Travel w/laptop?

yes.

No!

It depends on what you're taking it for.....

The last three answers sum up EVERY laptop thread on this forum.

I agree with Frank.

Don't bring your $2500 Macbook Pro. If you have or can buy a CHEAP netbook, it might be worthy.

I just bought an ASUS 901 netbook for my upcoming excursion to Ireland, Germany, and Austria. For under $300 (and less than 3 lbs) I can now skype with my wife and kids back home, check email and facebook, not worry about viruses (I got Linux), book various tickets and reservations online, check flight status, and have access to any sort of information I may want to look up while traveling.

Yeah, I just bought an MSI Wind (3 lb with power supply) for about twice what a new battery on my old 9 lb laptop would have been. It's only a 10" screen, but easy to read and use with all my apps (word, excel, picasa) and internet surfing too.

I can stay in touch with friends when I'm in my pj's rather than waste precious sight-seeing time at an internet cafe. I can backup my photos, even edit them and post them, without running out of memory stick. And I'll have all my travel notes, reservations, copies of documents, etc., without all that paper.

If you're the type who likes to stay in touch everyday and you want to share photos while you travel, it might make sense to bring it. Personally, I only bring a laptop on business trips. It's just one more thing to get in the way. Many hotels, pensions and hostels have a public-use computer. I use these for brief email checks and any other quick travel research I need to do on the go.

We did and we loved it!!! But that's just us :o)

I just read an article in the International Herald newspaper (in Europe) that said that 47% of people get "antsy" after an hour away from their computer and cell phone. Another 42% get "antsy" after 24 hours. If you are one of those "hooked" folks, take the computer. However, if you are going on a vacation like some people (me) I turned off my computer and my in-box, put my cell phone in a drawer and had a vacation from homeland distractions.

If you pack light, no. The computer adds a lot of weight and bulk to your overall packing.

You are obviously moving which means packing, lugging and unpacking.

If you will use it enough to warrant lugging it, then I guess you will bring it.

I'm busy on vacation and don't want or need to make time to sit down with my computer.

No, not unless you need it for business. My goodness, its only over two weeks.. they do have computers there is you must go online.

You are there to enjoy Europe,, not sit in your room and websurf.. LOL
Plus, you are travelling a lot, not just staying in one hotel, so its just weight and hassle keeping it safe..

Attention Costco shoppers!
There's a sale going on for the HP netbook, with free shipping on the web site.

You can get a 2.8 lb netbook for as low as $299

We bring our laptop because its preloaded with Skype for calling home, and my husband hates watching hotel TV, so we have "Slingbox" to watch our home DirecTV. I guess we'er just waaayyyy too connected to our toys.

I loved having all episodes of Arrested Developement downloaded on a memory stick as it killed time on long train rides and the plane ride overseas. But it was also great to download my pictures on and organize it all. I can think of numerous times that it came in handy.

No, frankly I loved to get away from it all and didn't miss the computer. If I absolutely needed a computer it wasn't hard to find one.

I brought mine (5 lbs Dell 1330), but probably could have left it at home. Used it for ticket info, restaurant info, and for staying in touch. Glad I had it.

The weight is always an issue. I debated on buying a netbook, but most of them were only a 1 lb difference, and I like the idea of having a "full service" unit.

"You are there to enjoy Europe,, not sit in your room and websurf.."

Pat, if all someone does is websurf, I would agree with you. But for some of us a laptop is a valuable tool. I do use email to stay in touch, and, due to the time difference, it is often far more effective than a phone (and less expensive), and I do post my travel almost daily on my website so my family can keep track of what I am doing without phone calls, but that is my only Internet usage. I also use my netbook to keep track of my expenses and forecast my remaining need for Euro. I have my entire itinerary, with accommodations, maps, etc, on my netbook. I have the entire European rail schedule downloaded and available anytime I want to revise my schedule. And I download and organize my photos daily.

I find I have plenty of time in the morning at breakfast, while traveling, and before bed at night to take care of business without interferring with my daily schedule.

At 2.2#, less than 5# in a small case with the charger and mouse, I hardly have to lug it around.

"they do have computers there i[f] you must go online"

If I took that philosophy, I would have spent my entire vacation looking for computers. Except for Wifi in Hotels, Gasthäuser, etc, they are not that readily available anymore.

I agree with Lee. I wrote on my blog everyday, emailed home, checked train times and organized pictures and I never wasted a day doing this. I usually would do this at breakfast, around dinner before going out or right before I went to bed. I didn't consider a half hour a day on my laptop wasting time. For me it was a nice time to relax.

But then again this whole topic boils down to your own personal choice. It won't suit everyones needs.

beating a dead horse here, but here is my opinion...

Since you asked, you probably enjoy using your laptop, and would find time to use it while on vacation. Then again, you might be looking for a reason to not take it. There is certainly enough reasons to leave it behind. Only you can decide about that.

I bought a netbook just for the purpose of being able to take it with my this year on my trip. It was cheap enough that I didn't mind the expense, and small enough that I could toss it in the bag without feeling I was lugging around a boat anker. I also will be traveling by train, and expect to find WiFi available on some of the trains and in some of the stations. This should help me pass the time.

However, the biggest reason was the access to the internet. Not for browsing, but for access to tourist information, maps, my bank, booking tours, changing schedules, language translations, etc. I also have a cell phone that I can tether as a modem, so I should be able to access the Internet in most places.

Add the fact that I will be able to keep an electronic journal, hold copies of all my documents, and offload my photos from my camera, and it makes sense for me.

BTW, I still plan on taking a notebook and paperback book to do things the "old-fashioned" way, as there are times that I will want to do things quickly and without flashing my netbook to potential pickpockets.

Thanks, All!

Just got back from the trip yesterday. We did not bring the lap top and there were just a couple times I wanted it (to check train schedules, etc.) but was glad we didn't bring it due to weight & it was a great break from computer world.

Different travel styles Lee. I feel no need to communicate daily with family,, I phone , using a phone card, about once every week. I do not do business online, do not check emails,, etc. I am on vacation.. for some people they do have to do all those things,, but really, if one vacation and one is still working,, well, its not really a full rest in my opinion.

I spent almost 3 months travelling around Europe when I was younger,, way before emails,, etc.. and one of nicest things was really being out of touch ... if you wanted to phone you had to find a post office in many places,, it was expensive to phone too. so you wrote post cards.. some even got home before I did!

I think people worry too much about being constantly in touch ,, unless you have left small children at home,, a week without talking to someone will not kill you.. LOL

Amanda apparently survived without her laptop I see.

Id agree - get the 299 laptop mini from Bestbuy or Costco if you need one vs a big heavy or expensive one. Or just bring an Iphone if you must. Most hotels have internet now if you just need a quick email check. If you like to take a lot of pictures it is nice to download them to PC tho.