Protecting my gear/storing photos in Thailand

[Will James]

Hi everyone,

I'm off to Thailand for 6 weeks this Saturday coming. I recently bought an Osprey Farpoint 70L rucksack that comes with a daysack which I'll be keeping my gear in. I'd like to know what the best way is to protect my gear whilst it is in my day sack? Is it easiest to wrap the body and lenses separately in a t-shirt inside a dry sack? I've seen a few padding/divider kits on eBay but they all seem slightly too big. I'll be taking my 500D, 17-50 2.8 OS, 70-300 VC USD, 50 1.8 and 430 EX II.

Also, at the moment I only have 24GB of SD storage for my DSLR so will be buying some more SD cards this week. Is it a good idea to buy a portable USB hard drive as well to backup photos at internet cafes?

Any advice/assistant will be very appreciated.

Thanks

Will.

 

[jacob12_1993]

Grab some cheap neoprene cases if you can, they are great for chucking gear into rucksacks. With regards to storage you need to be careful with internet cafes and viruses. Make sure you don't delete from SD cards so you have two backups just incase. Oh and enjoy it!

 

[faddius]

I'd go for the usb hard drive - however I'd try to use the computers in a hotel (presuming you're staying in a hotel) if they have them. But if you're staying in a hostel they probably won't have them and internet cafes will be your only option.

for neoprene cases for the lenses, for the camera though I don't know whether it will be worth investing in a cheap holster style case (designed to fit just a body with lens attached) as it will give alot more protection against bumps than a loose t shirt, especially if you're walking around busy and crowded areas.

Last bit of advice, grab yourself a mini padlock to put through the zip tabs to lock your bag, pickpockets are plentiful in Thailand and some are extremely good at what they do but a small padlock locking the zip should go a long way to stump them in their efforts.

Out of curiosity - which part of Thailand are you visiting? I was born there

 

[Will James]

Grab some cheap neoprene cases if you can, they are great for chucking gear into rucksacks. With regards to storage you need to be careful with internet cafes and viruses. Make sure you don't delete from SD cards so you have two backups just incase. Oh and enjoy it!

Thanks very much for the advice!

I'd go for the usb hard drive - however I'd try to use the computers in a hotel (presuming you're staying in a hotel) if they have them. But if you're staying in a hostel they probably won't have them and internet cafes will be your only option.

for neoprene cases for the lenses, for the camera though I don't know whether it will be worth investing in a cheap holster style case (designed to fit just a body with lens attached) as it will give alot more protection against bumps than a loose t shirt, especially if you're walking around busy and crowded areas.

Last bit of advice, grab yourself a mini padlock to put through the zip tabs to lock your bag, pickpockets are plentiful in Thailand and some are extremely good at what they do but a small padlock locking the zip should go a long way to stump them in their efforts.

Out of curiosity - which part of Thailand are you visiting? I was born there

Hi, yes will be staying in hotels most of the time or guest houses so hopefully will be able to use computers at some of those

I will have a look at the holster style bags, thanks!

Have got the padlocks, I will keep them on there all the time. Thanks for the tip!

Cool I'm going with my girlfriend for 6 weeks - we have a list of places we want to go including Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Koh Pang Yang, the islands down south and a couple of others. However, this is based on what friends have recommended us and the places I guess that are generally touristy!

 

[jacob12_1993]

Thanks very much for the advice!



Hi, yes will be staying in hotels most of the time or guest houses so hopefully will be able to use computers at some of those

I will have a look at the holster style bags, thanks!

Have got the padlocks, I will keep them on there all the time. Thanks for the tip!

Cool I'm going with my girlfriend for 6 weeks - we have a list of places we want to go including Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Koh Pang Yang, the islands down south and a couple of others. However, this is based on what friends have recommended us and the places I guess that are generally touristy!

Thailand in general is really touristy, if you want to get off the trail try some of the western border towns Sangkhlaburi, Mae Sot, Umphang, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang or some of the towns in Isan in the east

 

[Will James]

Thailand in general is really touristy, if you want to get off the trail try some of the western border towns Sangkhlaburi, Mae Sot, Umphang, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang or some of the towns in Isan in the east

That's great, thanks will make sure we have a look at some of those!

 

[faddius]

Yes, the western towns are generally quite interesting. However, I wouldn't necessarily say the same about Isan, whenever I have been there I've struggled to find interesting things to see / do but there again I may be biased as I have not had good dealings with people I've known in Isan.

You will likely have a great time in the places you have mentioned, all touristy but not ridiculously so like Bangkok or Pattaya etc. Chiang Mai is quite touristy but not overbearing or as pushy as other places.

Seeing as you're going with the camera, if you want an idea for a day out - there is a national park near to Chiang Mai (the name of which I cannot remember off the top of my head - but if you ask the hotel they should know), with quite alot of waterfalls (10 - 20ish?) back to back with a long walking trail leading past all of them. The further you go along this path, the harder it becomes and the more obvious it is that people don't generally make it that far, but the waterfalls and scenery get more and more beautiful and secluded. It is a long walk though and the trail becomes very difficult and tricky near to the end.

There are also various temples worth visiting around Chiang Mai in the mountains.

It's always nice hearing about someone heading to my birth place (Chiang Mai)

EDIT - Looking at some old photos of holidays, Mae Sa Waterfalls / National Park is the place I was rambling on about.

