Bringing a laptop travelling

willis

Was just wondering if people here have ever brought their laptop with them on their travels and if so would they recommend doing so?
I was thing of bringing mine,its a 12inch acer,pretty light. Im heading to south america for 4 months then onto aus/nz etc, and was thinking of buying a laptop bagpack and putting my laptop/valuables in this and my clothes etc in my backpack.

The battery life is fairly crap, should most airports have somewhere i can plug it in?Like im LA airport for 10hrs alone so was thinking it would be handy to have it for watching dvd's etc. Also, most airports and even hostels seem to have wireless internet these days, does anyone know if they charge you for this use?

Thanks

breadmonkey

Nightmare for South America but I think it would be a good idea for Aus/NZ.

Still, I thought it was a pain in the ass looking after my iPod, camera and wallet. Do you really want a laptop to worry about?

Chickus

My boyfriend bought a small light laptop a few weeks ago to bring travelling...its small, light and he reckons it shouldnt be a problem..will be pretty handy for uploading, skype etc since there is free wi-fi in most hostels etc..we just have to be careful..he got a berghaus bag with a pocket to store it in in daytime..

ScumLord

I'd agree with breadmonkey it's a hassel and extra baggage that could end up costing you extra money. Do you really need it? If it's just for keeping in touch cafes would be better and I've yet to come across a hostel without computers. I brought an mp3 player with me the first time I traveled and used it maybe once or twice while on a train. Didn't have the time to use it most of the time.

Unless your writing allot of stuff maybe an ipod touch or the likes would be better. I just got a samsung omnia with wireless that can do the basics that a laptop could.

S.M.B.

4 months of backpacking with a laptop sounds like a lot of hassle to me.

I've brought mine on weekend trips and will be bringing it to Hong Kong next weekend but I couldn't imagine hauling something like that around with me while on a lengthy trip.

v.e.r.b.a.l

I'm writing on mine now in Bolivia and it's an absolute lifesaver! Highly recommended! The netbooks are so light and small you don't notice them and generally cost less than an iPod. This netbook has made life very easy for me in backing up photos without having to find an internet cafe, making DVDs to post home, interneting without waiting for a free computer (nearly every hostel in South and Central America have WiFi, and usually 2 computers between 100 people!) and watching movies in a cold hostel room in the few towns that have nothing to do in the evenings!

v.e.r.b.a.l

Oh, and it's never once been a burden to look after. Basically when you put your backpack somewhere, you always have a smaller pack to bring on the bus or whatever with passport, documents, iPod and laptop. If you have a bit of wit about you, you won't advertise it too much around, but that's common sense really with most possesions like cameras etc.

darrenh

v.e.r.b.a.l wrote: »

Oh, and it's never once been a burden to look after. Basically when you put your backpack somewhere, you always have a smaller pack to bring on the bus or whatever with passport, documents, iPod and laptop. If you have a bit of wit about you, you won't advertise it too much around, but that's common sense really with most possesions like cameras etc.

I couldn't agree more. Mine was never hassle and to be honest the amount of times you will have to carry it around is very little. Most backpackers will tell you they rarely ever have to carry their bags that far. South America is made for bringing your lap top too. Every hostel has free wi-fi and loads of cafes do too. It saved us a fortune on internet cafes and also waiting around for all the computer hoggers in the hostels. On the other hand its not been great for us so far in New Zealand. So far we have only found places that charge you for wi-fi and hourly rates are up to 5euro an hour.

dory

I brought mine on a year ong rtw trip, including a lot of time in South America.
I would have been lost without it. It's nice to have something to all your usual home things on; listen to music, watch DVDs write emails etc. I would never travel without a laptop, unless it was a short trip of less than 3 months.

SheroN

Bringing my eeepc away with me in a few weeks. 5 hour battery life and 9 inch screen, it weights hardly anything either.

Neamhshuntasach

I don't know why you would feel the need to have one with you. You are traveling. Unless you were moving somewhere to stay in the one place. There is always an Internet option where traveling and if you think it is handy to get the wireless in hostels you should remember that the wireless connection will be slower than the hardline because there will be more peopole with laptops, iphones, etc using the bandwidth than there will be with the actual hostel computers. I have my ipod and camara and even that is a b1tch at times. Especially the whole charging sh1t.

v.e.r.b.a.l

I have to disagree. Sure, the connection is pretty **** in some places, but overall has been fine. There are plugs in nearly every room too so it's not really a problem. If you're in a dorm or something you can just charge it as you're using it. I can only speak for South America, haven't gotten to New Zealand or Oz yet, but I hear that if you wander into McDonalds there and order anything at all, even just a coffee, you can stay for as long as you want using their free WiFi.

