Gadgeteering

Over the course of my time in Greece, and Europe generally, gadgets, electronics, and digital shiny things will be the subject of endless discussion. So, it's best to preface my trip by alerting interested readers just how bizwhang things I'll be toting while tramping the Peloponnese. I've listed below the various pieces of metal weighing me down, but it's worth noting that my affection for computers et al doesn't stem from the geek's knowledge of circuitry nor a nerd's grasp of the coding language of software developers. Mine is a fascination not unlike that of an aborigine first presented with a mirror; utterly beyond my understanding, I can proudly wield the object, competent in its use, but ever-awed by the dark secrets and hints of the occult that are at work beneath the surface.

Apple iBook: 12 inch

Sorry Wintel fans, our house is a veritable Mac orgy, of Kubrick-esque proportions. Note: this computer better not fail me, because it'll be on the auction block come May, along with various other aging computers currently sequestered in the depths of the garage.

Canon Powershot S60

Santa Claus might skip my stocking for a couple years after this beaut. Additionally, I've scored a 256 MB CF Card, Belkin Media Card Reader for iPod (enormously handy when you're on a camel in the Grand Erg Oriental and your card just can't take another five-megapixel dose of sand dunes...or so I'm told, anyway), Samy's Camera Travel TriPod (actually quite cute and quite cheap), and an overpriced glossy Guide to Travel Photography (read: I better figure out how to take pictures)

Apple iPod 20GB (3rd Generation) -- Thank you Emmy

To maximize my podding options I'm bringing two pairs of Apple earbuds (I can't remember which one is more beat up), one pair of Apple in-ear buds (I think these just appeared in my ears one day...needless to say, I thanked Steve for their spontaneous manifestation), three Apple remotes (I don't think any of them work, begging the question, why bring any of them?), a pair of Griffin EarJams (doubling as Q-Tips, it sometimes seems), a Griffin iTalk, invaluable for great-quality voice recordings, though it has yet to be tested while traveling. It also doubles as speaker so you can use your iPod as an alarm clock. Finally, I'll actually be bringing along my iBeam set, accessories for the iPod that append either a flashlight or laser pointer to the top of the iPod.

My plan: Not being a plug-in tune-out kind of guy, the iPod will see a lot of use for photo storage and taking voice notes, which hopefully I'll be later posting to the blog, for occasions when I don't have time or chance to put pen to paper or digits to keyboard. In the off chance that I do end up listening to music, I've been loading up on Dylan; he simply can't be beat for riding-on-a-train music.

Palm IIIc and Palm Portable Keyboard I got this duo for a grand total of eleven dollars. My Dad to a Kyocera PDA phone and his old Palm was yesterday's news. I rescued it from a dusty closet shelf and snagged a keyboard on Amazon for just under a dozen. Result? While everyone else may be sounding the imminent death of PDAs, I've enjoyed having a writing machine with me anywhere I go.

My plan: Since I don't want to jeopardize my computer, this duo will see heavy use in the weeks and months to come. With amazingly long battery life and easy organizing of different texts, the Palm makes it easy to switch back and forth between trains of thought.

Just so you know, the model for my gear wrapup (to be expected at the end of the semester) is Dan Washburn's excellent review of the gear he took on his trip across China.