| If you're backpacking Australia or visiting Oz on | | | | right thing to write. |
| the working holiday visa, you may be wondering if | | | | 4. A laptop comes in handy for storing documents |
| you should bring your laptop. | | | | (e.g. resumes, CVs), photos and reference |
| After carefully considering the pros and cons, I | | | | materials. |
| decided to bring mine with me and it was the | | | | 5. A laptop can serve as your personal |
| best decision I ever made. For me, my computer | | | | entertainment center. In my opinion, this is the |
| offered freedom, and I don't know what I would | | | | best part about having one with you while |
| have done without it. But everyone is different, | | | | backpacking Australia. When you're always living |
| so I'll give you a few things to consider before | | | | with roommates, sometimes you need to have |
| bringing it with you: | | | | private time, but that's difficult in a hostel. If you |
| 1. Most hostels provide computers with Internet | | | | have a computer, you can simply tune out by |
| access, but they are often expensive and/or | | | | putting in your headphones and popping in a DVD. |
| slow. If you plan on doing a lot of e-mailing and | | | | It was such a luxury to be able to do this. Many |
| chatting, keeping up with friends on Facebook, | | | | hostels will let you borrow DVDs from their |
| uploading photos and updating your blog, this can | | | | collection. You'll also find it easy to borrow or |
| get costly. Outside of libraries (and many of those | | | | trade movies with fellow backpackers at the |
| require that you have a card), you will have a | | | | hostel or rent them for free at the library. It also |
| difficult time finding computers with free Internet | | | | comes in handy when you need to charge your |
| access. | | | | iPod, add songs or change playlists. |
| 2. In most major cities you can find cafes or wi-fi | | | | And my only arguments against bringing a laptop |
| hotspots that offer free or cheap Internet | | | | to Australia: |
| access--but only if you have a laptop with you. | | | | 6. Laptops are a high-theft item. Before you book |
| But be warned, it's not as easy to find free wi-fi | | | | at a hostel, ask if they have lockers in the room. |
| in Australia as it is in the states and many places | | | | If they don't have lockers, ask them if they have |
| in Europe. You may have to ask around or do | | | | a safe where you can store valuables. If you are |
| some research online. For example, in Melbourne, | | | | going on a trip where you will not be bringing your |
| you can find free wireless internet in Federation | | | | computer with you, you need to find a safe place |
| Square. The library and McDonald's is another | | | | to store it. For example, when I went to New |
| reliable place to find free wi-fi in many cities. The | | | | Zealand, I kept mine with friends who were |
| hostels don't want to advertise this when they | | | | renting a house in Melbourne. |
| can charge you for internet access, so don't | | | | 7. Laptops are easy to damage. As you're |
| expect much help from the staff. In fact, | | | | traveling around, it's easy to drop a bag or have a |
| contrary to logical reasoning, some hostels charge | | | | drunk roommate spill beer on your valuable |
| more for wireless internet. | | | | computer. |
| 3. Even if you have to pay for wi-fi, if you have a | | | | I never regretted my decision to bring my laptop |
| laptop with you, you can cut your costs by | | | | with me to Australia, but it is a personal decision. |
| working offline. For example, you can write all of | | | | If you are going to constantly worry about having |
| your e-mails before you go online, then when you | | | | your computer stolen or damaging it, you may be |
| log on, cut and paste, and voila! This saved me a | | | | better off leaving it at home. But there are |
| lot of money. Do the same with photos by editing | | | | tremendous perks to bringing one with you while |
| them, writing captions and downsizing them | | | | backpacking Australia--you can save money on |
| before going online to upload them. If you depend | | | | Internet costs, work on documents/e-mails at |
| on a hostel computer, you can eat up a lot of | | | | your leisure and watch movies whenever you feel |
| time and money just sitting there thinking of the | | | | like it. |