Travel Essentials: Four Items not to Forget
Whether you’re a busy business traveller heading off to yet another meeting, or a backpacker about to embark on a gap-year adventure, there are some vital items that no traveller should leave behind. The following will help make your trip much more pleasant, so don’t forget to pack these essentials.
Ear Plugs
Travelling is an inherently tiring process often requiring early starts and late nights. Combine this with unfamiliar beds and noisy hotel guests, and you’re going to need all the help you can get to fall asleep. Enter the ear plugs; these simple pieces of wax or foam can be a saviour for tired travellers, allowing you to block out the auditory world, and sink into a much needed deep and refreshing sleep. Ear plugs come in a surprising variety of shapes and sizes and can also range considerably in price. Start off with a cheaper foam pair and see how they perform; a recent review of ear plugs by Slate Magazine found that out of 8 different pairs, the ear plugs that cost 50p per pair turned out to be the most effective and comfortable.
Eye Mask
It’s all very well cutting out the sounds, but what about light? Who hasn’t switched off the light in the hotel bedroom, only to find that the flickering street lights outside deny you of your sleep? A good eye mask will allow you to block out annoying light pollution by night, and should also enable you to get some shut-eye during daylight hours.
Power Adapter
In this world of the mobile phone, laptop computer, PDA, Nintendo DS, and MP3 player, there’s little reason to get bored whilst in transit. But one thing you will require to keep these devices alive is electricity; and remember, different countries have different plug sockets and different power outputs. To ensure you can plug into your destination’s national grid, get a worldwide adaptor that will allow you to tap the supply from your host country, anywhere in the world.
Travel Bag
It’s no good having all the essential items if you’ve got nowhere to put them, therefore make sure you’ve got a good, strong bag to put everything in. The type of bag will obviously vary depending on the type of traveller; backpackers favour, well… backpacks and business travellers tend to go for hard-shell wheelie cases. Both should also carry a travel make up bag for small loose items such as toothbrushes and toiletries.
If you remember to pack these four essential items, you’ll have gone a little way to making your trip smoother and more comfortable. Happy travels!