Results Count ... everything else is conversation.: Lessons from the Kalahari

Switching it all off is more difficult than most of us think!

In planning my trip to the Kalahari in South Africa, I was looking forward to having time to focus on photography. I had anticipated time away, but periodically checking in. I planned on emailing some photos back home. What I was not prepared for was literally being completely cut off and unplugged. It's hard to imagine in this day and age that there are still some towns without internet! And in the Kalahari, you can go many miles and even days without any cell phone service. We don't realize how addicted we have become to being "connected". Maybe we all need to schedule a week a year when we can completely unplug and cleanse our soul. It's amazing what you can discover when you aren't staring down at your smartphone.

Why this is important: "Modern" society comes with many conveniences, especially technology. The question for all of us is whether technology empowers us, or enslaves in ways we don't even realize.

Going from hot spots to cheetah spots

Being a wildlife photographer, I've had a lifelong dream of making the trek to visit the Kalahari. It is a vast desert region in that covers huge portions of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. There are beautiful red sand dunes that flow for miles. Yet, there are a surprising number of trees and shrubs that find a way to survive in this arid land with temperatures soaring to 120 F. The sheer beauty of watching cheetahs stalking pray is enough to make you forget about email, tweets and Facebook!

A cheetah sends sand flying when startled by an unknown sound

Rediscovering the freedom and joys of being totally unplugged

But by the 3^rd day, there is this uneasiness that begins to set in. You start to wonder if you missed an important email or event. After capturing some amazing photos, I found myself searching for internet so I could share them. As the anxiety started to grow, I started searching for WiFi at every stop. But by that time, we were so far into the Kalahari that none of the hotels or cafes had any hot spots.

Finding shade is far more important that finding the internet in the Kalahari!

Let's be clear, there is cell service across most of Africa. As in most of the world, the number one portal for staying connected in Africa is the smartphone. For some reason my phone would not connect. Yes, I could have borrowed one. But by then, we were truly in the portion of the desert where there were no cell towers. After 5 days of being unplugged, it finally happened … the anxiety subsided, and I finally figured out that the world would do just fine without me tweeting, posting, or blogging.

When you lose track of what day it is, you have finally arrived at your destination of being totally unplugged. There may be no greater freedom on this planet!

The perfect picture of being unplugged and chilling in the Kalahari

You don't have to go to the Kalahari to unplug and disconnect. You can simply go away to a place nearby that you enjoy. The challenge is avoiding that overpowering sensation to switch on that phone just to "check in". We simply don't realize how much that small piece of technology has become part of our behavior and being. And, once we start staring at that small screen we miss the amazing beauty around us.

The most precious thing in the Kalahari is water … not the strength of your cell signal

So, the biggest lesson learned from my experience in the Kalahari, it is possible to completely unplug and disconnect for a week. We need to actually schedule a break at least once a year to gain a new perspective. The rewards of being unplugged are simply too good to describe.