Job Discussion Forums

[rucontent]

Any tips about electronics? I have heard conflicting advice. Fear mongers here in the US say dont take your laptop you'll get robbed.

Others say ship it,. Then someone told me shipping electronics to Peru is taxed up the wazoo.

So what's the story?

thanks!

[naturegirl321]

Take it, but put it in a backpack and don't flaunt it.

[ghostdog]

Be extraordinarily careful. My laptop was stolen off a supposedly direct bus (which did indeed nonetheless make a couple of stops), and my suspicion remains that the bus company personnel were involved. A conventional laptop is probably too large to fit in your luggage -- which is why I brought mine onto a bus in a laptop bag, which made it a sitting target. My suggestion would be to buy a netbook, which would fit in a piece of luggage without much difficulty. Generally, things tagged and packed underneath the bus are safe as long as the bus company is reliable. (Avoid Ormeno like the plague.) Also, a netbook costs less and thus is less of a loss if it does get nicked. If you only need to surf the net and occasionally do office tasks, consider an ASUS -- it's by far the smallest and probably the cheapest. Otherwise, look at Acer, HP, and Lenovo, which all make netbooks with enough power and hard disk capacity to use as a regular computer. But definitely buy it in Europe or North America -- prices generally inflate at least 50 percent here. Good luck.

[john_n_carolina]

traveler's insurance, if it's a fairly new laptop.

[rucontent]

[naturegirl321]

Speaking of which. My husband got back yesterday from Piura on Cruz del Sur. A fire started down below where luggage is put. They had to evacuate, everyone was safe, but most of the luggage was destroyed.

[AnnitaSudAmerica]

Wow,I thought Cruz del Sur was better at their bus upkeep. Seems they aren't. I traveled on Ormenio with my laptop, but it was also in a briefcase type of bag and at my side at all times. That was all the way to Trujillo. Granted, Ormenio is not a good company to travel with, but as long as you keep your laptop under careful watch at all times nothing happens to it. You can take it on the bus with you. Everyone takes things on the bus with them. Just make sure you put your laptop at your feet...NOT above. At least, this has been my experience.

I simply bought a laptop in the states (Dell) but I would suggest buying something other than dell. Toshiba for example because they have support here in Lima. Dell doesn't have anything. Buying it here seems to be more expensive. I took it on the plane to here and it was fine. it's not that big. The bigger the laptop the more of a pain it is to take it around. It got here safe and sound and has been great to use. However, I also got a univ. adapter before leaving the states. This is something necessary, I think. I have seen a lot of acer laptops around as well.

[Gusss]

I lived in Peru for five years mosying around some of its dodgiest parts (minus Lima ).
I never had my laptop stolen - until I got back to London where I became careless.
My tactics are as follows -


1. look like a impoverished hippie.
2. NEVER show your laptop in public unless you know the area very well (especially not on buses in public places etc)
3. Carry the laptop in a tattered muddy hippy bag that looks like youve just found it in a skip - noone will guess its got a laptop in it.
4. Sleep with one leg on your laptop on public transport.

[Luna Chica]

Buy a laptop bag that looks like a regular backpack and take it on the bus with you. Big luggage all needs to go under the bus, but they will let you take a small bag on with you. If they pull you up on it, just refuse to put it under the bus. They will let you take it on as long as it is not a huge bag. Small backpack size is absolutely fine.