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World Photo

Up a Creek Without a Laptop: One Month in India with Only 30 Gigs of Handheld Storage by Lin Alder When traveling in remote areas, there are a number of things you can do to lighten your load and many reasons to do so.  While roaming around in India, TGP contributor Lin Alder decided to forego the laptop and bring with him a 30 GB mobile storage device to take care of his digital images. Article rating: 9.14

What’s the first image that comes to mind at the mention of India’s Ganges River? Probably floating debris, funeral pyres and rows of pilgrims washing in filthy water. But the Ganges has a wild, pristine side that few are fortunate to see. During a recent visit to the spiritual subcontinent, the pristine “Mother Ganges” revealed itself in a way that directly contradicts the western view of India as a soiled, overcrowded place. 

This journey to India was part pilgrimage, part assignment. Wanting to travel light with only a backpack/camera bag and avoid looking like a wealthy target, I left the laptop at home and opted for a handheld 30 gig  storage device. Without the extra 10 pounds of expensive technology, my backpack felt like it had wings.

In India, during a four-day wilderness rafting trip on the Ganges, the device stored each day’s photos flawlessly. However, note to self: bring extra batteries for the camera AND storage device next time. The battery finally drained on day four, but the compact flash cards and two gig microdrive in my camera bag stored the images until we could recharge batteries that afternoon.

As the 30 gig storage device collected more images, the on-screen display became a sort of digital postcard of the trip. After living for a week in a yoga ashram, the family running the ashram asked to see photos—of themselves and from other parts of the trip—on the handheld storage device. No matter that the screen is 2.5"—they just handed the device around.

Being a low-key, laptop-free traveler felt particularly nice during a 48-hour train ride from northern India to Kerala in the south. In very cramped quarters, the lighter, smaller backpack was much more appropriate than a bulky bag.

After arriving in tropical Kerala, a very different India emerged. A massive system of backwater lagoons and canals near the western coast supports a burgeoning fleet of luxury houseboats. Our crew was unforgettable.

Most of these handmade marvels are adorned with rooftop solar panels. Despite our “unplugged” location, the sun gave enough power to keep batteries charged.

As soon we took a picture of local village kids—and showed them their image on the digital screen—

whole herds of local kids appeared out of nowhere to have their pictures taken too. The smiles on their faces confirmed that traveling light with digital camera equipment is the way to go.

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