Honestly, it feels like I pack the kitchen sink when packing for blogging when travelling. Would it shock you to know that I’m writing this post from an airport departure lounge? I feel this insight means you now know I’m uniquely qualified to write on this topic. Photos will of course be taken when I reach my destination. For now on with putting words into this blog post.
Blogging when travelling requires as much technology as you can carry! (Or at least it does in my opinion).
Bag
Now this isn’t really pertinent to the topic I’m covering but it is a fairly important one. The bag you choose if you’re planning on taking everything you need for blogging is incredibly important. You need something strong and sturdy and that cope with the amount of technology you’re likely to be packing.
My favourite bags are by the brand Knomo as they are sturdy enough to cope with everything I pack but also have lots of pockets and places to put things. My current obesession is the hidden phone pocket in the bag I’m currently using. It’s great for busy public transport to keep your phone safe. I also have a bag insert for this bag so I have plenty of pockets and a dedicated space for my water bottle.
iPad and Keyboard
At the time of starting this post I was using an iPad and keyboard for on the go blogging. It’s light plus I can use my iPad for other things while I’m away. Since starting this post (yes I’m terrible for starting posts and finishing them later) I’ve upgraded to a MacBook. My old laptop was on its very last legs and I was due an upgrade. As everything I own is Apple I figured why not complete the set??
Whether you take a tablet and a keyboard or a laptop will come down to personal preference and what you’re prepared to carry around an airport etc. Personally I choose what I take depending on the type of trip I’m going on. Am I going on holiday or is it a content creating trip with another blogger? There’s lots of factors that go into my decision including the size of the bag I want to be able to take with me.
Another decision to make is will you need a separate mouse as well? The keyboard for my iPad has a trackpad so I’ve got used to just using it when I’m out of the house. Plus I usually blog from bed so a mouse is useless with a laptop at this point. You can find an inexpensive bluetooth mouse on Amazon, I’ve linked to one I like if that’s something you feel you need – Bluetooth Mouse.
Camera and Lenses
I did one trip in 2023 with just my phone and while I love the photos, the ones I capture with my camera are just *better* somehow (insert emphasis on the word better) lol. I do have 4 lenses for my camera but I only take 2 of them when I travel now. Both are f1.8 lenses and I take the 25mm plus my 45mm so I have options for the type of shot I’m trying to get and the distance involved.
There has been lots of trial and error here as to which lenses work for me when I’m travelling. If you travel a lot and like to take photographs more than likely you’ll know what will work for you as well. I also recommend investing in a good case for your camera and your lenses. I use the Olympus wrap case which fits two lenses and my camera really well and protects them when travelling.
External hard drive and adapter
I have so many of my photos saved on my external hard drive that this is an essential that I pack for blogging when travelling. It’s also saved me in hotel rooms when there’s been nothing to watch as I have lots of films saved on it as well. Yes you need a USB C adapter to use it but if you pick the right one it can be used for more than one thing! There’s also a slot for my camera’s SD card so I can transfer photos straight to my device without the need for trying to transfer them from my camera to my phone and then to my iPad/laptop. If I can make things as easy as possible then I will.
There’s probably a whole extra list of things I’ve forgotten but those are the main ones I can think of at this point in time. I’m tempted to do a separate post on the organisers I use for my technology and the best way to protect everything while I travel. Let me know if this is something you would be interested in by commenting below.
