Create an Article›User Guide›

Buckwheat Travel Pillow and Other Essential Items for Your Next Vacation

Feb 03, 2022

iCrowdMarketing powered by iCrowdNewswire

Forgetfulness is the enemy of preparations, and preparing for a big trip is no exception. People who forget to pack their phone chargers won’t be able to record memories for long, and those without their travel pillows will be in for a less comfortable round trip. While you can probably buy what you lack upon arrival, you don’t want that expense to cut into your pocket money.

With tourist hotspots worldwide gradually opening up following the pandemic, vacationers must be prepared. Pack various things on your trip if you have to, but never leave home without these five travel essentials:

1. Travel Pillow



Not everyone can afford first-class travel or take a trip on an RV, so sleeping during the journey will probably involve sitting upright. As long as you feel comfortable doing so, it’s not a health risk. Nevertheless, it’s not the normal way to sleep, so you might find your sleep being constantly interrupted by discomfort.

Whether you’ll be traveling by land, sea, or air, you should always have a travel pillow handy. The most common are neck pillows, which wrap around your neck and provide a safe headrest wherever your head leans (except forwards). The effects of jet lag or other travel discomforts will be much less when you get enough sleep, which a good travel pillow offers.

A pillow is only as good as whatever’s inside it. Below is a detailed list of the stuffing material used in neck pillows and their pros and cons.

  • Air – Some neck pillows are inflatable–they can be blown up or deflated at any time. Lightweight and compact, these pillows are ideal for traveling light. However, their support isn’t as consistent as other materials, and they can lose air if not sealed properly.

  • Microbeads – Neck pillows filled with polystyrene beads allow for a cushiony feel, not to mention breathable, but the beads tend to move all over the place, creating dips that can affect how the pillow provides support.

  • Memory Foam – Given that it seamlessly shapes around the user’s head, this material offers the best support among the materials mentioned above. As far as keeping your head cool goes, the high density of memory foam makes it a terrible material.


On the matter of pillows, it pays to bring your own pillow to your lodging. This makes sense for those who can only sleep on certain filling materials, like a buckwheat travel pillow. Most hotels take no issue with guests bringing their own pillows, more so today with people being more cautious about diseases than before. Check this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdPCDcQCUv0 to learn how special pillows, like buckwheat, can help.

2. Device Chargers

Whether mobile phones or DSLR cameras, gadgets are the most popular method of recording the highlights of any vacation. If connected to the internet, they can also keep you entertained during the uneventful journey to your destination. However, you need these devices to have enough juice to perform their functions, which is where chargers come in.

Bringing chargers along requires no further explanation, but plugging them to unfamiliar outlets does. The U.S. power grid uses 120 VAC, but most of the world uses the higher 220/240 VAC; mismatching the voltage can be a recipe for disaster. Try to find out the voltage your destination uses and the specific VAC range a gadget operates to determine the need for a converter.

In most cases, you may not even need a converter. Today’s gadgets are rated to operate over a wide voltage range, which you can check on the fine-print sticker on the device or charger. If it says ‘Input 100-240V, 50-60 Hz,’ you can plug it into any outlet worldwide without worry. In fact, ensuring the correct adapter is a more pressing concern. (2)

Whenever possible, always use the charger that came with your device. While not all aftermarket chargers are faulty or of low quality, you can never be too sure. In addition, find out the kind of plug or outlet your destination uses to determine the suitable adapter.

3. Hygiene and First Aid Kits

Even with countries slowly reopening their doors to tourists, keep in mind that the pandemic is far from over. No one can tell whether a destination is really COVID-free or still struggling to contain it. As such, it pays to practice personal hygiene on vacation as much as you do at home. Your post-COVID hygiene kit should contain (but not limited to):

  • Hand sanitizers with 60% alcohol

  • Moisturizing hand cream

  • Disinfectant wipes

  • Tissues

  • Face masks

  • Disposable gloves

  • Digital thermometer

  • Toothbrush and toothpaste

  • Antibacterial body soap


You also don’t want to suffer an injury or fall sick in a foreign land, so a first aid kit is equally necessary. The loadout may vary depending on any preexisting condition, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests packing at least the following:

