How to save my pictures?

Uploading photos will take too long in many internet cafes. Its fine to send a few to friends and family, update a blog etc. But backing up whole memory cards would take hours.

cheapest option is an external HDD that you copy your photos to on an internet cafe computer. Always a risk of viruses. Or cheaper still is to just buy more memory cards.

Otherwise people use netbooks and external photo HDD devices.

There was an almost identical post a few weeks back. If you do a forum search you'll find it.

In brief, your options are:

1) portable drive (use an SSD to minimise chances of a HDD crashing with your pics) - as #1 has suggested.

2) a dedicated backup unit (do a search for Nexto & Plextor).

3) sufficient numbers of larger sized SD /CF cards - but if one card goes belly-up (or gets stolen), you could lose everything.

You could also use a cloud and uplaod you pics to this, then you are not carrying the pics on you, though best to back up to 2 sources in general

#3, the cloud really isn't viable when travelling. While downloading is generally reasonable in many countries around the world, ADSL, the main technology used is very slow with uploading data. So uploading photos, could take hours, even days to do so.

Its fine for putting a photo on facebook, or emailing home, but a whole memory card..... I'd not rely on it being usable or possible.

Far point, it was suggested to me recently, and I've not used a cloud before, so I'll take you better judgement on it. Back to my main plane of a 320gb netbook and should I fill that, picking up a compact external drive.

Similar note to using cloud, I presume previous posters meant via a internet cafe or somesuch, but if you can afford to replace your camera Samsung (and I think Fuji) are just releasing wifi connected cameras, so anytime you get a wifi hotspot you can upload direct from the camera to Flickr or other sites, removes the need to bring multiple cards or portable HDD's as back up.

I've not really used a cloud before so I wouldn't want to attempt it on this trip and my camera is only about a year old so I don't want to replace it yet. I will take some kind of portable backup i think to transfer to there and just see how the internet is in the various places I am to send a few pics home. I have a number of SD cards for my camera already and I will get more before i go, that way if one or two go missing I wouldn't lose all my photos.

Will I need to worry about whether computers have specific software

Forgot to comment on your question...

Generally, if the PC has XP or better, then the computer will automatically detect your camera as an attached device (don't forget to bring at least 2 USB cables, in case one gets lost or damaged).

Once it has been detected, you can then copy the files from the SD card.

#6, you are right, however having a hotspot is one thing, having the speed to upload photos, often 10 times or more slower than the download speed is another issue.

Its probably possible travelling in places like the USA and parts or europe and asia.