backpacking

[nabero]

So, I'm excited about graduating from college this spring--but I think I'm more excited about a trip I'm taking! At the beginning of September I'm going with my brother to do the cliche, twenty-something, hostel thing. I've done a bit of hostel-ing and traveling, but not for this length of time. It'll be a month with him making stops in Paris, Amsterdam, and Munich for sure...then I'll travel myself for a month (probably around German/German-speaking areas since I've got fair survival-German skills ) I know a lot of you are based in Europe and I was wondering if there are places you think we shouldn't miss? Who else has done this kind of trip? I'd love to hear your stories!

Also, I'm trying to decide what to do about my camera...I considered buying a small camera (canon elph or something like that) and just bringing a couple of large memory cards. Since I'm not a real photographer it seems silly to lug around a laptop and my slightly cumbersome camera...but my pictures are my favorite part about the trips I've taken before! Any ideas? What would you do? (It just seems a bit unsafe for a girl traveling alone in hostels with a couple grand worth of laptop and a camera...)


Cheers!

 

[Alex_B]

well, leave the laptop alone and use an image-tank (or whatever various producers call these) instead.

If you carry a dSLR with you, never leave it alone unless you are in a place with a safe

I do backpacking with SLR-gear, but that is more in remote areas with no thieves .. so that is different ...

If you want to store some of your image data half trip as a backup, just hop over to Düsseldorf or a place nearby and I'll backup

 

[nabero]

Well, I will most likely be in Cologne visiting some friends at some point

 

[lostprophet]

I agree with Alex, take your SLR and see if you can get a portable storage device instead of carrying the laptop.

If you really find the best part the photography I don't think you'll be happy with a compact.

 

[Alex_B]

I would take three primes with me (really wide, 50-ish and something longer). Or one or two zoom lenses ... depends on taste.

of course you then are always a bit less free as you have to watch your gear all the time .. but hey, don't you have to do that anyway when backpacking

 

[PNA]

You will have a ball.....!!! Great counrties and the best of cities therein.

List your equipment so we can evaluate what's worth carrying.....

 

[DeepSpring]

Sounds like a fun trip.

I have never used one but they have those portable hard drives with memory card slots. I believe thats what someone else was talking about. I looked at them a while ago but didn't see the need.

 

[Alex_B]

I have never used one but they have those portable hard drives with memory card slots.

yes, that is basically what we are talking about.. they also come with displcays to see the images sometimes (more expensive though)

A friend of mine has got an older model which cannot handle today's CF-card sizes, so she really was unhappy with it on her last trip as the damn thing always switched itsel off after some first GByte or so.

So I do not reccommend buying a second hand one.

 

[nabero]

List your equipment so we can evaluate what's worth carrying.....

Well that's easy--I haven't really got any! I have a Fuji Finepix s700 (not a dSLR) and beyond that the only other thing I use is my computer...for example: my lighting scheme for shooting small things indoors is a t-shirt hanging from my bookshelf and a couple of desk lamps--I'm high tech

Anyway, this is my first camera I've ever had (bought it about 3 years ago), and just really started trying to really work with it the past year. I am actually hoping to buy a dSLR sometime soon...and maybe some other things to experiment with.

I'd love any suggestions for starter dSLRs and equipment that would be good for a beginner to get her feet wet! :sillysmi:

 

[meesh]

ooh...Ill be in france this summer! im excited! Welllll the one thing i regret not bringing with me on my backpacking trip last year was a point and shoot camera and extra batteries for my dslr! The point and shoot for those tired days when you don't want to lug around your dslr (well i am pretty lazy at times!) or when you dont feel safe bringing it.... annd the batteries - well I bought extra batteries but I forgot them at home in the charger!!!! haha... and I couldnt find the right parts to charge them in spain and morocco

so good luck on your trip and congrats on your graduation!

 

[nabero]

I'll definitely be sure to bring the batteries and charger! I forgot my battery charger on my last trip and had a nightmare of a time trying to find one!