Tuesday, Aug 28, I am busy. I am sending out emails to everyone who may try to contact me in the next few days.

I am double confirming all my appointments for Wednesday and Thursday.

All this while finishing my PR application – visiting MOM to retrieve my new work pass, having a two hour rehearsal and then off to do a three hour show at Marina Bay Sands…. breathe.

Oh, and my Mum just arrived from Australia.

It’s 9.45pm, the day before I go offline and I’m on a set break from my show and I am still sending emails . It’s 10.50pm – I am sending texts – changing my phone voicemail message to reflect I am away for two days. It’s 12.45am –  I am off to bed….did I do everything? I am not entirely sure but here goes! 1.15am, bugger – all my bank details for people I need to pay are in my phone and I need them.  EEEK…Arise and start writing them manually…oh one more thing….1.45am might need some emergency numbers that I can call from a landline- up and writing numbers down….2pm bed.

I AM OFFLINE.

My “Unplugged” Journal begins.

Day 1

It’s entirely normal for me to awake and grab my phone immediately to switch off the alarm and check emails. Today I am thinking I may need a watch. I don’t own a TV – I haven’t for many years and I just moved house so haven’t organized my paper delivery yet.  Maybe I will get a TV – I could have got one before doing this… damn…..I am seriously offline.  Coffee.

12pm: I am starting to feel like I am behaving like Woody Allen acting  in one of his films. Personally I have never enjoyed a Woody Allen film with him in it, with the exception of Annie Hall – however that is the only exception. Must find something to do so my brain is stimulated with another activity. Maybe this is the point of the exercise to not over-stimulate the brain – still thinking.

Trying to get a cab and no one in my neighbourhood has a landline – ahya! This is proving a little tricky – I miss my taxi booking app right now.

I commence walking down the street to try and find a cab – my mother is with me. We walk for ages then I stop into a 7-11 and ask if I may their phone to call a cab. The woman behind the counter is so sweet and somewhat bemused by my request. I wait online for 10 minutes and no answer – ahya.

Back on the street and I decide after waiting a further 15 minutes that we should walk to the taxi stand….perhaps should have done this in the first place. Note to self: It is extremely difficult to get a cab in my area off the street. We walk to NEX where there is a 15 people strong queue. I am so happy to have to wait in line – ah not!

I like to see myself as a calm person but the realization that patience is not one of my finer virtues is being hammered home.

We arrive at the hairdressor where I sit and watch every other person tapping away on their iPhone – everyone but me.  Time to read a trashy mag which I have not done in ages – looking at the pictures of the royal family at the Olympics and John Cleese got married again and this time it’s forever – how nice.

On my way out of the hairdresser, I remember that my guitar player mentioned getting a replacement for our show tonight – I must check. Out come the emergency numbers. I ask my hairdresser if I can trouble her to use her very busy phone line. She looks at me curiously and passes me the receiver, even dials the number. Ok that is sorted.

Back home and I have written down and started checking off my checklist of things for the following day.

New singing student starting today. Gosh I hope she can find the place. I have no phone and can’t call her. Natalie my student arrives (phew) and we commence our lesson. She has two songs to learn for an upcoming performance that all my students are participating in….damn one of the songs is only on YouTube and I can’t play it for her.

I realize how much I use the computer in my classes. Breathe……

Natalie finishes her lesson – she has learnt her songs and is about to start writing a new song. The topic I have given the children is to write about a life changing moment.

Interestingly enough I don’t allow any student to write on a computer – they all use pen and paper to keep a journal just like I am now writing this journal. It’s nice putting pen to paper…I do believe it makes you write differently.

Off to ask one of my local restaurateurs’ to book me a cab for my show – and then back to work at the Marina Bay Sands.  Tonight I am handed about five different business cards. Note to self: I can only send them a note on Saturday. I realize it is a habit of mine to always be thinking of what how, when and why. ….

One gentlemen I met who is Consular General to Singapore mentioned he would suggest to his staff to take two days off line per month – maybe this idea is catching on. Surprisingly the gentleman sitting across from him who is the Governor of Lagos admits to turning his phone off regularly. Had a fascinating conversation about the benefits of taking time out.

Day 2

Today is a busy day. Firstly off to the Department of Immigration to lodge my form – 30 minutes to get a cab.

Then off to Far East flora to buy flowers for a ceremony my Mum and I are part of on Friday. I ask our taxi driver to please wait for us as the idea of having to wait for another taxi has zero appeal. Our kind taxi driver obliges.

We have a lunch appointment at 12pm and today I am having a glass of wine with my lunch – a reward for being offline.

2pm my first student arrives…the first of 4 … all songs learnt whilst offline … the children are all amused that I am not using my computer.

Then back to my local restaurateur to book another cab and out to dinner at a friend’s place. I am nearly there. My friend, being a fellow online junkie, is impressed I have stayed offline.

I ask her to turn on my phone and set the alarm on my phone for the following morning. She opens it and I quickly tell her please don’t tell me how many calls I have missed or how many email messages and texts I have. Her eyebrows raise and I admit to being curious but resolute not to look and not to be told.

Alarm is set for 6.30am. Mum and I are going to Barakat and spend the morning with the Orang Laut people and then off to Nikoi.

Ironically I am going to effectively be offline for another five hours. The timing is ironic.

We arrive at Nikoi Island and I look at my emails for the first time. I have really been offline for over 56 hours if you don’t count answering my alarm this morning and three urgent texts. J

The world still turned without me and I am happy to have been part of this project. From now on I am going to explore having a phone free Sunday.

Note: *Unplugged 480 is our experiment to see how tech addicts can survive without the Internet or their devices for two working days. There are clear rules of engagement but a lot of course depends on the honesty and integrity of our willing participants. We will be sharing their stories at the WIT Conference, Oct 15-17, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. This experiment is a joint initiative by WIT and Discovery Channel Magazine.