I’m very picky about what I buy because I’m a bit cheap selective and like to buy high-quality products that I can keep forever. I will literally read every review on Amazon until I’m 100% sure what I’m buying is going to work.
Here are the things that I absolutely have to have on my travels.
Photography
Canon EOS Rebel T2i: I upgraded to this camera recently for the HD video recording and 18.1 mega-pixels. I am SO happy with it and am impressed with the increased quality of my photos. I never thought I would have a Canon but I’m in love!
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens: This lens is the most recent addition to my arsenal and I love the way it subtly blurs the background- it’s particularly good for food photography, portraits and details. Just don’t try to use it on a landscape!
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5: This camera was a graduation gift from my Dad, and it isthe best pocket-sized camera ever (Thanks, Dad!) Along with being zippy fast and recording HD video, it has 10.1 mega-pixels and a Leica lens. I also love its vintage 1960s appearance.
SanDisk Extreme Flash memory card – 32 GB – Class 10: I upgraded to this memory card years ago and am so glad I made the switch- it’s so big that I never have to delete pictures on the fly to make room for new ones, and I can record HD video.
Gear
I’m definitely emotionally attached to my backpack; it’s been with me everywhere from Patagonia to the Greek Isles. It’s quite comfortable and looks brand-new after a few years of heavy use. It has front and top access which is great in hostels, as I don’t have to unpack the entire bag to find my toothpaste. It’s also from REI which means it has a lifetime guarantee and they will replace it or fix it for you with no charge.
Macbook Pro 13.3 Inch Laptop I never thought I would say this but I absolutely LOVE my Mac! It’s lightweight, fast, sleek, attractive has no viruses and excellent battery life. So, so recommended.
Kindle Keyboard 3G, Free 3G +Wi-Fi, 6” E Ink Display When my parents bought this for me for Christmas a few years ago, I was about to return it because I prefer paperbacks. I do prefer to read paperbacks when I’m at home but while I’m abroad the Kindle can’t be beat. I used to waste about a third of my suitcase on books for long-term stays, and now I can carry 3,500 books in this device. No more searching for English-language bookstores and paying $20 for a $6 paperback! Also the battery literally does last for about a month.
Another perk – you can use wifi on it for free, unlike the iPad. The internet is rudimentary but it works, which has saved me many times when I’m stuck in an airport and need my flight number.
WD My Passport 1 TB Portable External Hard Drive Storage This hard drive gives me so much peace of mind- and it’s very portable which makes it perfect for traveling. I use it to back up all of my photos as well as my entire computer via Time Machine, a fantastic Mac program.
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About Me
I'm a Michigan girl who moved to Paris at 21 and has been traveling around the world ever since. I love baguettes + red wine + really salty butter. Oh, and travel. Click the picture to hear more about my story.
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