4 ms·
My late friend Hugh Daniel used to refer to his Bihn's backpack [1] as his "LSD", for "Life Support Device". Like when we were leaving the house he'd shout in h
by DonHopkins 1y ago
My late friend Hugh Daniel used to refer to his Bihn's backpack [1] as his "LSD", for "Life Support Device". Like when we were leaving the house he'd shout in his boisterous voice so all the neighbors could hear, "Oh no, I forgot my LSD! I'll be right back!" then run back in and fetch his backpack.
But now my smartphone is my LSD.
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13687369 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13687369
- ghaff 1y agoExcept it's really not if you're traveling internationally.
- LeafItAlone 1y ago>Except it's really not if you're traveling internationally. What do you mean?
- ghaff 1y agoNot having a passport is a big issue that will take a lot of hassle to deal with. Probably a generational thing but losing my passport feels like a much bigger deal than my phone if I've taken reasonable precautions. In fact, my iPhone broke 4 or 5 years ago on a trip and I was fine.
- mijoharas 1y agoI think he's saying you don't want to go shouting "I've got my LSD with me" in an airport.
- DonHopkins 1y agoJesus Mouse once told me about how he'd smuggled LSD into Europe by cutting blotter paper up into little colored pieces of paper and gluing them all over his scepter as decoration, and nobody in customs or airport security was remotely suspicious about it. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34405486 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34405486
- ta1243 1y agoI'd rather be stuck in an international country with only a phone than only a passport. Hell even when I've been in war zones if it's a choice between a working phone (sat phone for example) and a flak jacket, I'd go for the former.
- ghaff 1y agoGood luck getting home with just your phone.
- ta1243 1y agoPhone back or family, get emergency funds. Phone embassy, get emergency travel documentation. Good luck getting home with just your passport.
- ghaff 1y agoYou probably overestimate how easy it is to "just" get a replacement passport in a random location and get money wired to you. As I wrote, I have personally had a broken phone and it was annoying--mostly because of the replacement cost--but had no problem getting home. I didn't just have my passport but didn't have a phone.
- ta1243 1y agoBut with no money, no phone, no contacts how are you going to even get to where you need to be where a passport is useful?
- root_axis 1y agoMemorize one phone number or email.
- ghaff 1y agoAnd/or ask the hotel. And if you're just casually backpacking, that probably means you know people (or are traveling with someone). Frankly, probably reflects my computer background, but it sort of annoys me that my passport is more or less the one thing when traveling internationally that there is just no backup for beyond going to the embassy or consulate. Domestically, you can have multiple forms of acceptable ID. One time I skipped that step on a last minute quick trip, I almost wasn't able to check into a hotel.
- nancyminusone 1y agoShould have called it a BOMB - Backpack Of My Belongings. Great for airports!