Your essential tools for working on the road

If you travel a lot for work, you have a number of increasingly sophisticated options for how to work while on the road. Laptops are getting smaller if you want your desktop apps, or web-based applications and storage options are becoming more powerful and feature-rich too. Or if you’re really dedicated to portability there are PDA and thumb drives.

When I hit the road later this month I’m planning on taking a laptop
with me, as well as a “backup” thumbdrive with all the apps and docs
I’ll need while I’m away.

So what tools are essential for you when you’re on the road? Do you rely on web-based apps or do you like to carry your apps with you?  Can a thumb drive really be enough?

Recommend your favourites please. :)