I love my Olympia Moto Sports Mustang Jacket & Jeans. They're cool in both ways: keeps the air flowing and they look cool, too, turning heads even in fashion-conscious Italy with its khaki/pearl fabric of Dupont Cordera. And it's fairly water resistant, too.

My Specter Road boots claim to be water resistant but I think they're waterproof. They've weathered some pretty heavy rain and kept me dry, too. And they look great--just plain black leather without all those logos and stripes. And comfortable? They took me walking around Venice for two days looking pretty sweet with black tights and a miniskirt. What's more to like?

Apple Laptop. My old reliable 13" iBook is my on-the-road buddy--sturdy, reliable, and loaded with Tiger OS X as well as all the applications I need to create online dispatches: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, FTP, iMovie, iPhoto. It's got a wireless card, and it converts automatically from 110 to 220.

USB 2.0 Hi-Speed flash drive. This is my newest, coolest little gadget, a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed flash drive. SanDisk says that it's designed to withstand harsh working environments and operating conditions; that it's virtually indestructible, featuring a titanium-coated metal casing for unprecedented durability; and that it's one of the fastest USB flash drives on the market (a write speed rating of 13 megabytes (MB) per second and a read speed of 15MB per second). CNET reviewers gave it a 9.0. I bought it for just shy of $50 searching for the best deal on PriceGrabber. I've wanted to use it to back up between uploads, and also to grab photos iBook when I want to transfer data to someone else's computer or from my camera to a computer. So far Italian computers are old style - not USB.

Olympus Camedia C-5050 Zoom Digital Camera. I have long recommended this camera series for its ease-of-use and reliably great photos when I set it on "automatic." It plugs into my iBook and iPhoto launches, grabs them, and I can look through the thumbnails, do some light editing, and use or send them. For heavy photo editing I use Adobe PhotoShop. A big factor when shopping for a camera to travel with is that it takes AA batteries. (Where don't they sell AA batteries?)

Sony Digital Handycam DCR-PC9 NTSC. It's small and unobtrusive and easy to use and I have a big 8-hour battery for it that means I won't run out of juice when that cinematic moment finally comes. iMovie on the Mac makes it pretty easy to grab quick scenes to post on the web. If I were to buy a video camera today I'd be looking at the new no-tape cameras that capture direct to hard drive. I'll eventually take a look at these to review here.

Security for all your expensive gear. Here is a real tried-and-true traveling companion. I found this nifty device when I was reviewing travel gear for PC World Magazine ages ago. The Targus DEFCON 1 ULTRA is a computer lock, a gear lock and optionally, a motion activated shrieker. It has a combination lock with up to 10,000 unique combinations and a high decibel alarm triggered if the cable is severed or the motion sensor is activated (you set this option). A retractable cable curls around and locks into the other side. I hang it from hotel doors and set the motion sensor, or wrap it through camera bag and suitcase straps and handles. This is my favorite never-leave-home-without-it gadget.

Wall and Telephone Plug Adapters: TeleAdapt is my favorite travel supplier with everything you'll ever need to plug in all over the world.

Misc. Don't forget an extension cord if you've got multiple devices to charge! I pack a plain extension with 3 sockets and plug in my computer, AA battery chargers, and vido battery charger. Immerson

Immersion Coil Water Heater: Dual Voltage. Just plug this baby in and you've got hot water in just a minute or two. I rarely leave home without it.

Of course I've ridden many more bikes these -- but these are the motorcycles I've used on substantial journeys.

• Ural and Chang Jiang: BMW-type boxer twin sidecar motorcycles, in the USA and China, respectively
• Royal Enfield Bullet: India
• Moto Guzzi Breva 750 IE: Around the Adriatic Sea
• Moto Guzzi California 1100 EV: Italy
• Kawasaki 400 KLX: Colorado
• Yamaha 650 Maxim: All Around California and the Pacific Northwest

Bibler Ahwahnee Tent: I love my Bibler tent and I use it for backpacking, bicycle touring, and motorcycle touring. It was extremely expensive but worth every penny! It's extremely light, extremely sturdy, extremely windproof, extremely roomy, extremely quick and easy to set up, and no rain fly necessary. I've backpacked it in to Tahoe's Desolation Wilderness and hauled it in to Burning Man (withstood duststorms and rain storms and onslaughts of costumed visitors) and through America and Europe on a motorcycle.

ThermaRest full-length self-inflating sleeping pad. One word: indespensible.

Sierra Designs Cloud 9 Women's Flex sleeping bag. It lets me toss and turn and the stretchy stuff stays with me instead of knotting up in weird places.

Various cooking gear including an MSR stove and camp lantern that take the same fuel cannisters so I don't have to pack more than one.

Flashlight, matches. (Duh.)

Eye mask and ear plugs! I really never leave home without these no matter what kind of trip I'm on.