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