Travelling
jesscampbell (79 points) | Mon, 2006-08-14 19:38What is your take on travelling with technology?
I am a designer/developer and will be leaving the homeland (Canada) for 9 months to Western and Central Europe. I am toying with the idea of taking a laptop to keep on top of things/store photos/update blog/cheap and handy communication/entertainment/ etc...those are the pros. The cons are: do I want to be responsible for $2000 worth of computing stuff for 9 months while living out of a backpack, and will the benefits outweigh the fact that it's another 5-10 pounds in the backpack?
I think I might be asking for advice from a biased audience here, but does anyone have any experience backpacking or travelling with a laptop? Are there any pros and cons that I am missing? Keep in mind I will be camping or hostelling most of the way through.
I'm thinking about the 2.0Ghz 13" MacBook, throw a couple Gigs of RAM in there and it'll be a quick but small machine.
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I backpacked around New Zealand, Australia and the US with a 15" 1ghz Powerbook in tow for a year and a half and it helped me record a lot of things and ideas that otherwise would not have been possible to track. Definitely helped me get some work on the road to suppliment the wages and it's a nice way of meeting people if you're the jukebox for a party.
I found a lot of backpackers were travelling with laptops so being the only person with computer equipment wasnt an issue.
After a while the weight will not be noticed in your backpack but your laptop will get scuffed up slightly. I would advise you if you are coming over this part of the world is to buy the Apple USB modem as sometimes dialup will be your only option in the more remote spots. (otherwise get used to finding out where the local libraries are for free wifi) Get a good universal travel adaptor as I bought adaptors as I went and ended up with a huge NZ>US>IRL plug system
Good luck and good travelling....
afterglow.ie - Icons, interfaces, illustration
I just wanted to hear that it HAS been done with relative ease. The only thing holding me back right now is the security issue (how safe can I keep it), but my thoughts are that it is only as safe as you make it.
Thanks for your input!
When backpacking get a flannel bag for your mac so it won´t scratch... at first the weight is very unconfortable but if you learn to keep things simple and take basic things you wont feel cramped, security wise never leave your backpack unattended, put it always between your legs, and if you have to leave the primaces rent a locker, most of them are pretty secure, when borading put next to you at all times, if you can have a zipper with a lock it will be better dont over load your back pack, and most of all I agree with Afterglow buy and universal travel adaptor, also get an account on fliker so you can have a place to upload your photos and an account in a virtual archive to upload your files in case something happens...
Happy Trails....
Caya
We´ll always have Paris! Humphrey Bogart
We´ll always have Paris! Humphrey Bogart
I found a cool neoprene jacket for it which will save it from (dare I jinx myself) impact, and I've got some really lightweight air/watertight drysacks which it will fit into in the event of heavy rain/impromptu swimming hahah.
I shoot ALOT of photos, so I always take my Powerbook. I always end up having to do a few hours of work anyhow, so It end up working out fine.
We took out two kids to Europe for a month and a half three years ago...they even carted an iBook with them...the split the carrying duty. They loaded photos, watched DVD's and kept journals. This was THEIR idea...if they can do it, you can do it!
You have twisted my (rubber) arm into picking one up. I think I'll wait another month or so to see what happens for updates. Plus, I'm in no rush right now, I'm quite content and not leaving until mid-October.
Thanks again for everyone's input...hahah you make quite the sales team ;)
Though, they pretty much sell themselves.