What equipment do you travel with?
We left the U.S. with: one laptop – a MacBook Air, one iPod Nano, one 2Tb external drive, one iPad Mini for Tammy and another for Mali and a small JawBone speaker. Earbuds for everyone and a splitter to share music. When we decided to launch two businesses, we increased our technology to include a MacBook Pro, another external drive, and a bluetooth headset for Tammy. Our new Mac has an English/Greek keyboard! We do not have a cell phone, cell plan, or GPS. We also have a dedicated backpack and cases for just about everything to protect them on the road. We have two sets of binoculars and two small cameras: the Sony Cybershot RX100 is our primary camera with an older Sony Cybershot model as backup.
How do you get internet?
We are at the mercy of either free or paid connections at campgrounds, cafes, or other public places. While the speed hasn’t always been fast or efficient, it has allowed us to stay connected.
How do you get along without a GPS or cell phone?
We are actually fine traveling without a GPS: our approach to navigation may seem old-school, but we like it! Traveling without a cell phone has only been an issue when we’re trying to secure something on-line such as AirBnb (won’t let us register without a cell phone confirmation) or when a banking issue came up. We use Skype now for most all our calls out.
Is there anything you brought you don’t use or anything you wish you had?
We use most of the technology we have except for our back-up camera and one pair of binoculars. The only addition we wish we had and are considering is a wi-fi booster and maybe solar panels
How has travel changed for you with the addition of technology?
We travelled for 14 months through the South Pacific and Asia in the early 1990s and contact with our family and friends was sporadic at best. Postcards and letters snail mail, and picking up mail at designated American Express offices and Post Restaunt. Later that same decade, sister Erica traveled through Asia and stayed in contact via email. We’re connected to friends and family via Facebook and Skype and email: the world feels smaller when you have easy access to those you love.