Heading to India, debating on best way to store photos while on trip.
 

Posted this in Electronics, but it's also heavily Travel related, so it's here too.

So I'm heading to India with coworkers in December and know I'll be taking a ton of pictures with my digital camera. I've got a 256 MB compact flash card and a 128 MB one. I know with how many pictures I'll be taking, that will not be enough space. So I've been debating what method I should use to store my photos while I'm on this 2 week trip.

The options I've been entertaining are:

1. Get an iPod and the photo adapter, download the pics every day
Pros: I finally get an iPod and all the bonuses having an iPod entails.
Cons: Pretty expensive. Possible compatibility issues of the camera connecting to the iPod. Will it be able to download movies created by the camera?

2. Buy another few CF cards.
Pros: Possibly cheaper.
Cons: Some of those cards are almost comparable to the cost of an iPod for less overall space. Having more CF cards to keep track off on the trip, like rolls of film.

3. Buy/borrow a cheap laptop and download to that.
Pros: It's a laptop. Entertainment options for the plane ride there. No download issues at all.
Cons: I've been cautioned against bringing a laptop to India, for security reasons. Also, lugging around a laptop will probably get tiresome.

So, those are the three options I've come up with. Is there a solution I'm not considering? Advice? Anyone try this before and have a preference?

Wow given your choices I'd say get the iPod because you get the benefit of photo storage and look at that -- you get to take along your favorite music. :) What a bonus!

I traveled to India earlier this year and you will probably want to take more photos than you can imagine now. I was there for work so I had the lap top with me. If I didn't have the need for lugging the machine with me I'd opt for the more easily carried device - the iPod.

I spent the majority of my time in the Mumbai area which was amazing for the sheer number of people that live there. People were every damn where 24 x 7!

A little advice for your trip (which I'm sure you'll get plenty but anyway):

- Take extra batteries (AA's or any other type you need for your electronics)
- Take the SHOTS because the immunization isn't as painful as the disease potential but for the most part you will be safe
- Take a dozen or two good protien bars that you can use to supplement your diet
- Practice eating Tandori cuisine by drinking hydro-chloric acid :D It will bring the food you eat there down to just your average "hotter than hell" meal.
- Don't buy bottled water (or other soft drinks) from anywhere other than your hotel - and even then inspect the lid carefully to ensure it's not repackaged (remember to use the bottled water to rise your tooth brush).
- Milk is from the local buffalo so it's fat content is much higher - it taste great but it's creamier than what you might expect and again only get it from your hotel.
- Take a good insect repellent - I used Permetherin from passport health usa (both the cream and the clothing spray) and they worked very well.

http://www.passporthealthusa.com/images/PicI-103.jpg http://www.passporthealthusa.com/images/PicI-105.jpg

I'd go with the IPod because it will have music with it - -and you will have it for more than just your trip. the downside to the laptop - -it's steal-worthy, and if you buy a cheap laptop, after the trip would you really want to use it?

Don't forget to pick up some power adapters too -- you'll want to be able to recharge your laptop in the hotel.

Most of the hotels cater to western travelers and have upgraded their electric supplies to multi-type plug receptacles to accomodate their guests.

If you have a look the your power supply to any newer device it will also show you that it adjusts to accomodate inputs from 110 to 240v AC - 50/60Hz (cycles).

I didn't trust the label on the power supply for my cell phone so I pluged that into a converter which turned out to be a bad choice. It toasted the power supply as indicated by the "Biiiiiiiing" sound it made right as it stopped delivering the recharge to the phone. :|

The power supply for the lap top had the same indication so I went with it and it was fine.

This advice alone....if followed, will save you SO MUCH GRIEF....seriously


And do not eat at the outside bazaar/cafe areas.....dissentary is a very nasty thing to deal with on vacation.

The same warning applies to fresh fruit as it's a common practice to "juice" it with water to make the fruit look a little more plump. If you get it from the hotel, again, you're likely going to be okay.

At first sign of dissentary in any form start taking the Cipro. You'll be eternally thankful that you have it.

You can get really cheap SD cards at one of the computer stores, too. I got a 128 which'll hold 160 pictures on my camera for $20. And a card reader that plugs directly into my laptop for $9.99 so as not to drain my batteries. Works wonderfully for me when I'm traveling. Lock up the laptop in the hotel room safe, take 160 pictures during the day, put them on the laptop at night and upload them onto a photo site so my friends and family can see (some of :D) what I'm up to. It saves money on phone calls, too.

