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