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Viewing 7 Indispensable Travel Tools for Your Outing on the Road7 Indispensable Travel Tools for Your Outing on the Road
By Kathy Steinemann
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MP3 players are great, but how do you recharge them on the road? And how do you top up your rechargeable batteries? Can you warm the baby's bottle when you are miles from civilization? Read this article for the answers to these and other questions. Travel by vehicle poses unique problems that you can solve with a little advance preparation and a few useful gadgets. This article describes several of these gadgets. An Internet search that you can use to find each item follows its description. 1. Universal USB Car Charger Electronic marvels like iPods and MP3 players make it easy to listen to music and watch videos. However, many devices require recharging via computer USB ports. How can you accomplish this when you are on the road? A universal USB car charger solves the dilemma. The most versatile of these chargers will plug into household current as well as a vehicle's power point or cigarette lighter. Use your device's USB cable to connect to the charger's pseudo-USB port, and it will recharge without a computer. Keywords for searching: USB car charger adapter If you would like to fabricate your own adapter, you can splice together a 5-volt car charger and a USB female plug. Many websites provide complete instructions. Keywords for searching: how to make USB car charger 2. Mobile Rechargeable Battery Charger You may own a digital camera, GPS, or PDA that uses rechargeable batteries instead of alkalines. Rechargeables are a great environmental choice - until they run out of juice in the middle of a road trip. Luckily, there are car chargers available. Carry one in your glove box. Keywords for searching: vehicle charger rechargeable batteries 3. Solar-Powered Rechargeable Battery Charger You can use a solar-panel system to recharge your batteries whenever the sun is shining. The best of these devices will also operate through your vehicle's cigarette lighter as well as household current. If you do your research well, you may even find one with special adapters for your PDA or cell phone. Keywords for searching: solar powered battery charger 4. Portable Water Heater Many travel and automotive shops carry small water heaters that look like household kettles. These plug into your car's cigarette lighter, enabling you to enjoy soup, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate - anytime. Keywords for searching: portable kettle car If you have a very young baby who needs a warm bottle, try to find an immersible heater. These devices have a small heating coil that you can place in any liquid. Heat water in an appropriate container, and then place the baby bottle in the liquid until it reaches the proper temperature. Keywords for searching: portable car immersion beverage heater 5. Portable Hand-Held UV Water Purifier Contaminated drinking water can quickly cause 'traveler's diarrhea'. No problem! Purchase a portable pen-sized ultraviolet water sterilizer. UV light efficiently destroys viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. These sterilizers are so small that you can carry them practically anywhere - in a shirt pocket or purse, stashed in the glove compartment, or in the baby's diaper bag. Keywords for searching: portable hand-held UV water purifier 6. Multi-Tool Many different varieties of multi-tools are available - with tool combinations that may include knives, screwdrivers, scissors, bottle openers, corkscrews, pliers, and other useful gadgets. Shop around until you find one containing everything you might need for your next trip. Keywords for searching: multi tool camping travel 7. Repair Kit for Eyeglasses Do not ignore this tip just because you do not wear glasses. Every time you step outdoors, you should don a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Eliminate the inconvenience of a missing nose pad or loose hinge screw with a quick field repair. Eyeglass repair kits are inexpensive and tiny. You can find these kits in just about any pharmacy, department store, or grocery outlet. If not, try the Internet search below. Keywords for searching: repair kit for eyeglasses These are just a few of the gadgets that can make your vacation more comfortable. Whenever you travel, pay attention to any little difficulties you experience. When you get home, spend some time on the Net and search for a solution. If you cannot find one, perhaps you should develop a new product and become the next Allesandro Volta! Allesandro Volta: inventor of the first practical battery - 1880 (c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included. About the Author: Try one of these Internet search engines to find the travel gadgets suggested in this article. Do you need a bed and breakfast to stay in on your next road trip? 111 Travel Directory is the place to visit. 1000 Tips 4 Trips has over 1000 travel tips - submitted by travelers just like you. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com |
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