Month: September 2015

There I was in Upper Class on my lovely Virgin-Atlantic flight and ready to use my fancy-schmancy Bose noise-cancelling headphones. I pulled them out and inserted the cable and the battery, which I had been very careful when packing to be sure was brand new.

Oops! Obviously, a AA battery does not fit where a AAA battery is designed to be used. When I asked the flight attendant if he had an AAA battery, he looked astounded and said No, and that he’d never been asked that question before. I collected points for originality but still feeling incredibly dumb, I managed somehow to survive the flight using earbuds. Packing Lesson of the Day: trust but verify – insert the new battery, switch on, and test! P.S. Yes, of course I was able to buy the right battery at the local 8 a Huit store near my hotel in Paris.

Each time I prepare to travel, I review the state of the tools available to make these posts. The WordPress app steadily improves over the years, and portable keyboards have gotten better, too. This year I’m using a Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case with my iPad, a nice large bluetooth keyboard that doubles as a case for the tablet. It’s very lightweight and claims to have a battery that lasts for months (but I’m taking its charging cable with me, of course).

  
Yes, part of my job is to write about technology, so you might find it odd that I choose to write while on vacation. It’s all in the context, I guess. I am, however, reserving starting on The Great American Novel I know I have in me until those years when I’m not over a keyboard 8 hours a day for employment.

So, I’m off to Europe very soon. This year’s stops include Paris, Venice, Amsterdam, and London. All favorites that I’ve been to many times before and this year I’m going to try to visit sights that I’ve skipped or overlooked in the past. 

I’m glad you’ve decided to come along with me and I look forward to sharing my thoughts, travails, and peculiar perspectives with you. Ciao for now!