Technology marches forward every day. A device that was a “must-have” last year is a relic today. I’ve shown what tech I used to bring with me, so I thought it would be interesting to see “what’s in my bag” when I go on a trip nowadays.
I’ll start out by saying that while I’d like to have the newest technology, I hardly ever do. If something works for me, I’m gonna keep using it. Case in point, I wrote this article on a 2011 version MacBook Air. When the battery stopped holding a charge, I replaced it…all it took was a $70 kit from Amazon and 15 minutes to install. At the same time, I also clean installed High Sierra OS. This computer is as up-to-date as it’s ever going to be. I’m sure Apple would have preferred if I bought a new one but this works just fine to write articles when we’re traveling, thank you very much.
I don’t bring as many devices as I used to because nowadays each item can perform multiple functions. Back in the day, I traveled with a camcorder, camera, MP3 player, laptop computer (that also played DVDs) and a phone. I also brought books, magazines and work-related materials. That’s a lot of stuff to carry around.
To compare, here’s a list of what I currently have in my backpack. I finally retired my old Targus backpack in 2019 in favor of a new Pacsafe backback. (I told you I don’t get rid of things if they still work):
Yep, this is me with the same backpack traveling in Japan in 2005.
MacBook Air – The need for having this is work-related. I could do most things I needed to accomplish online with just my iPhone or iPad, but it’s much easier to write articles for the blog using a real computer. I tried to use an iPad Pro as my new mobile computer but it didn’t go well.
iPhone – This is the one device that’s transformed the way I travel. It’s my camera (still and video), calendar/planner, music player, GPS, email reader, web browser, newsreader, financial organizer, payment device (for Starbucks and Apple Pay), map and alarm clock. Oh, and it’s also my phone.
Bose QuietComfort 25 Headphones – These are my saving grace when I fly. I originally used a set of Bose in-ear noise-canceling headphones but when I first used these headphones on a plane, it was a revelation. They block out most of the white noise and my music blocks out the rest. I still found that they let some noise in and my ears started to hurt after wearing them for several hours, so I bought the over-the-ear model, which came highly recommended. I’ve kept using the wired version even after Apple tried making them obsolete.
iPad – If the iPhone is my organizer, then the iPad is my entertainment center. I can store entire seasons of TV shows on it. In fact, I just put all of Book of Boba Fett on there along with a few episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000. My iPad is also my personal library and I have several books I keep on there that I’ll eventually finish reading.
Final Thoughts
That’s it. Really. I couldn’t believe it myself. Just 4 things and I can do pretty much anything I want. I suppose I could get a brand new DSLR camera but it would totally be a waste when all I am doing is taking pictures for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
I’m sure everyone tailors their tech to meet their own personality and needs. Besides the new backpack, my list hasn’t changed in several years. I’m eventually going to break down and get a new laptop but can’t decide if I’ll stick with Apple or not.
I’m curious to know what everyone else brings with them. Do I bring too much, not enough, or am I somewhere in the middle?
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