much about using the Internet on my phone because we have broadband at home but tomorrow we’ll be off to Spain for a break in the sunshine  and we’ll need an Internet provider. (Incidentally, in case you’re wondering, Chris and our friend Alan need the holiday more than I do but I come with the package!)

After a deal of fact finding and research, Chris ordered me a Giffgaff Sim card and we filled it with one of their “Goody Bags”. I had hoped I would be able to use the “tethering” feature (as I did in Australia) to provide Internet capability for both Chris and I while we’re away. All I could get was my five hundred phone calls – no tethering, texts and no email connection. I spent hours and hours (on and off for two days) fiddling and clicking on the same items in the settings menu, hoping for a miracle… all to no avail. This morning I could bear it no more and admitted defeat. Chris felt sorry for me and suggested that we visit the mobile phone shop in our little town – “just to see what is available”. We each had in mind the Samsung Galaxy 4, which we know takes excellent photographs.

Louis from the phone shop was extremely patient and talked with us at length about the huge capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy 3 (the old model), which is superior in every way to my present cheap old Huawei. Over an hour later, during which time several locals came in (and some joined in the conversation – but Roma thought she’d stick with her cheap Woolworths phone that still works), and we were convinced. We decided to go for the contract in spite of our original intention just to check out the possibilities. Then Louis found out that we wouldn’t be able to make International calls or use tethering in Spain. Luckily, I needed to use my Visa card, not Chris’s, and I didn’t have it on me – we would have to go home for it and come back later.

“If I don’t see you later, have a nice holiday!” Louis said good-heartedly.

Of course, we didn’t return. Once out in the sunshine we had a change of heart. I tried yet again to establish Internet connection on my Huawei and – what do you know?  I did it! My next blog post will come to you from Southern Spain. Yeeha! Or is it Yahoo?

I hope Louis didn’t get the blues from missing his sale.

“Song Sung Blue” Neil Diamond