Must Have Travel Accessories and Gadgets

I am back at it; the actual vacation wasn’t quite as long as the vacation from my blog entries. The trip was great – and there were many moments and experiences worth a blog entry—while I sift through those experiences I have to tell you about my new must have travel gadget.

Of course, there are countless nifty tools to be had, over the years I have gathered a few items that add a great deal of benefit for the little space and weight they take up. On our recent trip to Florida, I found a new tool that I didn’t know I needed, and now I won’t travel without.

For years, my Ipod was the must pack item. It serves so many purposes – of course music on the plane (often used to tune out other passengers as well), an alarm clock, it stores favorite photos and notes too. I also love to load my Ipod with audio books and walking tours of the select destination. The more modern hotels have caught on to travelers attachment to ipods and started offering docking stations in hotel rooms.

Recently the Ipod has slide off the list of must pack items (fortunately there is still room for both). While in Florida, I fell in love with the GPS. Until now I didn’t think I needed a GPS, and living in Halifax I probably don’t need one. But when I travel anywhere that I will have to drive I’ll be packing the GPS.

For navigating a new city, there was nothing like it. I instantly fell in love with the GPS. While until now I have survived by asking for directions or preprinting out directions, but, it is so easy to take a wrong turn from those directions. With the GPS of course, it simply recalculates and sets you right. I also loved the time to destination feature.

So in case I am not the last person in the world to fall in love with this tool, if you don’t have a GPS you must try one on your next vacation. Most major rental car companies offer GPS tools as an add-on to a rental or if you do the math, you might be better off buying one before the trip. Either way it is now on my must pack list. If you are a little technology shy—not to worry, these tools are very user friendly.

Here are just a few of the others in my must pack list – a journal – despite all the technology in my suitcase I can find countless uses for a good notebook. I have also started packing a pashmina wherever I go. These oversized scarves come in handy all the time – from a mini blanket on the plane to taking the chill off in cold conference rooms or restaurants or used for wrapping up fragile items upon my return as well. I now take one wherever I go.

I’m still sitting on the fence on the hand held scale (for suitcase weighing that is). I didn’t throw it in the suitecase this time, I thought it was adding extra weight to the case, but after a little shopping I wondered if I’d be paying for extra baggage. I knew I wasn’t over the total limit, but now with carriers putting a strict 50 lb per bag limit, I could have used the scale to evaluate the distribution.

In light of all the crazy travel news of late, I have to mention one more must pack – insurance! There have been times when I have skipped insurance – thinking I am young and healthy. Then I realized that baggage departments and weather delays do not discriminate based on health or age. Get the travel insurance – it is affordable and protects you against virtually any travel hiccup.

What are you must have travel accessories or gadgets?

Until next time
Melanie