Archives for 2011

Lighting the way.

Whether my trip is big or small, I always make sure to pack my headlamp. A decent headlamp is a travel essential for me for many reasons.

Caving in Nepal

1. When you’re traveling you find yourself needing to get up at odd and early hours. Unless you want to aggravate the entire dorm room, a headlamp is your best friend to help you find your baggage and get out the door quickly.

2. Some places I’ve stayed, like a remote island getaway in Thailand, only have electricity during a few hours of the evening. If you need light at any other time, a headlamp has you covered.

3. It’s not always easy to fall asleep in new and strange places. Using a headlamp to read while your travel partner sleeps can be the perfect solution.

4. Ever need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?

5. Sometimes when exploring you’ll find yourself in dark places, like a few of the castle ruins in Jordan or the caves in Nepal.

I’m sure there are many more reasons to keep a headlamp close by. I received mine as a Christmas gift several years ago. I must say, it’s been invaluable.

Do you bring a headlamp on your travels?

xo, jill

Click click click!

There’s no way I’m going on a trip without my camera! Traveling is probably the number one thing that has improved my photography skills. It’s easier to improve when you’re motivated to capture all the beautiful things you may never get a chance to see again.

I usually bring two cameras on trips but occasionally three, if I’m feeling strong enough.

1. The main camera I use is a Nikon D40. It’s a very basic dSLR but it gets the job done. I’ve been using it for nearly there years now and still don’t feel like I’ve got it mastered. It’s a bit heavy to lug around but usually worth it in the end. For lenses I usually bring a 35mm and an 18-55mm or 55-200mm.

2. I always bring a little point and shoot back up camera with me on travels. I have a Canon Powershot SD1400 IS ELPH. If I’m doing something more active or just don’t want to carry the giant D40, the tiny point and shoot comes in handy. It also has video which is sometimes fun.

Taken with my point and shoot on a hike in Slovenia.

3. If I have extra room or know I won’t have to carry my luggage for long periods of time, I like to bring along my Fuji Instax 210. It’s fun to have an instant photo and local people often get a kick out of it too. The downside is that this camera is kind of big. Ok, it’s pretty huge. You can get a smaller version but the photos are just too tiny for my taste.

Taken with my Fuji Instax 210 in Sri Lanka.

What type of camera do you bring traveling?

xo, jill