The kindness of strangers: she bought a new sim card for my mum and installed it on her phone
Mum's message asked me to call her. 'We're being thrown off the ship,' she wrote. 'Your father's in an ambulance – I think it's pneumonia. We're somewhere in Spain.'
They were admitted to a tiny hospital in a small place called Los Álamos, near Málaga. Mum didn't have data on her phone, nor did she know how to get an e-sim or a new sim card.
The only time I would hear from her was when she managed to get on to the patchy hospital wifi.
Last we'd spoken, she'd told me Dad was in a critical condition. But because the hospital staff spoke very limited English, they hadn't been able to communicate anything else, so Mum didn't really understand what was going on – only that she wasn't allowed to see him.
She was beside herself with stress.
I quickly moved the date of my flight forward to go and find them. Before I left, unable to get on to Mum to let her know I was coming, I had an idea. I found a Facebook group called Expats Málaga and joined, posting there that my father was in the local hospital and my mother doesn't speak Spanish. Would someone be able to visit and let her know her daughter is on her way from Australia?
A wonderful lady named Elizabeth responded straight away to say she lived near the hospital and would be happy to go. Mum later told me that a very tall, stylish blond woman popped her head into the hospital waiting room and said: 'Excuse me, are you Maureen? My name's Elizabeth. Your daughter sent me.'
Mum said she immediately burst into tears. She told Elizabeth she just wanted to speak to her children but couldn't get her phone to work. So in 44C heat – Spain was having a horrendous heatwave – Elizabeth went and bought a new sim card for my mum and installed it on her phone. She spoke to the nurses and got a positive update on my dad's health, which she relayed to Mum.
I never got to meet Elizabeth, but we had beautiful correspondence – I wrote her a very heartfelt message saying how much I appreciated her kindness and support.
I eventually got to Spain, and Mum and I had a week together in the hospital helping Dad get better. He recovered and my parents made it to the wedding, which was beautiful. The ridiculous thing is, it's two years later, and guess what they're doing? Going on another cruise.
From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you.
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Geeky Gadgets
44 minutes ago
- Geeky Gadgets
TESSAN Voyager 205 : 205W Universal Travel Adapter Powers 8 Devices
Traveling is exciting, but let's be honest—it can also be a logistical nightmare, especially when it comes to keeping all your devices charged. Between the endless tangle of cords, incompatible plugs, and the constant hunt for outlets, staying connected while on the go often feels like more trouble than it's worth. If you've ever found yourself frantically swapping chargers or staring at a dead device in frustration, you're not alone. The modern traveler's digital burden has grown over the past years. Where once we might have carried a single phone, today's travelers juggle laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, cameras, and power banks. Each device comes with its own charging requirements, and international travel adds another layer of complexity with different plug standards across regions. The result? Suitcases stuffed with cables, adapters, and bulky power bricks that collectively weigh more than most of your other items. TESSAN Voyager 205 Thankfully, there's a solution that promises to simplify this chaos and make powering up on the road a breeze. Enter the TESSAN Voyager 205, a new universal travel adapter designed with modern travelers in mind. This isn't just another bulky, single-use gadget that takes up precious suitcase space—it's a sleek, high-powered tool that can charge up to eight devices simultaneously, all while working seamlessly in over 200 countries and regions. Whether you're a digital nomad juggling laptops and phones or a family with a collection of tablets and earbuds, this adapter is built to keep you powered and productive wherever your adventures take you. To learn more about the TESSAN Voyager 205 205W universal travel adapter project browse the promotional video below. Watch this video on YouTube. A Universal Travel Adapter for Modern Travelers Reduced-price early bird pledges are now available for the ground-breaking project from roughly $89 or £66 (depending on current exchange rates) , offering a considerable discount of approximately 30% off the expected retail price, while the Indiegogo crowd funding is under way. TESSAN, has developed the TESSAN Voyager 205 universal travel adapter to meet the demanding requirements of today's global travelers. Combining a compact design with advanced 205W GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology, it delivers fast and efficient charging for multiple devices simultaneously. Whether powering laptops, smartphones, or tablets, this adapter ensures seamless connectivity and productivity across over 200 countries, eliminating the need for multiple chargers and reducing travel weight significantly. What sets the Voyager 205 apart isn't just its technical specifications—it's the thoughtful design philosophy behind it. The development team, describing themselves as passionate global travelers, drew inspiration from a simple moment: sitting in an airport boarding gate and wondering if two people from different countries