I have a confession to make. I am (going to be) part of the movement of budget-travelers, called ‘Flashpackers’.
Flashpackers are those people in the middle of the hostel who whip out their laptop whilst drinking a latte, or that guy who’s at the Great Ocean Bight trying to get signal on his iPhone so he can tweet how amazing the 12 Apostles are in-real life.
It appears that flashpackers are generally put into two categories – the 30-to-40-year-olds who need a break from their careers and have saved up a decent sum of money to travel in-style or the university student aged teen who seems to travel with more technology than clothes!
My definition of flash packing combines the two terms.
Flashpacker noun : used to describe a person who travels with an excessive amount of technology to not only record their own experiences but share them with friends, family, the world… Commonly used objects include smartphones (iPhones/blackberries), laptop/netbook, cameras (DSLR, high-end point&shoot…), and video recorders. Often found trying to pick up Wi-Fi signal through the country of travel.
Seeing as I have only 30-days until I head off on my trip, I’ve started to buy bits and pieces I will need and they are quickly mounting up fast. It’s surprising when working out the sheer amount of technology I want/need/have convinced myself I want to bring. This is my flashpackers list so far:
Please take into consideration that I will be working as a radio specialist at a Summer Camp as well as that I am a journalism student keen to expand on my skills whilst away. 🙂
Travel Bug FlashPacker List
- MacBook Pro + extra battery/mouse
- DSLR Camera (unsure if I will be bringing mine from home or if purchasing one in the US (come on Aussie dollar! Catch up to the US dollar!!!) + extra batteries
- Point-and Shoot Camera + extra battery
- Cam-corder + extra battery (for video posts!)
- iPhone
- Spare unlocked phone (for International sim cards)
- 2x Spare SD card
- External Hard-drive
- Apple Adaptor Kit (for iPhone and MacBook)
- General adaptors (US/UK/EU – for other electronics)
- Tripod
That’s a lot of gear for not really much! (and I have a feeling I’ve missed things off the list.)
So, is all of this gear really necessary? Is there a way I can cut it out? I mean, I could use my Point-and-Shoot or DSLR as a vide recorder, but it doesn’t have the same quality. Or I could use my Video-camera as a point-and-shoot camera, but its doesn’t have the flexibility.
I actually believe that I will find a use for all of these pieces of equipment + more that I plan on buying along the way (my eyes are set on a decent flash and a new lens for my DSLR).
What do you usually travel with? Are there any gear recommendations or gear I could ditch?
This series of posts will be updated when new information is available.
(Last Updated: 31/05/10)
![Did you know there was a time when Sri Lanka was the largest coffee growing country in the world?
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Tea growers were considered a little bit crazy, but after a coffee fungus outbreak wiped out the entire industry in 1860, people began to make the switch to tea. 🌱
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While visiting HolyRood Estate, co-owned by Dilmah, I had the opportunity to meet just a couple of the thousands of people across Sri Lanka helping deliver tea to our cups. ☕️ .
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While I didn’t speak her language, and she didn’t speak - or was to shy to speak - mine, we communicated in gestures as she showed me the correct way to pick tea leaves... and laughing when I tried (and failed). 😬
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Sri Lanka’s sips are seeped in history. Take a look at life on one of the country’s most well-known tea plantations in my latest blog post.
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[The link is in the bio!]
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| #NuwaraEliya #SriLanka #Asia |](http://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/0fcb7f3b361010b82f5fc5ea1ff3c8f0/5CB0AAC7/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/45303406_795878820747695_5143767138708581195_n.jpg "Did you know there was a time when Sri Lanka was the largest coffee growing country in the world?
.
Tea growers were considered a little bit crazy, but after a coffee fungus outbreak wiped out the entire industry in 1860, people began to make the switch to tea. 🌱
.
While visiting HolyRood Estate, co-owned by Dilmah, I had the opportunity to meet just a couple of the thousands of people across Sri Lanka helping deliver tea to our cups. ☕️ .
.
While I didn’t speak her language, and she didn’t speak - or was to shy to speak - mine, we communicated in gestures as she showed me the correct way to pick tea leaves... and laughing when I tried (and failed). 😬
.
Sri Lanka’s sips are seeped in history. Take a look at life on one of the country’s most well-known tea plantations in my latest blog post.
.
[The link is in the bio!]
.
| #NuwaraEliya #SriLanka #Asia |")
5 Comments
go holiday
July 11, 2010 at 7:55 amsearched everywhere to findpost about to this field….. I salute you
Jack Wilson
October 21, 2010 at 5:11 pmAwesome work here!
Regan Lick
October 25, 2010 at 1:03 amMost an interesting article and reader comments that you have here. I would point out that other people may make a varying angle, particularly in terms of travel tips. Has anyone here run across good related ideas on the Web, and will you point me in that direction?
denis
June 18, 2011 at 10:33 pmembrace it!! flashpacking is here to stay, live it and love it
loved the post!
Omer Berlacher
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