 

[jacob12_1993]

Yes, the western towns are generally quite interesting. However, I wouldn't necessarily say the same about Isan, whenever I have been there I've struggled to find interesting things to see / do but there again I may be biased as I have not had good dealings with people I've known in Isan.

You will likely have a great time in the places you have mentioned, all touristy but not ridiculously so like Bangkok or Pattaya etc. Chiang Mai is quite touristy but not overbearing or as pushy as other places.

Seeing as you're going with the camera, if you want an idea for a day out - there is a national park near to Chiang Mai (the name of which I cannot remember off the top of my head - but if you ask the hotel they should know), with quite alot of waterfalls (10 - 20ish?) back to back with a long walking trail leading past all of them. The further you go along this path, the harder it becomes and the more obvious it is that people don't generally make it that far, but the waterfalls and scenery get more and more beautiful and secluded. It is a long walk though and the trail becomes very difficult and tricky near to the end.

There are also various temples worth visiting around Chiang Mai in the mountains.

It's always nice hearing about someone heading to my birth place (Chiang Mai)

EDIT - Looking at some old photos of holidays, Mae Sa Waterfalls / National Park is the place I was rambling on about.

+1 some great advice there, also check out Erawan National Park near to Kanchanaburi, a little touristy but stunning location

 

[bulldog5988]

My you lot have brought back a lot of happy memories. Spent 2 years in Thailand 1962/64
Kanchanaburi was a very nice no tourists at all. Gone to get some of the old pics out.
Stayed in the Grand Hotel on Rama 1 . I understand the Hotel is no longer. Just up the road was the Erawan Hotel and the British Embassy.

 

[callumduff]

i use Western Digital portable hard drive, i have 1 portable and 1 for my computer and i have had 0 problems with them. i second the neoprene case, i use KLM flight bags which my dad gets free on business and its great because i dont have to worry about a thing + i would buy a lot more memory cards than necessary incase they corrupt, even the top sandisks corrupt.

 

[Just Dave]

Another must see is Phra Nakhon Cave Temple in Khao San Roi Yot National Park also we went over the Burmese Border LOL just to get the stamp in our passports, and then just back over the border in Thailand to the Karen hill tribes villages and we liked Damnoen Saduak, Floating Market (touristy)


Phra Nakhon Cave Temple Thailand by Just Daves Photos, on Flickr


Karen Hill Tribe Young Lady 18yrs Old by Just Daves Photos, on Flickr


Damnoen Saduak, Floating Market ,Floating Market Vendor Thailand by Just Daves Photos, on Flickr


Damnoen Saduak, Floating Market ,Floating Market Vendor Thailand by Just Daves Photos, on Flickr

 

[faddius]

I was just trawling on ebay for camera bags and I happened upon this - may be exactly the sort of thing you're looking for and cheap!

CLICKY

Disclaimer - I don't have one (but will probably buy one for the sake of £5), cannot comment on quality or whether it's useful, but it may well be worth looking into.

 

[jacob12_1993]

I was just trawling on ebay for camera bags and I happened upon this - may be exactly the sort of thing you're looking for and cheap!

CLICKY

Disclaimer - I don't have one (but will probably buy one for the sake of £5), cannot comment on quality or whether it's useful, but it may well be worth looking into.

I have a wardrobe full of neoprene cases at home from over the years, I have a couple like the link above and they are perfect for what you need

 

[jacob12_1993]

i use Western Digital portable hard drive, i have 1 portable and 1 for my computer and i have had 0 problems with them. i second the neoprene case, i use KLM flight bags which my dad gets free on business and its great because i dont have to worry about a thing + i would buy a lot more memory cards than necessary incase they corrupt, even the top sandisks corrupt.

I have been using the WD Passport Drives with the custom Nomad hard cases and they have been dropped, bashed, wet everything in the last 4 months and they are like new inside the cases

 

[jacob12_1993]

My you lot have brought back a lot of happy memories. Spent 2 years in Thailand 1962/64
Kanchanaburi was a very nice no tourists at all. Gone to get some of the old pics out.
Stayed in the Grand Hotel on Rama 1 . I understand the Hotel is no longer. Just up the road was the Erawan Hotel and the British Embassy.

Thats definitely changed now Kanchanaburi is on the tourist trail but hop on a local bus for 3 hrs to the border town of Sangkhlaburi and the only white people you will be likely to see are NGO workers and 1-2 guesthouse/restaurants. The pace of life is seriously slow and they have a cool handmade 400m bridge

 

[digital]

Not wishing to take this thread any further OT, but we've got a three night stopover in Bangkok on the way back from New Zealand next February. Any thoughts on easy trips to get some decent photographs? And 5DIIIs at knock-down prices? Probably not...

And thanks for the neoprene case idea: just got one for India this November and then New Zealand. This is a seriously expensive forum: 60D, three Sigma lenses, monopod, tripod, filters etc etc!

 

[jacob12_1993]

Not wishing to take this thread any further OT, but we've got a three night stopover in Bangkok on the way back from New Zealand next February. Any thoughts on easy trips to get some decent photographs? And 5DIIIs at knock-down prices? Probably not...

And thanks for the neoprene case idea: just got one for India this November and then New Zealand. This is a seriously expensive forum: 60D, three Sigma lenses, monopod, tripod, filters etc etc!

Ratchaburi Floating Market, Bangkok Chinatown, Ayutthaya just to name three places, but Bangkok is a crazy city. As much as I hate the place you can get lost there for three days and be shooting constantly and come out with crazy pictures because it is so hectic and diverse.

 

[digital]

Thanks! I've made a note...