As I read different books and articles on travel I am struck by how anti laptop they are. It seems to be their belief that you will waste time using them or you will take away from your carefree experience on vacation if you have one.

Being an internet information junkie, I disagree. I don't go anywhere without my laptop and while I use it as little as I can while away, I have found it invaluable. Some travelers suggest Internet cafe's but by the time you find one, and use one, you have wasted valuable time. I would rather pull out my laptop or iphone and get what I need. I can check the weather, instantly get directions to a place we want to walk to, check for historical information on a place we visited that day that intrigued us or find out more information on a site we plan to visit shortly.

I have also used it to work, yes that nasty four letter word that people are not supposed to do on vacation. The thing is though, my income is derived using the Internet, so my job can travel with me wherever I go and given the choice to sit by a pool and work for a couple of hours with the sun shining and a drink in hand and working from the house where 2 feet of snow outside me, the pool is going to work hands down.

Embrace technology. It can save you time, money and headaches, but make sure what you do on the net is useful and or enjoyable and does not become an addition.