What's your little luxury item?

[russ]

As I was packing last night, I threw in my favourite little luxury item: a $10 shower shelf that attaches itself to a glass surface via suction cups. This little beauty allows me to put the shampoo/soaps/shaving gear within easy reach in hotels that don't have any shelves in the shower.

Sure enough, the room I've got this morning has no shelf in the shower, so I will happily attach my DIY shelf to make it a bit more like home.

I'm also off to buy a longer ethernet cable this morning as this hotel has one so short that I have to sit at the desk rather than sitting on the lounge which is much more comfortable.

So I got to thinking: what's your little luxury item that makes travelling life just that bit more bearable?

 

[Bundy Bear]

Noise canceling headphones.

I have 2 pairs:

One Sony NDR5, for around Australia and to New Zealand.

One Bose QC2s, for long distance flights.

 

[simongr]

My Kensignton power pack. I have the power pack at home which saves me carting a brick back and forth to work. But when travelling it has various adapters that charge the ipod, blackberry and can provide power if flying on a carier with empoer ports (fewer and fewer now).

 

[straitman]

As I was packing last night, I threw in my favourite little luxury item: a $10 shower shelf that attaches itself to a glass surface via suction cups. This little beauty allows me to put the shampoo/soaps/shaving gear within easy reach in hotels that don't have any shelves in the shower.

Sure enough, the room I've got this morning has no shelf in the shower, so I will happily attach my DIY shelf to make it a bit more like home.

I'm also off to buy a longer ethernet cable this morning as this hotel has one so short that I have to sit at the desk rather than sitting on the lounge which is much more comfortable.

So I got to thinking: what's your little luxury item that makes travelling life just that bit more bearable?

russ,

You shower shelf sound great but I know that I'd leave it behind, probably at the first hotel :evil:

My ANR headphones are my real self treat. Absolutely wonderful.

 

[Shano]

Add me to the headphone list as well.

I bought a pair of Shure in-earphones in the US last year. More expensive than I really wanted to pay for headphones, but the sound quality, and sound isolating characteristics, are superb.

 

[Keith009]

My Bliss Lemon&Sage Sinkside 6, just in case the hotel offers generic bath amenities.
I also bring onboard my own PJs on overnight flights in J, unless it's QF J.

 

[superchris]

My Bliss Lemon&Sage Sinkside 6, just in case the hotel offers generic bath amenities.
I also bring onboard my own PJs on overnight flights in J, unless it's QF J.

Keith,
Please tell me that you are not like the couple I saw recently in The QF Sydney Flounge....they thought they were so hip and groovy baby...you guessed it they had the PJ's on already

 

[Batesy]

For me it is the NC headphones. I have a great pair of Sony (cant remember the model). Ever since I discovered this technology a few years back I have looked at lots of brands and models. They can make a trip so much more pleasant.

 

[Evan]

Keith,
Please tell me that you are not like the couple I saw recently in The QF Sydney Flounge....they thought they were so hip and groovy baby...you guessed it they had the PJ's on already

hahahah yes well very nice. I see people go shopping what i would call there PJ's

I don't think i have an item, if i did it would probably be my notebook, just to keep in contact with the world.

E

 

[MelUser]

I have on occasion wondered what would happen if one left it too long to get changed at the end of the flight and had to disembark in the PJs!

 

[dot]

I have on occasion wondered what would happen if one left it too long to get changed at the end of the flight and had to disembark in the PJs!

I did that a couple of weeks ago - flying overnight in Y - left it too late to get out from my window seat (over two other pax), so I slipped on my Blunnies and deplaned - got changed in the loo's on the way to immigration control. Admittedly, the PJs I was wearing consists of a t-shirt (which I didn't bother changing anyway) and a pair of pants that look like trackie-dax - so I didn't look like too much of a tool when getting off the plane . I was still the first pax on the flight through customs thanks to hand luggage only and my APEC BT card .

As for luxuries:

• Bose QC2 noise cancelling headphones - All flights, I love the sense of privacy I get when wearing them.
• Small wireless travel router - enables me to sit anywhere in the hotel room without worrying about cords and to connect multiple devices to share the same link such as my Nokia e71 and second laptop that I occasionally need to carry.
• MP3 player - great when I just cant find a good radio station or video to watch on-board (Or travelling in a backwards country like the LOTFAP with no AV system on the planes - I don't do Dash-8's very often these days ). Also includes a FM radio for local radio stations at my destination.

