What's your little luxury item?

[russ]

Interesting stuff!

Noise cancelling headphones: I use Bose QC3's and love them. I didn't list them as I don't regard them as a luxury... they are a necessity!

Wireless travel router: What an interesting idea - I'd never thought of that. I was going to go out today to buy an ethernet cable, but now you've got me thinking about getting an Apple Airport Express instead!

 

[dot]

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

I have a D-Link DWL-G730AP - see Wireless Pocket Access Point - Router - Wireless Client A reasonable review/summary of various wireless travel routers can be found at Travel Wireless Routers I do not expect to use the wireless connection beyond the hotel room, so the lack of range has never been an issue for me...

 

[Keith009]

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

I usually put them on after take off.

 

[Febs]

I usually put them on after take off.

I do the same. Took my first long-haul flight in Y in a while last week, and changed after takeoff. Got some weird looks from other passeners, but 'eh, I was comfortable, and didn't end up with crumpled/smelly clothes after 14hrs.

QF J pyjama pants + a thin T-shirt make great PJ's that don't take up too much space.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[winetraveller]

I do the same. Took my first long-haul flight in Y in a while last week, and changed after takeoff. Got some weird looks from other passeners, but 'eh, I was comfortable, and didn't end up with crumpled/smelly clothes after 14hrs.

QF J pyjama pants + a thin T-shirt make great PJ's that don't take up too much space.

Cheers,
- Febs.

I often find that I get odd looks when changing into my LH PJ's in J, but I look a lot fresher getting off at the other end. I've observed on many instances men who are flying in F, who don't even take off their ties, and in some instances don't even remove their jackets when travelling long haul overnight. I just don't get it. Are they THAT important?

I once sat next to a guy from FRA to BKK in F on LH who didn't even recline his seat for the entire flight, took no food or drink and watched nothing, bizarre. He also complained to the staff on a couple of occasions about things, I'm not sure what but he was a strange man, Danish I think.

Anyhoo, luxuries.

An array of teabags, mainly Tazo teas, but a collection of others from around the world, it's nice to have an option rather than some sweepings from the floor in a hotel room.

Aesop shampoo, conditioner, body wash and moisturiser. I buy the big bottles in Australia and have smaller bottles to refill. I have dry skin, so try and stick to a routine.

Gadgets, iPod, camera, GPS, often take DVD's from Netflix to watch if I have the time. Sennheiser noise cancelling headphones, although I can't sleep with them on so use their buds, or earplugs. Just bought a Creative Zen last night at a charity auction so will be trialing that now.

Books, I usually have two or three on the go, and often the only time I get to read is on a plane.

 

[pblackm]

Travelling in Australia, I carry a four way powerboard and short extension lead. Some hotels just don't have enough power at the desk.

 

[winetraveller]

Travelling in Australia, I carry a four way powerboard and short extension lead. Some hotels just don't have enough power at the desk.

I find that many hotels almost make you hunt for the power. Hidden behind the bed, nope, under the desk, all full, behind the TV cabinet, doh! can't get my adaptor in there.

It also puzzles me that more hotels in close proximity to airports don't use universal fittings, like the shaver socket in the bathroom. The SAS lounge in Copehagen has these, and I think the Novotel at BKK has too (may be another Novotel).

My other bugbear is wireless access in room. The Hilton at MEL, has wireless in reception and the lounge, but not in rooms. This hotel is only a few years old and they didn't think that this would be a good idea? Can't see myself carry a router though.

 

[simongr]

Books, I usually have two or three on the go, and often the only time I get to read is on a plane.

From all reports you must get through a fair few books if you only read on them onboard - which seems to be a fair proportion of your life

 

[winetraveller]

From all reports you must get through a fair few books if you only read on them onboard - which seems to be a fair proportion of your life

Luckily not so much at the moment. No travel plans for two months. I'm also prone to watching movies. I know I've been in the air too much when I've seen ALL the movies, including the Bollywood selection.

Big year ahead (in a converse manner), planning only four RTW's, one of those for pleasure.

On holiday earlier in the year I got through 7 books in ten days.

 

[Febs]

I often find that I get odd looks when changing into my LH PJ's in J, but I look a lot fresher getting off at the other end. I've observed on many instances men who are flying in F, who don't even take off their ties, and in some instances don't even remove their jackets when travelling long haul overnight. I just don't get it. Are they THAT important?

Ha, yeah I've never understood that either. Surely no-one can find it comfortable to wear a suit on a 8-20hr flight? Are you really in that much of a hurry when they land that they can't go and get changed? I'd never schedule a long-haul international flight with so little time that I have to go straight from the airport to a meeting, unless I absolutely had to.

An array of teabags, mainly Tazo teas, but a collection of others from around the world, it's nice to have an option rather than some sweepings from the floor in a hotel room.

Heh, funnily enough I'm staying in non-chain hotel in a small American town...and the teas are all Tazo!

Nothing will beat the teas I had in the room at the Four Seasons Mumbai though. Very tasty. I swiped them all for the rest of the trip..and so did my colleague!

Travelling in Australia, I carry a four way powerboard and short extension lead. Some hotels just don't have enough power at the desk.

I always travel internationally with a powerboard - much easier for the team to plug in laptops when you only need to use one adatpor (those adaptors can be pretty chunky!)

