Communication
Internet and mobile/smart phones have made the world a much smaller place over the last couple of decades, but there are still some spots in developing countries where it takes forever to download emails and connect to your favorite websites. Here is a guide to communication while traveling.
The hardcore travellers leave their mobile/smart phone at home and explore the world without bringing any communication device at all and keeping communication with friends and family to a minimum. A postcard once in a while will do the trick. The advantages of "no communication" are that you are not stressed to reply to all your incoming buzz and you can concentrate on your traveling adventure and the exploration of new destinations and cultures etc. On the other hand, a mobile/smart phone is a useful tool for all kinds of information and connectivity, storing data and of course calling your loved ones if needed.
Smart phone: the swiss army knive of today
As with internet, you can get a mobile signal pretty much everywhere and WiFi hotspots are also developing fast everywhere. Your mobile/smart phone is also useful for storing data (make sure to purchase a large memory card), calculator, currency converter, blog/diary tool, translations tool, backup camera and all kinds of useful travel Apps of your own choice. Even travel guides can be downloaded as Apps, which is a nice way to save on weight and space.
Calling
If you need to call you friends or family at home while traveling you will discover (when you get home) that international calls (roaming) are very expensive. You should investigate the rates before you leave and perhaps even buy an International SIM card for certain regions of the world, which will make international calls (and data) cheaper. The alternative and cheapest option when traveling is to find a computer with voice service such as Skype or MSN. You may also have Skype or a similar voice service installed as an App on your mobile/smart phone and then use WiFi (don't use 3G data while roaming - it will cost you a fortune).
Computer
We don't recommend bringing a laptop unless you really need it for a particular purpose. Remember, a laptop (or any other) device may get stolen or break, it is a heavy burden to carry around and it's not really worth the trouble. If you MUST bring some sort of advanced communication device on your big trip, make sure it's compact, lightweight and not too heavy on battery consumption. And don't cry if you lose it - just be sure to back up your most important data (like photos and personal docs) on a regular basis on a USB memory stick or via online upload etc.
Blog
No matter where you're going or what your plans are, it's sure to be one of the most exciting and interesting events of your life. The adventure, the new places, the new people and new friends, the fun, the life experience, the activities, the landscapes - maybe you are even going traveling to "find yourself". But whatever your reasons for doing it, it's going to be the time of your life, and you will want to preserve the memories forever. The one drawback of going away, especially when it's a long trip, is leaving behind your friends and family. They will miss you, you will miss them, and they'll want to keep up to date with your progress as much as possible. But even with phone calls and e-mails, that's not always as easy as it sounds.
What you need then, is something that will help you keep in touch with the folks back home, allows them to track your progress on the trip, and also lets you keep a permanent record of your journey to cherish forever. A blog allows you to share your experiences and keep in touch with friends through the internet, as you travel the world. It becomes an area on the internet exclusively for you to write about your big trip. Wherever you go, you can post a blog entry that anyone can see! This is also great for when you get home, as it's a permanent record of your trip, containing all your journal entries, providing a wonderful memento of your adventure that will last a lifetime. Another options is also to have handwritten personal journal - but that will be more for yourself than keeping in touch with your loved ones.