I too have a AC/DC power pack for my Thinkpad with adaptors for other bits and pieces, but I carry that with my PC always and don't consider it a luxury, but an essential.

 

[Maca44]

Add me to the headphone list as well.

I bought a pair of Shure in-earphones in the US last year. More expensive than I really wanted to pay for headphones, but the sound quality, and sound isolating characteristics, are superb.

Ditto..bought a pair of Shure EC3 in-earphones several years ago and they go everywhere with me now, but I wouldn't leave without my mobile phone to keep in touch with family whilst overseas mainly the USA.

 

[Febs]

A good pair of headphones.

I recently bought the Bose on-ear headphones - not noise-cancelling like the QC3's, but basically the same without the NC functionality. They cup the ear well (blocking out a lot of noise), don't need a battery and fold-up.

However I just replaced them today, with these:
http://www.sony.com.au/pe/catalog/product.jsp?id=MDRNC40

$40USD!

I was sceptical about them (Sony's don't always have the best quality), but they're actually really, really good. Best of all - they work with NC turned off, and they only take 1 x AAA battery! Even better, they fold up smaller than my Bose 'phones! Oh and they come with a cable that fits the Gen1 iPhone (I used to use a small adapter), and came with an airline adapter. Perfect.

Looking forward to trying them out LAX-SYD on Thurs.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Edit: Just tried them with the heater on in this hotel room (which sounds a lot like a noisy jet engine!!) Excellent noise cancelling for $40USD! Not as good as those new digital Sony NC 'phones, but given they're ~$600AUD I'm very happy with these.

 

[browski]

1 Hibernate eyemask
2. Creative zen stone plus mp3 player
3. Sound Traveller speaker

 

[serfty]

I use an earlier model similar to this: HN-605 - Noise-Cancelation Headphones - Enjoy your music and block out background noise

I purchased them D/F on a QF TT flight for $60 ... they go everywhere with me ...

 

[vt01]

Small wireless travel router - enables me to sit anywhere in the hotel room without worrying about worrying about cords and to connect multiple devices to share the same link such as my Nokia e71 and second laptop that I occasionally need to carry.

Now that's a good idea!

Luxuries - Chocolate! Chocolate coated macadamia royals for the flight and one for the time I'm away.. Plus some caramello koala's.. I'm just a chocoholic at heart!
oh yeah, and the compulsory NC headphones.. Mine are a failry cheap pair of JVC's.. but they do the job..

 

[nlagalle]

my BOSE QC2's are my luxury item.. worth every cent. I forget themo nce and was kicking myself... thankfully it was only MEL-SYD.

 

[rwatts]

I use an earlier model similar to this: HN-605 - Noise-Cancelation Headphones - Enjoy your music and block out background noise

I purchased them D/F on a QF TT flight for $60 ... they go everywhere with me ...

I received a free pair that look very similar to those with my QF carry-on bag a couple of years ago. I decided I would use them to test the technology before splashing out to buy something better but so far I havnt needed to.

I even use them most days at work in non-NC mode with the benefit that I can flick the switch when background noise warrants.

I dont call them a luxury item - they've become a travel necessity. I'm not sure I would call anything I take travelling a luxury item.

Richard.

 

[munitalP]

Good thread!

I have thought about this long and hard... I first thought my headphones and iPoddy (I recently purchased a pair of Bose as well), then I thought, nah, my phone (HTC Touch Dual) which is a bluetooth everything including modem - if I have service, I have internet on my lappy as well as connectivity and email on the phone, then I thought nah, it's got to be my Ray Bans - I could do without all the previous, but walk off the plane into bright sunlight or out of the hotel after a big night, the iPod or the HTC are nowhere near first on my list - Ray Ban's for sure!

Second to that is my powerboard with surge protection - don't leave home without it! (and a good multi country adaptor!)

Mr!

 

[Evan]

<..>

• Small wireless travel router - enables me to sit anywhere in the hotel room without worrying about cords and to connect multiple devices to share the same link such as my Nokia e71 and second laptop that I occasionally need to carry.

<..>

Out of interest what model ? I have been looking for something like that that is half decent but not found anything i liked or was that small.
E