Different people travel in different ways I guess, I'd personally recommend a tiny Netbook to anyone travelling for a long time as it has made my life a lot easier and I haven't had to worry about it at all. It's cheaper than a flight to Brazil, that's for sure!

Neamhshuntasach

My worry isn't getting robbed. It's just extra weight, chargers and sh1t and the general looking like a muppet sitting around the hostel all day. Anyone i ever see on laptops only seem to sit around the hostel. I always wonder if they just read blogs and pretend they experienced it themselves. Not stereotyping but i seriously have come to that conclusion. And apparently i'm not the only one. If you feel the need to be at home with your own possessions that much i just feel that i should have stayed at home. Or maybe just brought my own bed and mates with me.

breadmonkey

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

My worry isn't getting robbed. It's just extra weight, chargers and sh1t and the general looking like a muppet sitting around the hostel all day. Anyone i ever see on laptops only seem to sit around the hostel. I always wonder if they just read blogs and pretend they experienced it themselves. Not stereotyping but i seriously have come to that conclusion. And apparently i'm not the only one. If you feel the need to be at home with your own possessions that much i just feel that i should have stayed at home. Or maybe just brought my own bed and mates with me.

I think that's a bit harsh. It's only a laptop ffs!

Neamhshuntasach

Nah it's the network that the laptop is connected to and the need to feel connected to it no matter where you are.

SheroN

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

My worry isn't getting robbed. It's just extra weight, chargers and sh1t and the general looking like a muppet sitting around the hostel all day. Anyone i ever see on laptops only seem to sit around the hostel. I always wonder if they just read blogs and pretend they experienced it themselves. Not stereotyping but i seriously have come to that conclusion. And apparently i'm not the only one. If you feel the need to be at home with your own possessions that much i just feel that i should have stayed at home. Or maybe just brought my own bed and mates with me.

I'd rather not judge someone on whether they have a laptop with them or not.

Skinfull

I'm taking off for Canada for a year and I bought an eee PC 10" lappy to take with me. Probably wont use it as much as I use lappys at home but the ability to contact if I need it the down time entertainment if I need it and I'm a writer so I kinda really do need it. Weighs nothing, only cost a couple of hundred so if it is stolen I wont cry a river.

darrenh

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

My worry isn't getting robbed. It's just extra weight, chargers and sh1t and the general looking like a muppet sitting around the hostel all day. Anyone i ever see on laptops only seem to sit around the hostel. I always wonder if they just read blogs and pretend they experienced it themselves. Not stereotyping but i seriously have come to that conclusion. And apparently i'm not the only one. If you feel the need to be at home with your own possessions that much i just feel that i should have stayed at home. Or maybe just brought my own bed and mates with me.

From other threads I have read you're clearly that traveler that looks down on everyone else on less they travel like you. Thats sad. I cant stand travel snobs. If you can find me a book on 'Travel Rules' I will gladly abide to them. I couldn't give two hoots how someone travels as long as they enjoy themselves. You are actually in a minority as regard your thinking. Its small minded.

As regard the lap top it is also great for skyping friends and family when you want. Just don't annoy Neamhshuntasach by shouting down the mic!;)

and I nearly always found the connections good.

Neamhshuntasach

I assume you read one thread where i said i wouldn't use tours if they are avoidable. So apparently you are the person who reads one thing, interprets it how you want to and formulate an entire opinion. And i'm far from a travel snob. Complete opposite actually. The people i don't like when traveling are the same people i don't like when i'm not traveling. I don't get into some traveler mode and judge people different ways.

I couldn't give a flying fu<k how people travel but when you are sitting in a hostel or in a dorm and there are about 20 people sitting around on laptops that p1sses me off. It was exactly like that where i was last night. A bunch of people sitting around at different tables all by themselves not talking. And speaking of annoying me by sound. I've been the one who has got looks and been told to be quiet while people are on skype complaing to mammy how dangerous the place is. It's been like that a sh1t load of times in various places i been. They are anti social tools when used in common areas. Keep them to the jacks or something.

