We Suggest you Carry a Guidebook

Hello,The solution to carry a guidebook is to not carrying a guidebook. How can you do that? Carry it in your computer or smartphone. I know lonley planet have those *.pdf guide books. Or if you have a good digital camera you take photos of everypage of the guidebook and save it in the camera memory. But then you need a good camera with a good LCD display so you can read the text.Btw, did the OpenDNS work out for you? Have you noticed any change regarding Internet connection in your computer?

The Open DNS has helped a lot, Thank You.It is possible what you say, however as best I can tell we are at least 5-10 years away from the majority of travelers and tourist carrying laptops. The majority are probably carrying Mobile Phone.An 8 1/2 x 11 page of information printed could work.I would refuse under any condition to read a guidebook on a Camera. It would just tell the robbers, not only am I new, I also do not know where I am at, plus here is a camaera to steal.A person or couple entering a city is vulnerable. They need to keep themselve highly organized. They are not highly organized.The Traveler's Backpack needs to have a special larger pocket on the outside of the bag for guidebook, it has to be lockable. I suppose you could have a cell phone guidebook, I think way to small to read.I could imagine printing from cell phone and carrying the pages.Where do you suggest we carry all these items in our most vulnerable time of travel, when we enter a city?

Hi Mr. Andy,Its interesting to read your troubleshooting steps.IM a long ways from unloading my white elephants and hitting the trail, but following your insight and drawing on my own experience I am counting the days. The guidebook situation is also counterintuitive to me, as a person that prefers to keep as much a low profile as possible until my choosing otherwise. I think your idea about the one sheet of paper with essential info is closest to solution. Im thinking of somewhat a military sytle situation where we carried laminated cards loaded with essential info approx 4 x 6 in size strung together at one corner with keychain of sort. Dont know how good any particular book is, but Im hoping to let the internet be my "library" and assemble my own cards as needed. Emphasis on hoping. As far as your inspired backpack is concerned, perhaps I misunderstand something. I had the feeling it was somewhat like saddlebags with your equivalent of a Field Transport Pack on the back, completely secure for the long haul. With this, a very much smaller detachable pack across your front. With my aging back, I figured this a bit like a counterweight also allows quick access to certain items while on the road. Im still naive about how much weight Ill be hauling around but the issue of bulk seems as big a problem. In my memory being able to rest without undressing the pack was largely an issue of bulk. I was very surprised to find several companies that offer products for vacuum packing. Also interesting is apparently TSA and customs like such things. Talk is cheap of course, but looking forward to a dress rehearsal. I remember for certain, are the places I was rubbed raw or blistered after hours of hauling and how difficult for air flow in high humidity and heat. In my mind, comfort enhances security if not inclined to remove any packs at every opportunity. Thats pretty much how this wannabe is seeing things thus far. Standing by for where my thinking is flawed...hehe. Good luck Hobo.

Sheets of paper are good.I carry to Backpack, trying to make the new ones perform like saddlebags so they balance the weight.I hope you do not walk very far with your packs, there really is not need unless you decide to spend all your time in Europe. Then I 100 percent recommend you get a 2 wheel cart, Europe is many kilometers of travel.Another easy method for guidebooks is to just tear the pages out of the guidebook. Richard ealier today recommended the bag have a plastic folder enclosure on a pull string that rachets like a vacuum cleaner. Put the papers in the clean plastic and let them hang. A great idea.Walking with a pack, the afer cost of a taxi to a hotel from the airport is maybe 5 US Dollars. From a bus stop to the hotel is normally less than 3, Taxis are good and cheap on the planet.EXCEPT for Europe, need to travel light and walk for miles in Europe, tons of exercise.

Andy,An idea spawned from previous comments...Some quarterbacks have a playlist on a wristband with multiple plastic sleeve pages and a velcro seal. Putting guidebook information on something like that in advance of arrival would give you an instant reference on the street level. You couldn't drop it either. Probably only available in US sporting goods stores.Personally I prefer the torn out guidebook pages method, and computer references as an emergency backup. I try and memorize as much of it as I can prior to entering the city fray. Having batteries at full charge isn't a bad idea either.Eric

Funny, I forgot what I really do...I have index cards, on the front I put the name of Hotel number one , on the other side, option number two Hotel.I always take a taxi to the hotels. If both hotels are bad, I would dig out the guidebook, or spend one night and look around to upgrade.However, the normal backpack is just walking around lost, I have tons of practice.Note, tearing up the Yellow Bible, the Guidebook is a nervous thing for me...I guess in Europe I am studying the map and using the guidebook more because the taxis cost so much.A quaterback wrist thing would be a nice accessorie.

