Trip To UK – Technology

Fun and games sorting out and packing the Technology for the trip to the UK and Ferry and ride back on the Road King.

First up there is the issue of cases, bags etc. The Road King Classic has two saddle bags and a T-Bag, all of which are in the UK and all space is already pretty much committed to riding gear that is already in the UK, provisions that I want to bring back. Luckily I don’t need to take any clothes over with me other than what I travel in, so I can get away with just a carry on bag, which is great as that is all I can reasonably add to the Road King to come back!

I have settled on a Targus Laptop Back Pack, which has to be the least favourite of all my bags, but is probably the most particle for the flight, ride and Ferry.

Second issue is how to accommodate all the technology that I want to take with me to cover my work, entertainment, communication and blogging needs.

MacBook Pro – I considered the smaller Mac Book but a) it is now is use as a replacement media centre for the Mac mini that packed up at the weekend (needs a new hard drive which will have to wait until I get back) and b) with the potential photos, video, blogging and work that I will be doing the larger screen and greater ‘umph’ of the MBP is required.

It has a reasonable selection of music installed and a dozen movies, which should see me through the 24 hours on the ferry so long as I can find a power supply!

With the USB Modem attached I will be able to access the Internet from pretty much everywhere (except at sea) with either my UK or Spanish SIM card. I can also use either of the Nokia N95’s or the iPhone tethered to it to access the internet, again on any SIM card so I should be OK for Internet access. I have a feeling that the Pay & Go on the UK T-Mobile SIM card has expired so will need to test that out, but do have a Vodafone contract SIM that I can use if necessary.

Ironically Twitter could be the biggest issue, as I don’t want to use the 3G Roaming on the iPhone, so while I could swap the Spanish SIM card for a UK SIM card in the Jailbroken and unlocked iPhone, I don’t really want to as it will still require a 3G cost. I am thinking that I wil install a free Twitter application onto my Mums iPhone. My iPhone will work just fine when it picks up a WiFi signal, so the only day that I would be exposed for any length of time would be on the Saturday when we go to the rugby, so using Mum’s would work just fine, especially as her Py & Go deal gives her free 3G Data Roaming for the first 12 months.

For phones I will be taking the iPhone and both Nokia N95’s, one with a UK SIM and one with the old Spanish SIM that I still get calls on because i Have never got round to changing all the documents that have been circulated with the old number on. As both have a good camera, WiFi, QIK installed, and the ability to capture video off line that are good all round devices to have anyway.

I am taking the Canon G9 ‘point & shoot’ camera as although it has a broken LCD so you can’t see any of the photos that have been taken, it works just fine, and is so much smaller than the Nikon D80. I am taking the CamCorder as well, as I want to get some good footage of riding the roads around Madrid for the Long Way Round Andalucia site.

Although the iPhone has music and videos on it, the battery life is really bad, so I am taking a iPod Nano with me with some music and a couple of Audiobooks loaded.

As you will have gathered my biggest ‘fear’ is going to be a lack of power on the ferry. Everything can be charged up in hotels of course, and the Garmin Zumo 550 GPS is going to be hard wired into the Road King as well as having an AC and car charger. The iPhone can charge up via the car charger on the Road King so it is just if I get stuck on the ferry away from a power source for a long period of time that I would be ‘exposed’. The MacBook Pro will last about 3 hours on battery showing a couple of movies, the iPhone about 5 hours at the most, so the iPod Nano is a good little back up option.

As for the fight, well I hate them, so will slump in my seat, stick the iPod Nano on and try and sleep all the way. Failing that I will ensure I ignore every attempt to sell me anything during the flight!!!

As usual though with the technology it is the chargers and cables that really do my head in:

• A charger for the 2 Nokia N95’s
• A charger for the iPod Nano and iPhone
• A charger for the camera
• A charger for the CamCorder
• A power supply/charger for the MacBook Pro

Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything, but bit late now as I am already on my way to the airport! Security will be fun as usual, but hopefully I will be able to get some photos and video of the airport this time.

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