Reception Envy

I have done some research and not seen that anyone else has written about this subject. Therefore, this could be something that affects me and no one else, or, this could be a true breakthrough in 21^st Century problems.

Recently I was on holiday, and, having just landed in the country and picked-up my mobile phone with the usual alert that I am abroad and will now be charged more than my usual rate, etc, my family and I proceeded to visit a nearby tourist attraction.

In fact, we were in Ireland and the rates, at least for EE, my provider, are the same as the UK, but, you get my gist.

Anyway,

We travelled – in an unplanned, impromptu and what turned-out to be serendipitous way to see ‘Newgrange’ this is an ancient (Neolithic? Palaeolithic) site just to the north of Dublin.

I hadn’t heard of it, although as luck would have it, my daughter’s case was too big to fit Flybe’s strict dimension criteria and having paid the £30 supplement (? 30 Euros :-() and, while waiting in baggage claim we saw a picture of the site.

The pictures attached were all taken when I was there.

The conversation with my son went something like, ‘Look, shall we go there?’

Me, ‘Where?’

‘That place with the white stone, I’ve seen it on TV’

We had a brief discussion as to whether it was an ancient monument, as to me it looked very modern (It is around 5,000 years old); in the end we decided to check it out.

Arriving at Newgrange was where the envy began.

I seemed to be able to get 4G on my phone at times, occasionally this would collapse to just ‘E’ – yet, everyone else around me was fiddling-away with their phones, texting, searching or whatever, and I, after switching on and off, changing the roaming settings, etc, was stuck.

This went on for the whole time we were there.

When you visit Newgrange (which incidentally was free for a three-hour guided tour), you are ferried between that and another ancient site called Knowth (pronounced ‘nowt’ as in Yorkshire, nothing.)

Even on these buses journeys, folk were phone fiddling away and there was I without – with, nowt, you could say, f’nar!

That therefore is reception envy – the state of mild frustration associated with other people either having better phones or networks than you who are able to go online when you are left-out.

The place was however fantastic – probably the best ancient place I have visited (after maybe, Skara Brae on the Orkney’s)(I have to be loyal to my Scottish roots).

Weird forms of megalithic art are around, with no one today having an idea as to their meaning, symbolic significance or purpose.

They are just ancient patterns, possibly influenced by magic mushrooms.

If you want to read more, here is a link to the Wikipedia page.

It’s only two hours from Doncaster, if you live in South Yorkshire.

I am off now to play with my phone, or read a book, or whatever.

(The woman in the blue has a role in ensuring that people don’t bang their head as they emerge from the site. You will note the girl in this shot has already sustained an injury elsewhere on her Irish travels – this was not an adventure without risk!)