iPod?

[sara8]

When I was originally considering what to bring, I figured that I was going to be taking my ipod with me. However, I'm not sure what I would do when I would need to charge it. Will it be safe for me to leave it to charge overnight in the hostel or am I better doing it during the day? And I'm not sure that I'm planning to spend enough time during the day in the hostel in order for it to charge.

I was just wondering what other people had done in the past, and if, in your opinions, I'm better off bringing the ipod or just going with my discman instead?

[me]

prolly better to do it overnight, as you'll be sleeping there by it. if you left it for the day, it might disappear.

[sara8]

me said:

prolly better to do it overnight, as you'll be sleeping there by it. if you left it for the day, it might disappear.

I wouldn't leave it during the day...I'd only charge it during the day if I was staying there with it, like resting for a bit in the hostel. What concerns me is it getting stolen while I'm sleeping.

[Eagle]

sara8, I see no reason you can't bring your IPod (I recently bought one also, and plan on packing mine along from now on).

Charging an IPod is about the same as charging a digital Camera, PDA, Laptop or whatever. Most of the Chargers supplied with portable devices these days are "rapid Chargers", which are capable of charging batteries in 1-2 hours. If the supplied Charger isn't capable of this, some of the "after market" Chargers have this capability. I recently bought a travel Charger for my IPod, which operates on 100-240 VAC, has folding pins and fully charges the battery in usually less than 90 minutes. Have a look at www.sonnettech.com/product/ipod_usb_adptr.html for further details.

Charging is only a problem if one is staying in Hostels. I usually "mix" my accomodations and stay in budget Hotels some of the time. If one is only staying in Hostels, there are several solutions:

- charge the IPod at night when you're sleeping (of course, someone could still "pinch" the device while you're asleep).
- charge the IPod when you're getting organized (shower, etc.) in the morning, IF there's a "trusted" fellow traveller in your Room that can watch it.
- take the IPod down to the reception desk and ask the Staff if they'll charge it for you while you're getting organized in the morning.
- if you're in the Hostel for a couple of hours while having dinner (before you go out for the evening), charge the IPod while you're visiting with fellow travellers, doing your laundry or whatever.

With some ingenuity, I'm sure you won't have any problem finding ways to overcome this minor difficulty.

Cheers and happy travels!!!

[commie]

why you dont ask the hostel personel if they can charge in the staff room or another room closed for hostel guests?
or take an old walkman (for the younger audience: its an a portable cassette tape player ), take the everything out and use the empty case as ipod-cover. the perfect camouflage - who would steal a walkman today?!

[sara8]

Thanks for the suggestions Eagle and Commie!

[rchua]

i just got back from my european trip and i brought my ipod with me. it definately makes time goes by faster especially during long plane/train rides. just make sure you keep it safe and when you are charging it don't let it out of your sight. i made sure that while mine was charging my friend was around to keep an eye on it.

[mango]

You have hit on one of the big problems with ipods: they are just not suitable for long trips away. Better to get an mp3 player that takes standard batteries. If you are seen with an ipod you are likely to be ostracised and will find it hard to make friends in Europe.

[LHR02]

>>>>>>>>If you are seen with an ipod you are likely to be ostracised and will find it hard to make friends in Europe. <<<<<


LMAO! You surely don't mean that as a serious statement, do you? That is the silliest thing I have read in months. I don't have one myself but wherever I went it surely seemed like I was the only one who didn't. Just like at home, everywhere I looked all I saw was a sea of 'ear buds'. Oh, and cell phones of course.

[Eagle]

mango, I'd be interested to learn a bit more about your experiences in travelling with an MP3 player, as I don't understand why someone would be ostracized for using an I-Pod as opposed to any other MP3 Player? Anyone listening to an MP3 Player will be less likely to interact with other people (ie: make friends with others). Hopefully most people would have enough sense to turn off the music when there are other people around.

Generally speaking, the only way someone would know that a person was using an I-Pod would be the "signature" white ear buds. I use "other than Apple" custom ear buds and my I-Pod usually resides in my pocket, so there would be no way for anyone to tell which type of MP3 player I'm using.

Hopefully I'll be travelling again this fall, and I'll let everyone know what my experience is in terms of being "suitable for long trips away".

Cheers!!!

[MuvverRussia]

Definitely not sure about Mango's comment. Even in Cardiff, where I grew up and where my parents live (could be seen to be a bit of a provincial backwater) you're unlikely to be ostracised for it. Besides, it's just another music player...

The only real risk to me would be the theft risk, as I've recently found out. Some b*****d stole mine from the library when I was revising . So I'm now on the market for a new one .

[rchua]

sorry to hear that you lost your ipod muvver. ipods are so freaking expensive!!! for those who plan to travel w/ an ipod make sure you buy a wall charger that has dual voltage that works for both 110-220v. most new wall charger has this and all you need after that plug adapter which is cheap.

[g2]

i traveled around east europe for 3 weeks mostly using my ipod while on th etrain from city to city....
i stayed in sleeper cars and if i remember correctly, some of them had outlets that worked and i could charge that way....
i also stayed in private rooms at peoples houses sometimes, so...no worries about charging there day or night
as far as at a hostel, id charge it at night and keep the ipod on the bed with me.....
if anyone grabbed for it....the sensors i had surrounding me triggered a blade to pop out of the ipod case and chop the persons hand off.....really