My Technology "Must Haves" For Travel

I'm sorry my posts have been so photo-intensive lately.

It's summer ....

Summer means it's difficult to find a quiet moment alone to write.

Summer means I'm driving my teen(s) all over Southern California non-stop.

Summer means frequent trips to the beach, house guests, summer league baseball games, and a lot of pool time.

Summer means late nights, and an occasional lazy morning.

Summer, therefore, seems to mean fewer words and more photos in my posts.

I know a lot of you are planning trips this summer.

Maybe you have a weekend jaunt in mind, or perhaps you've planned a big vacation.

I might even see a few of you at BlogHer11 in a few weeks?

Obviously, what you pack for travel depends on where you're going.

I thought today I'd share a few of my favorite technology-related things to travel with. I'm a blogger and obsessive photographer. I'm rarely unplugged ....

Maybe my (unsponsored) list will help you with your packing?

My List Of Technology "Must Haves" For Travel:

• Camera (of course!) If I can't take a lot with me, I'll pack one decent multi-purpose lens (possibly my 18-200mm or 50mm?) to go with my camera body (a Canon 7D), a lens cleaning kit, possibly a filter or two, spare compact flash drives and always an extra battery. Don't forget a charger for the camera battery!

(Also, here's a good question ... Do you like run-on sentences?? I seem to be full of them lately!)

• My phone. I know this is an obvious item, but when I travel I also make sure my iPhone has a Mophie Juice Pack attached. I'm way too phone dependent. I don't want my phone battery to run low right when I need it. By the way, I always seem to need it. (My phone is also my alarm clock, my map, my calendar, my travel guide, etc., etc!)

• An "everything bag" for the plane/car. I've mentioned this item before. This year I'll be carrying the Baggalini Only Bag with me. It will store all my travel-on items except for my camera.

• My iPod and my (very small) Sony wireless travel stereo speaker system. Okay, go ahead and laugh at me, but I love music. Small, travel, speakers can allow you to listen to music in your hotel room/condo/wherever without ear buds. They also allow you to share whatever you're listening to. (And yes, I just might hula with Briefcase, on my lanai, while listening to Hawaiian music this summer!)

• My Kindle. It's next to impossible for me to get undisturbed reading time at home. When I'm on a plane or in a hotel I thrive on quality reading time!

• My New Trent Power Pack. Did I mention I hate to be unplugged? I mean, unless I'm planning to be unplugged. I'm all about avoiding low batteries!

• My MacBook. It might be fine for you to leave your laptop at home, but mine is part of my anatomy. The sky will fall if I take a lot of photos and can't upload them instantly.

• Voltage adaptors, if necessary.

• Chargers for everything, of course. So easy to forget - but so essential!

** I also always have business cards with me. You never know when a casual conversation with a stranger will turn into a potential photography client and/or advertiser/sponsor and/or reader. **

© Twenty Four At Heart

8 Comments

The Baggalini bag looks very nice. But I'm wondering what camera bag you use on a daily basis? Or for travelling?

Posted by: Denise | July 08, 2011 at 06:00 AM

Alas, I will not be at BlogHer this year - we just couldn't afford it. :(

As for electronics and traveling, I wouldn't be caught dead on the road (or in my home, for that matter) without my laptop, my camera or my Kindle. My phone, not so much - if I'm traveling somewhere, I don't necessarily want to be found. LOL

Posted by: Jan | July 08, 2011 at 06:52 AM