Back in 2017 I wrote up a piece about the tech I carry with me when traveling. After reading it again now in 2020 I realise much of this tech has long passed by me, not to mention the lack of travel at the moment due to the covid-19 pandemic. So with nothing much better to do while trapped inside, I am writing this to show off the tech I use on a daily basis in 2020. You can read the original post from 2017 over here.
Phone
I never leave home without my mobile phone, and this has worked well for me over the years as my primary source of access to the internet as well as my point and shoot camera. The iPhone 11 Pro has made this even better with a truly awesome camera for both day and night shots. Still not great for anything long distance but it’s a small sacrifice over carrying a larger camera. The shots it takes have left me in awe after seeing what the older iPhones could produce.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro in Midnight Green
Here’s some night shots I took to test it out when I first got the iPhone 11 Pro. These is of Rhodes in Sydney’s inner west looking across the Parramatta River from Wentworth Point.
Needless to say I still only use my phone for photos when traveling and am still happy with the output. You can see in my posts over the years the progression of iPhones. Fiji in 2015 with an iPhone 6S and New Zealand in 2015 with an iPhone 6 and Kuala Lumpur with an iPhone 7 or Sydney CBD in 2018 with an iPhone X.
My phone is also my wallet, I use Apple Pay for everything in Australia and even use it for my digital drivers licence. Overseas trips vary depending if they’re geared towards cash or card and then again if it’s primarily contactless. You can read all about my phone being my wallet over here. I rarely use a wallet at the best of times and hardly find it useful having a wallet full of Australian cards etc when overseas.
Laptop
I have 2 laptops (yeah yeah) but only one I generally leave the house with. I have a 2019 Apple 13″ Macbook Pro which I use at home and it’s normally docked to my desk and some external monitors.
I also have a 2016 Apple 12″ Macbook which lives in my backpack and this comes everywhere with me. At 0.92kg of weight you can barely tell it’s in your backpack and while not the most powerful laptop ever built it works well as a travel companion. Many of the stories on this website have been written up in a cafe somewhere.
I also own an iPad but I rarely use it for anything more than reading books on the recliner at home, it rarely leaves the house.
Camera
I still have the same point and shoot that I did in 2017, a Canon SX60HS. It’s mostly used for my planes potting adventures and I don’t often take it traveling anywhere unless I am driving and then it’s not so much trouble to carry around. I am no photographer so I feel like a bit of a fraud if I open up the tripod to take a video or shot of something. It is quite good for long distance shots as long as you can keep it still so it does beat the iPhone in that regard.
Cables Cables Cables
This hasn’t changed. I have the smallest selection of cables that I take anywhere it makes me laugh when people talk about dongles and mountains of cables. I’d be happy if everything charged off one type of adapter which unfortunately just isn’t the case yet. I have 3 cables for my Apple devices, USB-C for the Macbook, Lightning for the iPhone and the Apple Watch charger. Besides that I carry a no name battery to keep my phone charged up if I need to. The iPhone 11 Pro has really good battery life but the iPhone X wasn’t as flash and my trip in 2019 to Manila and Singapore left me low on battery a lot of times especially in Singapore where I spent a lot of time away from the hotel room.
All in all my collection of cables / adapters and what not takes up a tiny little pocket in my backpack and weighs in at almost nothing so it’s hardly a hassle to carry.
What Do You Travel With?
I’d love to hear in the comments below what tech you use on a daily basis and especially what you take with you when you travel.