I’m not one to travel with many gadgets. As I’ve talked about before, both my phone and my laptop have seen better days. And those better days were back in 2010.
But there are some gadgets that I don’t mind spending my money on. The ones that actually do need updating regularly, or simply those that I just couldn’t travel without. The ones that make travel days and differing accommodation easier to handle. Here are my travel gadget essentials for every trip I take, long or short.
Mini Surge Protector
Before we set off on our trip, I never would have known how useful this thing would be. Not only does it protect you from blowing up sockets with electronics that have a different voltage to the country you’re visiting (trust me, we’ve had that happen before), but it also allows you to plug several gadgets into one plug without needed to use up every socket in the hostel room or coffee shop. Your wallet will thank you, and so will your fellow dorm mates or digital nomads.
Travel Adaptor
Which leads me on to a universal travel adaptor. Basically, you can’t travel without one of these, so it’s a must-buy gadget. I used to travel with several separate, individual adaptors for each country, but then I realised how fiddly that was, especially when they would get lost. Now I travel with two multi-country adaptors, which means I never have to worry about plugging my electronics in wherever I go. I even still have to use them when I’m at home now, as I live in Europe and several of my electronics are from the UK or US.
DSLR and point and shoot
I love my Nikon DSLR for the range of great shooting options it provides, but I do find it a bit bulky to travel with all the time or to use for filming quick videos. I also worry about it getting stolen or broken if I have to carry it with me for long periods of time. So, for quick day trips / meals out or for filming, I tend to take a small point and shoot with me (I use a Panasonic Lumix). It’s less obtrusive, doesn’t make me look as much like a tourist and I don’t mind about getting a few scrapes on it.
Portable speaker
I already mentioned this on my list of essential RTW items, but I really do think a speaker is invaluable, especially if, like us, you watch a lot of TV and movies on your laptop when travelling. You can also plug it into your iPod or phone to listen to music or podcasts while you’re getting ready.
Kindle
I love reading, particularly on long bus journeys (of which we’ve had many over the last 3 years). But I’m not about to start picking up paperbacks wherever I go and then lug them around with me. And that’s if you can even find paperbacks in your own language wherever you are. The great thing about most of the Kindles is that they come with free built in 3G/WiFi access, meaning that if you’re on a bus and REALLY need to check your email (or the hockey scores, *cough cough* Scott), then you can.
Good set of headphones
I’ve been stung by dollar store headphones many times in the past. I’ve even bought mid-range headphones that I thought were good quality, only to have the rubber or plastic break or perish after a few months. When I’m on a plane or a bus, I really like noise-cancelling headphones to help me get off to sleep, and although I can’t afford the lovely Bose ones I got when I flew Business Class, I decided that I should still invest in some decent quality ones for once that should hopefully last me for a few years.
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