Here’s another post from the “misc” series. This one is basically about how to stay connected and do navigation.

First of all, I think it was a good choice to carry a computer that weighed only a little more than 2 pounds and had a battery-life of 6 hours:

It was a little expensive at the time, but I needed to be able to store pictures on DVDs and use the Internet on a daily basis. I also packed an external hard-drive and a small GPRS-adapter, which worked totally fine almost everywhere around China:

Needless to say, the only major downside to the computer was the operating system. You can probably guess which one it was…

I didn’t want any additional batteries for the computer, because I was planning to recharge at least once a week. A travel adapter and a multiplug were important though, because power outlets were usually scarce, and I was pressed for time when it came to charging all my batteries at once:

(I hate using touchpads, so I got a mouse on the way.)

Of course, I always had my cellphone with me. I got one that had a card slot, so I could listen to music and save the extra weight of an MP3-player. The cellphone called itself “outdoor” but was very feeble. I have always felt cheated by the people who manufacture those things.

…

The single best item I had with me was this one:

Seriously, I don’t think there is any more comfortable way to navigate. The GPS-unit I was using was sturdy like a rock and could go about 15 hours on one set of 2 AA batteries. I always kept 5 sets of charged batteries with me. There were no detailed maps installed, but I used Google Earth to plan ahead on my route.

Maps are heavy and you have to read ‘em.

Long live indolence!

Soundtrack: Reinhard Mey – “Über Den Wolken”