Laptop Travel Lifestyle

This has become my 'tool of the trade' for 2007. I purchased the computer November 2006.

Mac and I got off to a very rocky start. Within three weeks the computer broke down with a defective hard drive. I was puzzled that the computer had a scratch on it when I purchased it and was given $30.00 off for the blemish. When I took the computer in on warranty I discovered that this was the second time the hard drive had failed on that machine. I had purchased a 'repack' that had been returned on warranty prior to my purchase. I was upset for not having been told I'd purchased a used computer and to make good the store gave me a new one off the shelf as a replacement.

Six weeks later the new computer died. I took it back in. This time they sent it across Canada for warranty repairs. It was gone for nearly eight weeks. When it finally returned I discovered the hard drive had failed and the logic board had suffered a meltdown.

Three hard drives and one logic board failure behind me; what do I think of the new Core 2 MacBook? It's great! It's a relatively quick performer, faster than my previous Acer Ferrari gaming/graphics machine. I switched to Mac because of the new Intel processor and Parallels. Parallels Desktop enables me to run Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux as well as Mac OSX Tiger... all at the same time, if I like, but that's slow. It needed a RAM upgrade from 1GB to 2GB to make the MacBook perform well enough for the demands of two operating systems at once.

Two of my streams of income are web design and blogging. I like having all major platforms readily available for testing my websites and those of clients. Plus I'm able to use all my old Windows XP software. Way to go Apple, making the move to Intel!!!

I carry an external firewire drive along, for backups, but the 120GB internal drive's increased storage is welcome. I also went with .Mac for a year. I backup all of my data to the external hard drive automatically every night with .Mac's Backup.

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I recently picked up the Booq Python XM System for my MacBook. Amazing! It's the sturdiest, most well thought out accessory I've ever used so far.

The bag has many pockets for all of the my MacBook's accessories as well as my iPod, digital camera and lenses, lunch, water bottle, spare jacket and just about anything else I can think of for a day's excursion. It's not bulky and even when it's stuffed with heavy items it carries with ease.

 

Click here to see the open bag image

Find out more about the Booq Python XM bags

About eight months ago I purchased the acomdata E5 HybridDrive hard drive for my backups. It's a 500gb USB 2.0 external hard drive. It's been a great addition to my travel computer system.

To keep it safe during my travels I use an Outdoor Research padded water bottle 'parka', made to insulate the wide mouth Nalgene water bottles in freezing temperatures when hiking. The drive fits in it with room for the power supply and USB cable.

The drive comes with backup software and 128 bit encryption for password protection of your files. I like the 'Mac' styling, but you can use it equally well with your PC laptop.

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More info on the acomdata E5 HybridDrive hard drive

For extended trips I've been using the Swiss Army series of bags for the past two years. They have been very durable and they didn't break the bank. I have two sizes: a carry-on I stow my personal care products and enough clothes to last me for a few days in and a mobile office laptop carry-on.

There are plenty of pockets to keep personal care items, shoes and clothing separate in the one, and laptop and accessories secured and protected in the other.

I've dragged them down miles of sidewalks, through crowded airport terminals and even through gravel and the wheels still spin well. The plastic bumpers have protected the fabric faithfully through many drags up onto the curb. The bags have bounced about in the back of pick-up trucks in Yukon and Canada's arctic, and have been squashed under miscellaneous rubbish, snowmobiles, gerry cans and what not in the lugguage compartments and interiors of Twin Otters.

They still look almost brand new and I'm very pleased. For shorter excursions I take my Lululemon Cruiser pack.

 

Traveling Light

I recently purchased the Lululemon Cruiser Backpack. I've tried several other packs along the way, but this one is my fave. It's waterproof! The pockets are well thought out and clearly labeled with color-coded raised icons and zipper tags. Thirteen pockets hold my Bluetooth headset, cell phone, PDA/GPS, iPod , laptop computer, CD/DVDs, digital camera, wallet, keys, sunglasses, various chargers, and more... Wearing t-shirts and jeans, there's room for two full changes of clothes (plus the ones on my back). It's very well made and has been tested with weights up to 50 pounds.

Rolf Potts in his book "Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel" suggests carrying only a single small pack. I've gone on a significant luggage reduction and am traveling much lighter these days. This pack is the perfect carry-on.

It comes in green and charcoal grey.

You might also like to read Ross' post on Matador Travel: Traveling around the world with your laptop: not as tricky as you'd think. I think this waterproof pack, with lots of pockets, may be the perfect solution.

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