could charge their MacBooks simultaneously from the same device. This vision of connection and sharing became the driving force behind the product's development, resulting in an adapter that's designed not just for individual use, but for collaborative charging wherever you may be. Advanced GaN Technology for High-Speed Charging At the core of the Voyager 205's performance is its GaN technology, which enables high-speed charging while maintaining energy efficiency and cooler operation. This advanced material allows the adapter to deliver a total output of 205W without overheating, charging a 13″ MacBook Pro (M1) to 50% in just 47 minutes while safely powering up to eight devices simultaneously. To put this in perspective, most traditional travel adapters struggle to deliver even 65W, making the Voyager 205's 205W output a game-changer for power-hungry devices. The power distribution is intelligently designed to maximize efficiency. The USB-C1 and USB-C2 ports provide up to 140W each, making them suitable for the most power-intensive devices like gaming laptops and high-performance MacBooks. USB-C3 delivers 20W, perfect for tablets and newer smartphones, while USB-C4 provides 45W for mid-range laptops and tablets. The remaining USB-C5 and USB-C6 ports offer 15W each, ideal for smartphones, earbuds, and other smaller accessories, while the USB-A port delivers 18W for older devices. The adapter supports up to eight devices simultaneously through its comprehensive port configuration: 1 AC outlet for traditional plugs 6 USB-C ports with varying power outputs 1 USB-A port for legacy devices This versatility ensures that all your devices can be charged efficiently, even when used together. The intelligent power management system automatically adjusts output based on device requirements, preventing overcharging while maintaining optimal charging speeds. Whether you're a content creator editing videos on a laptop while your phone uploads to social media, or a family keeping everyone's devices topped up during a layover, the Voyager 205 handles it all seamlessly. Global Compatibility Meets Modern Design The Voyager 205's universal compatibility extends across more than 200 countries and regions, supporting over 1,000 different devices. This broad compatibility means you can travel from New York to New Delhi, Sydney to Seoul, without needing additional adapters or worrying about plug compatibility. The adapter automatically adjusts to local voltage requirements (100-240V, 50/60Hz), ensuring safe operation regardless of your destination. The design philosophy behind the Voyager 205 goes beyond mere functionality. The team adopted a 'Walking on the Earth' theme, with the adapter's surface featuring topographical patterns inspired by aerial views of mountains, rivers, and natural landforms. This aesthetic choice reflects the product's mission to connect people across geographical boundaries while maintaining a visual reminder of our shared planet. Portability remains paramount in the design. Weighing just 326 grams and measuring 100mm x 55mm x 56mm, the Voyager 205 fits easily into backpacks, laptop bags, or suitcases without adding unnecessary bulk. Its compact footprint means it won't dominate your hotel room's desk space or create clutter in co-working spaces—a thoughtful consideration for digital nomads and business travelers. Comprehensive Safety Features for Peace of Mind Safety isn't an afterthought with the Voyager 205—it's a fundamental design principle. The adapter incorporates multiple layers of protection to ensure both user safety and device longevity. The dual-fuse protection system guards against electrical surges and overcurrent situations, with a spare fuse built directly into the adapter for convenience. No tools are required for fuse replacement, and the system automatically shuts off if power loads exceed safe limits. The construction utilizes flame-retardant polycarbonate materials with a 94V0 rating, providing protection against heat-related incidents. An intelligent output control system monitors each port individually, preventing overcharging and managing heat distribution effectively. The automatic shut-off feature provides an additional safety net, protecting both your devices and the adapter itself from potential damage. These safety measures make the Voyager 205 particularly valuable when charging in unfamiliar or unpredictable environments. Whether you're plugging into a decades-old outlet in a European hostel or dealing with fluctuating power in a developing country, the adapter's robust safety systems provide confidence and peace of mind. Eco-Friendly Initiative and Sustainable Travel The Voyager 205 also reflects a growing consciousness about environmental responsibility in technology products. Through its partnership with the One Tree Planted initiative, TESSAN plants one tree for every adapter sold, contributing to global reforestation efforts. This 'One Product = One Tree' campaign transforms each purchase into a small step toward environmental restoration, appealing to travelers who prioritize sustainability alongside functionality. This eco-conscious approach aligns perfectly with the increasing demand for environmentally friendly travel products. By consolidating multiple chargers into a single device, the Voyager 205 also reduces electronic waste and packaging materials compared to carrying separate adapters for each device. The durable construction and comprehensive safety features ensure longevity, further reducing the