Last updated April 12, 2019
In an ideal world, all we would need for our annual summer holiday would be a passport, some cash and a few bikinis. Sadly, for most people this is unrealistic at best and downright dangerous at worst. After all, who on earth can do without hair straighteners, ten pairs of shoes and at least three outfits for every day of the holiday? Aside from such necessities, there are also a few gadgets it might be prudent to pack in your suitcase this year.
Mobile Phone
Never leave home without your mobile phone, and if for some strange reason you don’t own one, consider investing before you depart on your holiday. Mobile phones were once a luxury gadget, but these days they are widely considered a must-have piece of equipment. Indeed, most people would never dream of leaving home without their mobile firmly lodged in their pocket or handbag. But before you take your mobile abroad, make sure you can actually use it. A lot of mobile phone providers lock their phones for international usage by default, so give your service provider a call before you fly off somewhere remote.
Tablet Computer
If the thought of being without access to your favourite TV shows leaves you delirious with panic, make sure you pack a tablet computer in your suitcase. You can use a tablet PC for all of your entertainment needs whilst away from home. Catch up on TV and films online, or check your email from the poolside. You can even take photos on a tablet computer. Just remember to take the charger and check the hotel has free Wi-Fi before you set off.
e-Reader
Instead of packing dozens of paperback novels and then falling foul of airline baggage allowances, keep it light by taking an e-Reader instead. There are several popular eReaders on the market today, including Kindle, Nook, and the Kobo Mini. eReaders are capable of holding thousands of books, so no matter how fast you read, there is no way you will be able to exhaust your supply of reading literature if you take one of these on holiday.
Sat-Nav
If you are embarking on a long road trip through unfamiliar territory, a SatNav is a must-have piece of technical gadgetry. There is nothing wrong with good old-fashioned map reading, but a SatNav is a lot more fun. You can program the device to speak in all kinds of different voices, and if you happen to go wrong, it’s wildly entertaining to hear the SatNav becoming increasingly irate at your apparent inability to follow rudimentary instructions. Just be sure to update the mapping software before you set off on your travels, or you could find that you end up at completely the wrong destination.
Handheld Games Console
Long journeys are boring at the best of times, so if your boredom threshold is zero and you have no intention of watching movies for 18 hours on a long haul flight, take along a small games console to keep yourself amused.
The most important gadget to take on holiday is always a mobile phone; so even if you leave everything else at home, don’t forget your mobile phone. After all, it could come in very handy if you are mugged or you end up lost and separated from your friends in a remote town late at night.
Our extended thanks go out to Jack Norway for his help in the collection of data for this article. Jack is a frequent blogger who works for Picture Point Terraces, a provider of luxury apartments in Noosa Heads.