These days technology is so a part of our daily lives, it only makes sense we travel with our favourite devices. It’s important to stay connected with people we love and it’s always fun to keep documentation of our favourite travel escapades on camera and share them through social media. We also need to pass the time on long journeys, and what better way than through music and books.


E-reader
This can be a Kindle, which by far is the most popular, but doesn’t have to be. As long as you can access Wi-Fi you can add more books as you go, but it’s best to download them before a trip. They are small files that hardly take up any space. For long bus rides and sunny beach days, having an e-reader is the perfect way to pass the time. Some great travel books to download are Wild, Eat Pray Love, On the Road, and Into the Wild, but also try to download some that are set in the place you’re travelling. It saves so much space not packing books, and the battery lasts about 7 hours.


Smartphone
If you’re not travelling with a smartphone yet, you’re really missing out on a life-changing travel experience. Don’t believe me? Think of all the times you spent lost while driving, had a taxi driver take you to the wrong place, were unsure where you were going to stay or needed the phone number for a hotel. You can easily fix all these basic problems with a smartphone. They are very user-friendly and even without a SIM card (or a phone number for Americans), you can access the Wi-Fi over the phone and be online.


Camera
If you’ve never bought a camera for travel, there’s no point in running out and buying a big DSLR you don’t know how to use just because you’re going on vacation. Better, get a point and shoot camera that is affordable and has great functions. I love the ones by Canon and Nikon. Now, if you’re tight on space, you can use your smartphone. Most have great cameras now. It won’t be as clear or have a good zoom like a point and shoot and isn’t the best replacement.





World travel adapter
You can’t go abroad without one. It’s so important to buy one that is the correct current as some are only for items like hairdryers and curling irons. Instead of small ones to take to each place, go for the one time buy of a world adapter you can use anywhere. You’ll never accidentally bring the wrong one that way.


Portable charger
By far the coolest thing to take along, some can power up to 4 smartphones 4-5 times faster than plugging them into an outlet in one charge. Take it on the go and keep all your gadgets charged to full. I know people have concerns about packing their favourite (expensive) electronics. It’s right to be a little cautious and take extra care in keeping them safe on the road. There are items like Pacsafe which can lock your items up in rooms that don’t have a safe, but in most instances you can use a hotel safe and be okay. If you are travelling in dorms, it’s best to take your own padlock rather than trust the one in the hostel. While on night trains and buses, keep your electronics close to you in a small backpack that you can hug while you sleep. Unless they are locked safely, you shouldn’t let them out of your sight!