Laboratory Informatics Travel: Luggage and Other

Those who travel extensively each have their own theory about what type of luggage, laptop case and accessories are best and necessary.

Luggage
Some people buy the cheapest luggage possible with the knowledge that it will be destroyed, anyway, so why spend any real money on it. I actually do use the free luggage I get for hand luggage (e.g., that bag we all get at Pittcon, each year). It's not going to last long, but it's often the right size for a short trip. But for me, I buy somewhat expensive ballistic nylon bags for when I need to check my luggage. It's sturdy and takes a beating. I've never had an urge to buy leather. It looks like a scratch waiting to happen to me.

Laptop Case
I used to have an briefcase-style laptop case with a shoulder strap from L. L. Bean. I had it for 14 years. It took a lot of abuse over those years and fit under the seat in front of me on even the smallest plane even when there was a bar across the middle of the footwell, even when the plane had entertainment boxes under there taking up part of the space. One day, one of the plastic latches on it finally broke (good plastic, though, to last all those years) and I ran out to MicroCenter and bought just about the first thing I saw.

Over the years, I'd heard other consultants talk about how much they loved their backpack-style laptop case and that's what I bought. I bought a nice, sturdy Swiss Gear bag. Unfortunately, in my haste, I bought one that is just too big for my needs. It occasionally doesn't fit under the seat in front of me. Since, unlike some of my cohorts in consulting, I don't happen to need to carry every cable known to humanity, nor do I carry the multitudes of paperwork that I used to carry, I don't need a case that's quite so huge. I just didn't realize how large it was until the day a few months into its service that it didn't fit under the seat in front of me on a tiny commuter flight. Drat! Additionally, although Swiss Gear advertises that the bag stays upright, which is another reason I bought it, mine keeps flopping over. It's annoying. Other than that, the bag seems sturdy.

While I've considering buying something else, I hate to casually spend the money on another since they're not cheap nor do I quite know that the next choice I make will be any better. For now, I'll live with it and just complain endlessly about it.  ;-)

For those of you looking to buy new luggage or cases, there are pieces of luggage where you can piggyback the laptop case (instead of the cables that just attach a second piece of luggage, I mean). Also, there are more options for laptops where you don't necessarily have to take the laptop out of the case, where there's a fold-out pocket for a brief case where you unfold it, put the whole thing on the airport scanner, then refold it once you're through, as opposed to taking the laptop out and taking the chance on dropping it (which I haven't done, lately, but am probably about due for, sigh...).

Other Gadgets and Such
Anyone you talk to who travels any serious amount will have their favorite gadgets or items they travel with. Some love those pillows that fold flat that you blow up to give extra neck or back relief. Others have some kind of electronic organizer that they think makes they're travel life better.

I don't think I have anything that's so great that I couldn't live without it. But I do have a few things in my arsenal that I'm quite fond of. Everyone now has the thumb drives but I think they're the best things ever invented and always have one with me to transfer files. I also quite like my travel mouse with the retractable cord. Also, I often travel with a combination network cable and phone cord that has a retractable cord. These things break with little use but I don't need to use them very often considering most hotels have wireless access, but they can come in handy to keep around.

These days, large customers often hand consultants a company laptop to use for the duration of the project. If you have to travel, travelling with more than one laptop is a royal pain at the airport and just makes your bag even heavier. So, on these occasions, I've copied all my own files onto a USB external hard drive that I carry along. That way, I can access my articles, e-mail and other files that I might want to use while I'm on the road but without carrying my own laptop along to do so. However, having done this for awhile, I realize that if I setup this hard drive to act as a virtual machine, I could also bring some of my applications with me, as well, which could come in handy. While I have not yet done this, it's something I want to explore to see if this can work with these locked-down corporate laptops.

Suggestions
With regards to laptop cases, travel gadgets and other ideas to make travel easier, I'm always interested to hear what others are doing. Feel free to comment here or, the next time we see each other, tell me about your great travel idea or gadget.

Gloria Metrick
GeoMetrick Enterprises
http://www.GeoMetrick.com/