environmental impact of frequent replacements. Real-World Applications and User Scenarios The Voyager 205's versatility shines in numerous real-world scenarios. For digital nomads working from cafes in Bangkok or co-working spaces in Berlin, the adapter eliminates the awkward dance of rotating devices through limited outlets. Content creators can simultaneously charge their laptop, camera batteries, drone controllers, and backup drives while editing footage on location. Business travelers benefit from the adapter's ability to power presentation equipment, laptops, and communication devices during important meetings. Families traveling with children can keep tablets charged for entertainment, smartphones ready for navigation, and cameras powered for capturing memories—all without the usual cable chaos that accompanies family trips. The adapter's rapid charging capabilities prove particularly valuable during tight layovers or brief hotel stays. That 47-minute MacBook Pro charging time can mean the difference between a productive flight and a dead laptop. Similarly, the ability to quickly top up multiple devices during a coffee break ensures you're never caught with a dead phone when you need navigation or communication most. Indiegogo Campaign Details Currently available through Indiegogo crowdfunding, the Voyager 205 offers early bird pricing that represents significant value for early adopters. The $89 pledge level provides approximately 30% savings off the expected retail price, making it an attractive investment for frequent travelers or tech enthusiasts looking to upgrade their charging setup. If the TESSAN Voyaer 205 campaign successfully raises its required pledge goal and the project completion progresses smoothly, worldwide shipping is expected to take place sometime around November 2025. The Future of Travel Charging The TESSAN Voyager 205 represents more than just an incremental improvement in travel adapter technology—it's a glimpse into the future of how we power our increasingly connected lives. By combining cutting-edge GaN technology with thoughtful design and comprehensive safety features, it addresses the fundamental challenges that have plagued travelers for decades. For digital nomads, families, and professionals, the TESSAN Voyager 205 offers unmatched convenience and reliability. Its ability to charge multiple devices at full speed eliminates the need to carry multiple chargers, streamlining travel for those working remotely, exploring new destinations, or traveling with family. The adapter's robust safety features, global compatibility, and eco-friendly ethos further enhance its appeal, making it a versatile and reliable travel companion for the modern age. The TESSAN Voyager 205 stands out by integrating innovative technology, comprehensive safety measures, and a commitment to sustainability. Designed to enhance your travel experience, it offers a practical and efficient solution for staying powered on the go while supporting a greener planet. As we move toward an increasingly mobile and connected future, products like the Voyager 205 will become essential tools for maintaining productivity and connectivity across global adventures. For a complete list of all available early bird pledges, stretch goals, extra media and quality standards for the 205W universal travel adapter, jump over to the official TESSAN Voyager 205 crowd funding campaign page by clicking the link below. Source : Indiegogo Filed Under: Gadgets News, Hardware, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
‘I stopped working flexible hours – it was more exhausting than a 9-to-5'
Working from Costa Rica was a dream come true for Louise Truman. She'd spent a year there while studying Spanish at King's College London, amassing over 100,000 followers on TikTok, where she would share videos of her tropical adventures. She graduated in 2023 knowing exactly what she would do: use her social media skills to set up Plotpackers, a travel company offering group tours aimed at Gen Z. Truman began building and launching the business, and soon packed her bags for Costa Rica again. She'd wake early to work an eight-hour day by 1pm, so she could spend the afternoon exploring the local beaches, and doing activities like snorkelling and zip-lining. As her company grew, Truman hired a team who also worked remotely and flexibly to their own schedules. But by January 2024, the reality of Truman's dream set in. Her flexible schedule began to prove exhausting. The company took £1.5m in sales in its first year, but managing a remote team working conflicting hours was also becoming inefficient. Truman is just 25 years old and has never had a corporate job before, but it was clear what she had to do: get her team of five on to the same schedule, and get them out of their living rooms and into an office. 'We were all working flexibly with a hybrid setup, and at times some even travelled and worked across time zones, while others built their workday around 'life admin' during the day and caught up in the evenings,' Truman says. 'It did work initially, but as soon as we started growing, it was just impossible. It created such a communications bottleneck, which was really affecting the business. 