The Essential Gadgets To Take on Your Next Holiday, According to a Broadsheet Travel Writer

I used to poke fun at type-A travellers, the ones who have thought of (and prepared for) every possible scenario. I considered myself a more relaxed type B, happy to figure out my holiday as I went. Until I realised I was too often dependent on my better-organised companions.

With Broadsheet, I’ve traipsed around northern India, taken trains deep into the Japanese countryside and flown to remote corners of Australia. After many long-haul flights, delayed trains and misplaced cables, I’ve learnt that being organised isn’t about being uptight, it’s about controlling what you can. And the fewer hours I spend stressing about chargers and currency, the better.

So, after many early flights and late check-ins, I’ve built an emergency tech kit that’s a solid foundation for any trip. Here are my essentials.

Before you board

Some inconveniences, like a forgotten charger or a missed connection, can be dealt with on the go. But a payment problem isn’t one of them. A Revolut account makes spending anywhere across the world seamless. For one, you order a customisable debit card that works anywhere Visa or Mastercard does, and lets you either convert currencies as you tap or exchange in advance when the rate’s right. Its competitive rates are up to 10 times cheaper than the big banks at home. You can also set up single-use virtual cards for extra security, and – when money starts feeling “free” as it tends to on holiday – Revolut’s analytics can keep you in check.

For the plane

I don’t enjoy being on a plane. The best distraction is immersion in a film or an album – anything to tune out the cabin noise. That means noise-cancelling headphones are a non-negotiable for transit, and my pair of Sony WH1000XMF barely leave my head between security gates. Apple Airpods Max are a sleeker pick, while Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Earbuds are compact and carry-on friendly. The real upgrade, though, is an Airfly bluetooth transmitter. It plugs into the in-flight entertainment system so you can use your own headphones instead of those flimsy airline ones that never fit.

For your phone

Revolut has its own eSims, which allow you to access data plans in more than 100 countries and regions. They’re low-cost and easy to activate as soon as you land, offering a variety of data plans to suit your needs. Unlike the travel sims you’ll find at airport vending machines, Revolut’s dual sim technology means you can switch seamlessly between your physical sim and eSim to stay connected with home. And it only takes minutes to set up on airport wi-fi.

From there, a few apps make all the difference. Timeshifter helps recalibrate your body clock through a schedule of sleep and caffeine; I use it to start recalibrating before I fly home. If you hate being in the airport longer than you need to, Flighty is an advanced flight tracker built by “flight nerds” to monitor the main causes of flight delays and predict them in advance. But the most essential is Rome2Rio – my holy grail of trip-planning tools, which helps to map transport connections around your destination – and Reddit, which remains my favourite source to figure out what’s really happening on the ground.

The rest of the bag

There are a few travel items that I still too often rely on other people for. The first is a powerbank for when the camera app drains your phone battery. Anker and Nitecore are two reliable options, but in a pinch I’ve used my laptop as a powerboard. Through one universal adaptor I’ll charge my laptop, phone and Kindle, and hope I don’t short-circuit the block.

And on every group trip, I silently hope someone else is the hero who packed luggage scales. It’s always too late to do anything about it at the airport, but at the end of a holiday when everyone’s done a little shopping, the person who thought ahead deserves applause.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Revolut. The all-in-one global money app for home and abroad simplifies your travel finances with just one seamless account. Plus, earn Revpoints on everyday spending and redeem them for airline upgrades, discounted hotel stays, and more.

New users can get $40 and a one-month trial of the Premium plan when they sign up and spend – just in time for summer travels. Head to revolut.com to learn more.

Revpoints T&Cs apply. 10x claim based on exchanging AU$1000 Mon-Fri within plan limits. Compares with 4 banks and 4 currency pairings. See revolut.com for more information. Card customisation and delivery fee may apply. Consider PDS & TMD at revolut.com. Revolut Payments Australia Pty Ltd (AFSL 517589). Any advice for Revolut-issued products is general and does not take into account your situation or needs; consider if appropriate for you.