6 Essential Gadgets for Traveling
There are few things as flexible as traveling – at its most basic, you aim to move from one place to another in any fashion you choose, be it plane, bus or even walking. The idea is to appreciate and enjoy the various new locales you find yourself in.
Beyond that, everything is up to you. Some like simple trips to and from a country, others like to go on epic journeys around the world.
But no matter what type of traveling you personally prefer, you’ll find something handy in this list of essential travel gadgets.
Kindle E-Reader for Travel
E-Readers
There are several options for mobile readers on the market today, but the Amazon Kindle has proven to be the most widely supported with huge selections of available books on offer. The advantages of taking an E-reader instead of a traditional book are plain – in the space of one small, lightweight tablet you can store more than enough books to last you for any journey. This is one gadget that you’ll love in everyday life, too, as you find yourself making time to read at times when it would otherwise be inconvenient to lug around old fashioned books!
Cyber-Shot Camera for Travel
Compact Digital Camera
Much of the fun of traveling comes from looking back on your memories long after the fact. A good digital camera is the best way to record key moments in your travels, and capture whatever scenic beauties you may encounter. A high quality pocket sized model such as the Fuji X10 combines classic looks with a fantastic quality lens and large light sensor – camera phones just can’t compete with those kind of specs. Alternatively the Samsung EX2F provides great image quality with wireless connectivity, and crucially, a moderate price tag.
iPhone 5 for Travel
Mobile Phones
Before you head off with your expensive iPhone or similar in tow, consider that smart phones are inherently desirable to thieves and that this might be an important factor depending on your destination. Nonetheless, you’ll probably want some kind of phone as an assurance that you can get in touch with people if you need to. Consider a basic model – Nokia even do the 1661 phone for under £5. This is a great option to minimise stress from carrying valuable items, and might even help you unwind by letting you unplug. One benefit of a basic phone that is invaluable for travellers is extended battery life – with no extraneous features to suck power, you’ll find yourself charged up for a week or more.
iPod MP3 Player for Travel
Music Players
Again, smartphones can have this area covered but if you’re going for a low risk/budget approach then investing in a dedicated music player is a great idea. Almost all players available now have adequate memory space to store hefty music collections. You may want to discriminate more on factors such as battery life and compact size. The Sony Walkman range is solid, or for a budget option look at the Sandisk Sansa.
USB Power Adapter for Travel
USB Power Adaptors
All the gadgets in the world mean nothing without a reliable source of power to keep them ticking. In the bad old days each gadget would require its own specialised charger, but luckily now that so many items are computer integrated, you can get away with using a single USB charger. The Duracell 3 Hour usb charger model provides you with a buffer of, as you would imagine, three hours of power to extend the life of your gadgets when you’re away from wall outlets. For an ultra flexible standard USB power adaptor, try the Worldwide Triple usb charger (WHSmith) which allows charging of three devices simultaneously.
GPS Device for Travel
GPS Device
Any traveller can make use of a pocket sized GPS. Makers such as Garmin produce models designed specifically for walkers, which record routes that you take (load it into a mapping software app later on to fully document your explorations). Though many smart phones enable this functionality, a dedicated unit such as a Garmin Etrex is designed specifically for potentially rough outdoors use, for example being clipped to a bike.
- 6 Essential Gadgets for Traveling
Hopefully this list has given you some ideas of which gadgets are best suited to your needs. Remember to tailor your gadget choices to your destination – keeping baggage down is a bonus for any traveller!
This is a post from Luke, a flights specialist at Round The World Experts, where you can buy round the world flights and plan tours for global adventures.
