Traveling with Computers

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Thanks!

I have traveled with a laptop since 2000, when flash memory was too expensive to afford enough for a trip. I still download and organize my pictures every morning. In addition to pictures I keep an expense spreadsheet along with a project expense sheet which allows me to predict my total expenses so I know how much money to take out at my last ATM. On my last trip I kept a diary on Word.

I use a very small, lightweight laptop (Toshiba Portege 3025, about 3#). Small screen, no space to watch movies, play games, etc.- strictly a tool.

Lee,
Do you have any trouble with converters?

No trouble with converters. Don't need one. All of my computers (3) have run on 100-240 VAC and have worked find on European power.

If your hotel doesn't provide WiFi or LAN, most McDonald's and Starbucks will give you 30 minutes of free WiFi if you make a purchase.

I knew they did that in the US, but didn't realize that was an option overseas as well. That's good to know.

I travel to Europe for work each year and have to take my laptop. Given a choice I wouldn't. There are internet cafes everywhere and they are cheap. To me it's just another piece to worry about. I suppose it comes down to how much you want/need it.

I travel to Europe for work each year and have to take my laptop. Given a choice I wouldn't. There are internet cafes everywhere and they are cheap. To me it's just another piece to worry about. I suppose it comes down to how much you want/need it.

Some places are not cheap 5€ an hour as I found in Sorrento (vs as little as 1.5€ in other Italian places). Also, you can't be sure of the security of the internet cafe systems and if you need to move money from your bank, you are taking a chance.

I travel a lot and generally take my laptop, partly by choice but partly as I do need to keep in touch with work. The keyboard is familiar, I have all my stuff on it and it is just more efficient for me. Internet cafes can be a nuisance and also a haven for theft of bags etc.

I am considering buying a very small one specifically for travel.

We landed up taking our laptop (Mac 12"). I made my husband carry it in his carry on. We just needed a Plug adaptor to charge it. We downloaded our pictures from out digital camera. He wrote about 6 email about our travels. I included some pictures in some of them. He wrote the email in "word" and then copy and pasted them into his aol account so as not to "burn up" internet minutes. We have a Wifi card in it. Some places we stayed let him use it for free, some charged for so many minutes. In Rome he took it to the local internet cafe and they let him hook it up and use it. He likes staying in touch with famiy and friends and they liked getting his emails about our trip. He also likes to read our local paper online when we travel.

I travel with my kids and we always take one game system and our laptop. Overstimulation is an issue in our world, and sometimes an afternoon or evening at "home" with familiar webisites, games, or movies and a pizza is just the thing to have a less frustrating travel experience when we are out an about.

It depends why you need a laptop while you travel.
If you need it just to download pictures, I wouldn't acrry it. but if you need to stay in touch with othere, yes take it.
I take my laptop every where I go, because I'm running an internet business.
My laptop is quiet heavy, it's a Gateway and I think weighs about 7 lbs. I have a daypack for it an dit gets heavy when i add cables, network cards etc.
i never had problems with the power in Europe. You ust need the adapter. About the internet, i dont know how much it is in caffees, but i have an world phone that connects to the internet on t-mobile.
$20/month unlimited for SSL type of connection, but when you are overseas you pay by the Kbyte.