Hi again Mr. Andy,Reading your destinations and how you adapt to infrasstructure and modes of travel, I figure probably some of the most useful intel you give. Its certainly advice on how to be more cost effective. I think you categorized your travels into 1st, second, and third world if I remember right. I know at one point you tried to buy a van/camper while in Europe. I probably will do the same if I ever get there. The idea hopefully being cost spread over length of time in country so to be closer to budget of a Thailand. A growing number of baby boomers here are hitting the road and cut corners by doing something called "boondocking". Its basically being a squatter for a day or two with permission of owner. Usually a Wal-Mart parking lot..hehe. One of my favorite movie quotes....adapt...overcome ...improvise. Keep up the advice,its gold. Take care farmboy.

andy, the ipod touch or iphone lets you open the lonely planet pdfs and you can zoom right in without any squinting..you can print off a map before hand so you can have a hard copy without pulling out your expensive item..also many regular hiking packs have a zip pocket in the lining of the lid, they are normally perfect for a guidebook, and dont need locking because its just a guidebook in there..my next pack is the north face, plasma 30, with all the outside straps, hip strap and pockets cut off to give it a clean look..take care.. Oceania sounds awesome..

Before I enter any new place, I have read about places to stay in the guidebook. I have torn out all of the pages for that city from my guidebook and have these folded in my back pocket, with the map in front. I never actually carry a guidebook out and about except inside my backpack. For some reason, some people have issues about "desecrating" guidebooks, which are not much good when they get older, anyway. During most excursions into the city, I still have these few pages folded into my back pocket if I need to reference them. Travis

When I can see my computer screen in direct sunlight, I will know the Ipod, Mobile Phone idea is possible.

But you can do that with the iPhone. It works really good even in sunlight. And you can easy zoom with you fingers very easy.But about your backpack. I think you are going the wrong way. If you go hiking, fishing or travel alot on dirt roads a backpack is optimal. If you travel between city's and airports and busses and taxis a suitcases with wheels are optimal.Ok, I know you do both. Sometimes you are in Africa somtimes in an airport. Can't you make a backpack from hard plastic with wheels? A rugged hard plastic backpack/stroller will be perfectly balanced when you use the wheels. It will be nearly indestructible beacuse hard rugged plastic is very hard. The weight wont be a problem beacuse plastic is light. People cannot use a knife and cut thrue it. Also hard plastic/rubber is cheap so the manufacture costs will be small.The only problem will be to make it ergonmicly correct to your back. But I guess you can come up with something smart. Maybe some kind of rubberfoam that will adjust to the back.Btw, I write this on my iPhone sitting on the beach in Thailand. So if you can do that you can read a guidebook.. :)

I hope it is Koh Pha Ngan with topless Iraeli girls.. I know nothing about an Iphone, never seen one, so hard to talk much about them. I will try to find one in Panthip if they are sold here.AIS? One to Call Internet?I guess I could download a PDF file from Lonely Planet, see how it works on an Iphone. Not my idea of a secure way to enter a city though. Thailand is one of the worlds safest countries.Walking into Colon Panama with an Iphone in my hand seems like asking to be robbed. I risk it already with a camers, and people want phones more than they want a camera.

I use DTAC. You can buy a package for 100 hours gprs/EDGE for 350-500 bath. Also the phone have WLAN. But if you should buy a phone you should the new one. iPhone 3G. Then you can surf and check your e-mail really fast in thoses countries that have 3g. The old iphone(the one i have) uses EDGE wich is only a little bit faster than GPRS. DTAC is the only one i thailand that support it.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

One reason I return to Thailand to buy plane tickets is becuase the country is cutting edge ready for Internet.I think the phone is off topic, this seems to be a reader of pdf files that cost between 200 and 350 US Dollars. I have a computer already that is reader of PDF files.I truly think the practical thing is to just print the chapter, no batteries, no screens, no worries about getting robbed, if I lose it I am not heartbroken. When I see a PDF reader for under 50 USA, I will think about it.This is not effective, more trying to be clever.

Hi Mr. Andy,Ok, youve got my radar screen pinging. You havent said why, but being a male of the species I dont have to ponder to hard about the what fors. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for Israeli lasses. Youve made mention of them at several points of the compass. oo la la. No disrespect meant to any ladies reading the blog, just very much appreciation for the eye feast.