Introduction

As the days and weeks (months and years?) go by we find a new set of 'things to do' so that these now become the norm ... not necessarily better (or worse) than what we may have done previously, but different at least. As we know a change can often be as good as a rest!

New and unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells and encounters can open our eyes to new possibilities which challenge at least some of the certainties that acted as a foundation, however shifting, to our sense of identity.

But rather than experiencing it there in the many and various moments, perhaps it's only in retrospect that many travellers will conclude that their collection of perceptions and experiences where important, fulfilling and even somehow 'better' or worth the effort. Maybe this conclusion will come through the telling of their tale.

In reality, the moment by moment of travelling can be a mundane experience. Time becomes structured around meals, sightseeing (yet another temple, statue, etc), moving from place to place, where to next, booking in and checking out, packing, unpacking, settling bills, and moving on.

Each activity will usually require a degree of research and preparation, often more a function of unfamiliarity rather than complexity, as well as some consideration of available finance; next, of course, there is the actual doing and then, as a result, maybe the generation of further things to do ... and so it goes on, day after day.

Whether 'at home' or 'on the road', time needs to be filled ... if we're lucky or plan carefully we can fill it with something constructive, enjoyable and personally enhancing. Thus, in between the simple habits of daily existence, and the regular tedium of the traveller sexperience, Nomads with Laptops is just one of several fun 'hobbies' which has kept us both amused during our times away.

For the surfer, those at the other end of the wire, the site offers a 'greatest hits' version of our big journey from England to South Africa ... via India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, under-taken between october 1999 and March 2000. It also features various pieces of stuff from subsequent trips, including the West Coast, Northern Cape and Kalahari in South Africa and, most recently, the vaste spaces and deserts of Namibia.

Perhaps as important, this project has enabled family, friends and other interested individuals to keep in regular, easy contact with where we are, where we're going and what we're generally up to. Uncertainty can be a cruel and dispiriting feeling and we hope that Nomads with Laptops at least provides sufficient knowledge of our activities to keep it at bay.

If something fails to work, or if the site doesn't appear as you might reasonably expect, please let us know by sending an e-mail to nomads@za-on.com