Travel Accessories, 2023
Nov 22, 2023
Must Have Items for Travel 2023
Stay connected. Stay ready.
Charging
I can't say enough good things about Anker products. Their accessories are going to charge your electronics quickly and these items should last you a long time.
If you need a good cube, this particular model gives you options, which is great if you're traveling with another person.
I always like to have a power bank with me if there's a chance I can't plug in to a wall somewhere. Here are two, great options.
You may think a charging cord is not important, but a cord with greater capacity is going to charge your devices faster and these are built with greater durability. I always try to have both types of cords (lightning and Type C) with me in case a friend needs one.
I have one of these car chargers because I don't trust the charging jacks that came installed in my vehicle.
Travel Coffee Mug
This is my favorite mug because it keeps the contents very hot and it won't leak. It’s also easy to clean and fits in every cup holder.
Water Bottle
My water bottles must be insulated to keep the contents cold and they must be easy to clean which means it needs a wide mouth and no straws. The fewer the parts, the better.
Hydro Flask fills these needs perfectly. Warning: Should you drop one on a hard surface, it will have a permanent dent.
iPad + Apple Magic Keyboard
Two is one and one is none.
This is a mantra that people in the military use on repeat. It's to remind themselves and others about the need for redundancy. When my laptop had to get repaired I realized I needed a fallback. Welcome iPad and keyboard. If I want to stay connected, but don't need to perform serious work, my iPad + keyboard can act as a very adequate laptop. I recommend getting the iPad with cellular service so you can connect to the internet if there’s no wifi. If you want entertainment on the road the picture is great for video and with the Kindle app installed you can also use it to read digital books.
Apple Magic Keyboard
I love this product. Unlike some keyboards, you don't have to charge both the tablet and the keyboard. One outlet charges both. They marry up via magnet and they immediately begin communicating. No messy bluetooth to worry about. I also like the built-in trackpad. It keeps your hands on the keyboard so you don't have to go back and forth to the screen. In addition, because it's a folio, it acts as a protective case when you carry it around. Be advised, the Magic Keyboard doesn't marry with every iPad.
Favorite App- Evernote
This is not essential for traveling, but it's a great app for when I'm on the move. I use Evernote everyday (multiple times) for taking notes, jotting down ideas, keeping records, scanning documents, and more. My "Ready for an Outer Banks Weekend" starts in Evernote. When I come up with an idea or find a useful article, I add it to the note. At the end of the week I write, edit, and post the final product on my web site. I started with the free version, but quickly outgrew it and currently subscribe to the Personal account. Because it saves everything to the cloud, it's always updating the notes across all of my devices. It also has the capability to search all your notes for specific words. If I can't remember the title of the note Evernote can still find it by looking for the key word. It can even read/search hand written notes.
Speaking of hand written notes, after a meeting where I’ve been writing notes, I will take a picture of them and create a new note with a descriptive title. I no longer have to save papers, my notes have been sent to the cloud, and I can find them much easier.
It has a sharing capability, but since not everyone uses Evernote I find it easier to copy and paste to an email.
They offer a free version and a free trial for paid plans.
Save 40% on Evernote Personal, Ends November 24.
Small Print: Should you use a link to purchase anything, I may receive a small commission. Cheers!
Best wishes,
John Van Lunen
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