Twitter

I tend to be a lot better about updating this thing while I'm traveling and actually have anything of interest to report, but in just a few days I'll be heading to a part of the world where internet access can often be tricky. Internet cafes (and sometimes even cafes with WiFi) are easy to find in big cities like Manila or Jakarta, but while I'm in transit or out in villages, it can be nearly impossible.

Since there seems to be a direct correlation between times when I don't have internet access and times when I'm doing something that is likely to cause people to worry if I disappear for days on end, I've gone ahead and signed up for a twitter account. This will allow me to send brief updates by text message from just about anywhere -- Southeast Asia's cellular phone infrastructure is much more developed than the US's, and I've been able to get reception in some surprisingly remote places. If you have a twitter account, or sign up for a free one, you can add me as a contact and get updates sent to your phone; if you don't, you can still check in via the "twitter updates" box in the sidebar, or by going to http://twitter.com/isafrancesca

For now, there's nothing there, as my updates would be along the lines of "trying to shove possessions in boxes. they do not fit" or "suspending magazine subscriptions" and I really hope I haven't yet descended to that level. But as soon as I get a Philippine sim card for my phone, and have a chance to link the new number to my account, I'll start using it to let people know that my plane hasn't crashed, my head is still attached, and I haven't yet starved to death.