A geek’s guide to traveling abroad

In the many years of traveling abroad and covering global tech events and product launches, I’ve probably encountered all sorts of problems and interesting incidents that have given me a better appreciation of how airlines operate and deal with consumer technology.

In the last five years alone, a lot has changed – mostly for the better. But there are still a few things you need to watch out for when traveling especially if you bring a lot of your gadgets with you.

1.  Don’t forget the essentials. These include a universal adaptor that you will need to plug in your devices to the right socket. You will also need an extension cord to pair with the universal adaptor so you can plug more than one device at the same time or if the wall outlet of your hotel room is far from your bed. If you’re afraid to activate data roaming on your mobile phone, don’t forget to bring a pocket WiFi and just buy a prepaid SIM at the airport of your destination. They’re a cheaper option and you can choose the provider and data plan. Don’t forget to bring extra charging cables, powerbanks, SD cards and portable HDD or flash drives, and an extra phone just in case.

2.  What’s in and what’s out. A lot of airports are very particular about specific devices which require special handling or packing. For example, don’t include the powerbanks inside the check-in luggage. You need to bring them with you in the carry-on luggage to the cabin. If you bring large ones like videocam batteries, please note the power ratings as some airlines have a limit on how much milliamps they allow to bring on board. It’s the other way around with monopods. You cannot hand-carry them so they go with your check-in luggage. If a device or accessory looks like it can be used as a hand weapon, they should be packed with the rest of your check-in luggage.

3. Wi-Fi in the air. A number of flights now offer on-board Wi-Fi access but they can be expensive. Some regional PAL and Cebu Pacific flights have started offering them since late last year. Only use them if you really have to. Since in-flight Internet is changed by the megabyte, use your smartphone or tablet instead of your laptop since mobile devices consume less data for the same activity like email or social media.

4. Powerbanks are your best friend. If you’re in a 16-hour flight from Manila to Los Angeles, you might want to consider bringing additional powerbanks. I usually bring around two or three units, each one having 10,000 to 15,1000 mAh capacities. While a significant number of airlines have USB charging ports and a few others even have power plugs in the coach section, it still pays to be on the safer side. This allows you more time to use the laptop on the plane for more serious stuff and revert to the smartphone or tablet for the casual gaming, reading or catching up with your favorite TV series. And once you land in your country of destination, you have power backup for your pocket Wi-Fi or smartphone.

5.  Don’t forget the apps! When traveling to a foreign country, you may need some additional help for very useful apps to get you around faster, cheaper and safer. For directions, there’s Google Maps, Wazw or HERE maps. HERE maps is good for offline navigation as long as you download the city map ahead of time. For tourist spots, restaurants and the like, there’s Yelp or FourSquare. In countries where trains are the popular modes of transportation, look for the city’s MTR app to help you move around the subway or train stations. Currency exchange apps can also be of help when you’ll be shopping a lot. You can also set your smartphone to show a global clock widget so you can check the local time vs. Manila time just so you get your bearing.

Next time you are scheduled for a trip abroad, write down a checklist of things you think you will need to bring. I hope the list above helps.