Support Material
As you most probably do not want to take stacks of file folders with you, you have to find a more lightweight and portable system. The solution to this is to virtualize your support material. Digitalize as much as possible of it and store it in a similar folder structure on your computer.
You can even do this on the road by using your PDA-camera as a scanner.

Tech Gadgets
You want to have robust tech gadgets and a checklist at hand to pack all required cables/adapters/power supplies for your target region. As I always try to simplify my gadgets in respect of lightweight travel, my two main tech gadgets are:

• IBM (Lenovo) Thinkpad X61T
  
  
  This thinkpad is small, light, very robust and converts in a Tablet PC. Although I usually do not use the Tablet PC concept for work, I rely on it for other things: It is perfect as a paperless office, as you can just “draw” on PDF documents, sign them, add handwritten notes etc. Furthermore it is perfect as a ebook reader with a huge and very good display. No need to carry tons of books.
• HTC P4550 TYTN II
  
  
  This is the perfect allrounder. I use it for GPS navgiation (mainly on-device maps of remote regions – not turn by turn navigation); as a mp3-player; camera; scanner (I use the camera to “scan” documents); GTD Planer and of course as a cell phone and VOIP-phone.

Those two devices are sufficient in almost every situation. I can understand that photo-enthusiasts might want to carry a saperate quality camera though. As the HTC has all possible functions cramped into one device, there are some inevitable battery issues. I recently played with a BlackBerry which is probably the best device if you want long battery hours. There are some issues on getting internet in countries without BlackBerry service though…

Internet Access
As you might still run into situations without internet access, I suggest to have separate GTD categories for internet work (@internet) and offline computer work (@computer).

“Analog” paper-based GTD system
If you like adventure travel in remote regions without internet or even without electricity, you should be able to implement your GTD system with pen and paper only. There are a lot of people who even choose this as their main GTD system. See this website for example implementations. I personally prefer a PDA though…

How to deal with distractions on the road
If you are in a different country, different climate, different timezone where people are speaking a different language – there are a lot of distractions coming from all directions. The goals is to “get back to ready” as soon as possible. The easiest way to do that is to have predefined workflow lists. If you are in your home-environment with a productive GTD system, you probably work best without a stiff workflow structure, but if you are on the road and want to get back on the track as fast as possible – this is the way to go.

ShareThis