Just a suggestion - when buying the necessary internet modem/sim card/usb plug - we are with the big T at home.  I went over my allowance and was shaped - took forever to open a website while shaped so I bought an O 30 day modem - it was as slow as the shaped T.  Hope you can understand those abbreviations!

don't know julia, what does it stand for? wireless finternet?

sandy, yeah i understand the t and o but not sure about a 30 day modem. is it something prepaid that explodes/self destructs after 30 days like the letters in the james bond movies?

Yes, you can get prepaid modems - I just bought one for travelling $50 for 5 gig but it lasts 12 months.  I have broadband wi-fi at home (100 gig).

that sounds interesting. with modem you mean a plastic box with a wire that i plug into a tablet?

I have a mobile wifi modem. No cables needed as my laptop has wifi. 

When I travel I take the laptop and modem with me. The modem lasts for hours between charges. It's on a plan with telstra. The plan isn't cheap but it's the only internet I can get here.

I think you would be able to use it with a tablet too.

The prepaid modem is about a wallet size that you charge on a power point (or with the usb plug) - once it is charged you can have it in your pocket/purse/close by and your tablet will pick up the signal.  As someone mentioned, if you get a tablet with a usb socket, you can also buy a prepaid usb plug.  Not sure how the sim cards work.

I have a Sansung Galaxy - about 11 inch and the modem works well with it when we're travelling.

hhmmmm alright....it's more complicated than i thought. wouldn't mind a laptop cos i don't really like the touch screen.

i just want something with a big enough screen that can access the internet to look up camping sites/pubs/places worth seeing.

thanks all for your input, now at least i know what words to put into google to find out more.

didn't even know prepaid modems existed.....