I don't have a satellite phone with a GPS uplink, but I totally admit that I wish I did. As it is, the techno gear in my backpack already weighs more than I care to mention. There's a term for this kind of travel. I've become a "flashpacker", This type of hiker can be fairly described as a young-at-heart backpacker traveling with tech toys, often to off the beaten path locales, as wired as any stodgy suit in business class.
Techno travel gear can be a good thing, having downloaded guidebooks in PDF form and Podcast walking tours, maps and street plans, can save space in a bag. Oh, man was that a complete justification for carrying these toys, or what?
I'm not sure who came up with the term "flashpacker" I had been casting around for such a moniker when I first came across a Lonely Planet forum thread naming the species; one post described the perfect, though imaginary, flashpacker
Flashpackers also tend to stay in single hostel rooms, bothies or bivi camps, spend a few more quid on food and say no to restaurants opting for campstove cooking.
One artful dodger fingering my backpack, though, and I'd be techno-deprived; theft-proofing by carrying tech travel gadgets on your body is not an option, not enough pockets and there will never be a belt strong enough to hold them up.
Having a lightweight bergan on my back is without doubt much more enjoyable than a heavy one, but will I realy be happy leaving my gadgets at home, and besides, which ones would I leave out, my GPS, my iPod, my camera.....how can I choose.
Topgear says he's starting to strip down his kit with good intentions to start going lightweight, but will he be able to leave all of his gadgets at home or will he remain our original "Flashpacker", hence the name Topgear ;-)
First of all id like to say thanks for the invite to this blog.
ReplyDeleteApparently i was quoted as having said i would contribute regularly here which puzzles me as i travel less than my two bro's and know pretty much the least out of all of us when it comes to forest lore or kit lore.
However thanks for the invite and now my names been mentioned and my computer is up an running ill be keeping a beady eye on you lol
I find this post intriguing as my two bros i recall back in the halcyon days, berated me once for recieving a call in the camp on some two bit phone i had and didnt even realise it was switched on. This was back so far we were struggling to recive a signal.
Ill try not to mention the time when a certain top gear gets out his solar powered tv to watch the eurovision song contest lol
To be fair though the call did interrupt the peace and tranquility and it was pointed out to me as it has many times that we go to get away from all this city stuff and have a break.
Now my two buddies have enough kit to call in a nato airstrike with pinpoint precision.
IM sure top gear has a heads up display projected onto his lenses but it still dont stop him from getting lost lol
They wont need walkie talkies to communicate because the RFID chips in their kit will do all their talking for them.
So yes i just love our trips for getting away from it all and if you think this post is motivated by jealousy becasue i havent got a pit to poss in your damn right!
lol
winks
Dude, you're one of the Radicals, this is your home as much as it is ours. Post what you wish, say what you will, but never, and I repeat never tell me that what I heard from your lips is untrue. You was drunk, so it's understandable that you can't recall stomping on your cooker ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have a saying i made up myself:"assumption is the mother of misconception."
ReplyDeleteI do recall stepping backwards on my cooker. That was never in question.
However my point is my cooker was already broken for the reasons i stated in the previous post long before i stepped back on it.
So the reason i mentioned it in my previous post was not because my recollection of the stepping was awry but because the actual cause of the breakage was not what it was assumed to be thats all. lol
Anyhow whatever the whys and wherefores the point is i can eat now. Thanks man :)
Dear Sir, If I made an assumption it was based on the facts, or lack of facts. but now that you've better communicated this to me, I am now blessed with the whole story and now know that you broke your cooker by being heavy handed while drunk ;-)
ReplyDeleteGod help me lmao
ReplyDeleteyour assumption was in the connection between the breakage and innebriation.
I actually overtightened it while i was sober.
So your also assuming where you made the assumption.
Also ifs and facts are two variables that dont sit well in a sentence when linked together.
I can provide a glossary if you need one.
Lmao
Excellent. Welcome to the world of Flashpacking. Reviewed on Flashpacking Blog Carnival.
ReplyDeleteOk I'm in Newfoundland Canada, and enjoying every last minute of my six weeks here.
ReplyDeleteSo the question is, did I flashpack for this trip ?
Well I packed my clothes, boots, etc into my suitcase and that got checked in at the airport, but as for my hand luggage, it was made up of a reasonably sized rucsack that held the goodies.
Ipod Touch.
JVC headphones.
Dell Inspiron 2200 Laptop.
Canon Powershot A720is.
eTrex H GPS.
Casio ProTrek Watch.
512mb MP3 player.
Webcam and headset.
Eight Energiser Ultimate Lithium AAs.
First aid kit.
Shades.
snacks.
printed boarding passes to save me time at the airports.
Passport, paperwork and Canadian money.
Mobile phone.
all chargers and cables.
So yes I did Flshapack for this trip, but in fairness I've used everything. What I could of left behind and probably will nextime, is the Laptop. I only brought it to move pictures from my camera, but nextime I'll just bring a spare memory card for the camera.
Great post! For free wifi access in hostels and backpacker places check out our website hostelvideoguide.com where you find more than 500 hostels and their videos.
ReplyDeleteHappy travelling ;-)