Is it crazy to bring a laptop? The only reason I would want to is to upload digital photographs, so that I do not run out of memory on my card and lose the ability to take digital photos. Are there available power outlets at albergues? What do you think/suggest?
Camino de Santiago pendant that has a shell on the front, and "Camino de Santiago" engraved on the back. Comes with a black cord. Pendent is slightly larger than a 50 euro cent coin, about 25mm.
There are power outlets at the albergues, but if your only reason to bring a laptop is to download pictures and free up memory, an extra memory card is much lighter and more convenient.
1. Get a photo harddisk. http://www.inoi.com/English/HD182.asp
2. Get a thumbdrive (16 Gig, yes you can find them now)
3. Get iPod SD adaptor (requires an iPod)
It really depends on what size you will be needing. In my last camino, I brought a 4 gig thumbdrive and manages to use a cybercafe to offload my photos from a 2 gig micro-sd card (with a small usb reader) to my 4 gig thumbdrive when I almost exhausted my sd-card capacity.
You need to do a little homework on what is more cost effective. Bear in mind that weight is a big issue on the camino, i.e. you don't want to carry more than what is necessary.
I've also seen another pilgrim uploading her photos to her iPod (with special cables). This is another option you can try.
2002, Toulouse/Aragon 2005, Cami S Jaume/Aragon 2007/9, Mont Saint Michel/Norte/Vadiniense 2011, Norte/Primitivo 2013, Norte/Primitivo 2014. Norte 2015, Cami S Jaume/Castellano-Aragonese 2016
Why not just bring an extra (or even two!) memory chips with you? Between that and Ivar's advice, I think you would be well-covered and not have to schlep extra weight-- let alone the worries of security, water damage etc.
I'm bringing a netbook -- just three pounds including the charger.
However, if the only use were for storing photos, I would just take more cards and use internet cafes to copy the photos to CDs. But I will also be using it for writing (my handwriting is so bad that I often can't read it), communications (I don't use a cellphone), storing some written material like a couple of Lonely Planet chapters (for northern Portugal and Galicia), and I plan to do some photo editing along the way.
I predict you will hate that computer by the end of the trip! I am just guessing, though, based upon me shipping home a two pound sleeping bag for 20 Euro because the weather was warm.