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When we travel overseas we know we should make an effort to look and act exactly as Cary Grant or Grace Kelly might; with poise, panache and class.
However, the realities of travel today are more akin to transporting cattle than sharing a rubber of bridge with the Aga Khan and the Duke of Windsor in the on-board cocktail lounge.
And because of this, we always end up packing or doing those little things that bring us a bit of homespun comfort and luxury, but that hardly help promote our jet set image…
1. Inflatable neck pillow
This is the workingman’s version of a private jet with its own double bed. Yes, it may make you look like you’ve got a major thyroid problem, but if it helps you get a bit of sleep, who cares what you look like.
2. In-flight alcohol
We all know we shouldn’t have that glass of wine or three that the lovely air-hostess is offering, but they’re free and the mellow buzz might help you nod off during the in-flight movie. Just try not to think about the dry mouth, flushed face and hangover you’ll experience when you land at your 100% humidity location.
3. Teddy bear
Humanity’s ability to associate a lifeless collection of threads and stuffing with comfort and safety over the age of eight is truly a wonder of nonsensical logic, however, if Mr Teddy is what keeps you calm, embrace it.
4. Comfortable clothes
In the golden age of travel going on a plane was an occasion. You were an unofficial ambassador and you dressed to impress. Today we are still a ambassadors, however, sartorially we have all slipped a little. Yes, we’d look more presentable in our Sunday best, but those old joggers are just so much more comfortable.
5. Recognizable foods
Travel is supposed to be all about new experiences and broadening the mind, and eating the local food is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture. However, sometimes we’re just hungry and want to eat something familiar. This is when that emergency tube of Oreos at the bottom of the suitcase come in useful, or horror of horrors, you head for Mc-Globalized-Fast-Food chain. Just don’t make a habit of it.
6. Your special traveling [insert item here]
If you’ve ever uttered the phrase, ‘…what, my old [insert item here], but I always wear this on vacation!’, then you’re guilty of this. Usually it is a faded, moth-eaten, straining-at-the-waist old piece of clothing that has been worn with pride for your last 20 years of overseas trips. Be it a sun hat, swimwear or a multi-pocketed fishing vest, it must be said that it is usually men who are guilty of this.
But don’t forget one luxury that is always essential, an international cell phone.
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Got your own little guilty pleasure when it comes to travel luxury and comfort? Leave it as a comment below.
Don’t forget to pack one or two wash cloths, a full size bar of soap, and a couple of zip lock plastic bags to carry them in. Many European hotels do not furnish wash cloths, and the hotel size soap is just not big enough for most people. These may seem like a little things, but when you go to take your first shower after a long flight and there is no wash cloth and only that small bar of soap, you will be glad that you brought your own.