Worth taking a laptop?

I've thought about bringing mine on a number of occasions, but except for lugging it around on domestic trips I probably won't do it unless the destination is in the "developed" world. Apart from being psyched up about it getting stolen (and thus risk losing a considerable amount of documents and programs you do not have properly backed up) I think there is a much greater risk it may be damaged through careless handling or contact with the elements. Then there is the fact you point out that it is an extremely bulky item to lug around, especially if it happens to be in a tropical climate. I am also concerned that I may lazily turn to the computer for company if I end up in a somewhat less attractive place, ending up playing Civ III at the hotel room wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I went...

Bring a notebook and a pencil and you have the tools you need for taking notes and capturing thoughts that crop up in a crowded long distance bus or a dirty and damp tent. Although I haven't converted to digital photography just yet, I can see a laptop useful for burning cds to archive photos as you go along, but perhaps you can make use of internet cafés, hotel business centres or simply bring a lot of memory cards for that purpose. Reply to this

We always travel with a laptop when we travel within US. We take a lot of snaps and the camera soon runs out of memory. A laptop comes in handy. The most scary place was Hawaii(heard of lots of thefts), but we did not have a problem; or were we lucky?

We feel worried and anxious abt it, but its worth it. We would not have so many snaps, if not for our laptop.
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I agree with Ali - not least because I travel for long stretches (tomorrow I start a year-long trip), and a laptop makes my job infinitely easier. If you're just traveling for a few weeks, you could get by without it; after all, there aren't many places left on or near the beaten track that aren't fully wired. (Internet cafes really pop up in the darnedest places!) You can email friends, call home on Skype, transfer pics to your Snapfish account, burn CDs to backup your memory card, etc. It certainly eliminates the anxiety of, say, getting on a bus in Central America after sundown, knowing you've got two grand worth of electronics in your bag.

But apart from the odd sticky situation, I think most travellers can take enough precautions to avoid worst-case scenarios. (I just picked up a Pac-Safe of my own; those things are incredible!) Pens and pads work just fine, but when you're working remotely, it adds a lot of time to your workday if you're writing things out by hand, then typing them up/emailing them from an Internet cafe. I wouldn't leave home without my laptop, but if it's going to be a source of constant anxiety, you should probably leave yours behind.

Chris
Travel better. Travel Gator.

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I don't like having the extra weight on me, and tend to leave it at home if I'm just going away for a week or something... if I was going away for a month or more, I would def. bring it along...but I can certainly live without it for a small holiday....I'll be too caught up in exploring anyway! 😊 Reply to this

I agree with Ali's comments above.

I took my laptop through Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala and Uganda without any problems. I use a Packard Bell Easynote which is smaller (and hence lighter) than the average.

Advantages:
- My memory stick from my camera can be plugged straight into the laptop so I can download my photos.
- I can edit my photos using various software (photoshop, picasa from Google, or Microsoft Office Picture Manager).
- Most internet cafes will let you plug your laptop onto their internet.
- You can write your travelblogs
- You can use WIFI (wireless hotspots) sites
- You can watch DVDs
- You can store lots of music
- If you have access to an internet connection you can email or use the likes of Yahoo Messenger or even phone home free (as I did from Uganda)
I could go on!
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