CiaranC

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

I couldn't give a flying fu<k how people travel but when you are sitting in a hostel or in a dorm and there are about 20 people sitting around on laptops that p1sses me off. It was exactly like that where i was last night. A bunch of people sitting around at different tables all by themselves not talking. And speaking of annoying me by sound. I've been the one who has got looks and been told to be quiet while people are on skype complaing to mammy how dangerous the place is. It's been like that a sh1t load of times in various places i been. They are anti social tools when used in common areas. Keep them to the jacks or something.

You do enough posting on here while you are travelling. Hypocrite much?

I have been travelling with a 17" laptop for the past 5 months. It's been amazing having it. I have written business plans, contacted suppliers, been able to take advantage of free wi-fi to email my mates the odd time - it's been rosey.

A laptop is also amazing to have with you especially when you don't want to talk to people like Neamhshuntasach.

You need to look after it all the time though. I wasn't a typical backpacker though, I only used buses in South America and didn't have trouble at all, I also avoided hostels, (although if i was with my mates, i'd have stayed in them but with my girlfriend didn't fancy it) and in Oz, I did the campervan thing which was amazing and in New Zealand, had a 4*4 (snow).

syklops

OP,

If you do decide to bring one, do not buy a laptop bag. Buy a standard backpack that you will use once you drop your rucksack in the hostel, for going out, and put the laptop in that. If you arrive in town with an "Antler" laptop case with incorporated cooling fins, you will instantly become a target for theft, because the would be thief will know you have a laptop in the bag.

As for travelling with a laptop, it is up to the individual. Do you skype much/at all? Do you have a blog? Are you likely to watch a DVD if your somewhere for a few hours with nothing to do, or are you more likely to go find a good pub/ chat up a seniorita/ something else? If not, then dont bother. I love that I brought mine with me, but then I am rarely apart from it even at home.

Football Manager 09 on the go is great too!

darrenh

CiaranC wrote: »

You do enough posting on here while you are travelling. Hypocrite much?

+1

It was only after my last post I realized you are always commenting on here. If you had a lap top you wouldn't have to queue and could comment even more!

Its the world we live in. People like to be connected. So what if it offers them security. Its probably the one little thing from their normal day to day lives that they have with them. Travel isn't about leaving everything behind you. Its about how much you appreciate whats in front of you. I suggest you find the table without the laptops and talk to them or will they not talk to you either! Only joking by the way.:D

tipptop2008

Anyone know whether most places in S-E Asia have wireless of not. Heading there for 3 months in Nov and then onto to Aus for 2 months and NZ for 6 months and was thinking of buying a small netbook cause thought it'd be handy for photos, skype, watch dvds, keeping up with the news at home but don't know if it'd be worth while unless theres wi-fi in most of the hostels???

Overblood

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

I don't know why you would feel the need to have one with you. You are traveling. Unless you were moving somewhere to stay in the one place. There is always an Internet option where traveling and if you think it is handy to get the wireless in hostels you should remember that the wireless connection will be slower than the hardline because there will be more peopole with laptops, iphones, etc using the bandwidth than there will be with the actual hostel computers. I have my ipod and camara and even that is a b1tch at times. Especially the whole charging sh1t.

Uh-oh... I can feel the "I'm a real backpacker" snobbiness coming on....

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

My worry isn't getting robbed. It's just extra weight, chargers and sh1t and the general looking like a muppet sitting around the hostel all day. Anyone i ever see on laptops only seem to sit around the hostel. I always wonder if they just read blogs and pretend they experienced it themselves. Not stereotyping but i seriously have come to that conclusion.

Haha! Feck. I plan to take a laptop with me when I go traveling in a few months. I'm a photographer so I'd like to have something to store and edit my photos on. If I sit in a hostel for more than an hour editing my photos, am I a muppet? If you were to see me on my laptop, would you just take one look at me and class me as a muppet? Come on! They could have been doing anything on their laptops. And if the people annoy you, why are you hanging around the hostel yourself?

