Electronics

"Want to keep an electronic journal, and rather than writing notes, etc., and then transposing to laptop, am thinking of bring a tape recorder. " I'm confused. How will you get the taped information onto the laptop without transposing it? Are you really going to want to dictate/narrate your trip and then type it all in? I would definitely skip the tape recorder. Many phones have recording capability built in, anyway, so why take something extra? Bring your own GPS, with Europe maps installed. You will already be familiar with how it operates, and you can preprogram some destinations before you leave the US (hotel addresses, etc).

It is amazing how we got along without all of our electronics when we first started traveling. Paper guidebooks - how quaint. Our only concession now is an ipad along with a digital camera. Phone cards still provide us with our contacts. But am worried that payphones in Europe will disappear like they have in the US.

All Laptops, netbooks, Ipads, Itouchs, and smartphones have digital voice recorders built into them. I see no need to bring along a separate tape recorder. Do they even make them anymore:)

Jane, For keeping an electronic journal, I wouldn't recommend using a Voice Recorder. I've tried that on past trips and found that it wasn't the most practical method. Even for a "fast" touch typist, it takes an enormous amount of time to transcribe the entries on the Recorder. As you'll have a Laptop, I'd suggest taking a few minutes and making an entry at the end of each day (I use MS Word for that). That way you shouldn't have forgotten too many of the day's experiences, and you're eliminating the step of transcribing the dicatated notes. I've found that a GPS unit can be useful whether driving or walking. Are you planning to drive for part of the trip? I've been using a small Garmin Nüvi unit (a bit "old" but it still works well) and it's been a very useful travel accessory. The model that I'm using is equipped with both North American and European Maps. GPS units DO make mistakes, so it's important to constantly be "cross checking" the directions against road signs or landmarks. Regarding a Cellphone, which countries will you be visiting? If you're going to be in multiple countries, a PAYG phone is certainly one option. You could also buy an inexpensive phone from one of the "travel phone" firms such as Roam Simple, Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Telestial or Mobal. Which option to choose will depend to some extent on your planned usage of the phone (ie: mostly text, mostly in-country calls, data/internet use, calls back to the U.S.). BE SURE to check the Charger on your Laptop (and anything else you'll be taking) to ensure it's designed for "world operation". You will of course need Plug Adapters specific to the countries you'll be visiting. Happy travels!

Thanks everyone. I think the idea of making notes on the laptop at the end of the day is probably the best way to go. Also, we will follow up with Garmin to upload European maps, and will look into the 'travel phone' options as well. Have never heard of checking your electronics for 'world operation' Ken - so thanks for the tip. Once we have our itinerary more complete, will post it here for input. Thanks everyone!

Jane, The Chargers on your electronic devices may not use the wording "world operation". What you need to look for are the words "Input Voltage" which will be stamped or listed on a label somewhere on the device. These are often "hot stamped" into the plastic, so very hard to read. What you're looking for is the wording "Input Voltage 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz". That indicates the product is designed to be used just about anywhere in the world. OTOH, if the Input Voltage ratings state "Input 115 VAC, 60 Hz", then the product will NOT work in Europe without a Voltage Converter. Cheers!

Thanks Ken. My husband is a little more techno-savvy than I, and knew what you were referring to. On another note - we downloaded a trial version of 'Streets and Trips' onto our laptop to check it out - it's a Microsoft program. Has anyone used it?