The Place: My living room. The Time: A Sunday night get-together with friends and family. The Result: This Blog. What started out as an innocent question: “What is your favorite travel accessory?” could actually turn into a weekly feature here.
I got so many responses (from the ordinary to the “are-you-sure-that-qualifies-as-an-accessory”) that I have decided to group them by manufacturers. That way if you are interested in purchasing the products you won’t have to make multiple Internet searches.
So brace yourself. Here are the first items in my series “Favorite Travel Accessories.”
Magellan’s Travelon 14” Wheeled Carry-On with ViewThru Panels. Their ad says it “makes for fast security inspections” and the friend who recommend it made a believer out of me. We all know that one of the biggest hassles of traveling by air these days is getting through airport security. At first glance the black suitcase looks like your typical carry-on with wheels. But, zip it open and you see that beneath the outer protective layer is a series of see-through panels that allows you to see all the bags contents without having to pull everything out. My friend says that most security personnel are content to peer through the panels, saving him the hassle of repacking each time a guard finishes rummaging. The main compartment is large enough for clothing items, and the bag also comes with 15 pockets… perfect for the rest of my necessities. There are compartments for water bottles, books, passports, a padded cooler pocket for snacks and a removable see-through cosmetic organizer.
Also from Magellan are two great belts. The first is called the “Perfect Reversible Belt” for men. It converts from a smooth black to brown with a braided leather weave and a simple gold-tone buckle. It’s versatile, so you only have to pack one belt
The other belt is Magellan’s unisex “Reversible Leather Belt.” It is metal-free and therefore security- friendly. Instead of having a metal buckle it has a leather-covered non-metal buckle. The company swears “you’ll breeze through security without setting off metal detectors (or being asked to remove your belt).” My neighbor has it and says while it looks a tad 80’s-ish, it too is reversible (from black to brown) and she never has to take it off at security checkpoints.
This last one may fit into the “are-you-sure-that-qualifies-as-an-accessory” category. But, my friend swears by it. He says he takes it on all of his trips, regardless of the mode of transportation. Flying, driving, biking… it is supposedly that versatile. It is Green Tea. But, not just any green tea, “ITO EN’s TEAS’ TEA.” The manufacturer says it is “made with nothing but purified water, high-quality tea leaves, and vitamin C, and is high in antioxidants.” It is also unsweetened and calorie-free. My friend says it is his favorite travel companion and he refuses to board a plane or get behind the wheel of a car without it. Gone are the days that he used to be this loyal to Mountain Dew, now he is a huge fan of ITO EN tea. (Being able to remove car wax off his windshield with their Oolong-Chinese tea played a huge factor in his conversion.) He considers it the “perfect travel beverage” for the following reasons: It keeps the driver stimulated, when it spills it doesn’t leave a sticky residue, it’s good at all temperatures, it doesn’t spoil like milk or lose fizz like soda, and his 18 –month-old daughter loves the “mugi chai”, a caffeine-free barley tea. For more information on the tea, visit: http://www.itoen.com/tea/.
Perhaps, these items will soon become your favorites too. If not, stay tuned, next week I will profile three more “Favorite Travel Accessories.”