As I write article after article on my laptop, and snap away with my SLR camera it dawned on me that over the years of backpacking around the world I’ve slowly developed into a fully=fledged flashpacker. If you’re not familiar with that term is basically refers to ‘backpackers’ who carry expensive equipment while they gallivant around the world. It carries negative connotation but, in my opinion, unfairly so.
I thought I’d cleanse my backpacking soul with a confession today! Here is the tech that I travel with:
1) Macbook Pro 13”:
My baby, I don’t leave home without it! I’ve always been a macman, but after my last macbook got run over on the way to Swaziland I was due an upgrade, so I bought the brand new model in Bangkok about 6 months ago. I do all my blogging for my travel sites online and generate all my income online so it’s really necessary that I have my baby with me!
2) Iphone 4S:
Another new purchase. I had an Iphone 3GS but after a rather drunken night in Bangkok, that went missing so it was time for a new one. I waited until it was released in Thailand and then queued up like a lunatic on Christmas eve for it. I love it, it picks up wifi when you’re on the road, I can blog from it with the wordpress app, google maps is a Godsend, I’m quick to reply to advertisers etc. With all the travel apps available, my Iphone is quickly becoming as indispensible as my macbook.
3) Kindle
Gone are the days of my lugging around 5 traveling books in my backpack, the kindle has redesigned that. With books available at the click of a button and a 40 day battery life I’m loving having my kindle on this trip. That being said, I still prefer a physical Lonely Planet to flick through too.
4) DSLR
While I’m certainly no photographer, getting a digital SLR camera has allowed to me snap a few better pics. I have a bottom of the range Olympus (about $400) which im trying to learn how to use, with the help of travel friends along the way, and it’s a steep learning curve! However, it’s a means to an end and I look forward to wowing everyone with my pics in the not too distant future!
5) Samsung 1TB external hard drive
Being a movie buffs, and backpacking up my pics and articles, traveling without an external hardrive is an impossibility for me. I bought this one about 2 years ago on London for about $100 and it’s a beauty. Having so many HBO series and movies on my hardrive also helps keep me out of trouble in the evenings when the booze would otherwise be flowing!
That’s my lot folks. I have a couple of cheap chinese card readers, a host of chargers and adapters too but they don’t make the list. I know it’s a bit stressful carrying so much expensive gear but if you can deal with the hassle, it certainly adds a lot to your trip. If I was going on a short trip, which I generally never do, I probably wouldn’t bother with all this, but living life on the road – it’s a necessity. Happy travels!
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As you know, blogging changed my life. I left Ireland broke, with no plan, with just a one-way ticket to Thailand and no money. Since then, I started a blog, then a digital media company, I’ve made more than $1,500,000 USD, bought 4 properties and visited (almost) every country in the world. And I did it all from my laptop as I travel the world and live my dream.