Your number one things to take travelling / on holiday

[lisalisa]

I’m having a few mini holidays over the next few months and have seen various adverts on social media for travel accessories / things that make travel easier / more stylish / more practical .
what have you bought recently that’s really enhanced your travel experience or make it more fun / easier to travel ?

Heating pad. I never leave home without it. Sore neck back or feet ot just cold in the room it’s perfect. I also always travel with tooth brush toothpaste chapstick and hand wipes.

@dizzydizzydizzy
That looks a very useful bag.

Ear plugs
Your own headphones for the flight

Noise cancelling headphones.

Corkscrew

Cafetière

Aeropress. Hotel coffee is usually a bit naff!

Ooh, will take a look-thank you for the link.

A kindle.

Downloading boarding passes onto phone and insurance info. So much better than in the old days when we’d have a big travel wallet with loads of paper. Now we just have passports only.

Another vote for Bose headphones. Bliss on a long flight.

I need this. Is it an electric one, and where did you get it?
TIA

I’m in the USA. Mine is electric. It’s a covered pad with control paddle and cord. I have had many over the years and in the US it’s a common pharmacy (drugstore item) but my last few I have bought at TJMaxx. Buy the bigger sized ones and I actually prefer the non removable cover. Also google electric heating pad. I find carrying suitcases odd pillows long car rides and lots of sightseeing walking all contribute to neck back discomfort and this loosens it right back up.

I’m home now and looked at it and my favorite brand is “pure enrichment “ and the model pehpwide I like the multiple temp options /the auto off option rather than low medium high and 1 hr and it’s off.

Extension cable and international plug

Imodium. Not very glamorous but if you need it, you need it

Small transparent zip-up bag that you can put small electricals, metal items (keys etc, coins), batteries, watches etc into when you're going though security.
Solid shampoo. Small pot of instant coffee. Skin cream for flight. Plastic bags for laundry, organising stuff etc
Put scans of all you documents into a Dropbox or other online folder.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-All-One-Smart-Black/dp/B07KQ23QHM

I'm a light sleeper so always take wax ear plugs.

Clothes pegs, handy for drying towel or cozzie on balcony or in bathroom.

Download map onto phone of where you are going so you can use off line.

Sim Card for where you are going.

Reading glasses - I'm so old...

portable battery pack for phone.

cross body bag.

Thank you very much, I'm going to check it out online.

Laminated copies of our main passport pages, carried in all our bags.
Got us home once, but LHR were not very happy. (Didn't matter, we were home.)

My friend bought us feet hammocks for a long flight this year and it’s the first time me feet haven’t been swollen on arrival

We don’t have anything that needs a plug these days, it’s all USB so we have one of these instead of an extension cable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Desktop-Charger-Charging-Compatible-Smartphone-White/dp/B09FDMZ67H/ref=sr_1_12?adgrpid=51925117183&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ByHdwK4pjacxbdAEdxyVAqR-uiyl5YgcNt4Vx-27T1SGCQnvlVJuLQPs8bJ21mKRomEgYmVLhMVfHJ_zyFVcQ8iG_ISNA5yZdhAGl8k7Yq2gyEZzHwEq_qx5cu-uIHNarRJ65fS-_G7r_td0rxpGr4j-hs67SpMxv0JwIODJugS3SyBgoQMRKGbuDZfn4ZBSVv5tZDk69OD0jVEvHNJtSyJVM4tOZRUvvYgR3lBjE5I.qeIuvoQQnueHJSBjlBc3KzvNbFT_AA4-LMeFOQTXsl8&dib_tag=se&hvadid=578367221685&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9046858&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4901318089596350933&hvtargid=kwd-300526365749&hydadcr=5058_2287736&keywords=usb+multi+charger&qid=1709231469&sr=8-12

Packing cubes

The one plug six usb ports thingy

Wash bag that hangs up

Bone conducting head phones let you listen while keeping aware of your surroundings

Phone lanyard.

EU passport and official id card so don't need passport for internal travel.

If you want to go hand luggage only, and depending on where you're going, toiletries / insect repellent / sun cream etc.. can be expensive / not meet UK standards for protection, so order ahead and pick up in the chemist airside at the airport. It's usually Boots.

I'm also a big fan of an organiser bag. Most are not glamorous, but are practical, keep your essentials dry, safe and easy to find.

If you have room, take a spare pair of sunglasses.

Those huge clips for towels on the beach if it's windy! I love them!

Oh, and my inflatable camping pillow! Lots of places I go to have "biscuit pillows", so I put this underneath for a bit of lift / support.

I always take a lightweight pop up laundry basket. It takes up barely any room in the case and is as light as feather but it's so handy to have a laundry basket in the corner of the hotel room

Also packing cubes!