I love to travel – and I often work overseas. Here’s what I use to work effectively when I’m away from home but not in a car or on a plane.
Working from other countries
Power Dynamics
When I first started traveling, I needed to bring a voltage converter so I could run my 120V devices on 240V European voltage. As more devices began to include switching power supplies, I switched to universal outlet adapters1 and later a collection of IEC C7 cables that would connect to my Mac’s power brick. But for the past few years, I’ve been focusing on easy ways to get power to USB C devices. Here’s my current approach:
Epicka X232 adapter – I bought this because it supports modular connectors so I’d only need to bring plugs for the places I was visiting. It does not charge quickly - but it’s more than fast enough to recharge all my devices overnight. It was also the only device I found that supported…
Three 2 meter USB A to USB C cables, braided together so they wouldn’t tangle
I like that the Epicka adapter gives me two US NEMA outlets - so I can connect a 20W ANKER charger to charge my…
…Apple Watch a little faster than I could with the USB C connectors built into the adapter
Costco had an upgraded 30W Anker charger recently, so I use that to charge my laptop or phone.
Other Accessories
I made this travel wallet out of Tyvek – I like that it’s extremely slim, waterproof but breathable, has no sentimental value, and doesn’t look too much like a wallet
Always carry a towel – “Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with” – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Belkin iPhone Magsafe Camera Mount – yet another way to hold my phone to use it as a better webcam
Levenger Circa Junior Notebook – I have four different Levenger notebooks I use for work, and one of the reasons I like using them is because I can easily remove and reorder my pages – and consolidate them into a single notebook for travel
Kleen Kanteen water bottle – these are made in my wife’s hometown. I’ve had this one for over a decade
Nalgene Widemouth bottle – it’s harder to drink from, but great to use as a refill container
Good Coffee – I reuse old bags to transport smaller volumes of beans - about 18g per cup
Aeropress – purchased back when there was only one one model. I weigh my beans with a small travel scale. To avoid the Christmas Rule, I’ve printed instructions on labels on the side of the chamber. When putting the set away, I insert the plunger backwards into the chamber so that it will fit inside my titanium mug - that also leaves a gap inside the plunger large enough to hold the top half of a JavaPresse Grinder
Water Kettle (not shown) – I really like this kettle because it’s small, it holds enough water for a full batch of Aeropress coffee, and it supports 100-240V without needing an adapter. It has a nice “temperature hold” feature - but I find it to be more trouble than it’s worth
Here’s what drives me crazy about “universal” adapters:
I don’t need an adapter that will let me plug a tea kettle from New Zealand into an outlet in Malaysia. Everything I own has the same US connector on it, and I’d rather not waste space in my travel bag supporting plug designs I don’t intend to use.
They’re not actually universal - India has its own outlet standard, and most universal adapters don’t accommodate connecting to outlets in India.