Gadgets to make that getaway even easier

Jul 11 2008 By Peter Jenkinson

Pack these travel necessities and have a stress-free journey

Even seasoned travellers can be overwhelmed by the desire to pack as much as possible when getting ready to go away.

I'm not suggesting ditching appropriate attire in favour of a collection of thongs to save space - but it is a good idea to make a plan on paper before you pack for your trip to avoid ending up with a suitcase too heavy to lift.

Check out this selection of travel necessities to make both the journey and the destination convenient and carefree.

Free Your Tunes

Griffin Journi - £89.99 from www.argos.co.uk

Pumping digital music directly into your ear is perfectly acceptable when you're in transit, but sometimes it's better to share your tunes with others. This is the perfect partner, offering powerful sound output and a nifty remote control so you don't have to shift from your horizontal position to make adjustments.

Weight Watcher

Digital Luggage Scales -£19.99 from www.balanzza.co.uk

So you've paid the price of a gallon of fuel to get you abroad, you're at the front of the check-in queue - and you're hammered with an excess baggage charge. Avoid those embarrassing and expensive moments by using these digital scales. Just attach them to your luggage and lift to discover the worst.

Palm-Sized Power Plant

Solio Charger - £49.95 from www.johnlewis.com

This pocket-sized solar machine charges up all manner of gadgets and can manage it in less than perfect conditions. The set comes complete with a multitude of chargers for mobiles, handheld consoles and MP3 players. One hour of sun equals about an hour of iPod-playing fun.

Action Archive

Flip Video Camera - £99.95 from www.firebox.com

Why pack an ultra-expensive movie-making machine when this palm-sized gadget will do just as good a job at capturing those holiday shenanigans?

With 2GB of on-board memory you can take up to an hour of video footage before flipping out the USB plug for super-easy downloading.

Kids Carry On

Trunki Freida - £34.99 from www.trunki.co.uk

People with small kids will know that acouple of hours inside an airport terminal can feel like a lifetime. Beat the stress by packing this wheely wonderful case with their toys. They can pull it around themselves, then hop on when they get tired for a different kind of taxi ride.