I was just thinking that as the gadgets get smaller, and more affordable, maybe everyone will carry them anyway?

… considering the amount of time I spend online these days, I can’t imagine not taking the laptop on a trip… so maybe I am the gadget laden type too?

Also I just re-read my post and it sounded a little like I have a money tree in the back garden that I merrily pick off £50 notes to take on my travels … that is definately not the case :)

I would definately consider myself a Flashpacker – but not the gadget loaded type, more the larger disposible income type. I have (in years gone by) travelled on a shoestring, and really enjoyed it, but now I don’t have to… so don’t! Also I am constrained by the fact that I can not take months off these days to travel – so have to condense it all into short (3 weeks or so) trips.

I like hostels / hotels to have creature comforts too where possible, so hot water for me please :)

There are definately still the real budget travellers – go to South East Asia and watch rich (in local terms) gappers haggle over $1, but these are the people seeing as much as possible in the shortest time frame … Interestingly though these are also the people with the gadgets, so perhaps a blurring of the lines there?

In the positive perspective, it is a new, expanding market for hostels (or at least it was before the financial crisis, will see in the near future), on the other hand it could be quicksand if this is just a passing fashion.

The lightweight laptops are a thing of my dreams. A few years ago I bought a tiny little laptop which was the best I could find for weight (~1kg), but I had to compromise on the screen. That weight and a larger screen would be my idea of heaven.

@Soultravelers3

Wow what a life! Definately a travel dream many of us have. I look forward to reading more about your experiences.

I have read this trend will continue and will be on the uptrend during this recession.It has never been easier and we find it MUCH cheaper to travel the world than it was staying home.

We are a 3 laptop family and our daughter can do much of her homeschooling on her laptop including her piano lessons with her teacher on another continent via webcam free Skype!

We are wintering in a 15th century village in sunny southern Spain now, but use our laptops where ever we go including taking one to the Sahara in Morocco which surprisingly had great wifi everywhere we went.

So far we have not gotten any ipods and rarely use or global cell phone ( prefer Skype even for local calls). We do have a camera each ( one is vidcam that takes photos). With all the photos and videos we take and share we do have a portable hard drive (& portable printer that we do not use much).

Today we no longer need to be in just one place for school ( even most of the top Univ are all online like MIT) or work. Combining flashpacking and slow travel with today’s technology is setting us all free. Definitely a trend for the future..living your travel dreams every day!

What I’m looking forward to in 2009 are laptops that are built of lighter materials. Apple, Sony and DELL are already in that direction.

I find a 14inch widescreen laptop provides the best balance between screen real estate and weight.

Btw, Laptop and cellphone bricks add to the weight. Now, if only they could do away with the adapters.

Thanks from Andrew, Head Developer of The Free Encyclopedia of Travel Rooms