I'm so glad to see this posted, I'm trying to figure out the same thing for my trip to Egypt (EGYPT! EGYPT!! Studying dance in EGYPT! *runs around like a lunatic with excitement*).
I like the idea of the IPOD (music availability).
I like the idea of the laptop (can view photos, write a travelog while details are still fresh, send gloating emails to friends...)
I like the idea of extra memory (lighter to tote around)

As an aside, I've started taking acidopholous (I know that's not how you spell it) to prepare against the Curse of the Mummy. It's been highly recommended to me by my friends who have gone to Egypt. Probably wouldn't hurt to think about that for India as well.

Hey
iPod is a great idea (didn't know it could even hold photos). By the way, all big cities in India are strewn with internet cyber cafes with many multimedia capabilities. There you can upload your photos onto the web for about $1/hr of internet time. If you're watching your budget, don't bother with hotel internet - as those will be western rates. Just head out and you'll see a few in most urban areas. If you don't find one, ask some youngsters - many of today's youth indulge in the internet from games to chatting to job searches. If photos is the ONLY reason you're taking your laptop, I suggest leaving it. In some parts its a pain to carry, in others its a risk, plus the added hassle of security.

Other tips:
1) Carry 1 roll of toilet paper in your carry on luggage. This will serve well the night you arrive - even at the airport. Remember, from deplaning, through immigration & customs to baggage claim can be a good 2 hours - so with 17 hours of flying behind you, you might need to put that toilet paper to good use. Once safely in your hotel, buy toilet paper in any general store - or ask housekeeping to give you a roll or two for your handbag.
2) Don't bother with carrying too many Rupees from your home country. All Indian metropolitans are full of ATMs now, and they accept foreign cards as long as the symbols (MAC, STAR etc) match up. Check with your bank for partners in India.

Thats all for now.

Hey,
I am from India (Bombay) so if ya need any info let me know and i'll be happy to help. About the question I think an Ipod would be a good idea. You guys are such sissys! you cant go to India and not have the junk food! Thats the best part :) Why let a little dissentary sacre you. I am kidding, I've lived there almost all my life so I am used to the food :) but yea, be carefull with the water you drink and u'll be fine.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm totally looking forward to the trip. We've got a full itinerary planned, and we're basically going to go all over India.

The storage method I finally decided on was to buy a 2 GB compact flash card for 100 bucks. I just couldn't bring myself to drop the 400+ dollars it was going to cost for the iPod plus all the accessories.

Thanks again for all the advice, I'll definitely be revisiting this thread when I start packing for the trip.

Apacer made a cd burner/memory card reader that used AA batteries that a friend used with great success.
http://www.apacer.com/en/products/Mu...ia_Storage.htm
I think he had the CP100, maybe Cp200.... can't remember.
Prices of blank CD's are pretty cheap, and seeing they do a DVD version, that might be the one to have.
He did end burning a few discs for other people on the trip, so factor that in, maybee it could pay for you batteries and discs?

There's a new preventive drug you can take to combat traveller's disease caused by e-coli and such. I forget the name but your local quack can give you a scrip if you are travelling to a third world country (which, before anyone yells, India is by and large).

I got my 2 GB card today in the mail. I popped it into my camera and here's the image count.

Superfine quality + 2272x1704 res = 999 images
Superfine quality + 1600x1200 res = 1938 images
Fine quality + 2272x1704 res = 1777 images
Fine quality + 1600x1200 res = 3367(!) images

I think I'm set on pictures. :D

While you have decide on 2GB card; This is what I normally do - I carry two 512 cards. Most places (even in India) a photoshop will burn a CD for a couple of bucks. That becomes my backup. From a small island off HKG, to DEL, to PRG to CFU all places I have made backups. The reason I do not carry a bigger that 512 is because a CD cannot hold >700.

If you post your itn. to India maybe we can give oher suggestions :) Enjoy

i carry a laptop and upload to the net for backup in case the laptop gets damaged or stolen...

the hotel i am at now the Trident in Gurgaon has some fast wireless, just a bit pricey.

flipside to carrying a laptop has been the ability to keep up with US shows that I moved from the Tivo to the laptop or downloaded.