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<P>Hmmm, this all seems to be becoming somewhat heated!</P>
<P>I believe there's nothing wrong with taking a mobile with you on the camino, as long as it doesn't interfere with others' enjoyment and own personal experience of the journey. I completely agree: mobiles ringing in places where they shouldn't be (eg: the cinema, for example) and people talking incessently in loud voices is one of the majorly annoying things we have to put up with in modern society! </P>
<P>On the other hand, they can also be very useful tools, in terms of emergencies etc.</P>
<P>Everyone does the camino for different reasons - personally mine is because I love walking and it's a personal challenge. Some want to meet others, some prefer it as a time for introspective thought and 'alone time'. We all have to respect these differences. If people feel safer with a mobile - for whatever reason - or feel closer to friends and family left behind on the other side of the world (with whom they also wish to share their own sense of joy / satisfaction / achievement / exasperation & tiredness!) then so be it! I have no quarrel with that. Just perhaps then they would respect other people's wish for silence at times, and choose to speak with family/friends at organised times, and keep the mobile switched off at other hours.</P>
<P>As long as there's no aggro! The camino is the last place for that....</P>
<P>Suzie xox<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: lmorris <KESATOTaSHAW.CA>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
<DIV></DIV>>To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: Cell phones vs prayer
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 18:30:49 -0800
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Has the Cell phone taken the place of a Prayer?
<DIV></DIV>> At one time, one would ask the Good Lord to take of you and your loved
<DIV></DIV>>ones, now it seems the cell phone has taken the place of the prayer.
<DIV></DIV>>Meaning, I use my cell phone to check for emergencies and then handle
<DIV></DIV>>the problems yourself,
<DIV></DIV>>"Thank you very much Lord."
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Here's the scenario of an emergency:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> You are walking along the Camino, you twist your ankle, and you have a
<DIV></DIV>>cell phone.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>What should you do...
<DIV></DIV>> A) Phone the Spanish Emergency Service
<DIV></DIV>> B) Phone your family back in America, and hope they will come and
<DIV></DIV>>rescue you.
<DIV></DIV>> C) Phone a random number and hope who ever answers speaks English and
<DIV></DIV>>can come an rescue you.
<DIV></DIV>> D) use common sense.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>My opinion is, leave the cell phone home. If your worried about your
<DIV></DIV>>family back home, just maybe, you should be with them and not on the
<DIV></DIV>>Camino, or if your worried about a mishap on the Camino then maybe this
<DIV></DIV>>type of trek is beyond you.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>that is my take on the Cell phone.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>leonard
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