My Five Essential Items I Will NEVER Travel Without Again
Since I moved to London I have been very blessed and fortunate that I have been doing a lot of travelling. Not since my days of television production and pre-children have I accumulated so many frequent flyer points. As result I have learned a few very important things along the way that I thought I would share about travel. In particular what to carry-on. I have not solved the huge mystery of my severely over-weight checked luggage...but one travel challenge at a time.
So here is what I have learned.... My Five Essential Items I will never travel without again.
1. My S'well Water Bottle
I LOVE THIS!!!! I only found out about this truly magical bottle recently. I was flying to Toronto and read about it in InStyle Magazine. It talked about it keeping the temperature of the liquids in the bottle cold for 24 hours. Too good to be true, I thought. Nope. IT IS AMAZING. Now before boarding I fill it with ice and water, and the water was chilled and the ice was still clinking all the way from Tokyo to London.
Flying in airplanes is very drying, as is drinking Chardonnay but both are hard for me to avoid. Those flight attendances are not coming by as frequently as I require with that drink cart. Bringing my own chilled water (and I am guessing it will also work for Chardonnay) has not only kept me happy(er) while flying but I believe it has helped with my jet lag by staying hydrated. I love really cold water. I will always have a large glass of ice water by my bed at night. But a few hours in the ice is melted, and the water (or what's left of it) is at room temperature. My S'Well Water Bottle not only has it forever changed my flying but no longer do I have to get more cold water in the middle of the night. Bonus!
2. Portable iPhone Charger
Although most of the longer flights you are able to plug in your iPhone and charge it, but don't count on it. You only have to be delayed once or play too much Candy Crush while listening to your "Calming Music While Flying" playlist to quickly drain the battery. If I am honest (which I am to a fault) I am totally addicted to my iPhone. The back-up charger is essential for flying. TIP: If buying one don't cheap out on one that just offers you a single charge. Go for one that can charge your phone at least twice. It is so worth the extra shekels.
3. Packing Cubes
This is a new discovery thanks to my very organized traveller friend Tia. She gave me these traveling cubes as a Christmas present. They roll up in your suitcase and come in different sizes. If you are like me (and nothing wrong with that) I never unpack when I get somewhere, I live out of my suitcase. So the dirty clothes would often get mixed up with the clean. These travel cubes allow me to separate clean from dirty, socks from underwear, etc. They are now with me on every trip.
4. Bliss Triple Oxygen Radiance Restoring Mist
Again, there are few places dryer than the inside of a airplane. I discovered this Bliss Restoring Mist a few years ago but only started travelling with it regularly. It is 100ml so you can carry it on as long as you put it in one of those clear plastic baggies (still don't get that). During the flight and almost always as I am getting ready to land I give my face a spritz. It feels refreshing, like a cool glass of water on a hot day plus it has a light scent that makes you feel a little more awake. Keep hydrated, inside and out.
5. Chewing Gum
Pink Bubble Gum by Michael Moebius
Even if you are traveling with a toothbrush, or get one on the plane I find that after a long flight (or even a short one) my teeth feel like they are wearing little sweaters. Gum actually wakes up my mouth. But equally important it is really a life saver on your descent when your ears start to pop. Nuff said.
And ....Honourable Mention - A Pen
I know this sounds like the most basic "dah" item but you have no idea how often everything can come to a halt as I have to bother nearby passengers (hate talking to nearby passengers) for a pen to fill out the customs card. Now they bother me plus this allows me to do the newspaper's Sudoko puzzle with confidence.
So those are my five (ok 6) essential travel items. Take them or leave them but I would highly recommend taking them.
Bon Voyage
Circling London on final descent into Heathrow. Wow.
Please share if you have any essential travel items you can't leave home without.