Otherwise though I always try to limit the amount of chargers, power packs and cables - i.e. I use a small (stick of gum-sized) card reader instead of my camera cable, I charge my iPod and iPhone via USB, and have a small travel-sized camera battery charger. Used to have one of those SD cards which you could crack in half and plug directly into USB, but lost it with my old camera and couldn't find one in 4gb for my new camera.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[sr81]

Another vote for QF pj's here. On all my flights over 5 hours I change. Simply my MC State college t-shirt and the QF First bottoms are very comfortable and I can happily spill my red wine with out a care for my shirt.

I travelled LHR-HKG last week in QF F and I was the only one out of 5 that changed. The rest, older people, all slept in their clothes and upright. In fact the gentleman in 3A could have slept the same in Y! Didn't alter his seat nor eat dinner. He may have been the pilot's father or a friend of a QF'er.

 

[winetraveller]

Another vote for QF pj's here. On all my flights over 5 hours I change. Simply my MC State college t-shirt and the QF First bottoms are very comfortable and I can happily spill my red wine with out a care for my shirt.

I travelled LHR-HKG last week in QF F and I was the only one out of 5 that changed. The rest, older people, all slept in their clothes and upright. In fact the gentleman in 3A could have slept the same in Y! Didn't alter his seat nor eat dinner. He may have been the pilot's father or a friend of a QF'er.

I have to think that those sorts of people don't really enjoy life, and just function. I feel very lucky to be able to fly in F and I'll make the most of it when I can, because you never know when it'll all end (not life just the FF bit).

So, fill up my glass with Champagne, give me an extra dollop of Caviar (oh sorry not on QF), a nice snifter of XO, and let me drift off to sleep in my PJ's and fully flat ultra comfy bed, and dream of millions of FF miles cascading from the sky into my account, oh, and the next time I'm delivery to the plane in a Porsche!

 

[sr81]

So, fill up my glass with Champagne, give me an extra dollop of Caviar (oh sorry not on QF), a nice snifter of XO, and let me drift off to sleep in my PJ's and fully flat ultra comfy bed, and dream of millions of FF miles cascading from the sky into my account, oh, and the next time I'm delivery to the plane in a Porsche!

Amen sir, but I only ever fly First on points so I only imagine them flying out of my account!

You can leave the XO but the Noble One is pretty damn special.

 

[Keith009]

Amen sir, but I only ever fly First on points so I only imagine them flying out of my account!

+1... but it's still a pretty damn good feeling getting something for almost nothing. You know... that warm sense of accomplishment.

 

[anat0l]

I haven't flown international F or J yet, so I don't have the PJs.

My longest flight is between AU and Malaysia - around 8 hours. The flight departs around midnight and arrives in KUL in the morning. I usually carry a spare change and slip into that before landing.

For a longer flight overnight, however, I would seriously consider carrying a set of PJs (or equivalent). My KIX-SYD flight next month sounds like a good candidate.

Ex-PER red-eyes are also fair candidates for carrying a change if I had to go into a meeting the next day after disembarking.

But all of that's a bit O/T.

My little luxury item? Hard to say. I usually don't bring anything that I don't consider useful. I do know that when I travel, my eeePC and some storage always travel with me. I guess one thing that is quite useful is a plug-head converter and a double-headed adapter.

My mum always tells me to bring the following: lots of tissues, a roll of tape, rubber bands, plenty of plastic bags and a pair of scissors. I have to admit as corny as that all is, I have come to use some or all of those at times.

 

[winetraveller]

You can leave the XO but the Noble One is pretty damn special.

I was in London a few weeks ago and caught up with a mate who works for De Bortoli (in the US) and he had a bottle of 1982 Noble One open at the time, magnificent!

 

[Febs]

Another of mine that I guess would be considered a "luxury" is my carry-on amenity kit. I keep most of my toiletries in my checked bag, but on international flights I carry a smaller kit on-board.

It's a Finnair J case (great size) with: small aerosol deoderant, small aftershave, small tub of hair stuff, moisturiser for the long flights, lip balm, small toothpaste, small toothbrush and a few other bits and pieces. Very handy.

I was in London a few weeks ago and caught up with a mate who works for De Bortoli (in the US) and he had a bottle of 1982 Noble One open at the time, magnificent!

Impressive!

 

[Fifa]

I now can't travel without my baby Asus EEEPC1000HD. I love it - so quick to start up and then check emails and the web, download pics and the battery life is fantastic.

What did I do without it?

I still cant get used to the little shift button on the right though, as I spend too much time using a regular keyboard! (I suppose I could get one of those folding keyboards but that's just more stuff to carry!)

 

[KateMayo]

Another vote for the Eee PC.

I already had a notebook computer so felt rather extravagant buying this but it's been worth every cent.

Great for email, web browsing, voip and watching my favourite movies/TV shows (in MP4 format) when AVOiD is playing up - and all in a light, compact package.

 

[2muchplastic]

It's not really a luxury, but my travel item is a 5m network cable. Ideal for slobbing out on the bed with the laptop, rather than having to sit bolt upright at the desk in a hotel.
Also a very good travel adapter, which reckons it can convert any plug to anything.

Another vote for the QF PJs too. I always feel a bit of a fool getting changed into them, but the feeling of being able to put some fresh (ish) clothes back on at the end of the flight helps you get over it.