14 replies to this topic

[diver dave1]

Heading to Peru and Machu Picchu soon. Part of the trip is backpacking so taking a laptop seems a bit too heavy and do not want to keep it stored at the hotel while off hiking. Considering bringing a 500 gb portable drive and using and downloading pics when in town using internet cafe's.

Others have traveled to that region. Are there internet cafe's at Aquas Calientes?

Sorry for the non-diving trip question but thought people would know.

All I need are some USB ports and a laptop for pic transfers.

thanks,
Dave

[aussie]

I've just ordered one of these. Same as you, I have a trip coming up and didn't want to be taking a laptop. Seems to get good reviews, and don't need a computer to back photos up onto it.

Ryan.

[PRC]

FWIW - have tried the non PC type options and ended up with one of these.

Yea OK it is a PC - not much use for editing shots but it is great for travel with email wireless etc etc.

Paul C

[Mooseman1007]

I must admit I have tried some of the picture archive systems and to be honest they arent worth the price, so I have also gone down the route of a netbook. It has come on trips to Mexico and Borneo, and really doesnt take too much space up in hand luggage. It gives the advantage that you can get rid of the dross pictures and even back everything up to a keydrive (Im completely backup crazy, especially on long haul holidays)
Its also nice that you can take your music with you, and have email etc
Mooseman

[PRC]

To be honest Mooseman that is exactly what I found.

Don't try to edit pictures - not enough horsepower for that, but for travel it is dead light and with built in wireless / email etc you can often hijack an internet connection.

Add a USB powered 500 or 700GB 2.5" HDD and you have also got backup.

Paul C

[Shasta_man]

I just buy more memory sticks and bring them. Any hard drive with moving parts is suspectible to failure. Whether from shock or condensation, etc, lots of threats there.

Unless you are a journalist, that would be one heck of a lot of pics you could bring just on sticks alone.

[DiverPam]

This whole discussion about pic storage on a trip is always interesting to lurk around. It seems that so many on here find having a laptop with them on a trip an absolute nessecity. I do not know that I agree with this. I find that taking extra memory cards for my camera and then changing the card out daily works well. After the trip, I come home and immediately download and back up like I am supposed to. I know that my son gets worries about ounces when he hikes - especially longer ones. So I imagine that for a trip like this, weight is significant.

I found that the one trip I took my laptop on I was so busy trying to down load every evening and then wanted to look them over - that I did not enjoy myself as much. My spouse also did not like the fact that I was not taking any down time during the trip with him. Seems to not get that diving and UW pics come first

With luggage restraints and all that camera gear, the less I have to take the better.

Sounds like a WONDERFUL trip - have a blast and we look forward to seeing your pics when you get back. Let us know what you decide to do about pic storage. - Diverpam

[Steve Williams]

Interesting thoughts Pam,
I'm at the stage where I need to look at my images during a trip to see how I can improve. Half the fun of digital for me is the almost instant feedback. I hear you though about being too busy to have fun. I'll admit to spending a few nights sleeping in the main cabin on a dive boat, passed out over my computer. I guess the portable storage units or a nice small notebook would be a good compromise.

Cheers,
Steve

Edited by Steve Williams, 02 September 2010 - 07:17 PM.

[TheRealDrew]

I have used Hyperdrives and really like them. I order a bare one and put my own hard drives in. When SSDs come down I would probably switch to those. Fast and does data check so a good way to have a back-up and view things, at least for me. Even having extra CF cards for all shooting, well I am still comfortable having at least one back-up. You can also copy from the devices. A bit of a pain (not as easy as copy and paste on a laptop), but it works if you wanted. Also carry an iPad with the camera connection kit. Since the largest HD is only 64 gigs there is a limit, but for downloading and viewing photos, plus a decent screen to do quick keep or delete on the road, it works nicely, though it is WiFi for internet.

[DiverPam]

Interesting thoughts Pam,
I'm at the stage where I need to look at my images during a trip to see how I can improve. Half the fun of digital for me is the almost instant feedback. I hear you though about being too busy to have fun. I'll admit to spending a few nights sleeping in the main cabin on a dive boat, passed out over my computer. I guess the portable storage units or a nice small notebook would be a good comprimise.

Cheers,
Steve

Steve - Good point on reviewing pics. I do like to look through my pics between dives/daily - but I am doing it by the LCD screen on my camera. I zoom in to check things out as needed. I do note that I do not get to see everthing I need to, but this helps in seeing how I might change things up the next dive or day.

I will have to admit that I am going to take my laptop with me in January - going on the A Mustard Workshop in G Cayman. So that is one place I think it is a must.

DiverPam

[diver dave1]

Pam,
I am JUST back from the same trip - back just a few days now! Aqua C. does have internet cafe's. My hotel at Aqua C. had a computer in the lobby for use as well.. which is what I did. Hauling a Laptop to Aqua C. would be a pain and I am glad I did not do it. I did carry a 500gb USB drive.
Most of the computers at Aqua C and Cuzco had USB ports but some only had them in the back. You can slide the computer forward at reach them. Internet cafes are cheap, about $2/hr for SLOW connections.