'It was just honestly awful. There was no balance or switching off, because if you're splitting your work day around life things, they become too integrated. If you're constantly switching between work and life tasks, that's not balanced – that's chaos.' The rise of the 'infinite workday' Working flexible hours of your choosing might offer the freedom to fit in guilt-free trips to the hairdresser on a Monday afternoon, or mid-morning gym classes. But such freedom comes at a cost. Regardless of a carefully worded email signature explaining your flexible schedule, it means that work can realistically encompass an entire day – and beyond. Such an 'infinite workday', as described in a Microsoft report, means that work-related messages sent outside the typical 9-to-5 workday are up 15pc in the last year, with an average of 58 messages per user now arriving before or after those hours. It's no wonder, then, that two-thirds of UK employees feel they can't fully switch off from work or maintain a suitable work-life balance, according to a report by HR software company Protime. Ivy Ngeow worked flexibly for the last 22 years – but is now embracing the boundaries of regular hours. Ngeow started her own consultancy in 2003, with the aim of combining her architecture career with pursuing her ambition of becoming a novelist. And when her children were born in 2007 and 2011, working flexible hours meant she could be the present parent she wanted to be. 'I was 38 when I had my first child, and I decided I wanted to see every football match, every ballet performance, every Christmas concert. I wanted to be there for them at 3.30pm every day. 'They had no idea that I was even working because I was working when they were asleep and when they were in school, and I was always there for them,' London-based Ngeow recalls. 'I would start at 6am, either working or writing before the kids woke up, then I would stop to do their breakfast at 8am. After they left for school, I'd work from 9am to 3.30pm, then take them to their clubs or classes, and work on a novel or short stories while I'd wait for them. I'd come home and prepare dinner, then start work again at 8pm. 'It was exhausting, but writing was my outlet. I would not have gone self employed if I were not trying to do all these things.' The flexibility worked for Ngeow in that time. Not only did she build a successful architecture consultancy and raise her children the way she'd envisioned, she also became a successful author, publishing five novels and a short story collection. Her sixth novel, In Safe Hands, will be released by Penguin this autumn. When her son began A-levels last year though, Ngeow realised she'd been craving routine and structure, and decided it was time to return to the world of 9 to 5 in an office. She polished up her portfolio, and started a new job last September. The regular hours feel like a revelation, especially in terms of stopping old bad habits and picking up good new ones – although she'll still have to get up early to write. 'I definitely see the improvement in my self-care, because now I can prioritise health and fitness. In the office, I take a lunch break and I can go off and do some weights,' Ngeow says. 'I enjoy the commute as it means I am reading again. I used to read a ton of books before I went into self-employment because that was my habit during commutes and lunchtime. Now that I know the chaos of family life and flexible work, my reading time is me-time.' 'A logistical nightmare' Flexible work days might seem freeing, but can create a mental state where you're never fully coming to rest, according to clinical psychologist Dr Claire Plumbly. 'When the workday is chopped up – a meeting here, a school run there, a few emails in the evening – our brain and body never fully power down. We stay in 'doing mode', constantly anticipating the next task or ping, and never really signal to the body that it's safe to switch off and properly rest,' Dr Plumbly explains. 'Working and ticking off small tasks gives us little dopamine hits. It's brilliant for productivity, but it doesn't help us feel rested.' To rest and recover, she adds, we need to rebalance with oxytocin, the neurochemical that supports bonding, safety and present-moment awareness. 'But in a day where you're swapping work and personal tasks, it's hard to shift gears between these two. We can end up staying in the dopamine-driven mode all day long, and get a dopamine crash that feels unpleasant.' More employers are recognising that too much flexibility can be a bad thing, says Kelly Tucker, who runs consultancy HR Star. Her clients want help moving away from flexible schedules to more consistent patterns across their workforces. A lack of structure, she explains, is having a negative impact on culture and performance. 'If you've got no structure in how people are working, that just becomes a logistical nightmare,' she says. 'We're also hearing the employees within our clients saying that things have become too blurry, and if they haven't got that structure, then it all merges into one, and they want some separation between (work and life).' But Winnie Jiang, an assistant professor of organisational behaviour at business school INSEAD, isn't convinced that this will be the end of flexible working arrangements. 'For some individuals, especially those who find unstructured or highly flexible working arrangements challenging to manage, returning to a 9 to 5 schedule can offer a renewed sense of clarity, rhythm, and purpose,' she says. 'However, for others who thrive in flexible, self-directed environments, the return to a 9 to 5 can feel limiting – more like a constraint than a support. For these individuals, the structure may feel like a cage, stifling the autonomy and adaptability that helped them flourish.'
