An old raincoat won’t ever let you down (Singapore)

These travelling companions are worn and falling apart. They are comfortable. Such are the times when I miss my Saigon backstreets where an equally weathered man can fix my shoes and give me the news of the town.

People often ask me for the best phone for travel. I will recommend the Nokia 1280. This is the only phone I’m using now. The reason I like this phone is that you’ll only need to charge it once every ten days or less.

The screen is easy to read in bright sun. At night the backlight is bright enough. There is also a flashlight feature that is helpful when you are in places where power is often out. The phone is light. This phone launched in 2010, and it is probably the last non-colour phone you can buy. I bought mine about a year back in Vietnam, and it was 20 USD.

I will highly recommend getting this phone while they are still selling them. Just keep it in your travel bag. Even if you have a smartphone, buy a cheap sim card and slot it in the Nokia 1280. It is a good backup to have. I also purchased a USB to Nokia charging cable. A caution though, this phone will not work in Japan as it has no 3G radio.

The title of this post is another song from the 1970s that I like.