The little things needed for an American trip

Posted on March 3, 2010April 18, 2023 by Ewan Spence

With the US trip for SXSW and GDC approaching, I’[m working down my list of packing, and as usual it’s getting the little things right that make all the difference for the trip. Little things like these:

In-flight entertainment

It’s been a long time since I was at the mercy of whatever gets put on the monitors or seat back video machines on an aircraft, thanks to the Sony PSP. In the run up to a trip I’ll be thinking about what would be good to watch on both the big eleven hour trip from London to the West Coast but also on the domestic flights at either end end and in the middle of the trip.

Once you put on a few new films, some old favourites, and a season of Spooks and Hustle (I joined these shows late, so I keep the older seasons to watch while travelling), and my view habits are sorted.

I’ll also have a number of PSP games to review for The PSP Show (including the delights of Eye of Judgement, Half Minute Hero and my continuing enjoyment of the Densha De Go train simulators from Japan), as well as the latest qualifiers for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest to research and enjoy.

Failing that, I’ll just read Ascent by Jed Mercurio.

Power

Part of the fun on a long trip like this is bringing all the electronics up to 100% battery charge just as I leave the house, and then managing the power levels all the way to a smooth landing at the other end. A bit of familiarity and the occasional spare battery have seen me through, but this trip should be a little different.

If all goes well I’ll be doing a head to head review of Proporta’s USB Turbocharger and the Power Traveller’s PowerMonkey, two rechargeable battery packs with multiple connectors to recharge battery powered devices on long trips. I know I can get to my destination half way around the world with very little topping up, these two should allow me to let my hair down a bit more in using things like the PSP, the pocket computers and mobile phone/MP3 players.

Travel essentials

I still remember popping into a 7-11 in San Diego and watching the look of horror cross the pharmacists face when I asked for some paracetamol for my headache. Since then I’ve always thrown in some boxes for self-medication… and they tend to get used by other people with hangovers who realise I have stock. If people would just keep their fluid levels up without alcohol at conferences, it would be some much easier for everyone

Dairy Milk

Because I’m going to be in America and Hershey bars don’t touch my mood swings.

4-bar power strip

Not just in the Conference Centre, because SXSW isn’t the conference to be toting around a huge laptop in your bag (heads up, say hi to people, is the order of the day), but I do carry a fair amount of electronic kit while on a trip, and it’s far easier to carry one US to UK plug adaptor on the end of the four plug power strip. Much easier to use, and it also has an extra fuse in the strip, just in case.