I go on holiday, and I take with me?

[aaradorn]

I'm going to a far-away place soon, first time leaving my continent and I need a universal charger, got any recommendations? EU to type A/B plug country.

Any other tips for holidays are recommended. 

We already have a reliable power bank, noise cancelling headphones/ earbuds and 2 phones per person, 1 will be kept in the hotel, 1 in a backpack and each of us will carry one phone with us for normal travel things.

[_Omega_]

check that everything you wanna take with you is suitable for different mains voltages all A/B Plug countries have 115 V mains and not 230 V like in Europe so if your devices are not suitable for different voltages, a simple adapter wont work. So you a traveling from an EU country to north Amerika ort the other way around?

[Monkey Dust]

Sounds like everything you're taking can be charged from USB? If so, I'd suggest something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charger-SPLAKS-Universal-Worldwide-More-White-White-B/dp/B08Y6D9N76/ref=sr_1_19

[Needfuldoer]

Most modern power supplies are universal, designed to run on any combination of voltage and frequency around the world. (You'll see them marked with something like "100-250v 50/60hz".) They just come with a plug that matches the target market's outlets.

 

If you're going to a developed country and your power supplies are universal, you might have an easier time finding adapters once you're there. (If they're USB devices, that's even easier.)

[thevictor390]

I have a universal power adapter from a local department store, can convert to or from UK/AU/EU/US/JP through various sliders and switches.

USB is the same everywhere so that covers a lot of things.

[aaradorn]

5 hours ago, _Omega_ said:

check that everything you wanna take with you is suitable for different mains voltages all A/B Plug countries have 115 V mains and not 230 V like in Europe so if your devices are not suitable for different voltages, a simple adapter wont work. So you a traveling from an EU country to north Amerika ort the other way around?

Oh that's a good one, didn't think of that. EU to Asia.

[aaradorn]

4 hours ago, Monkey Dust said:

Sounds like everything you're taking can be charged from USB? If so, I'd suggest something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charger-SPLAKS-Universal-Worldwide-More-White-White-B/dp/B08Y6D9N76/ref=sr_1_19

Nice, 4 USB ports would be extremely handy. I'll buy one later today

[Outta_Hwrw]

Unless you're travelling light, it's well worth also packing a small power extension board of four sockets.

 

In my experience (budget traveller, cheap hotels in various S.E.A. nations), there are never enough convenient power outlets on the walls. Or some of them don't work, or are so badly maintained that they can't even retain the weight of a charger without falling out of the socket.

 

If you have multiple things to charge, or are travelling with another person, it's worth being able to simultaneously charge. Phones, camera batteries, smart watches, laptops, tablets, whatever else. These days many travellers will have more than one device to keep charged.

 

Also, with a power board, all your existing chargers will work nativly, and you only need a single conversion adaptor for the country you're visiting.

 

I can't speak about voltage differences, as I don't know where you live, or where you're going. But it may be a consideration, and an important one to know about beforehand.

 

 

 

[Outta_Hwrw]

9 hours ago, aaradorn said:

Oh that's a good one, didn't think of that. EU to Asia.

Hello. I just read the post about where you are travelling. Having been to around 8 countries in the southern and subcontinent Asia region, I don't remember EVER coming across 110/120 volt power.

 

Please don't rely just on my word and do your own further research, but I just wanted to add that you SHOULD be fine with whatever gear you bring, if your home country power is 220/240v. (The plugs themselves will likely be different though, so a cheap passive adaptor will do. You can actually buy universal multi-region adaptors (I have a few for my Japanese stereo gear, can post photos if you need to see one)

 

Hope you have an awesome journey

[Lurking]

Use USB power supplies with multiple ports. I have some that have usb-c and usb-a. Powerbanks usually have multiple. Have multiple of both cables - they can fail.

 

Make sure all devices are usb-c (and not micro USB or similar). Buy new devices if needed  Less cable hassle.

 

[Blue4130]

1 hour ago, JaySonic said:

Hello. I just read the post about where you are travelling. Having been to around 8 countries in the southern and subcontinent Asia region, I don't remember EVER coming across 110/120 volt power.