Times
5 hours ago
- Times
I eloped 7,000 miles to a paradise island — to avoid a pricey wedding
The Koolau mountain range, which formed nearly 2.5 million years ago after a cataclysmic volcanic explosion, spans the entirety of Oahu, the most populous Hawaiian island. Its lush green canopies roll for miles across its serrated ridges. Hidden streams snake through its forest floor. From its peaks, the Pacific stretches in all directions to the horizon. It was against this backdrop that my partner and I tied the knot this year in a ceremony low on stress and costs (compared, at least, with the average price of a wedding in the UK) but high on good vibes and 'aloha' — the Hawaiian greeting that expresses love, kindness, harmony. I had travelled nearly 5,000 miles, 11 hours by plane from New York, where I live and work. My wife — my fiancée, as she was then — works in Japan and had flown 4,000 miles from the opposite direction. We were exhausted, jet-lagged and slightly nervous as we drove to our wedding venue — a 400-acre botanical garden at the base of the Koolau Range. Why Hawaii? For us, it was an ideal meeting point; it made for a much nicer setting than the marriage bureau in New York and it meant that we could segue effortlessly into our honeymoon. Plenty of overseas visitors tie the knot here — the marriage licence office in Honolulu, the state capital, finalises the paperwork for dozens of Britons, Canadians and Europeans each month. Couples have their different reasons — from the paradisiacal allure of Hawaii, to the desire to flee the circus that has become the modern wedding. I'm knee deep in marriage season and have several friends who would say the cost and stress of their big day was not worth it (the average British wedding costs more than £23,000, according to a recent survey from wedding website Hitched). It helps that the process is straightforward. Six weeks before the wedding I applied for a £47 licence and booked in a 15-minute meeting with a marriage agent that took place the day before our wedding, at Hawaii's department of health; no witnesses required. For £91 a minister named Jim from the Universal Life Church who lived on Oahu said that he could marry us wherever and whenever we wanted. We decided on the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden. It lived up to our expectations — birds of paradise soared in the skies, the ocean sparkled in the distance and the horn of a nearby parked car honked midway through the ceremony, breaking any tension. It was simple and stripped back, but the beauty of the surroundings made us feel like royalty. Being close to the mountain range, where the weather is more unpredictable than on the coast, it also rained, but this only added to the magic of the moment as we huddled in a sheltered picnic spot while Jim, in a funky Hawaiian shirt, delivered his words. • Read our full guide to travel in the US After we said 'I do', we peeled away, umbrellas in hand, called our parents (who knew), flashed our rings and went straight to a local diner to start our honeymoon. We were splitting our ten-day break between Oahu, staying in an Airbnb in Honolulu, and Kauai, the oldest of the seven inhabited Hawaiian islands. After arriving in Honolulu, most tourists (us included) head straight to Waikiki, its beachfront neighbourhood. Our Uber driver described it as 'Hawaii's Times Square', and he wasn't far wrong — it's all trashy bars, street performers and overpriced food. We managed just one afternoon there. Far better were our forays into nature. We went to the North Shore for snorkelling at Shark's Cove, marvelled at the scenery of the Kualoa Ranch — where Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed — and hiked in the shadow of the Koolau Range. But Kauai, a 30-minute flight northwest from Oahu, delivered the Hawaii that we had been hoping for — it is far more rural and authentic. We stayed on its quieter north coast, home to small towns such as Hanalei, where shaved ice drenched in syrup is served by the bucketload and the sun sets majestically behind the Napali coastline. One night we treated ourselves to a 45-minute helicopter trip that revealed inaccessible waterfalls, cliffs and rivers. The beaches here are also less busy, although more dangerous for swimming than those in the south of the island. Even so, we found one — Anini — with calmer waters where we were able to float alongside turtles. There was kayaking too, and for two miles we paddled up the Wailua River and into the heart of the island before continuing on foot to the sacred Secret Falls. Here you can bathe at the foot of a 120ft cascade that is sometimes a trickle, at other times times a roaring torrent, depending on the season. • 18 of the best hotels in Hawaii We visited the vast Waimea Canyon, the so-called Grand Canyon of the Pacific, which is ten miles long, up to 3,600ft deep and crisscrossed by a series of hiking trails. In what felt like an increasingly rare expression of authentic Hawaiian culture, we were privileged to watch genuine hula dancing at a local bar, the name of which I swore not to reveal — sorry. Our hotel, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, brought White Lotus levels of luxury to the experience with a room that offered views of a cliff edge under hanging vines and felt like a very upmarket jungle cabin. In 1 Kitchen, the hotel restaurant with bay views, we ate delicious coffee-crusted yellowfin tuna and bucatini with Kona shrimp. And, of course, we had a couples' massage in the top-of-the-range wellness centre. At the end of our stay it was heartbreaking to say goodbye to each other again — something we've done many times over the past year, but especially wrenching as newlyweds. Now we're counting down the days until we are finally reunited in New York. In the meantime, those magical aloha vibes will keep us going. Samuel Lovett and his partner were guests of Go Hawaii ( 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, which has B&B doubles from £940 ( and Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, which has flights from £230pp ( Fly to Honolulu