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

I couldn't give a flying fu<k how people travel but when you are sitting in a hostel or in a dorm and there are about 20 people sitting around on laptops that p1sses me off. It was exactly like that where i was last night. A bunch of people sitting around at different tables all by themselves not talking. And speaking of annoying me by sound. I've been the one who has got looks and been told to be quiet while people are on skype complaing to mammy how dangerous the place is. It's been like that a sh1t load of times in various places i been. They are anti social tools when used in common areas. Keep them to the jacks or something.

I think you're just jealous and you want a nice sparkly laptop like all the cool travellers.;)

I'm a travel snob. I love ignoring people like neamhblablabla - imagine how bent it would be hanging around with a bloke like him? hmmm the fun that could be had.

Yeah right..

Neamhshuntasach

CiaranC wrote: »

You do enough posting on here while you are travelling. Hypocrite much?

I've had about 40 posts in 16 months. Most of them come in groups when i actually get around to getting online. That's around an average of .08 posts a day. Not that much.

Neamhshuntasach

Okay i was a bit harsh on citicizing and branding everyone who brings a lap top with them. I was just p1ssed off that night because i was sitting in a hostel in Singapore for the 3rd consecutive night where people are just sitting with laptops. You sit beside them and their eyes barely peer over the screen to answer back. And it hasn't just been there. It's been right through Latin America. It's the whole anti social aspect i hate of it and unfortunately over a few years of traveling in total i have noticed a trend. That a lot of people with laptops tend to sit around during the day and then at night too on laptops whether it's looking up god knows what for hours on the net, watching a pirated dvd they picked up, or calling someone. Yeah i love to look up crap on the net and watch stuff just as much as the next person. But if you are going to sit in a common area or social area it would be nice to use it for that reason. And it's not that i'm sitting on my own all the time. You could be with one or two other people and just wonder how better the atmosphere would be if people logged off and communicated the old fashion way.

well TheEntrepreneur if you like ignoring social people who try strike up conversations with people in common areas in hostels then i guess you are the exact person i'm referring to who uses a laptop when traveling.

Understand that not everyone has to talk to you. People can do what they want.

Personally, people like you annoy me. I'm more social than anyone but there is a difference between being social and downright annoying.

youcancallmeal

Been travelling with my laptop for the last 7 months and it has been probably the best thing I brought with me. Its funny too because I was agnosing for ages before I left whether I should bring it or not. Its a 12" so not too heavy, altogether with the charger its about 2 kilos. I have a little foam slip-on protective cover for it and then I put it in a small backpack which is separate to my main backpack. I usually then take it with me on buses, planes, boats etc so I can keep an eye on it. In fact all my valuables are in my small bag so that way if somebody ever did decide to have a root through my big backpack then all they are gonna get is dirty/old clothes!

Other stuff its been handy for is backing up photos, watching films, listening to music, skype calls home and just generally taking advantage of free wi-fi when its available. As for it being anti-social I've actually found it to be the opposite. Many a time I've had 10+ strangers sitting around looking at photos of places they are planning on going or even as happened in NZ everyone watching each others skydive/bungy videos. Oh yeah another thing thats been handy is swapping films/tv series with people which has been a life saver on those dull nights when theres nothing to but watch something! I could go on more but I'm just rambling now.

I'm with ya Al!

Firetrap

I took a little netbook with me a while ago and it was great. It's only 10" so it fitted nicely into a bag and didn't weigh a lot. I guess if you do bring one, make sure there's no personal information on it just in case and if you do download digital photos to it, have them backed up somewhere else. Common sense really.

macca1983

Definitely bring one! I just spent 6 months travelling and the world and it appears everyone has them with them these days.

Buy a crappy refurbished one off laptopsdirect.ie for about 150 Euro and even if it stolen then 150 won't break the bank.

nice1franko

I spent a year travelling and brought my one. It was a Godsend I tell ya. Aswell as the obvious (movies, music), could type up emails and send them whenever we got to a net connection, had a great spreadsheet for the funds, backed up photos, played a little bit of poker etc. Mine was a 13". Light enough but the battery was heavy and only held a charge for about 20 minutes so didn't even bring it. My gf thought I was a nerd for bringing it but she admitted not long in that it was a great thing to have. People used to ask for a loan of it to watch films and all too.

You can't be out on the gargle 356 nights of the year.

Plus, if you run out of cash you can always flog it.