 

Please don't rely just on my word and do your own further research, but I just wanted to add that you SHOULD be fine with whatever gear you bring, if your home country power is 220/240v. (The plugs themselves will likely be different though, so a cheap passive adaptor will do. You can actually buy universal multi-region adaptors (I have a few for my Japanese stereo gear, can post photos if you need to see one)

 

Hope you have an awesome journey

Japan is 100v

[aaradorn]

12 hours ago, JaySonic said:

Unless you're travelling light, it's well worth also packing a small power extension board of four sockets.

 

In my experience (budget traveller, cheap hotels in various S.E.A. nations), there are never enough convenient power outlets on the walls. Or some of them don't work, or are so badly maintained that they can't even retain the weight of a charger without falling out of the socket.

 

If you have multiple things to charge, or are travelling with another person, it's worth being able to simultaneously charge. Phones, camera batteries, smart watches, laptops, tablets, whatever else. These days many travellers will have more than one device to keep charged.

 

Also, with a power board, all your existing chargers will work nativly, and you only need a single conversion adaptor for the country you're visiting.

 

I can't speak about voltage differences, as I don't know where you live, or where you're going. But it may be a consideration, and an important one to know about beforehand.

 

 

 

Smart, we def won't be traveling light. So a 4 socket power strip should easily fit in my suitcase.

[Outta_Hwrw]

1 hour ago, Blue4130 said:

Japan is 100v

Cool. The OP doesn't say where he was going. And I was pretty clear on my comments referring g to either S.E.A. or simply "southern Asia". Japan is not part of that generalization.

[Outta_Hwrw]

13 minutes ago, aaradorn said:

Smart, we def won't be traveling light. So a 4 socket power strip should easily fit in my suitcase.

So where ARE you going ? Asia is a big continent

[LAwLz]

19 hours ago, aaradorn said:

Any other tips for holidays are recommended. 

That very much depends on where you are going and what you plan on doing.

When I went to Japan a few years back, I accidentally left the battery for my camera in my check-in and as a result, the customs took it. At first I thought this was a big fuckup because I no longer had a battery for my camera, but as it turns out I pretty much never even missed it. I spent close to 16 hours a day walking around and taking pictures with my phone, which was way more convenient anyway. When you walk around that much, you don't want to carry around excessive stuff, especially not expensive stuff you need to be careful about. I was also thinking of (but never did) bringing my laptop to have something to do on the hotel room but once we got back to the hotel we basically fell asleep right away. My tablet was nice to have on the plane to watch movies on, but the laptop would have been completely useless in my case.

 

 

My point is, on my trip I barely needed anything, and bringing more things would probably just have been unnecessary. But that might be completely different for you depending on where you're going.

 

Here are some general tips I have for a holiday:

1) Bring a power bank. Chances are you will take a lot of pictures and that eats battery, and you don't want to get stranded.

2) Think of some way to get online while in the country. Things like Google maps and Google Translate can be extremely useful, but that require data. On my Japan trip we rented a portable 4G modem/hot spot with a local SIM-card, but there are several ways to go about this. You can save those things offline (both translation and maps) but they will not work optimally. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, but hopefully you will only be at your hotel a very limited time.

3) Noise-canceling headphones on long flights are amazing. I am never flying without those again. I also have some pressure-leveling earplugs that are great. Highly recommended. This is similar to what I got but not the exact model. Without them, I typically get pretty brutal "airplane ear".

4) Make a copy of your passport. Bring the copy with you when you're out and about, and keep the real one somewhere safe (like maybe the safe in the hotel room).

5) Remember that you are going on a holiday. You are not moving. As a result, you need to consider what you plan on doing and what you might need in the country you're going to. Chances are you will be on foot for the majority of the time. The hotel room is basically only for sleeping. If you are planning on staying in your hotel room for long periods of time, why did you even go on a trip to begin with?

[Blue4130]

1 hour ago, JaySonic said:

Cool. The OP doesn't say where he was going. And I was pretty clear on my comments referring g to either S.E.A. or simply "southern Asia". Japan is not part of that generalization.

Chill, I was just adding information, not implying that you said or didn't say anything.

[BrandonLatzig]

besides tech, make sure you have an idea of what you want to do,  that you have the cash to do it, and where you can and shouldnt go.