Since my travel strategy is living in a place for an extended amount of time (6-12 months) while working there on the Internet, I need to bring the right kind of gear with me.
The goal is to be as connected and productive as possible, while being as light as possible.
When I look at the things I absolutely MUST bring overseas, these things are at the top of the list.
13″ Laptop
I started out with my 15″ Macbook Pro, and loved the screen but hated the weight. When it broke down, I replaced it with a 13″ Dell Inspiron (which is what I’m using now). I did love the big screen of the old laptop, but I think the 13″ is a great compromise between screen size and portability. If you’re a developer, you might be more inclined to get a Mac as they’re a bit more suitable for that. Also, if you do iPhone development (like myself), then a Mac is really the only option. Otherwise a PC with Windows7 is fine.
One thing I don’t like about this laptop is that it’s missing a video cam, which is nice to chat via Skype to friends/family from abroad.
Smartphone
Having a capable smartphone is like having a laptop in your pocket. With the newer models supporting things like 3G, Wifi and GPS, they go even beyond what a laptop can do, and are indispensable from planning your trip in an unknown city to not getting lost while on that trip.My current cell phone is the Google Nexus One.Here’s how it fits my mobile lifestyle:- It’s unlocked, quad-band GSM, so I just pop any local SIM and go.
- I pre-load Google Maps on it, so I can track where I’m when in an unknown destination without paying prohibitively expensive data fees.
Useful when taking a random bus to your pousada, or taking a taxi from the airport to a hotel. - I set it up to make absolute free calls any number in the U.S.
High Gain WiFi Adapter + High Gain Antenna
The WiFi adapters that come with laptops and smartphones are sufficient for connecting to wifi spots in close proximity. In some instances, you need to connect to a signal that’s a bit distant. For instance, usually in hostels and pousadas, the wifi signals works well in the common room, but in your own room, the signal is very faint or simply unavailable. I carry around with me the most powerful wifi adapter out now, the Alfa 1000mW (1 Watt). It’s a bit thicker than a credit card, while having the same dimensions. It requires an extended antenna, and for that I use a 9 dbi omni-directional antenna. An omni-directional antenna draws a signal in a 360 degree radius unlike a directional which you have to aim to the access point.This setup has proved absolutely indispensable when being in situations where you’re using a shared wifi signal. I’m writing this post
in a pousada where the signal is great in the common room, but is 0-1 bars in my room. With the high-gain adapter, I’m seeing 4-5 bars from the same access point.
WiFi Router
I decided to carry with me a wifi router for use in situations when there’s no wifi internet; just wired. In addition it’s also a high gain router that transmits radio stronger than a conventional one. I picked the Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 which has proven to be very reliable for connecting many people simultaneous (sometimes 6-7 in our apartment).Having said that, I’ve never really had situations where I needed a router because only wired internet was available, and the transmission was not a problem because of my high gain antenna. However, the apartment in Rio where I was staying was very long and signal was very faint in the bedrooms, so the router has helped a lot in that respect.
Update: I’ve donated the router to my former roommates, and don’t plan on carrying one in the future.
Portable Power Strip
I’ve been using this thing all the time. It’s super small, wraps into itself, and super useful for charging my laptop and phone at the same time.
External HDD
I carry around a 160GB USB hard drive that I store media on (movies, music).
USB Sticks
One USB stick contains a bootable version of Windows 7 OS. This way I can re-install the OS if it screws up.
The other USB stick contains some data that I’m working on (project code, ideas, etc).
Future: Kindle
I love reading, but don’t love an idea of carrying tons of books with me. My current limit is two books. A nice option would be something like an International Kindle which allows one to download books anywhere in the world (for a small fee). This would be great since English books are hard to find in many parts of the world.
Future: Joos Portable Solar Charger
One of the biggest downside on relying on portable electronics is the lame battery time. Just the other day, I finally made it to some remote place but since the GPS was draining the battery on my N1, I was barely able to figure out a route to come back. Hopefully having a solar charger would help to recharge, and even use your phone, laptop, etc. on the go.
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