ON THE ROAD - DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THIS
This cheap, practical device is a must for anybody who takes road trips with cameras, cellphones, laptops and/or digital music players in tow. The Kensington Auto Power Inverter with USB power port (Model No. 38022) turns your car lighter into a standard electrical outlet. It also features a handy USB port for charging USB devices. Use it to recharge dead camera or iPod batteries or to give juice to your laptop. The gizmo is small and weighs six ounces, for easy storage in your glove compartment. Price: $50, at electronic stores. For more information, see kensington.com Model number: 38022
CARRY IT ALL ON
For many people, the idea of travelling internationally with a single carry-on is unthinkable. But after trying it on a recent trip to Brazil, we were amazed at the ingenuity with which modern-day carry-ons are constructed. And after our travelling companion lost her checked luggage for nearly the entire trip (the airline finally returned her suitcases on the day before we left for home), we realized that this was an idea worth repeating. One of the cleverest bags we've found is the Buck Head Suiter Duffel Bag, which sells for $90 U.S. at www.ebags.com. It's typical of the genre: lots of pockets and zippers, and when the latter are unfastened, the whole thing becomes a great garment bag. Sure, it was stuffed to the gills and we had to re-iron everything, but the security of knowing we wouldn't arrive in a foreign country with nothing (the airline gave us $50 -- $50! -- as a clothing allowance) more than made up for the inconvenience of lugging our bag everywhere.
-- Cindy Loose, The Washington Post
Tri-fold tie-case
Men can keep their silk ties straight and wrinkle free in this new tie case from Travelon. Three ties are held in place in the zippered pouch, which then folds in three for easy packing in a suitcase or briefcase. At your destination, you can hang it by a loop in your closet or on a hook. About $20 at such places as Ottawa Leather Goods, 179 Sparks St., and Capital City Luggage, 1337 Wellington St. West Ottawa.
Travel Best Bets By Claire Newell - Whitecap, $19.95
There are two types of travellers: planners and improvisers. Claire Newell is a planner and her book, Travel Best Bets: An Insider's Guide to Taking the Best Trips Ever, is crammed with advice on everything from insurance, immunization and documentation requirements to suitcase packing, itinerary preparation and pre-booking entertainment. Anyone with this much time to plan a trip is probably slacking off at work and doesn't deserve a vacation. That said, however, this book -- by the host of Global Television's Travel Best Bets -- is a valuable reference, especially for people who don't travel frequently. Who knew, for example, that the website www.seatguru.com gives detailed seating plans for different airplanes, including "the position of power ports and seats with limited recline?" Now there's an insider tip.