A cosy corner table in a cafe, a large steaming latte and someone tapping away on a laptop hooked up to the free wifi.

This is a common scene all over the world. I’ve done this myself in some unlikely places, including a double decker bus at the foot of a glacier and a scruffy looking outdoor cafe on a dusty street in The Gambia, as well as various Apple Stores, beach bars and bookshop cafes around the world.

But is this coming to an end. Will the globe trotting freelance writer have to find some other way to update the blog or file a story? Perhaps even revert to pen, paper and a stamp.

The lure of a cosy cafe with good coffee away from the distractions of domestic chores or the office chatter is strong. Many good books and travel articles have been written in cafes and bars by writers who prefer to be “Location Independent”.

With the current economic climate the true penny pincher virtually moves in for the day, with tea bags and lunch box. Draining electricity and eliminating the need to pay for internet access at home.

Where cafe owners used to encourage the regular business, potential customers are now being driven away when they can’t find a free table.

Unsurprisingly many smaller cafe owners are now putting time limits on laptop use, locks on outlets or outright laptop bans. But some cafe owners have expanded their business by adding more outlets. An ideal situation if they can afford it, as cafes are a popular place for business meetings and interviews.

Where does all this leave the globe trotting travel writer. It’s usually easy enough to stop at a cafe for a quick drink and a blog update, but that may soon be coming to an end. Perhaps it is time to relearn the art of putting pen to paper?