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Thorn Tree Refugee |
Hello All,
I am having a hard time getting solid answers from people i have asked, on this and other sites, and was hoping someone that has brought their laptop from the states can answer this..... are there places , internet cafes or coffee shops etc... in cuzco that will allow me to use my laptop...and pay per hour ??? do i have to get a special connector or plug convertor ?? or something ?? or will i just be able to open up my laptop and i can be online ?? i will be needing to some work on line, and i need to know for sure if i will have issues , or if there is no problem at all, with me being able to get online and use my laptop ??? can i buy some sort of laptop card or something that will give me wifi or broadband , and i just pay monthly ??? if so, where and how do i get this ??? thank you for your help - |
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Lost in Place |
With a couple of if's you should have no problem. Remember this is a very primitive part of the world with barely functioning toilets so you will be restricted in many areas to only using Windows. Macs are often stolen and worshipped as minor gods.
I gather you don't know too much about your computer. Take it to any computer store and have them check if you have a wi fi card. They are cheap so buy one and have it installed. For those instances when wi fi isn't available I'd get a USB cable. Since you won't know the layout of the place get at least 10ft. Most laptops handle a wide voltage range but you may need a plug adaptor. Any computer store or place like Fry's will have kits of plugs for about $25. Remember that a country's listed voltage is merely an engineering suggestion. I'd never leave my computer plugged in durring a thunder storm. Also, some countries may have more than one type of plug or voltage. About 30 years back I had a battery pack melt in Honduras. Looked very Dali. Windows XP is the most commonly used system. Those folks are dumb but hey..use Vista? Not that bad. Good news is that wi fi is spreading. Many hotels, even the cheaper ones often offer it as a free attraction. Also beginning to appear in restaurants/coffee houses. Cyber cafes, which in most countries are not only extremely common, but also dirt cheap, will have their own rules about hooking in outside machines. They are rightfully paranoid about viruses since only about 10 legit software packages a year are sold in South America. Security. South of the Rio Grande, honesty is about as common as a bravery gene. So you are going to have to be very vigilant. Set your machine down in a public area and it will grow legs and walk off. A cable lock is a good idea..even in your hotel room. Just all the rigors of traveling on buses are threats to a computer. A well padded case is essential. But at the same time try and find one that doesn't look like a computer case. Tons on the market. You might want to rethink your choice of hotels if on an extreme budget. The growing number of MacHosteals that cater to the Eurotrash chain smoking poser crowd are famous for theft, both from fellow guests and the staff of travelers. Lokis are particularly famous. Best security measure is situational awareness. Pack a hefty set of cojones and a Gerber. Locals, while very much into petty theft, will quickly run away... especially when confronted by a gringo. Should mention, Cusco is especially packed with computer cafes. Probably more gringos on computers at any time than are on the Inca Trail. |
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Armchair Traveler |
Why don't you go light and not take your computer with you? Most travelers don't lug around a stupid computer when you can rent them for 50 cents an hour in primitivo countries and at most 7 bucks an hour in Venice. I can travel for a month with only a carry on weighing around 15#. It's all about freedom, and choices and the more you lug around the less free you are to just take off from your hotel and get on a collectivo or maybe just a pickup with cattle rails.
Just try getting on a school bus, crowded, few seats, and you have to figure out where to put your luggage. Even big metal frame backpacks or himalayan sized soft packs don't fit in the seat of your school bus on top of your lap, and that is the only safe place to put it. And how about when you have to get off and go potty. |
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Knows What a Schengen Visa Is |
Normally I don't reply to topics like that. I have nothing to contribute with, having no understanding for those who need to drag their electronic stuff around the world.
I travel light, and take only what's necessary. Less problem, less worries. __________________________ gdzie mnie wiatr poniesie |
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Travel Deity |
I think this depends what kind of work fs is doing online. For some tasks it would be better to have your own computer, but a note of caution: aside from the obvious attraction to thieves, some labtop HDs are extremely fragile. I'd make sure I'd back up regularly either on an external HD, memory stick or online server.
If you can get around having to take a laptop, a USB stick may be more practical. You can run your own apps and even operating system (e.g. Puppy Linux) from it for added security. |
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Knows What a Schengen Visa Is |
Guess Ill be leaving mine at home! Sounds like such a pain in the arse. formerly jjdpallday |
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Holds PhD in Packing |
Short answer is yes, it'll work. Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly available at coffee shops, hostels etc. and most laptop power supplies are dual voltage - it should tell you what the voltage range is on the label - you'll need an adapter.
Don't know why the use of Windows is mandated. I've used Linux everywhere I've ever been...meh To the naysayers and carry-on only folks, you can get a laptop in with your carry-on and still maintain a pretty low weight. Sadly, the line between many people's work life and personal life is becoming increasingly blurred. My laptop is a source of income and it goes with me, granted I have the eeePC which can easily fit in a cargo pocket and weighs less than 1kg. I'd like to echo the above about backing up essential files - preferably someplace online (box.net comes to mind). I'd also recommend using encryption of some sort. For me, the loss of my data would be far more devastating than the loss of the laptop. |
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Lost in Place |
One general mistake seems to be in a belief that you are going to back up by uploading. Most cyber cafes have slow uploads. Go in with a couple gigs of RAW files from a digital camera and it's liable to be a long night. Almost everywhere lets you burn CDs and many places have DVD burning. For those photos, burn 2 DVDs of everything. Mail one home and keep one with you.
Something you might not carry at home with your laptop are some of those silica gel packs. BTW, they can be recharged..ie.. dried out by putting in a microwave. A lot of folks aren't used to 90% humidity. For the dust that seems to show up everywhere.. ziploc bags. I've seen them in up to 2 1/2 gallon. I purchase for my business and carry a couple hundred to start. Good for my electronics plus fine textiles and jewelry. If you've never seen the red dust coming up off a dry Yungas road you don't know dust. |
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Armchair Traveler |
I travel with my laptop (small Sony) in a regular backpack padded by a sweater. It’s easy to get out for security and the backpack fits on my lap or under my seat on buses.
Laptops, and all devices (phone and camera chargers, hair driers, etc.) with power supply converters between the device and the outlet that say 110/220 don’t need anything more than a plug adapter. In South America it’s two round posts. Don’t buy a cheap plastic set! While unplugging once, I pulled the plastic cover off one and the metal plug stayed in the wall. I told, showed, explained to everyone I could in the hotel in Urubamba, Peru that I’d left a very dangerous problem in the outlet – hopefully no one was electrocuted. Just buy one or more “flat plug to round plug” adapters. They sell good ones at Ace Hardware here in Miami and probably at independent hardware stores elsewhere – look for dull, gray rubber? molded to the metal prongs. Also, if your laptop has a three pronged, grounded plug, take an adaptor if you can’t plug it into your two-pronged, rounded outlet adapter. Check with your hotel about Internet access. I find there’s more free Internet access in South America than here or in Europe. If not free, it’s cheap. Like many places here you can probably sit in the plaza or a park and pick up an unsecured wireless network. I always urge people traveling to Cusco not to stay there but to head to a town at a lower altitude -- we liked Urubamba. Visit Machu Piccu and the surrounding ruins from there and then head back up to Cusco after becoming somewhat acclimated. Have fun!! |
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Lost in Place |
The hostel I stayed out in Cuzco (Loki Hostel) had wireless internet.
Just get a list of hostels there and email them. Ideally you want to use your laptop in your hostel/hotel than taking it outside, though cuzco is not inherently more dangerous than other south american cities. |
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