Electronics

So just how does a horse rider manage to keep abreast of what's going on, with limited access to keyboards and computers? I have a column to write for the Daily Telegraph and also a daily diary to keep, so I needed something that I could use to send my reports back.

Since I can't answer my phone very often while riding, many of my friends find it easier to keep in touch via email. Despite jokes about Peggy being tied up outside cyber-cafes, I do need to access the web for various snippets of information.

A laptop computer would be ideal, but far too bulky. Instead, I'm using a Palm M505 with a folding keyboard for keeping track of my life. A couple of extra programs on the Palm allow me to check my email, have basic web access and write my articles up, ready to send off for the website or the newspaper. I also carry some expansion cards for the Palm, both to add memory capacity and to add a Bluetooth connection for my mobile phone.

Downloading email via a mobile phone is a long process because the connection is so slow. Here again, I've managed to get some help in the shape of Vodafone, who have allowed me to use one of their high-speed GPRS connections for my data calls. This works like a standard mobile phone connection as far as voice is concerned, but data speeds are improved from the usual mobile 9.6kbs to something closer to a standard dialup line of up to 56k. This means that I don't spend an hour on the phone every night just to check my email and to find vital information, such as weather forecasts or relevant telephone numbers.