Modern life invariably comprises comfortable accommodation, a safe environment, plenty of food and drinking water and various other creature comforts and sources of entertainment, such as cars, washing machines, ovens, televisions and computers. Whilst these are all perfectly desirable, they have put humanity in a rather precarious position. Indeed, it is argued that people generally are losing their innate awareness about the world around them – specifically, about the perils of nature itself.
It has been frequently said that we are all just a few meals away from acting like animals, and, unfortunately, recent natural disasters have proved the point very well. The comfort zone in which most of us live is not impenetrable. Moreover, when we take a step into the outdoors or travel for any significant distance, the margins within which we exist in that comfort zone become incredibly small. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that people do not travel without the essential equipment – it could literally make the difference between life and death.
One such essential travel item is the security belt or wallet, which is worn immediately next to the skin and has special compartments or concealed pouches for storing passports, airline tickets, visas, cash notes, cheques, etc. The importance of such an item cannot be understated, as losing or having stolen essential papers such as a passport or visa can completely ruin a holiday or business trip. Furthermore, by concealing these essential documents, travellers become less of a target for thieves, who prefer to target more obvious prey. One drawback to the security belt is that some users may find them a little uncomfortable.
Another essential travel item is a toiletry kit. Indeed, being deprived of modern creature comforts does not necessarily mean that something serious or dangerous will happen – it can simply mean that life is made incredibly more difficult. Such is the case when a traveller is left without perfume, deodorant, tooth paste, soap or shampoo. It can spell disaster on a social scale and misery in terms of personal comfort and hygiene. A toiletry kit allows for easy transportation of these essential items and often comprises a removable mirror and hanger. Be careful not to lose the bag itself, though, as this would defeat the purpose of keeping all the toiletry items in one bag!
A neck pillow is also extremely useful for travelling, especially over long distances, whilst a comfort eye shade can prove invaluable for getting to sleep in an unfamiliar or busy environment, such as at a crowded airport that has just announced a string of cancellations…
Finally, if travelling by car through remote territory, it is highly advisable to bring along survival provisions such as food, water, fuel, at least one mobile phone (that is fully charged and in credit!), blankets, warm clothing, a torch, pocket knife and a tent. With regard to the latter, 4 person tents such as the Gelert Eiger can be pitched easily and contain plenty of room. If the car is broken down and you have no choice but to travel across country, a tent is absolutely essential.>
