“Less is more” is a great outlook and credo for many things, but when it comes to travelling with devices, for me, more is more. Like on my recent trip to Paris. Perhaps I didn’t need my Kindle AND iPad Mini, but since I left my Kindle on the plane somewhere on a Charles de Gaulle runway, without my iPad Mini, I would not have had access to my Kindle books, aside from on my smartphone, which isn’t much fun. Yes, you might say that I shouldn’t have left my Kindle on flight AF0096 in the first place, but that’s not the point, or at least, let’s not focus on that.
What’s important for me is that I travel with enough devices to quell any anxiety about connectivity, power, entertainment and fitness tracking, which is why I generally take the following when I travel:
Connectivity:
- Macbook Pro
- Two iPhones: one with my South African SIM card, one with my overseas SIM card
- iPad Mini (when travelling locally, I will likely take my iPad)
Power:
- Chargers, cables, converter and two-pin plugs
- YooBao mobile charger: I borrowed this from my friend Phillip and I will definitely buy my own. When your battery is low, you simply pop your device in there via a cable. It’s heavy’ish, but compact and really useful.
Entertainment:
- Kindle
- iPod
Fitness tracking:
- Nike TomTom (or Garmin, depending on the distance I’m likely to be running – I take the Garmin for longer distances)
- Nike Fuelband
- Garmin VivoFit
A quick note: Usually I would take the FitBit but mine is not working and will be replaced soon. Why do I “need” so many fitness bands? Well, they each serve a different purpose, and each has its own advantages that I might not get from the other device. FOMO much?
Other:
- gHD hair straightener: To prevent worse-hair days.
- Flash drives: there are usually a few floating in my handbag, and they often come in handy.
Here are some gadget travel tips you may find useful:
- If you’re travelling overseas, Google what type of plugs are used in your destination country and make sure you get a converter before you leave. This way, when you arrive, you’re sorted. You can also buy these from the airport, but they’re usually a little more expensive.
- If you can get a SIM card before you leave for an international destination, do it. I ordered a SIM from Orange before my Paris trip, so that when I arrived, I didn’t have to find an outlet, battle with the language, or, gasp, revert to data roaming, or lack of connectivity.
- Take enough chargers – consider all your devices and what types of cables they require.
- Carry a phone charger in your handbag, and plug converter. You will usually be able to charge your phone during the day at coffee shops and restaurants. I would daily stop at Starbucks for a recharge, free Wi-Fi session and bathroom break.
Note: The only thing “missing” from my gadget list on my Paris trip was my Afrihost mifi (not relevant for overseas), and my Canon D500 camera. I had internal debates about whether to take a DSLR or not, but realised
a) I didn’t want to look like a tourist (which I clearly was),
b) I didn’t want something else to carry, and
c) My smartphones would serve the purpose
