resources

Whether you're a blogger, a reporter, a photographer, or just a casual traveler who wants to stay in touch, odds are you've considered bringing along a laptop on your next trip. But who wants to lug around an expensive 5-6+ pounds on your back? Not me. We're always looking at the latest and greatest netbooks, hoping to find the perfect cheap, small, lightweight PC for our voyages. So if you're in the market for a small computer for your travels, check out our list of six great netbooks for travelers.

(Updated 9/2009) Since our original post in March 2009, there have been some great advances in netbook technology: upgraded speed, increased battery life, and even always-connected devices. Check them out!

Backpacks. If they do a good job, you won't even know they're there.
When we started planning our most recent trip to Italy, we decided that this time, we were going to go as light as humanly possible. Our ultimate goal: to get away with only carry-on bags, despite the fact that we were traveling for 3 weeks, packing electronics, and taking goodies for our Italian friends. With the luggage we owned, it seemed like a tough task. But, through some research, a few good blogs, and some luck, we were fortunate to stumble on the Blackhawk 3-Day Assault Pack. It seemed to be an enigma of a bag: it's easily smaller than most carry-on size limits, yet people reported that they'd been able to carry enough for almost any trip. To top it off, it's the standard issue pack for the US Army. It's got to be good, right?
Want to know how it held up on our trip? Keep reading to find out our thoughts on how well the Assault Pack performed.

I'm an art historian by training and spent much my undergraduate and grad school days trolling sites like the Web Gallery of Art to study for exams or for a quick reference to remind me what a painting actually looked like. Sites like the Web Gallery of Art (particularly it's search capabilities) are great for the traveler, as well. Their expansive catalogue of art from all over the world (categorized by artist, time period, and location) offers the traveler a great resource for planning their art itinerary.

Are you interested in living and working abroad, but aren't sure how to go about it? Or, are you just plain fed up with where you live and want to get away? Getting Out - Your Guide To Leaving America, by Mark Ehrman, is a great resource to answer all these questions and more. It guides you through a a range of topics, including how to leave, obtaining visas or foreign citizenship, working abroad, choosing a country, and even gets into the fine details of finances once you're there. Basically, if you've ever seriously considered moving to another country, this book is great one to get you started.