Blacking out......

The area in which we live is currently suffering from day 5 of a telecommunications blackout due to a fire in the main Telstra exchange based in Warrnambool.

This has resulted in no landlines, no internet for those not on satellite/wireless and the EFTPOS system has also been unavailable. Debit and credit cards were not able to be used at those businesses which didn't have an offline processing machine-so if consumers did not have cash they couldn't purchase!

Lines were formed at banks as clients tried to withdraw cash-ATMs were not working either!

Banks and governments have been guiding us into being a cashless society for some time now-yet in times like these cash is the only option!

It has been quite an experience-which is not over yet! Mobile phones are beginning to work again-although household landlines are still not available. Emergency services were obviously the first priority.

 In areas like ours mobile reception is patchy and landlines are a must. It is expected to take another 5 days or so before the system is fully restored.

It has been like living through one of those futuristic movies where society comes to a grinding halt and humanity needs to resort to old fashioned skills!

Our household has managed quite well due to my pantry and freezer-milk has been the only purchase in the past 5 days and I could have got by without if required..it's just that I can't stand powdered milk in my cup of tea! Our vegie garden and hens have also continued to provide for us-so Casa de Kyndylan has remained comfortable during this stressful-for-some incident.

How would you and your family cope in such a situation?