I took extra 16gb SD cards so I knew I had enough for 2 days at Machu, shooting JPEG+RAW on the D90. Enough SD cards for the trek as well. Thus only downloading between trekking and Machu. A 16 gb card on the D90, shooting RAW+Jpeg was giving me 700 + pics/card.


Take the recommendations about long pants and long sleeves seriously at Machu Picchu..and the recommendation for DEET on those clothes. You will see those that did not and paid the price of dozens, if not hundreds, of bug bites. I went with short sleeves for 3 hours hiking up Way. Machu. I got about 20 bites on the uncovered areas in those 3 hours. Places I kept covered and sprayed had zero bites.
Machu P. is hot during mid-day. light long pants and light long sleeves are worth it. Machu P. at 06:00 can be worth a windbreaker. Clouds cleared around 9-10 am both days there, started out like pea-soup at 06:30.

The hike up Way. Machu is worth it - as is taking the early trip for it. The hike up to the Sun Gate is also worth it. If you cannot make Sungate, go at least 1/3 of the way up for some great views back to machu P.

You MUST be in line at 3:57 am for the ticket to early hike Way. Machu or H. Machu. By 4:10 am, the line is too long for the early ticket. I arrived at 3:59 and nearly missed it. All hotels seem to tell the guest to be at the bus terminal at 04:00 so the line difference betweeen 03:57 and 04:05 is over 50 people.

There is a shop that opens at 4:00 by the bus line. You can get coffee, coca tea, snacks there at reasonable prices. The shop does a good business as you have 90 minutes of waiting. Your hotel can give you a 'bag lunch'. Their idea of a sandwich in the bag lunch is ONE slice of meat or cheese on a 1/2 size slice of bread.

Buy your bus ticket the night before the bus ride. I think they are open to at least 9pm. They do open prior to the buses leaving but you do not want to have to mess with it then. You did not get in line at 03:55 to have confusion over having a bus ticket.

People queue up at the entrance to Way. Picchu around 07:00. They did not check my ticket to see I had the required stamp. Therefore, it appears they often just allow the first 200 to sign in and go...if you have the stamp and are late, you might not get to go until the second shift - when its starting to get hot. ALSO, when in line at machu P entrance , they coming stamping and do not talk about it. One pair is stamping and writing with a black marker for the LATE hike up. Make certain you get the EARLY stamp only..no black marker. I got the wrong one at first as I had no idea what they were doing.

Both a 18-200 and 12-24 Nikon were nice to have on the trip.
The 12-24 can give some nice chances for photo's on the train trip if you have light but have the camera ISO set high enough to stop the action. The train goes fairly slowly. You usually do not see the photo ops coming, you just have to be completely ready for a quick snap.

The mountains/valleys around the Sacred Valley region have smoke from grass burning, which hurts some of the great views. trying to address the haze in post shows it not to be so easy.

There are taller mountains and further east from Machu that you cannot see in the early fog/mist. As the sun comes up, they are back lit which can open some nice photo ops with 2 ranges in misty view and parts of Machu as a foreground, depending on your position.

The ONLY bathroom at Machu is outside the entrance. You pay 1 Sol for it ($0.33) per trip. There are a few places to sneak in a quick break if you are adventurous and willing to hike off a bit.
There is a cafe by the bathroom that opens at 07:00. The cafe seemed to have good food but I did not try it.

I would follow your plan, no laptop, portable HD, extra SD cards. Let me know if you have more questions.
I am traveling the next 5 days and may miss looking here. feel free to PM me on this trip if you have more questions.

[DiverPam]

Dave - Thanks for all of the great information. The printer is humming right now with this post and will go into my file. First hand information like we get on here is priceless!! Would not be without it. I have read alot about the area, but nver so thorough an explanation about when to be where and why. Thanks.

Sounds like you had a good trip. Hope to see pics soon. - DIvevrPam

[jcclink]

DEET will dissolve plastic like some camera parts, so be sure to keep your hands clean.

[diver dave1]

DEET will dissolve plastic like some camera parts, so be sure to keep your hands clean.

JCC is quite right about DEET dissolving things. I keep it in double wrapping and clean hands after application. Do Not get it on plastic or camera parts.

[diver dave1]

I noticed several places where I refer to Way and H. Machu. This is an error on my part. Its Way and H. Picchu. Machu Picchu is a big mtn and a long hike...we did not do that. Sorry for the confusion.

There is no food or drink available inside machu Picchu city. Carry what you need with you. You can get some at the park entrance which is not too long a hike from the city portion but longer than you want from Sun gate and Way. Picchu and H. picchu. they have signs saying none of it is allowed...but its not prevented.

Hiking sticks in the Machu Picchu region are not worth the trouble. they were great for trekking so I rented them for the trek and was glad NOT to have them at machu picchu.
Hiking up H. and Way picchu was better with no sticks.

Hope you have a great time.

Dave