5 DONTS of travelling with gadgets

March 8, 2015November 29, 2015 ToniLeave a comment

1. Your ipad is NOT for taking photos on your holiday.

Yes, we know it has a camera on it – but that doesn’t mean it is for taking shots standing in front of the Leaning tower of Pisa or the Eiffel Tower, blocking the shots of everyone standing behind you. Plus, you are basically alerting any pickpocket within 50metres of you that you are:

a) a tourist

b) well-off enough to have an ipad, therefore have money.

c) not that tech savvy.

All making yourself a target for theft, or worse.

The only exception to this are the elderly or mature-aged travellers who may need the iPad to see attractions more clearly.

2. Hogging the powerpoints at the airport.

I get it. You forgot to charge your phone or laptop before you left the hotel. But that doesn’t mean you get to hog the powerpoint for hours while you wait for your plane to board – a 40% charge is enough, then move on so someone else can have a turn. Or better yet – buy a portable charger.

3. Say no to bum bags. To quote the TV Show ‘IT Crowd’, “Are you from the past?”

4. Don’t spend too much time taking selfies. Remember to put down the phone or camera, take a deep breath and soak in all the stimuli around you.

5. Up your Travel Insurance so it includes cover for your gadgets. There is nothing better than peace of mind when the unexpected happens.

Random thoughts of a casual traveller

November 19, 2014November 29, 2015 ToniLeave a comment

As I sit at Sydney international airport I can’t help but see how far tech-toys have become ‘the norm’ when it comes to the casual traveller – those that travel overseas once every few years.

Spanning the terminal, the tables are awash with gadgets: tablets are so 2011, macs and assorted laptops are now taking up the space that was once adorned by travel diaries, notebooks and giant video cameras. As I am writing this the gentlemen sitting across from me wearing some sort of ‘metal shirt’ is watching cute animals on YouTube.

What did I pack gadget-wise for my trip to the US?

Mac – I am a mac virgin, having only jumped off the PC wagon 6 months ago, and have not looked back. Having never travelled with a laptop, I was a bit nervous but so far the free airport wifi works like a dream.

GoPro – another newbie to this gadget – consider it an impulse purchase as a half hearted attenpt to convince myself that I can make even a theme park look as bad-ass as heli-skiing. Will see how that goes!

iPad, iPod and iPhone -I need my playlists, ebooks and social media accounts – what can I say?

Oh and I almost forgot to pack my compact digital camera – it is with me now but I am not sure how often I will use it when I can pull out the iPhone 5.

Maybe this casual traveller has become a little too ‘connected’ to city life. Is this normal? What will you pack for your next casual getaway?

The Blue Mountains – getting away from the rat race for a weekend

August 17, 2014November 29, 2015 Toni1 Comment

My happy place is a rainforest setting, with a tranquil river flowing and sunlight breaking through the trees. I make it a point to get away each year to somewhere that resembles my happy place – my favourite being the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains are located approximately 1.5hrs from Sydney and is a gorgeous mountainous region. The town of Leura is situated 5min from the mountains and makes a great base with a quaint little shopping village and range of accommodation.

Blue Mountains – Walkway at Scenic World

Once you arrive at the mountains – You can bush walk, or catch the cable car, unique Railway or Skyway – all part of the newly developed Scenic World. An unlimited pass for use across all these attractions starts from $35. You can scare yourself on the RailWay – the steepest railway in the world, or climb the Giant Stairwell to the Three Sisters, or simply take an easy stroll through the paved walkways and trails.

Cableway at Scenic World — CableWay at Scenic World

The best time of year to go – although you can go all year round – is during the winter months, there is a winter festival and lots of yummy food to keep you energised for the days walk or hike. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!