Whether you travel for business or pleasure, visiting interesting new places on your own requires an adventurer’s spirit. You want to maximize your time on the road so that when you return home, you have plenty of stories to share with your friends and loved ones. When you’re alone, your tech toys are your best friends. They connect you to home while informing you about the places you’re visiting. Here’s a guide to five of the best gadgets to use when traveling solo.
Digital Camera
Even though the cameras on smartphones improve each year, they lag far behind electronic devices designed for the sole purpose of taking pictures. When you find yourself in some panoramic setting, you want to capture every detail, and you can’t rely on a friend or even a stranger to use their camera because all you have is your phone. You also don’t want to settle for an 8-megapixel phone camera that is slow to focus and produces photos that have to be cleaned up and optimized later.
Professional photographers use digital cameras, not their phones, which is more than enough reason to accept that such devices are the right photography option. Sony offers some of the best cameras for travelers, due to their durability and image clarity. You should research the key features that differentiate these digital devices from smartphones. Another good idea is to compare camera photography with smartphone pictures. The difference will astonish you.
Waterproof Smartphone Case
This purchase is one you will forget you made until the moment you need it. While traveling, you’ll experience much different climates than the one at your home. Even if you check the weather to plan your day, the potential for surprise still exists. Plus, the opportunity to spend a day at the beach or on the water could present itself at any time. You don’t want to ruin your day by forgetting that you have your smartphone with you.
Water damage can ruin any device, and hardware manufacturers rarely cover such damage to phones. You’ll have to spend several hundred dollars on a new phone if this happens, and you’ll also go without phone and Internet access until your new model arrives. A waterproof case is a modest form of insurance while you’re having a fun day splashing around.
Pocket-Size Washing Machine
No, this isn’t some fever dream. This gadget exists, and it’s amazing for people who can’t rely on the washing machines of friends to launder their outfits. The Scrubba Wash Bag is a washboard flexible enough that you can bend it into your pocket. When you’re out on the road and in need of laundered clothing, simply take it out of its carrying bag. As long as you also remember to bring some laundry detergent and have an ample supply of water, you can clean an entire outfit in less than 10 minutes. If you are someone who loves the great outdoors and never knows when you’ll have access to laundry machines, it’s the perfect solution.
Solar-Powered Inflatable Light
Wherever you travel, light is a constant issue. When you stay in less developed parts of the world, you won’t have the dim glow of street lights to illuminate the night. This clever device solves the problem for you. All you need to do is leave it out in sunlight for six hours or so, and it’ll store enough juice to give you up to 16 hours of light. Plus, it weighs only a fraction of a pound, making it ultra-portable. It’s also waterproof and inflatable, so it can be used on the water.
Wireless Portable Speaker
While enjoying the beach, the lake, or wherever, you’re going to want some tunes. Wireless portable speakers are miniature jukeboxes at this point, only they feature a larger music selection than the original ones. A wireless portable speaker can play anything that is available in a digital format. Since many of these devices feature Bluetooth connections, anything you access on your phone will stream to your speaker. Traveling with one is like taking a party wherever you go, and you’re the deejay.
When you’re on the road, you need the right gear to make a new place feel like home. The five gadgets above should improve the quality of your travels as well as your enjoyment of them.