After receiving some nice feedback about the post ´In my dive travel bag as a female scuba diver´, and the connected video on Splashpacker YouTube channel, I became motivated to share some more travel tips in regards to my packing list and what I usually take in my backpack. This post is not specifically related to scuba diving, however, I always carried the packing list electronics shared in this post, whilst working abroad as a scuba diving instructor as well.
Electronics in my bag for backpacking, working abroad & travelling alone
Usually, I also carry these electronics either backpacking, splashpacking or solo travelling (my travelling is usually all of that). So, in this post, I will share 3 small electronics I always carry in my backpack! In the connected YouTube video, I mention that I will add a bonus tip to this blog post. Nice surprise: Next to the bonus top, I will also add a final tip at the end of this post! Here is a link to the YouTube video:
One of the electronics on my packing list especially for longer trips & solo travels: the (Kindle) e-reader
So, the first small electronic I always carry in my hand luggage is the Kindle e-reader. There are a few reasons why I just love the e-reader. First of all, before I had one, I sometimes used book exchange in hostels or took some books with me on my travels. It was not always ideal because you are limited to the books available on the way. And second, it´s a lot of extra weight. Especially when I also carried my heavy PADI instructor manual in those years! And of course, whilst working in remote places like the Maldives for example, I could not just buy or get a new book!
The price did serve the purpose of this small electronic e-book during travelling!
Before I bought the Kindle, I had my doubts. First of all, I found it a bit expensive for yet another electronic which only serves for reading books. But I am so happy I did get one that time. Over the years, it paid itself back because I read a lot and e-books are usually much cheaper than paper versions. And now, even if I travel to remote places, I can buy and read any book I like! The reason why I especially like it as a solo traveller has not really anything to do with the electronic version. Reading in general is just an activity I enjoy travelling alone.
Why do I add the electronic e-reader to my packing list if I can also read on my phone?
This is a question you might have. And for myself, I have some very good reasons for that. First of all, it´s not always very comfortable to read on your cellphone, especially when you read a lot. Most e-readers are designed to read in comfort. So, you can adjust the letter sizes, the way you hold your reader, i.e. horizontally or vertically, and the most important thing for me is the special lighting. If I use my phone for a long time just before sleeping, I just can´t sleep. The Kindle, and I suppose most of the e-readers, have a special light which does not activate that part in your brain what keeps you awake, like phones, tablets and most laptops do.
*I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link. Also, there is now a Kindle waterproof version!
The electronic toothbrush as second on my packing list especially for long term travels or working abroad
Yes, you read this correctly. And before you start thinking: ´This does not make any sense to me at all´, let me explain! The main reason for me is that I just need the dentist waaaay less since I use the electric toothbrush. When I left my home country in 2006 to become a scuba diving instructor and needed to pack lightly, the electric toothbrush was one of the first electronics I deleted from my packing list. But after a couple of years, I realised that I had much more dental problems.
A few more reasons for carrying this small electronic in my backpack for travelling abroad
So, the first reason is simply that I need to see the dentist less. When I started to use the electronic toothbrush again, after this time, for years I did not have any issues at the dentist. Maybe it depends on the way your teeth are standing in your mouth, but in my experience, I can reach the teeth in the back better and it cleans better. Next to having less dental problems, I also realised I use way less toothpaste. Also, it does not take up that much extra space in your backpack, and the charger is very small.
One tip for saving on costs using the electronic toothbrush
One little disadvantage about the electronic toothbrush I experienced is that the replacement brushes are very expensive, especially if you buy the original Oral-B ones. I live in Spain, and I always just buy the home brand from Mercadona supermarket to replace the little brush. There are more brands offering replacement brushes who are compatible with Oral-B for a much more affordable price (they are not Oral-B original ones). I´ll add an Amazon advertisement here for the electronic toothbrush and the ´fake-brand´ replacement brushes.
*I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link
The third electronic on my packing list for any kind of travelling: the MP3-player
The little MP3-player, which does not cost a lot of money, can serve really well during travelling. It might, like the electronic toothbrush sound a bit unnecessary. Especially because nowadays we can listen to almost any song on our cellphone. There are, however, a few advantages for me to take the MP-3 player on my travels. First of all, you save the battery on your phone on long plane flights or bus journeys. Second, I use it to go running and don´t like to take my phone because it´s much bigger. And a nice extra advantage is, that you can listen to music without getting disturbed on your phone, especially if you use it for relaxation music or to do some guided meditation. I add a few different options here, the 4th one on the right (and the cheapest) is the one I have and it works perfectly!
*I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link
My promise from the YouTube video ´3 small electronics for solo travel or working abroad´: A bonus 🙂
So, depending on where you travel or in which country you´re going to work and where you´re originally from (or where you bought your electronics), it´s very useful to have a world plug or international adapter. They are not very expensive and there are versions who allow any kind of plug in the world to be converted to your electronic. Most of them also convert the voltage.
Use all your electronics anywhere in the world and it´s only one more small item to your packing list
So if you travel a lot, if you are planning to go to a variety of countries, or if you work in a lot of different countries, I can recommend buying one. At the end of the day, it´s also cheaper than buying little convert adapters separately in each country. I remember buying local converting adapters when I worked on the Dominican Republic and yet when I start working in Mexico after that, I couldn´t use them there. After this, I moved to work on the Maldives I found UK plugs, so once again I could not use my European plugs. You can fill it when I went to New Zealand & Australia and the other countries I lived, worked and travelled.
*I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link
The final tip for your small electronics in your backpack or hand luggage
Did you know there are special smaller bags and organisers only to carry your small electronics, chargers and other power supplies on your travels? There are many different models and sizes available. Some of them are suitable to put things like a tablet or your kindle, while others are made only for chargers & cables. Most of them have good material to protect all your small electronics during travelling.
*I earn a small commission on your purchase through this link
More travel tips & packing list advises for your scuba diving holiday or solo travels to come
Sometimes I will include a post with more travel tips or share things I take backpacking, solo travelling as a female or working abroad. Some future ideas include cosmetics, scuba diving equipment, my experience with the Nikon Coolpix camera amongst others. Here is a link to all packing list posts. It is, however, not the main topic of my writing. I usually share more about scuba diving destinations, keep a personal travel blog, try to focus on eco-conscious dive travel and share my experience working abroad as a scuba diving instructor but also I write about non-diving destinations. If you like what I do you can follow me on social media, join the mailing list below or subscribe to the Splashpacker YouTube channel (link also below). Happy travelling & stay safe!
Here is the link again to the YouTube movie about this post!
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