  • Prescription medicines

  • Medical alert bracelet or necklace

  • Some over-the-counter medicines

  • DEEN or picaridin-based insect repellents

  • SPF 15 or higher sunscreen (UVA/UVB protection)

  • Earplugs

  • Bandages and gauzes

  • Antiseptic wound cleaner

  • Oral rehydration salts

  • Notes on local hospitals and clinics

  • Emergency contact’s details

  • Proof of COVID vaccination


For the notes on local healthcare centers, you can get details from the local embassy or consulate. The narrowed-down list will help lead you to facilities that can attend to your condition.

4. Travel Documents

Just because a destination is now open to tourists doesn’t mean it won’t be as strict on checks. If anything, the pandemic has made local and national governments more cautious about the people coming in and out. Failing to carry the proper documentation can deny you of your vacation or, worse, leave you unable to return home.

For overseas travel, the passport is your primary credential. Depending on what country you go to, your passport may or may not carry a visa and still be valid. Avoid letting either your visa or your passport expire while on vacation.

For domestic travel, try to have a REAL ID. This document looks like a standard driver’s license but with a gold or black star at the top right corner. While nationwide implementation won’t be until 2023 (as per the REAL ID Act of 2005), getting one as early as now will save you time. (4) You may also want to pack the following documents while on your trip, domestic or overseas:

  • Hard copies of travel tickets (bus, plane, train, etc.)

  • Confirmation from your hotel or lodging

  • Paper or electronic copy of your travel insurance

  • Details of your itinerary

  • Internationally recognized driver’s license (if applicable)

  • Copy of check register (if issuing traveler’s checks) (5)


5. Pocket Router and VPN

Most accommodations provide fast and reliable internet access to guests, but if you can’t wait to return to the hotel to check in on a tourist hotspot, have a pocket router handy. This device keeps you connected anywhere where there’s a strong enough signal. As the term implies, it’s small enough to keep it inside your pocket.

A reliable internet connection is one thing, but a secure one is another altogether. Cyber security can vary among destinations, domestic or overseas, and as a Buckwheat Hulls Pillow in June has proven, not even hospitality services are safe. Add an extra layer of security to your travel surfing by subscribing to a virtual private network (VPN) service.

For a fee, a VPN can mask the user’s IP address by redirecting internet traffic from the service provider to a VPN-hosted server. Even if someone nefarious managed to break into the network, they’d mostly get data that has no value to them whatsoever. The result is a connection that’s so secure that not even the service provider has access to it.

Another benefit of VPNs is enabling access to region-restricted content. For instance, you want to binge-watch your favorite TV show, only to realize that it’s not available in your destination. VPNs allow users to switch servers (known as location spoofing); in this case, a switch of the streaming service’s location will enable access to that show.

While an effective means of cybersecurity, VPNs have recently been the focus of some nations to restrict their use, which will affect citizens and foreigners alike. Before traveling to another country, conduct some research on where its laws stand on VPN use.

Endnote

Travel should be a way to unwind from the rigors of life. However, when you forget to pack one or two things, those rigors will haunt you and ruin the entire experience. When preparing for an extended vacay, make sure you at least have these five travel essentials on your list. The rest of the items can be anything useful on the journey or upon arrival.

Sources:

  1. “Why Travel Pillows Are Good For Long Flights,” https://bagstogo.com.au/blogs/news/why-travel-pillows-are-good-for-long-flights

  2. “Advice on Foreign Electricity, Telephones, Etc,” http://www.planetranger.com/site/html/advice/advice_elec_etc.shtml

  3. “What to pack in your travel hygiene kit,” https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/what-to-pack-travel-hygiene-kit/

  4. “REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions,” https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/real-id-faqs

  5. “The Ultimate Travel Documents Checklist,” https://www.roamright.com/travel-insurance-blog/travel-documents-checklist/

Tags: English