Nomad's Travel Hacks: 8 Essential items for your travels

Embarking on a journey can be a thrilling and enriching experience, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. However, with the right travel accessories and gadgets, you can streamline your travel experience and make it more enjoyable and comfortable. Enhance your travel experience with these 8 essential items.

1. Packing Cubes and Compression Bags

Packing your luggage can sometimes be a pain - especially if you are an overpacked, or when you might have bought too much and are struggling to fit all your loot into your luggage. Packing cubes and compression bags are very useful in helping you use the space in your luggage efficiently.

Packing cubes will help you to organise your clothes and content; and while it doesn't necessarily make things 'smaller', they make it much easier for you to keep your things sorted. On the other hand, if you are struggling to find space, compression bags would be really helpful. Use compression bags to squeeze the air out and compress your bulky items - making them smaller so you can fit more things into your luggage.

2. Noise-cancelling headphones

Noise-cancelling headphones are already an essential item in many of our daily lives, but they are especially important and useful when it comes to traveling. Particularly, if you are flying long-distance, you would want to make sure you have a pair of good and comfortable noise-cancelling headphones with you so you can block out the noise.

Invest in quality noise-cancelling headphones to create a serene cocoon, making your journey more peaceful. Whether you're on a plane, train, or in a bustling city, these headphones will help you escape into your own world.

If you are planning to use your own headphones to watch the in-flight entertainment (IFE) on board instead of using the airlines-supplied headphones, here are some things to note:

• Your bluetooth headphones are not going to work with the in-flight entertainment; make sure to bring along the cable!
• Older IFE systems have a two-pin plug, which might not be compatible with your typical 3.5mm headphone jack. Check what is offered on your flight to confirm if your headphones can be used.
• Older IFE systems have a higher impedance, which is not suitable for your commercial headphones — using your own headphones on these systems could end up 'burning' the circuits of your headphones. If you are planning to use your own headphones with the IFE, it is recommended that you get an adapter and converter before using your headphones.

3. Compression Socks

Traveling often involves long periods of sitting, which can lead to swelling and discomfort. Compression socks promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, and minimize the risk of blood clotting. They are particularly beneficial on long flights or road trips, ensuring you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed.

While compression socks will help on long flights, it is recommended that you still stand up and take a walk every once in a while to promote blood circulation!

4. Universal Adapter with Multiple USB Ports

With the increasing number of electronics we bring along when traveling, charging your devices is probably one of the most important things to do every night when you get back to your accommodation. Some hotels are hostels have a limited number of sockets (or they could be awkwardly placed); and not all hotels/hostels are equipped with universal sockets that are compatible with your devices.

Since most devices today use USB chargers, an universal adapter with multiple USB ports eliminates the need for multiple adapters and allows you to charge multiple devices simultaneously.

5. Laundry Detergent Sheets

Doing laundry while traveling is a good way to reduce the amount of clothes that you bring along. While some hotels provide laundry services, there are also many others that just provide coin washing machine and dryer for guests to do their own laundry.

If you are doing your own laundry, laundry detergent sheets are a convenient solution. Instead of carrying around small bottles of detergent, you can simply bring these compact, paper-thin sheets. The detergent sheets dissolve in water, allowing you to do laundry on the go, all without taking up too much space in your luggage.

6. AirTag

If you are an Apple user, get an AirTag. AirTags, small Bluetooth trackers developed by Apple, can be attached to your luggage or important items. Using your smartphone, you can easily pinpoint the location of your belongings, providing peace of mind and reducing the stress of a lost item. While you can't always retrieve your lost items, knowing where they are could help you more easily find them and decide on next steps.

One of the most useful cases for using an AirTag is to add it to your luggage, so that you can confirm if your luggage had safely arrived at your destination along with you, or if it was accidentally sent somewhere else.

7. Travel Scale

Excess baggage fees are often expensive, and is an expense that can easily be avoided. Weigh your luggage before you depart; and weigh it before you return too to ensure that you haven't overpacked.

A compact travel scale lets you weigh your luggage before heading to the airport, ensuring you stay within the weight limits and avoid any surprises at check-in.

8. Travel eSIMs

In today's world where people are always connected, the lack of connectivity could result in high stress or anxiety. Travel eSIMs offer a hassle-free solution, allowing you to conveniently activate local data plans. Do away with the trouble and hassle of queuing at the airport and physically changing out your SIM cards. As long as you have an eSIM-compatible phone, you can buy and install your eSIM even before you fly, and get connected immediately once you arrive at your destination.

Get a Nomad eSIM for your next trip

Nomad offers data plans in over 165 countries, and you can be sure to find one that is suitable for your travel needs. And if you will be traveling across multiple countries, there are also regional plans available so you can stay seamlessly connected as you hop between countries. Data plans are available from as low as $1.50/GB.

If you are unsure about how much data you need for your trip, Nomad also has a Data Calculator that can help you find the plan that is most suitable for you. Also check out our blog post on data-saving tips when traveling to keep your data usage in check when traveling.

Nomad also has a 24-hour customer support team. So, in the event where you face difficulties while using your eSIM, rest assured there will be someone available to help you resolve your issues!