Laptops in India?

[O-Admin]

I've received a few emails about his question through the website so I thought I would start a thread on it here. The question being; Is it a good idea to take a laptop to India?

I met a few people who carried laptops with them while I was in India most of whom were quite happy with their decisions but others where sincerely regretting it.

What do you think, should one take laptop or should India be enjoyed with out distraction?

[Mike]

It's a good point Oliver has raised here.

Personally I have one of those mini little things that I take with me everywhere we go, but i would never take anything bigger!

To start with, backpacking (or just travelling around India) would result in the laptop being thrown around and although you will do most of the handling yourself: in buses and trains you will have to take it inside with you, there seldom being luggage space.

I never had my stuff placed on top of the bus, but, if you had to, you could also climb up and put it there and tie it down yourself (with your nylon rope). Packs will often go inside, in the front of the bus next to the engine, which heats up again potentially damaging. The beauty of a net book is that you can have them in your daysack.

On trains there are solid overhead racks in both sleeper and second class unreserved, but less space in chair cars.

As for the cultural aspect, Indians love gadgets, they will stare at your camera, watch, or laptop with interest and admiration! These things are all great for opening up conversation with the locals.

Of course, as oliver mentioned, if choose to retire to your laptop all the time and be shielded fromt he local culture, sights, sounds etc all those things that make India such a wonderful plcae to travel then that's another thing, but that could happen just as easily with a book, a CD, or a travel partner etc.

I think it all comes down to the person b ut I hope this post may give you a few things to think about.

[tushar29]

Laptop and internet is very necessary while you you travel to different location. Google is very helpful to you while you travel.