Travel Gadgets
What gadgets should I bring with me when traveling?
The thing about traveling is there's no shortage of gadgets that you can bring along with you. But for myself, I like to travel light. But one of the things I really like are those portable GPS units, particularly if you're traveling to Europe, because they're so small now and you can download software for the European cities where you can be walking around the streets of Paris and it can lead you right to the Louvre Museum or to a really neat restaurant. So that's really kind of a really cool way of getting around while you're walking. Another thing that I like to have is a nice music player, MP3 player, because if you're on the plane it's nice to listen to the music or if you're even walking in the city, it's kind of relaxing to have the music with you. Some of the other things I think can be important, depending on the trip, is maybe to have a flashlight. Sometimes the electricity can go out in some hotels, and it's good to have a flashlight handy. And the other things that you can bring along is maybe a currency converter, a calculator, they have little calculators that will convert the currency for you so you'll have that real quickly. And also, there's also gadgets that will also help you with the language, that will give you some phrases to say at a restaurant. So it really kind of depends on what you think you really need but there certainly are some really cool gadgets you can bring along.
Should I bring my laptop on vacation?
Deciding whether to take your laptop when you are travelling depends on the type of activity that you are going to use your computer for. If you are just going to check your emails on the computer or going to log on to the internet then you probably do not need a laptop. Because most hotels, a lot of airport lounges have computer internet access and you can rely on them and also there are lots internet cafes in the cities and most of the people surf on their cell phones. You need to see that your cell phone can do that when you are travelling internationally. If you are traveller and you are travelling for business and you need to communicate back and forth to with your office, then it makes sense to carry your laptop on vacation.
What is an 'international electrical adapter'?
An international electrical adapter allows you to use your own electrical equipment while you're travelling in an international destination, because many countries operate on a different voltage level than we do here in the U.S. What it allows you to do is plug in your cell phone and plug in your hair dryer. But basically a lot of hotels these days actually offer them in the rooms. If you don't see one in your room, just call down to the front desk. They'll usually bring one up for you at no charge.
What is a 'GPS' system?
It's basically a Global Positioning Satellite system. And what it does is it gives you real-time data of where you are. It reads satellites from space and tells you exactly where you are. And what's really neat about it is, say if you're driving in Europe, and you're in small streets in Italy, it tells you exactly where to go, how to get there, and it saves you from driving in circles. It's something I rely on a lot these days.
Should I rent a phone for my vacation abroad?
A lot of people will rent what's called an international cell phone, or a GSM type of cell phone and that will allow them to make calls while they're travelling internationally. And something that's nice about that is that they have one phone that they can use during their entire trip, and also they can give that number to co-workers, friends and family, so in case that those people need to contact them, they have a nice, convenient way of contacting them.
What is a 'satellite phone'?
A satellite phone is a phone that works anywhere in the world, because it works off of satellite signals instead of cellular towers. It's a very nice tool to have. However, it can be very costly. In most instances, for most average travellers, a global satellite phone is really not necessary. I think that they can rely on their cell phone or, if they need to, renting an international cell phone.
What is an 'international calling card'?
An international calling card is a card that you can buy in most countries, and what it allows you to do is, maybe you'll put 5 dollars onto it, or 10 dollars. So we'll give you that much money in credit, and basically you dial what is equivalent to an 800 number, and you can make your calls and it will be charged to that card. So it's a way of pre-paying for your calls. Sometimes it's a little bit more expensive per minute, on a per minute basis, but it's a very convenient way of maintaining your costs and making calls while you're traveling.
Should I travel with an alarm clock?
Now, whether or not you travel with a personal travel alarm clock is really a matter of personal preference, because there are some people who want that extra layer of security. Basically, a lot of times your hotel room will have some sort of alarm clock, and then there's also the ability to call for a wakeup call. Another thing to think about, is a lot of times, your cell phone will have some sort of alarm clock in it, as well. So I think it comes down to your level of personal preference, in which you're most comfortable with.
What is a 'water purifier'?
Water Purifier is a device that you can run raw water through, and what it will do is take out the pollutants, and it will purify the water, Water Purifier will actually make it in a drinkable state that's a little more healthier for you than just drinking the raw water. I think that the best use for water purifier, is when you're traveling more on an outdoor adventure, maybe when you're going to do a lot of hiking, or you're going to be away from buildings, away from hotels, away from the accessibility of bottled water. Because, a lot of times having bottled water is going to be cleaner and a little more convenient. But, if you're away from that, you want to make sure you have a water purifier to maintain a good, decent quality, level of water.
What are the dangers of foreign water?
Some of the dangers of drinking foreign waters is that they tend to have a higher level of bacteria. What that does is that can give you sub-symptoms like diarrhoea, and can give you flu-like symptoms. What you want to do is try to stick to bottled water that's going to be a little bit cleaner and easier for your body to take.
