The iPad as a laptop replacement: The Misses

This is a follow-up to my last post about the add-ons that make the iPad a viable laptop replacement. Although it does so many things well, there are still times when you need a computer.

For me, the biggest stumbling blocks are,

1. Photo Backup
2. Blogging
3. Web Forms

The iPad as a laptop replacement: The Hits!

When Nick got me an iPad 2 for my birthday three years ago, I was obviously, super excited! But I didn't think I really needed one and I never imagined that I'd use it for anything more than browsing the internet or reading eBooks.

Boy was I ever wrong!

Within 6 months, it was 95% iPad and 5% desktop/laptop. The Acer is now peacefully living out the rest of his days in my parents' home as a backup hard drive. I do still need a computer at times (especially now that I have started blogging), but I'm pretty close to being completely laptop/desktop free!

Looks like a mini laptop, eh?

There are a few add-ons that have made the iPad a more viable laptop replacement. As well as some limitations that still force me to use a proper computer. I'll go over the successes in this post and cover the limitations in my next one.

Good Add-Ons	Still Missing
Bluetooth Keyboard	Photo Backup (from iPad to USB key)
PDF Expert	Full-featured blogging
iPhoto and Skitch	Ability to upload documents on web forms
Pages

Lyons Lake and Mount Price

I am ever so slowly coming back down to earth after a relaxing and refreshing long weekend in the woods. We spent two nights camping at Lyons Lake in Desolation Wilderness and had a wonderful time exploring Mount Price and Sylvia Lake (very briefly).

With a relatively gentle hike, stunning views and a pristine lake to cool off in, this is a perfect beginner-level backpacking trip!

Lyons Lake from above

	Lyons Lake	Mount Price
Distance	8km one way from Lyons Creek Trailhead	~4 km one way from Lyons Lake
Difficulty	Easy for 7km Moderate for 1km	Strenuous because of our chosen route. (i.e. class 3 scrambling). A more moderate route is possible
Scenery	Awesome, 9/10	Equally Awesome, 9/10
Elevation	2557m	3038m
Elevation Gain	~550m (from trailhead)	~600m (from Lyons Lake)

Flashback to Lijiang: The Misses

To balance out my last post about all the things we loved about Lijiang, I wanted to share some of the disappointments and a few of our screw ups as well. This is a normal part of travel, of course. But hopefully our "oops" moments will help others make better decisions. So here are a few things that didn't go exactly as planned...

Flashback to Lijiang: The Hits!

Lijiang has a bit of a bad rap for being crowded, expensive and overly commercialized. All of which is totally true. But that doesn't mean it can't be a whole lot of fun as well!

Nick and I spent 4 days in Lijiang last year after the earthquake in Shangri-La delayed our Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. It may have been more time than we had planned, but we had a wonderful time and felt it was a great start to our adventures in China.

Mu's Residence in Lijiang Old Town

It helped that we were there at the start of the low season (such as it is). So while the crowds were large at times, they were not impossible to navigate. But we were also able to avoid some of the tourist traps and really enjoy ourselves. Here's how were able to make the most of our extended stay in Lijiang...