By: Marcia Abramson
Frequent flyers can make use of a personal air purifier which supplies clean air, a pre-board organizer to speed your check-ins, and TravelSox to prevent legs from swelling in transit and a Quick Acting Relief Band to end those queasy feelings caused by winding roads, bumpy flights or rough high seas. Having experienced rare bouts of motion sickness driving on mountainous winding roads in northern Georgia and particularly rough seas outside of Rome, I am intrigued by the quick acting relief band. I did try the medically prescribed "behind the ear patch" years ago on my first cruise. It may have been helpful but it left me with an unbelievable dry mouth. I do carry the Sea Bands in my luggage and when I remember to use them, they may offer relief for turbulence and mal de mer, or seasickness. The 2003 Travel Smith Catalogue has a wealth of information on what the savvy traveler can use to avoid stressful experiences. Travel Smith caters to savvy travelers and claims to be the official outfitters to the world's top travel companies. I spoke to some very knowledgeable company representatives to learn more about their recommendations. I learned that the security travel umbrella has a comfortable non-slip handle with a powerful panic alarm (to scare the dickens out of the bad guys), an emergency flash-light (to illuminate dark alleys and key holes), and a flashing red light (to alert anyone driving by that you might need help). It also is a sturdy umbrella for those rainy days or nights. Crowded places like the Louvre in Paris and the Vatican in Rome are havens for thieves who sidle up to distracted travelers and take off with their valuables with a quick slice through a strap or a flick of the zipper. A quarter-inch stainless steel cable runs the length of the strap and creates a knifeproof impediment and the double-zipper entry further frustrates pickpockets. This should put an end to the horror tales of stolen passports, wallets and charge cards. Nothing could be better for me than a handle grip for the "rolling" luggage to take the strain off my arms and shoulders when I have to trudge through the long seemingly endless airport corridors. The ergonomically designed Comfort Luggage Grip reduces strain and stress by correctly positioning your arm, shoulder and elbow and promises no more aggravating twisting. Another helpful travel must for me is the Pre-Board Organizer which can speed up check-ins and hopefully eliminate dropped, lost and mislaid tickets, boarding passes, photo IDs or passports. By just wearing the organizer around your neck, your hands are free and your documents are visible and secure in the holder. Even when asked to show your documents more than once, you can speed up these security checks without fumbling in your pockets and looking for that darned ID. The thought of no more swollen feet and legs is good news for me and other travelers who may suddenly find that the shoes are just too tight and their ankles have doubled in girth. Cramped cabin conditions and long flights can cause the problem because of decreased blood flow. Advice from physicians led Travel Smith to develop TravelSox, to stimulate circulation through gradual compression and to stop swelling and help guard against Deep-Vein Thrombosis, a potential life-threatening condition. With growing anxiety over SARS, the respiratory virus, the Personal Air Purifier sounds like an ideal preventative device. It is a light weight (31/2 ounce) air cleaner based on a revolutionary plasma technology, destroys airborne pollutants, allergens, and viruses as it emits clean air into your breathing space. Germ colony growth has been eliminated by 90 percent, according to laboratory tests. It is operated by a 9-volt battery and is used by many airline personnel. The Travel Smith people told me that the Personal Air Purifier is small enough to be worn under the regulation uniforms and is so popular now that it is on back-order. For many travelers, bidding good-bye to motion sickness forever through the Quick-Acting Relief Band can be very good news. A gentle electronic pulse sends a message blocking out the nausea signal before it reaches the brain. Unlike some solutions, the Relief Band won't make you drowsy or have some of the negative side effects attributed to seasickness drugs. It is worn strapped to your wrist like a watch. It is FDA approved, 100 percent drug-free and completely safe to use. I also suggest for answers to everything you may want to know about travel clothes and gear that you call Travel Smith for their catalogue. You can get more information on helpful travel products by calling the company toll-free at 800-950-1600 or by clicking travelsmith.com.
© Copyright by Marcia AbramsonE-mail: mascribe@aol.com
