I sometimes have to take my little laptop along (a real antique -- an old but workable Compaq aero)to do my work, but I'd never bother to use it or any other laptop overseas simply for email and web stuff. Hassling with RJ-11 adapters and new dialup prefixes and worrying if a phone line is analog or digital/PBX (the latter can fry the modem)just isn't worth the trouble. Cyber-cafes are so easy to use, and though the traditional ones like Cyberia can be smoky and noisy, there is fortunately a new breed that are neither of those things, and marvelously inexpensive, too. EasyEverything (several London locations) and its like are clean, smoke-free, and relatively quiet places to check and send email. And if you need to do some scanning or word-processing, they're good for that, too. (Lousy coffee, though, for some reason.) I agree with Marilyn entirely about the Internet and travel; I've been keeping in touch with friends, family, and colleagues by email during my trips abroad for a dozen years, now, and love the cheapness, speed, and convenience of it.<BR><BR>QP

I have made my laptop a regular part of my travels to Europe for some years now. But this year was the first time with a digital camera - - took it and a tiny little memory card reader, and got a slide show anytime we chose to!<BR><BR>Interestingly enough, I did no writing during the trip this time (which is the general point of taking a laptop for me) - - became somewhat enamored with playing with the pictures!<BR><BR>Also didn't stumble onto any cybercafes, and didn't make it a point to look for any (didn't take a list of locations with me, surprisingly!)<BR><BR>Anyhow, I think that a laptop is a great "accessory" to take with a digital camera.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Thank GOD Fodor's doesn't have a place to put photos! Can you imagine the critizing SOMEONE would do? <BR><BR>And telling people he could give them 'lessons' in how to take better pictures, because people need his volunteer 'leadership'.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>HAHAHAH

I also take my laptop with me when I travel. I have to, it is a neccessity. I own a small consulting business and I am the owner and only employee. I absolutely must stay in touch with my clients at all times. I can take a vacation, but my clients need to be able to reach me when they need me and (gasp!) sometimes I even have to do work on vacation. I resent being called a "techno yuppie zombie", I worked hard to get where I am. Not everyone has the luxury of getting away from it all.<BR><BR>Sheila

Don't you think taking a laptop so you have GPS ability in the French countryside makes it worthwhile? I doknow paper maps work as well. But I don't think there is any way of talking my husband out of taking his laptop!!