Equipped to go

By Chris Oliver
Advertiser Travel Writer

Zoe Lucia Luthi of Italy is traveling around the world with just her backpack and a cellular telephone. Luthi uses her phone to send pictures home and to keep in touch with her family. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

When he travels, the Federal Aviation Administration computer specialist is ready for the best- and worst-case scenarios. No trip is worth taking without his toys — digital camera, cell phone (sometimes more than one) Global Positioning System, personal data assistant, laptop, camcorder, noise-canceling earphones, flashlight, car phone charger, spare batteries plus charger, mapping CD, connecters, converters, cables and manuals.

He's the first to admit he's a gearhead. To hiking friends, he's the techno-geek. His wife, Teddie, calls him Mr. Prepared.

The Gawleys' house guest, Zoe Lucia Luthi, takes a different approach.

Luthi, 19, is traveling solo around the world, stopping on O'ahu for a month with just one gadget in her backpack: a tri-band cell phone with a tiny camera attachment. Mostly the phone is for emergencies, but Luthi uses it to send Internet SMs (short messages) to her family in Tuscany. She charges it with a Kupp international five-country plug and with the miniature camera, she can send instant images home to Mama.

"I don't want to carry too much or worry about things getting lost or stolen," Luthi said.

Lewis N. Clark combination lock The Travel Sentry four-dial combination lock is recognized by the Transportation Security Administration enabling airport screeners to use a special code to open bags for inspection without damaging bag or lock. $12 at Bag 'n Baggage, Ala Moana Center.

Favorite travel companion? His Garmin GPSmap 60CS a high-end GPS with digital compass and altimeter, color screen and tracking capability.

Gawley once took a wrong turn in West Palm Beach, Fla., "Not a place (where) you want to get lost." He'd navigated his way to a relative's house for dinner using his GPS but couldn't find his way back to the hotel. "Luckily, my GPS had retained the track file in its memory, and we eventually found our way back." Gawley rarely leaves home without this device.

Historians dispute the nature of the first travel gadget, but whether it was the wheel or a wrinkle-free loincloth, today's travelers have more choice than ever on items to ease vacation stress. At Bag 'n Baggage in Ala Moana Center, there are Lewis N. Clark's handy nylon clothes line with easy-to-attach-above-the-tub suction cups and high-end garment bags made by Hartmann, Gucci and Halliburton.

Hot sellers this year: soft-side suitcases, especially Tumi and Swiss Army brands, said Frank Kawamura, Bag 'n Baggage assistant manager. "Right now, we're selling a lot of Lewis N. Clark Travel Sentry luggage locks. Security is a big issue, and with this lock, the airport screeners can use a code to open it" without doing damage, he said.

XTRA fold-up tote Perfect for last-minute shopping or day trips. The tote stuffs into a four-inch compact pouch which slips into your purse or clips to your belt or key ring. Made from durable nylon, the tote opens to 21 by 20 inches. $10 from flaxart.com.

Traveler James Dannenberg also likes a different view when he's vacationing. On his rim-to-rim hiking trip to the Grand Canyon this summer, Dannenberg will take his night-vision scope to view wildlife after hours. Dannenberg bought the monocular scope two years ago on a trip to Yellowstone National Park: "Its small, compact ... fits in your hand easily, and it's amazing at night. I've spotted elk in the Grand Tetons, and I guess you could use it to check for bears at night in your campground."

When Pat Henry leaves his Waikiki apartment next week for a four-month business/pleasure trip to Europe, he'll take along Eagle Creek's easy-to-use Pack-It Sacs to keep his clothes organized.

"Living out of a suitcase for four months means traveling light and being organized about what to bring and leave behind," he said.

The bags come in assorted sizes, from zipper pouches for writing materials to bags for shoes and toiletries to jumbo size for outdoor jackets and suits. Henry particularly likes the shirt-folder size which comes with a folding card and holds up to six neatly folded shirts. "When I get to Europe after a 24-hour journey, it means my shirts aren't crumpled," Henry said.

Olympus 300 3.2 megapixel digital camera Olympus still camera has 3x optical/4x digital zoom lens. $280 at CompUSA.

"Photographs are the starting point for my paintings," she said. Her Olympus is small, light enough to slip in her pocket, takes great images, and Pearson says she takes it everywhere.

"I can document what I see. It's like a sketchbook for me," she said.

Pearson also carries a miniature camera tripod with a velcro strap which enables her to stabilize her camera (say, on a palm tree or fence) for holiday snaps. "That way, for fun shots, I can get in on the picture, too," she said.

Reach Chris Oliver at 535-2411 or coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com.