Travelling is fun, or at least it should be. But sometimes it’s the little conveniences that can make all the difference.
Here we list some of our favourites
Headline act
Planes are loud and other people can be annoying.
Until they discover a better solution – maybe teleporting, Star Trek-style – the best travel gadget will always be noise-cancelling headphones.
They cut out background noise, offer better sound quality and both of those factors can provide a quieter, more tranquil environment, allowing you to relax, sleep, or focus on your activities without distractions.
They come in all price points from $35 to $550, so it’s really a matter of how much you want to spend. Do your research to find your best fit. While the expensive ones are, well expensive, they may not suit travelling where you may need a smaller set.
Portable charger
I don’t know how we travelled without our phones. Stupid guesswork half the time from memory.
However, you don’t want your phone to go flat when you are relying on it. Think about finding your way back to your hotel when you don’t speak the language and your phone has gone flat. Do you feel a bit sweaty just imagining it?
So you will need a portable charger, especially if you are using power-sucking electronics such as cameras.
Once again, do your research as there are plenty of options on the market.
Phone holder mount
These are nifty, and cheap, little devices that allow you to clip your phone onto an upright tray table to watch stuff. They take up hardly any space and can also be used on flat surfaces and gym equipment. Also good to keep a phone steady for photos and time-lapse photography.
Our only advice is to make sure they fit your phone and buying one with 360 rotation is a good addition so you can get the best angle.
Tag trackers
Luggage is like love, it’s fantastic when it’s around, but you can also expect it to go missing at any time. Well, it may go missing, but with air tags at least you have a rough idea where it’s gone. It may even be on a better holiday than you.
Especially handy when the airline tells you it has no idea where your luggage is.
Drop these little discs in your luggage, handbag, or oversize luggage. Hell, strap one to your kid if it helps. You can buy a classic pack of four from Apple or there are brands for android phones. Expect to pay about $150 for the Apple four pack.
Universal travel plug adaptor
Are you like me and have an assortment of travel adapters languishing in a kitchen drawer? Sweep those all into the bin and buy a universal unit instead.
There are a couple of different styles including a box-like unit with different inputs and prongs or you can buy a ‘panel’ kit that you plug the provided separate adaptors into. The latter is handy as you can just pack the adaptors you need for your specific trip.
Good models should also have a USB port.
Tube pillow
This is a good idea, but those in charge may not be on board.
It’s a travel neck pillow that you stuff your extra clothes in to avoid excess baggage fees.
Sounds good in theory, but the authorities may be cracking down on such dodgy tactics. Recently a man was refused a flight in the US because he was caught stuffing an ordinary pillow with clothes and wouldn’t back down when ordered to pay to check it in.
It did not go well for him.
Police got involved, he was escorted out of the airport and is probably on all sorts of no-fly lists. Bro, just pay for the luggage.
AirFly
We all hated our wireless ear buds when they first came in, but some sort of Stockholm syndrome has taken over and we can’t seem to live without them now.
Well, if you love your ear buds but hate that you can’t connect them to the seat screen, AirFly is here to help.
It’s a Bluetooth adaptor that plugs into a standard plane headphone jack and connects to your wireless buds. Definitely in the ‘why didn’t they think of that before’ territory.
Expect to pay from $50 to $80.
Do you have a favourite travel gadget? Why not let us know in the comments section below?
Also read: Why you should never charge your phone at the airport
Air trackers – Air Tags or Tiles have been around for many years, so are not ‘new’ in 2024, so have multi USB chargers that plug into the wall with different plug ‘heads’ for different countries – 2013 was the first year I used one of these chargers. I have a 4 USB port charger, which I use whenever I travel domestically. A Korjo one is currently $19.95 from amazon.com.au, but vary in price, some up to $31.95 for the same one.