When traveling, I highly recommend bringing along a power strip or a power cube. Yes, we all travel with lots of electronics so this device comes in handy but there are other reasons as well. I use a Monster Outlets To Go Power Strip and its companion option with a USB port in it. The reason I like this device is that it is small, but it also has a power indicator in it. The rear of the male plug glows blue when there is power. In hotel rooms you would be surprised how much this simple feature helps.

The reason I like the power cube or Triple Outlet Adapter is that it helps to offset transformers that cover more than one outlet.

Another thing to consider is that the airplane in seat power outlets often times have a spring switch that needs to be despressed to provide power. I have been very unsuccessful with the typical USB power adapters as they are very light and get pushed out easily. Using the power strip or cube to provide additional mass has helped to keep the switch engaged.

When traveling with toiletries including medications, be aware of the temperatures you are putting them through. Some medications, including contact solutions, have storage temperature ranges for the ingredients to remain potent. It is very easy to go outside of these ranges when leaving luggage in your car or checking it with an airline. I realize that there are times the extremes cannot be avoided but they should be considered and avoided. Simply bringing your toiletries with you when you are going to be at a location for an all day meeting can be helpful.

I have gotten some strange looks when I have brought my luggage into my office in the morning. However I have also had the fun of melted deodorant from leaving luggage in the truck in 100 degree sunshine. Of the two, I will take the odd looks I just simply explain about melted ineffective products.

This one might seem odd to some, but I have found it very helpful. I travel with my own bar of bath soap. I have found that the bath soaps can be very hit or miss when traveling. Some of them can be very powerfully scented, and often times with an unpleasant fragrance. Other soaps are so small that they are difficult to hold on to. The worst is when one is allergic to the soap that is provided. Some times there is no soap at all in the hotel bathroom. Don’t ask me about the last two, I just know about them.

Traveling with my own full size bar of soap, it is even allowed in a carryon, has solved much of these issues. It has been more pleasant than I expected. I am sure that other travelers will also travel with their own hair care and other products, but I don’t have enough hair for that to be an issue.

Many travelers prefer a single king size bed in their hotel room when traveling. However I believe that getting two beds has cut my chance of having a bad mattress in half. While that phrase is a little misleading I have learned a few things that cut down my chances of getting a bad mattress.

The first one that is quite apparent is that if bed #1 does not meet your standards, you can change to bed #2. This could be something as simple as the airflow in the room. Typically it is something more serious, a mattress that is not consistent as it has a phone butt spot.

A phone butt spot is the location where the typical guest will sit while using the phone. If there is a night table between the two beds, the phone is typically closer to one bed. That bed is often sit on while the person is on the phone. Yes, I realize that many people will avoid using the phone all together, but arranging a wake-up call still occurs quite a bit. That is typically where the guest will sit while making that call or arranging for pizza delivery.

In addition having two beds gives you the benefit of having extra pillows for building a fort. One also can have dinner watching TV on one bed and have the other one be clean for sleeping. The list can continue but I think you get the idea.

My faithful reader, yes I am talking to you, knows I travel quite a bit for work. I want to pass along some of my travel tips for your benefit. This one does not make sense at first but some day you will thank me.

When I travel with a laptop that I want to use in a public space. I always try to find a corner location to sit in with no one behind your back. This is helpful for the unexpected moment when you open an e-mail and it is nice and spam filled with pictures of people in various states of undress and comfort. It is also helpful when you open a Tumblr link and all the sudden the web page explodes with phalluses.

Not that either of those of happened to me, since I am sitting the corner of the airline lounge with a plant behind me and a window to my right.

More travel tips to come in the future…
( I am actually home [okay my local Starbucks] now, another travel tip is to make sure you press publish before boarding the plane… it also still applies at Starbucks)