Travel

Considering that I almost never travel with more than 9 kg (19 lbs) of stuff, my complete list of travel gear is probably much smaller than you were expecting However, for 12+ years this is all I ve needed to keep me traveling comfortably and over the past few years, running my internet businesses as well.

If you have any questions about the gear listed below or any other gear that s not on this list, feel free to send me an email and I d be more than happy to reply!

Kelty Redwing 50 Backpack - I traveled with the same Kelty Redwing 2900 backpack for 12 years and when it finally came time to replace it, I simply went with the newest version, the Kelty Redwing 50. It s intelligently designed, incredibly durable and extremely comfortable to carry, making it the perfect backpack as far as I m concerned.

Eagle Creek Load Warrior Wheeled Duffel 22 For those shorter trips when I don t need to carry anything on my back, this lightweight, 45 liter piece of luggage has been great to have. Plenty of space, plenty of pockets and it s easy to carry, not to mention that it fits as a carry-on when I m flying, even when the suitcase if completely full.

REI Flash 18 Daypack This daypack is tiny when rolled up but when I m ready to use it, I can easily fit everything I need for a day trip. It s lightweight, easy to carry, I can open and close it with just one hand and it only costs about $30. Overall, it s just a brilliant daypack.

Tip: When traveling to certain countries, consider placing your backpack in a potato or rice sack before boarding any long-distance buses or trains. This disguise helps keep potential thieves away from your stuff!

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830T-6651 This 11.6 inch laptop has blown my old Sony Vaio away in terms of performance, making it my new laptop of choice. For just over $600 US, I ended up with a powerful, amazingly lightweight and portable machine, which is a perfect combination for the world traveler.

UPDATE: I have now made the switch to a Macbook and while I absolutely love my 13.3 Macbook Pro with Retina Screen. the above Acer computer is still an incredible travel laptop, especially for any traveler who plans to work on the road. On the other hand, if you re looking for a more powerful, user-friendly and fun machine, and you don t mind shelling out some extra money, the newer series of Macbooks is definitely a great option in my opinion.

WD My Passport External Hard Drive After a long debate over which hard drive to purchase, I finally went with the My Passport, and I ve been more than happy with my decision as it has performed exactly as I ve needed it to. It s also super-thin and weighs practically nothing.

Tip: When traveling, consider putting pieces of duct tape or even stickers all over the outside of your laptop. This helps make your computer appear less valuable than it really is, which again, keeps potential wrong-doers away from your valuable gear.

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 Digital Camera Ah, what can I say about my Lumix ZS20. I absolutely love this camera, as it has been the ideal companion for someone who wants great photos but doesn t feel the need to spend $1000+. Photo quality is excellent, as is the video quality, there s a 20x zoom and the camera is slim and light. This amazing thing is capable of turning anyone into a respectable photographer, making it $349 well spent.

XShot Camera Extender It s such a simple, yet wonderful, idea. Lightweight and it takes up no space at all, this piece of travel gear instantly allows you to capture photos of yourself with ease and to take shots from angles that otherwise would be impossible. Definitely a very cool, must-have piece of travel gear!

Kindle, 6 E Ink Display, Wi-Fi This one is easy. One gadget, all the books I could ever want to read. The Kindle saves space, it s very reasonably priced and one charge lasts for a month at least. I went with the standard Kindle version and I ve been reading more than ever since I bought this thing.

Telecomsquare Mobile WiFi Router This is the easiest way to ensure that I am connected to the internet while I travel. I just sign up online, receive my device via mail and then I turn it on once I arrive at my destination, giving me unlimited WiFi as I wander around. And when my trip is over, I just drop the device in a prepaid FedEx envelope and send it back. Too easy.

Google Nexus 5 Unlocked Phone I spent a long time researching phones and I could not be happier with my final decision. This phone is a blast to use and everything works quite seamlessly. And for the price, it has to be one of the best value Android phones out there.

NeatReceipts Mobile Scanner and Digital Filing System If you run a mobile business, this thing is more than ideal. I pop every receipt into the tiny scanner it files it away according to tax category. And just like that all of my expenses are tracked.

Crocs Modi Flip Flop My search for the perfect travel sandal ended once I found these Crocs. Lightweight, comfortable and surprisingly tough, I m hooked on these things and am now a loyal customer.

Himalaya Healthcare Face Lotion / Neem Face Wash I m been a huge fan of this company and these products for over 10 years now. Not only do I use these items quite religiously myself (if you don t use face wash, give it a shot and you ll be convinced!), but my family and friends always ask me to buy a variety of Himalaya products for them every time I m in India. Now it s all available online and I stock up every time I m back in the US.

Chandrika Ayurvedic Soap Ever since I stumbled upon this popular ayurvedic Indian soap on my first trip to India, I make sure to have a bar of it in my backpack at all times. I don t know how to describe the feeling, but your showers will never be the same once you try this soap. Plus, it s not tested on animals and consists only of pure vegetable oils.

Moleskine Red Pocket Notebook I was hesitant at first but it didn t take long for me to become addicted to carrying around my sleek-looking red Moleskine notebook everywhere I go. It s great for jotting down all of the random thoughts that enter my head as I wander around the world.

Lenmar AC5 World Travel Adapter Plug Set - As far as universal travel adapters go, this set has now been the most reliable one I ve ever owned. Instead of one hefty adapter, you get a small set of individual adapters (one for every kind of plug outlet) that easily fit onto your plug and take up almost no space at all.

Sea to Summit Tek Towel I bought this travel towel last year and it was my first one, so I don t have anything to compare it to. However, this towel takes up almost no space at all, dries super-quickly and has proven useful more often than I would have imagined. For $20 (for the medium size) it s worth sticking one of these in your backpack.