Those Amazing Gadgets

For those of us who travel often, there are certain little things that make life so much more comfortable, whether in a car, on a plane or in a hotel room.  I'm sure all of you have your "favorite things".  These are mine:  an inflatable back support that fits into its own little bag.  I have a bad back and sitting on a plane for 8-10 hours at a time really hurts.  (Whoever designed airplane seats must have been 6'4" as my head doesn't come close to hitting those headrests!)  The back support and my memory foam travel pillow are musts.  I LOVE my Kindle ereader.  It has tons of books on it (most of them free), music (as it's also an MP3 player), audio books, games, and I can access the web on it.  You can download documents also (I need to figure out how to do that as it would be handy for travel info and contact lists).  I now have a cell phone that has worldwide usage.  I just need to tell Verizon when and where I'll be.  Make sure you've packed all the charger cords for your battery-run gadgets.  I love having hot tea first thing in the mornings (European hotel rooms do not come with coffee makers) so I have a little plug-in coil that boils water.  AAA sells these - I even have one that comes with the European plug!  Then I make sure I have a mug, tea and sugar.  I have a stretch clothes dryer line that I got at AAA.  It has suction cups at either end so you can string it across the shower/tub.  Handy when you don't have time to do laundry.  Tide makes a small spot remover/cleaner in a tube like chapstix.  My travel hairdryer has dual voltage so I don't have to worry about bringing a converter.  A small flashlight comes in handy in lots of situations.  Don't forget a small first-aid kit.  Hopefully I don't have to tell you to bring a DIGITAL camera with at least a 2G disc.  And bring lots of extra batteries as they are more expensive in Europe.  If you plan to buy posters, bring a mailing tube with you.  This way you don't have to fold them or take a chance on your posters being "roughed up" in your suitcase.  If you plan to lock your suitcase, buy only the TSA approved locks.  However, keep in mind that these are only good within the US.  Always ask at check-in if it's OK to lock your luggage.  If it's the wrong lock or not recognized in other countries, it will be cut off!  I always take a handful of ziplock baggies.  They come in handy for all kinds of things.  And don't forget sunscreen (I know that technically this is not a "gadget" but I haven't mentioned it yet and it's so very important)!  A Swiss army knife is also really handy.  You'll have to pack it in your check-in bag, as they won't allow it in your carry-on.   I'm sure I've left out some of your favorites, so please share these in the comments.  Next week, I'll start writing about my favorite places to visit in Europe.  A bientôt!