Technology – Updates – Apps

“What do you say we use our new external microphones for the iPhone today?” asks Tanja enthusiastically. “A great idea!” I agree and carry out a test before our walk on the beach. But after half an hour, I’m frustrated to discover that they don’t work. Another hour later, I discover the reason: iPhones need four pins, while our cables only have three. “What a hassle,” I curse, as each device seems to need its own special cable. “I hope the technical chaos dies down soon,” I rant on, because we’ve been struggling with Wi-Fi, internet, countless cables, microphones and apps since the start of our trip. “I’ll call Lisa and Patrick. Maybe they know where we can get SIM cards for our cell phones,” I decide. (We had met them in Norway and spent a few days together). “Mobile data is much cheaper in Spain than in Germany. The best place to try is Vodafone. As far as we know, you can get 100 GB for just 30 euros,” they explain.

A little later, we even get a 160 GB for 30 euros in a Vodafone store. Our world is getting back on track. While still in the store, we insert the SIM card into our old cell phone that we use as a hotspot and lo and behold, it works perfectly. “We are finally online again, can upload our videos and use the internet for all our purposes.”

Strengthened by this new digital connection, we are determined to drive a few kilometers further and, at best, find a beach where we can spend a night or two. So we continue our journey, full of anticipation of what awaits us. And indeed, after about 30 kilometers past Bilbao, we see a beach that exceeds our wildest dreams. A true oasis of peace that even seems quite pristine at this time of year. Although signs prohibit us from parking motorhomes, we hope that this regulation is not too strictly enforced at this time of year…