I’m a coffee lover.  I love to start my day with a cuppa joe, savoring the flavor as I check my email inbox, read the overnight news, check my RSS feeds, and plan out the rest of my day.

When I’m traveling, however, I don’t always have that same luxury.  I’m relegated to hotel room coffee, (usually blah tasting) or a nearby coffee shop (often not open in those wee hours of the morning, not to mention the ding it makes it my budget).  But I gotta have my coffee – so it means settling for swill or ponying up the bucks.

I’m giving serious consideration to the Handpresso Wild, a portable espresso machine than is small enough to pack and can be used nearly anywhere.  It wouldn’t take up any room in a suit case.

To use it you do need hot water to start with.  In a hotel room that’s easily acquired by using the coffee maker or some pack an immersion unit (or hot pot).  Once you have the hot water, you pump the handle of the gadget a couple of times to prime the pump, then add water and an espresso pod.  Turn it upside down and push a button – voila!  Espresso.

Here’s a video of how it looks, and it seems pretty simple.

I realize this is for the hard core coffee lovers, and not everyone will bother with the effort, but my mind is running amok with the possibilities.  Make your hotel stay a little more like home by starting the day with a cup of the real thing.  Pack a thermos of hot water and have an espresso on a breakfast picnic.  Take it to the beach for an espresso by the fire to watch the sunset.  You could use it at home as well, and it will take up less room than a big counter machine, but I think it’s real value is in traveling situations.

The unit has come down in price since I first had my eye on it, and it retails online for about $100.  Not cheap, but for a coffee lover with a daily fix, the cost can be recovered quite quickly.  It is available in black and red; a variety of accessories are also available.

Are you a daily coffee drinker?  Does this seem like a splurge or a justifiable treat?

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Q.  It seems like you’re always traveling, how do you manage to keep in touch with your family and friends?

A.  It may seem like I’m always traveling, but really, I have quite a few days off at home every month!

But, to get to your question, keeping in touch with people is important to me, whether I’m traveling and keeping in touch with people back home, or if I’m at home and keeping in touch with friends that I’ve made while traveling.  Since I’ve become a bit of a geek, most of my keeping in touch involved technology of one sort or another, and honestly, I can’t remember the last time I sent a postcard or an actual letter.

Phone:  At home I have a VoIP service, which saves a lot on phone bills.  I also have an iPhone, and use my minutes freely.  When I’m in the car, stuck at an airport, or otherwise have fee time, I’ll pick up the phone and call someone.  Nothing beats the occasional pang of homesickness like a call back home.  And when I’m lying on a beach somewhere, basking in the sun, it’s also a bit of a treat to talk to someone back home in rainy Seattle.  If you travel a lot, spring for a phone plan with a decent amount of minutes so that you can keep in touch.

Email:  This is probably my primary means of communication, because it doesn’t involve coordinating schedules or time zones to make a connection.  While some may see email as impersonal, it’s often the best means to catch up with me.  It’s also a perfect way to share photos and say “wish you were here with me” or “hey, I’m lying on a tropical beach where it’s sunny and I hear it’s still raining back in Seattle.”   Since I always travel with a laptop and my phone, it’s easy to get a message to the people I care about.

Skype:  This is my primary IM service, and I use it daily.  I have a couple of Skype chat groups that I belong to, and popping in from the road helps me continue to feel a part of what’s going on.  I recently downloaded the Skype app to my phone, and gave it a try earlier this week.  I had a bit of a trauma going on, and joining in the group chat was a way to keep me focused on what I could control rather than what I could not.  Skype is also great for international calls that can typically rack up big charges.  Calling computer-to-computer is FREE, and calling land lines or cell phones has very cheap rates.

Text Messaging:  I’m not a big texter, nor is my circle of friends.  We’re far more likely to just send an email or pick up the phone and call.

Twitter:  I generally don’t Twitter when I’m traveling, and this is for a variety of security reasons.  Like not alerting all my followers that I’m not at home.  I will occasionally live tweet an event, but found that I’m far more active on Twitter when I’m at home.

Facebook:  While traveling in Europe earlier this summer, I posted photos and updates on Facebook.  Since I get to approve who sees the information, I was comfortable sharing where I was and what I was doing.  I tried to update with photos every day or so.  Some people asked if it was a hassle doing all of while on vacation.  Not at all!  It was fun for me to load the photos onto my laptop, take a look at them, and choose which ones to share.  I had a great time with it.

I rarely feel like I’m cut off from the rest of the world.  How about you?  What tools do you use for keeping in touch while on the road.

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Reading time once again.  I offer up a good variety to keep you informed and entertained this Sunday afternoon.

Consumer Traveler – Chris Elliott shares good advice about dealing with a bankrupt, or soon-to-be bankrupt, airline.  Ignore this advice at your peril.

Ciao Amalfi – Taking the boat from Salerno to Amalfi.  Just a little slice of heaven.

London Bridge

Travel Blog Camp – Registration for this travel blogger meet up opens. . . and closes.  If you’ll be in London next month, it may still be worth getting on the waiting list.  I’ll be there, so let me know if you will too!

Almost Fearless – Commonsense tips for travel safety.  Don’t let fear run your life.

PlanetEye Traveler – Green Travel – Green travel iPhone apps.  And you know how I love my iPhone apps!

EyeFlare – A couple travel organizers for your consideration.  These are such personal things, and I think it’s best to look and compare several before making a decision.

Travel & Leisure Blog – It will cost you more to sit next to your traveling companion with these new reservation fees from British Airlines.

IB Traveler – Places to experience French culture, even if you’re not in France.  Good list, but I still want to go back to Paris.

Gadling – Don’t mess with my free wi-fi access.  Could mooching it soon become a thing of the past.

Intelligent Traveler – Ken Burns talks about his new PBS mini-series, The National Parks:  America’s Best Idea.  I’m recording the series.

Location Independent – Tips to lighten your load when packing.  While I’m not a fan of all the choices, everyone should be able to walk away with an idea to implement.  Me?  I’m going shopping for a wireless travel router.

The Vacation Gals – Tips to deal with a fear of flying.  It’s real and it can be paralyzing, but it also can be tamed.

Travellious – All those gadgets need power, and here’s how to get it.

PlanetEye Traveler – Disney – Help your kids have a successful experience in getting Disney character autographs.  These tips will help kids of all ages.

West Seattle Blog – A local story that brought tears to my eyes about an assisted living center and the cats who live there.  If you doubt the healing powers of a pet, these stories will change your mind.

Seattle MetBlogs – Great photo of a reptilian resident of the Pike Place Market.

Photo credit: slideshow bob @flickr

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