traveling with a laptop around oz?
 

wondered if someone could give me some advise i like my tech gadgets and i am over in oz on a working visa, as i knew i was staying with relatives at first i knew i could take my laptop and also a travel mp3 player that also plays videos and takes photos is a camcorder and stores music etc, so having this around is very handy as is the laptop.

But i am thinking of doing some traveling and i may stay in a hostel or two until i maybe meet people who i can share house,room with.

Would i be wise taking my laptop with me to a hostel are they safe to take things like that and do you get storage locks to leave them in or lockers to but things like that in and are they secure?

I was told by somone that in this day and age i would not be the only one taking a laptop around with me and i was kind of lucky i had one with me, i would say i am kind of stupid taking one with me there am i right.

I know there is internet cafes and such but they do cost a bit and i do like to use the net often and who knows maybe i will move on from hostels and get my own place.

Can anyone recommend or tell me if other people travelers or backpackers take laptops with them, i can leave it at relatives and collect later or when i am due to go back home but then that would have been a waste taking it first place.

any advise would be great.

Make sure the hostel has somewhere the laptop can be locked up. Keep it out of sight, especially in the car and you should be fine. There are plenty of internet cafes that let you plug in your laptop.

but how secure are the lock ups in hostels are they very secure, i suppose it depends on where i go etc, if i took my laptop and this gadget i have that plays movies and mp3 etc etc the total cost of stolen would be about £1600 something i dont want to happen, they are insured but still dont want it, as i said i can leave the items at relatives but then what would be the point in taking them here if they are not with me.

Also you say about i can plug it in at internet cafe, what do they charge for that and do most allow this? as i have my own isp over here and could leave it running if i take laptop with me, so i suppose the only charge to them would be connection charge?

No security is ever guaranteed. As with anything expensive on holiday there is a risk. Internet Cafes will charge you for access but it will be cheaper than using their PCs.

I was in a similar situation the first time I went to Oz - took my laptop (I'm an addict!) with me as I knew I would initially be staying with friends. I decided to leave my laptop with my friends in Sydney when I travelled around, and to be honest I think it was the best decision. You never know what the security of a place is going to be like - I have been in very few hostels where I would trust my laptop to be safe. I eventually got my friends to ship my laptop to me when I moved in to a house in Perth. To me, carrying my laptop with me just wasn't worth it, and most hostels offer internet access anyways. If you've got your own car and can lock the laptop in the boot or something, then it might be a different story (although then I suppose you might have to worry about the heat!).

I've done a lot of travelling, and I've only ever once seen someone with a laptop in a hostel!

BTW, I wouldn't trust anything worth £1600 to a hostel locker, they can be broken into too easily. Make sure they are put into a safe or something.

From my experience, particularly of hostels in Sydney, I would absolutely recommend you NOT to take anything of any value with you.
Better to leave it with your family.
Theives in hostels are cheeky buggers. They even go through your stuff when your sleeping next to it.

Barbara
x

if you don't want to pay internet cafe prices go to a library, use their internet for free!! I did that while in Victoria! http://alia.org.au/
:D

Brian

If you must take your laptop with you I'd recomend if you stop at a hostel that you use an IYH (international youth hostel).

It's not a 100% guarrantee but I think they are the safest option.

Keel