Here’s the truth. Everyone loves everything about travel, except for the actual ‘traveling‘ part. A long haul travel day on a plane, train or in a car can bring a real damper to your vacation, or even prevent you from going at all!
The unfortunate reality is that traveling can be a pain, and it probably always will be. But there are ways you can make traveling more comfortable and tolerable so you will hopefully do it more often.
We’ve been fine-tuning our travel routine over the years and have in turn made our trips as anxiety free and comfortable as possible. It’s as simple as packing your carry on bag with the proper gear. To us, it is worth it to pack a few extra items in
And as many of us do, I have a fear of flying. I have found that being prepared with the essential travel items can greatly reduce anxiety, stress, and fear around long flights. Having the ability to take my mind off of traveling and allowing my body to relax helps me survive the journey.
We have put together our ideas on a
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For a complete list of our most recommended travel gadgets, outdoor gear and helpful travel apps, check out our Travel Resources page.
Have no money to travel? No worries! Learn how to travel on a limited budget in our posts on affordable travel:
‘How to Travel the World for Free’
‘How to Find Budget Accommodation and Lodging Anywhere in the World’
‘Things to do for Free While Traveling’
‘How to Maintain Your Food Budget While Traveling’
Tips for Essential Carry On Accessories for Long Flights and Road Trips
#1 – Travel Entertainment: Phone, Tablet or Laptop
A pretty obvious first contender. We all know you cannot travel without some form of entertainment – and we are lucky to get all the entertainment we could ever need in the palm of our hand.
Make sure to bring along your fully charged phone, tablet or laptop and you’ll blaze through hours of travel by watching videos, playing games or catching up on work.
Pro Tip: Download your favourite movies and TV shows onto your devices before you travel in case you run into WiFi issues.
Pro Tip: Do not forget your chargers!
#2 – Noise Cancelling Headphones
Of course, you will need headphones in order to complete your entertainment circuit. We always bring headphones on any long trip and we find it helps to take us out of the ‘travel mindset’ and puts us into another world while we listen to meditative music or binge on Netflix.
Pro tip: We much prefer headphones over earbuds – Why? Headphones also work as a “noise cancelling” device so you can tune out loud airplane noise or the screaming baby across from you; they are much more comfortable to wear for long periods of time; and they provide a much better quality sound. Just keep in mind that headphones are not allowed to be worn during take-off and landing – only ear buds are allowed during these times.
If you don’t own headphones and just want some cheap ones to travel with, we suggest the Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones which are easy to carry, affordable and still have great quality.
#3 – The Best Long Haul Travel Pillow
I am not a fan of long trips, especially on planes, as I tend to get quite anxious. The only real solution for this is to try and sleep as much as possible. I have lots of tricks to help with sleep on a long flight but the absolute #1 tip is to have a travel pillow.
Pro tip: When you are looking for a good travel pillow there are some things you need to watch for: make sure it will provide you with enough neck and head support to keep your head from nodding forward; ensure the foam is dense so the pillow doesn’t collapse on you; and make sure it has a soft and comfortable covering.
We have tried many different brands and styles of travel pillows – some are decent, most are hopeless. Luckily, after much trial and error, we have found the perfect travel pillow! We found that even with a really good quality travel pillow, it still didn’t provide proper support for our heads which meant we would be constantly waking up to readjust. The ‘J-Pillow‘ is an ingenious design that supports your neck, head and chin perfectly – so you fall asleep and stay asleep. Bingo! Done! This is a must-try item for any avid traveler.
Check it out (cool eh?) – you can click on the image below to learn more ↓↓↓
#4 – Travel Blanket for Comfort
This is a simple item that provides a lot of extra comfort and helps you to sleep.
Every single train or plane I have ever been on has been cool and breezy. For me, if I am not warm enough I will never be comfortable enough to sleep.
Bring along a lightweight travel blanket to give you that extra layer to keep you warm.
#5 – Eye Mask for Sleep
An eye mask is a game changer and is a must if you are traveling during the day. The proper eye mask will completely block out any light source and help you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
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If you are planning a trip this year, check out our travel planning posts to ensure a successful vacation:
‘How to Save Money Every Day So You Can Travel More’
‘How to Keep Yourself Safe While Traveling’
‘Your Super Simplified Guide to Travel Visas’
‘The Best Travel Planning Resources for Your Next Trip’
#6 – Skincare: Long Flight Face Masks
Face masks are not just for the ladies – men can wear them too!
This is something new I have added to my travel list. I find that on long flights, my skin gets very dehydrated from the dry, recirculated air. It also takes my skin a long time to recover from the dryness which puts a little damper on the start of my trip.
However, a hydrating sheet mask saves me from all that dryness! I find sheet masks are perfect for travel because you can leave them on for awhile and there is no need to rinse your face afterward.
Throw a few masks in your bag to use as you wish. They are cheap to buy in bulk online – DERMAL Collagen Sheet Mask is a great bargain brand and is the top-rated sheet mask on Amazon.
#7 – Long Flight Sleep Aids and Medication
For anyone with travel anxiety – there are prescription medications you can get from your doctor. Ask them about what might work best for you.
If you need some extra help falling asleep on a long trip you can bring along some over-the-counter medications. We use Nyquil and Gravol quite frequently and both work like a charm. We love finding travel sized medications so we don’t have to travel with big, bulky bottles.
True rest and a deep sleep is the answer for long haul travel days.
#8 – Pack Long Haul Travel Snacks
Always bring along snacks! On a long trip, you are going to get hungry – so pack enough snacks to keep you satiated and entertained.
The biggest reason we bring snacks on long trips is to save money and make sure we stay healthy. If you don’t bring any food you are forced into buying expensive and unhealthy options from gas stations, train stations and on-flight services.
Check out our post to learn more about healthy snack ideas that you can carry with you: Healthy Foods Ideas for Snacks and Meals.
#9 – Refillable Water Bottle
Water and staying hydrated is imperative when you are traveling. Avoid dehydration at all costs. If you are flying, you’ll need to bring an empty bottle with you and fill up at a water station inside. This is also a huge money saver – bottled water is extremely overpriced and is bad for our environment.
Find a quality, refillable water bottle that you can travel with wherever you go. If you want the best, then you want a Hydro Flask Water Bottle. Hydro Flask is a global leader in high-performance, insulated stainless steel flasks. These bottles are durable, insulated, leak-proof, BPA-free, and backed by a lifetime warranty. And they are stylish as all hell.
#10 – Slippers
I don’t know about you but I cannot sleep with shoes on! We don’t do it at home so why do it while traveling?
I always bring along slippers or big, comfortable socks so that I can remove my shoes (without grossing anyone else out) and make sure my feet are warm and comfortable.
Long Haul Travel Health Tip – Compression Socks
As a physiotherapist, I can’t help but consider the risk that hours of immobility brings. If you have any type of cardiovascular or circulatory condition, consider purchasing some compression socks to help avoid the risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) – aka. blood clots.
You can find compression socks at any pharmacy or through your health care provider. They are also available online and you can get them at a very reasonable price. Check out Physix Compression Socks for a great quality compression sock.
Pro Tip: Make sure you move your body as much as you can on a long trip. Research shows that travel days that last 8 hours or more put you at the most risk of DVT. Try to stretch your legs, pump your ankles up and down 10 times, or better yet, get up and walk around at least once an hour.
We made you a free printable list of all these items so you can check it off as you prepare for your next trip. Here is your ‘Top Ten Travel Items Printable Checklist’.
What do you bring on your trips to help you stay comfortable and happy on long haul travel days? Comment below!
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