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10 Travel Tips for Geeks
24/11/2006 By Sam Phillips, Technology Editor, On The Beach Holidays

Let’s face it, it sucked being a geek at school, but we’ve all grown up now and it’s making us some money and getting us some kudos. Emphasis on the word “some”! Nevertheless, we can wear the word “geek” as a badge of honour, and we can rejoice in the status that geek-dom brings. But we’re weak, fundamentally. We need our fix of geek things, and for us travel can pose problems. It’s one thing being cut off at home, but quite another being in a foreign country, or in/over international waters, with no phone, computer or net access. I know this pain well; here are my top travel tips for geeks like you and me, in clichéd and/or awkwardly-paraphrased quotation format.

1. Never Say Never. Emirates recently announced an in-air mobile phone service. Internet access on planes is growing, albeit slowly and with setbacks. Nevertheless, throughout the tourism industry, there are facilities for the technophile, so don’t simply assume that your gadgets will be useless as soon as it runs out of good old, home-grown electricity. Bring whatever you can carry!
2. Steal this Electricity! There are plenty of ways to keep your laptop, iPod, camera or whatever charged while in foreign lands. Many cafés and hotels will happily let you charge up, and if they aren’t happy to, you can always just sneak a quick charge. Just don’t unplug anything important – the staff of Starbucks Madrid might notice when the espresso machine stops working. Perhaps.
3. Don’t Try to Fit a Square Peg into a Round Hole. It seems like an obvious one, but remember that foreign people have all sorts of crazy ideas about how to provide electricity and design its outlets. Take a universal travel adapter wherever you go, it may be the difference between listening to your iPod on the beach and listening to German people on the beach.
4. The “U” In USB stands for “Universal”. Taking a camera? Take a memory card reader too – most internet cafés will let you plug in a USB device, and the reader will involve a lot less setup than the camera itself. Not to mention, you’ll probably find some sort of net access for your laptop. Upload photos to your blog or email them to friends and family. It’s the 21st century version of Dad’s three hour holiday slideshow; it’s your duty to share.
5. Know Your Enemy. Hit the net hard, ring who you need to ring, and make sure you know about connectivity black spots on your holiday before you leave. If you know when you’ll be dead to the world, you can make sure you remember to fire off those important emails and make those crucial calls before you venture into the jungle.
6. Trust not Insurance Companies. I’m not an economics “expert”, but I’m pretty sure the basis of the insurance industry isn’t paying people money, but rather not paying people money. Check that any high-value technology items are covered by your travel insurance, including the times at which they may be designated as “hand luggage”, during your flights. If you’re stuff isn’t covered, upgrade your cover.
7. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Laptop. Talking of hand luggage, if you want to take your laptop on board, make sure you check that you can do so before you travel. Airlines and Governments have seemingly constantly-changing rules for security and weight, especially on transatlantic flights, so it’s best to check in advance to avoid disappointment.
8. Batten Down the Hatches. If you’re out for the day and you don’t fancy fitting your favourite gadgets into your rucksack, march them instead in the direction of a safe – either in your room, or the general hotel facility. If you’re using unsecured wi-fi, make sure you don’t send sensitive information over the connection.
9. Wherever I May Roam. Using your mobile phone abroad can be a tricky proposition, so check in advance with your provider what they will charge you for that crucial call to the office. Some networks will offer you lower roaming costs if you pay an upfront charge, which is often minimal.
10. Sun block, not suntan. My last tip may be superfluous, but I make it because we geeks are misunderstood so often, and well-meaning friends and relatives forget that many of us don’t tan. If you don’t want to return from your holiday looking like a crustacean from a Disney film, pack up some serious factor sun block.

Oh, and somebody suggested to me that maybe a holiday should involve cutting yourself off from technology and enjoying a kind of relaxed respite from the modern world. I told her this was crazy talk. Happy holidays!

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