These durable, laminated, fold-out pocket maps have been completely indispensable to me in my travels. They’re brilliantly designed, easy to read, extremely accurate, and available for so many cities and regions across the USA and throughout the world that it would be impossible to list them all here.

In addition to the city and regional maps, which are indexed to special sites, restaurants, shops, hotels, transportation, parks, and more, there are also specialized metro and museum maps of major cities. Carrying a Streetwise Map is almost like having a reliable, compact guidebook in your possession at all times.

I have at least six of them and use the one for New York City, even though I live there, whenever I’m looking for a particular destination in an unfamiliar part of town. You can buy them online, but they’re also widely available at hotels, newsstands, and other outlets.

I am always on the look out for a good adapter to keep in my bag at all times, and this one is a great combination. The World Connect Travel Adapter works in more than 150 countries and has prongs that slide out to accommodate virtually any two-pronged appliance, such as a hair dryer, a travel iron, or a camera.

The USB charger plugs right into the adapter lets me charge all my mobile devices including my iPhone and iPod anywhere in the world. Years ago I was always traveling with a whole bagful of plug adapters because I was never quite sure which one I was going to need. Now I know that with this one compact, lightweight adapter/charger I’ll be set wherever I go.

We all love luxury when we travel, but sometimes it’s a luxury just to know that you have everything you’re going to need. To make sure you’re never again caught short, Flight 001 has done the sourcing for modern and innovative travel products you so that you don’t have to spend precious time going from shop to shop to locate all the essentials.

Founded in 1998 by two business travelers who were tired of all the legwork they had to do when preparing for a trip, the “crew” of Flight 001 now scours the globe to satisfy the frequent traveler’s every need.

Among the many must-have products they offer are individual foil-wrapped packets of Woolite that are approved for carry-on, and a set of 7 TSA-approved, carry-on size bottles (3.4 ounces or less) in a reusable plastic zip case that will get you through security without any problem. They also have my own favorite world travel adapter, which includes plugs for more than 150 different countries in a single, compact case.

Their exclusive Spacepak for clothes not only allows you to separate clothing items (something I always do when I pack) into 5 separate compartments but also provides maximum compression so that you can carry on more and avoid baggage claim altogether. These are just a few of the literally hundreds of really great, innovative, modern must-haves they provide, many of which they’ve created and offer exclusively.

While e-books are gaining in popularity, there’s still nothing like a well-stocked bookstore, especially one that’s dedicated to a particular subject matter or market.

Whether you have a trip planned or you’ve just returned from someplace you loved, you may want to read more about it—either to educate yourself, get in the mood, learn a language, or simply as a reminder of the great experiences you had. If so, Idlewild Books is for you. Located at 19^th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, or online at www.idlewildbooks.com, it carries all kinds of books—from novels to memoirs to cookbooks to travel guides, and even children’s books—about almost anyplace in the world.

If you’ve fallen in love with France, for example, you might want to read Julia Child’s My Life in France to discover what made her fall in love with it on first sight. Or if you’re setting out for Spain, reading Hemingway’s classic The Sun Also Rises will surely make you yearn to see Pamplona. And Idlewild even offers language courses in French, Italian, and Spanish right in the shop.

As the iPad fad sweeps the nation, an in-flight tech company is apparently working out a deal to provide iPads for airline passengers. Bluebox Avionics is keeping the details under wraps for now, but could start delivering airborne iPads by July.

Rumors have it that these “Bluebox Ai Devices” will be checked out to passengers like a library book, thus allowing them to enjoy all the same benefits as the person who owns the iPad. The only difference is, when you land, you have to give it back.

Bluebox Avionics is obviously hoping that these iPads with wings will replace the basic in-flight entertainment options that air travelers have now. Bluebox says part of the package will include a secure web connection, so travlers can conduct business as usual or surf the web.

No word from Bluebox yet as to which carriers are interested in these air-PADS, but I would guess that almost every airline would want a piece of this gadget.

What the e-reader is doing to revolutionize reading on-the-go, downloadable guides are now doing for the traveler. There are many good travel guides on the market, and now you can download most of them before you travel.

One series I’ve always loved (they are smart, witty, and oh so chic) are the Luxe City Guides, which are now available as Luxe City Guides Mobile. This is an app to download to your iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry and many other handheld devices. It’s also worth noting that each app comes with maps as well!

While the company has always provided updates that you could download from your computer, the mobile guides update themselves automatically, which is a great perk. You can also download a free starter app to see potential selections and watch a demo on their website before you buy.

We all know that the air in plane cabins can be really drying for your lips as well as your skin. Using a gloss that not only colors but hydrates and plumps will keep your lips looking and feeling great both in-flight and on the ground.

I was delighted to find  and try a new lipgloss named LuMesh. It’s long-lasting, has a bit of a “cooling” feeling, enriched with vitamin E, not sticky, taste and fragrance-free (a big plus in my book) and it even has a mirror built right into the case for easy touch-ups anywhere.

Now that we’re all conducting a great deal of business on the road, it can be quite a challenge to keep up with messages, dates and details during phone calls made on the go. There are many tools designed to help, but there is one in particular that can record important calls and allow you keep a verbal record of what was said during various conversations.

RecordMyCalls can help you eliminate any doubts about your vital conversations and assist you in navigating around any number of misunderstandings. Whether you’re negotiating a contract, making an appointment, or resolving a dispute, you no longer have to rely on your memory and a note pad.

RecordMyCalls will record your conversations, storing them both securely and indefinitely. The service will play them back on your computer whenever you need them. You don’t need any special equipment to record calls made on a landline, a cell phone, or even on your computer (via Skype).

This is definitely a smart tool that is designed to support the way we do business in the 21st century.

When traveling with your beloved animal, you want them to be comfy and happy for their journey. There are a wide variety of items to help take the edge off of your pet’s travel worries including blankets, water bowls, toys and similar knick-knacks.

One of the fabulous choices I discovered was the Heritage travel dog bed made by Dunham’s Sports. This may not be the most stylish option – but it’s one that’s bound to keep Fido happy and well-rested with a comfy fleece top and a water resistant shell.

Another option is an eco friendly mat that is perfect for the crate and made by a company called Muttropolis. This is a smart looking option that will have your pet thinking “Green.”

I was also fascinated to discover that Jet Blue’s online shopping site offers a whole category of items for your traveling pet.

The Jet Blue Travel Kit caught my eye because it’s quite stylish and practical including:
• Cozy-looking blanket with decorative stitching
• White rubber, bone-shaped chew toy
• Food bowl with a snap-on lid.

All of these items pack away nicely into a tidy vinyl carrying case.

If you have a pet or know of one who will be going on vacation, this could be a nifty bon voyage gift.

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