Ah, the open road…nothing can quite beat the feeling of taking off on a voyage of discovery, not knowing what’s coming round the next corner or who you are going to meet on your weird and wonderful journeys. Over the past ten years taking a gap year has become increasingly popular, with thousands of restless young travelers set off to go travelling around the world, many of them armed only with a backpack, a toothbrush and a copy of Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’; this is all very well and good, but what about your iPhone?! Obviously you won’t want to leave home without your most treasured and trusted possession, so we’ve compiled a list of the best iPhone accessories that you can take with you on your travels, so go on Gulliver, give it a read!
Jivo World Power International Travel Charger
iWorld Price: £12.99
Buy From: Jivo World Power International Travel Charger
First things first, the last thing that you want after you have set off on your travels is to be stuck with a dead battery because the charger that you have been using at home doesn’t happen to be compatible with the plug sockets of the particular country that you are in, so you are going to need a good travel charger. The Jivo World Power International Travel Charger seems like the best bet for all budding backpackers as it is sleek and small enough to fit into the teensiest of bags and comes with four international plug adapters, (US, UK, AU & EU) which will cover most of the countries on the typical trekker’s route map. It can also charge your iPod at the same time, as it has dual USB connections; perfect for when everybody is crowding round the only working plug in the hostel!
JBL Ontour iPod Speaker System
Amazon Price: £29.99
Buy From: JBL Ontour iPod Speaker System – White
One of the most common icebreakers in communal hostel rooms, (after, “Is the queue for the toilet really this long?!”), is, “So, what sort of music are you into?” Obviously you will get a wide variety of responses, ranging form the staples of indie rock and roll through to hip hop, jungle and drum and bass and maybe even a bit of world music, (but let’s hope just a little of that…), so you will need some good speakers for everybody to play iPod DJ on. The small and manageable JBL Ontour iPod Speaker System is fairly cheap at £29.99, and it comes in both a black and a white design, (n.b., go for black, it is more forgiving with mud and dirt stains!) It can sound a little tinny when it is played at its highest volume for too long, however, with the cramped living quarters that you will be sharing, anything above a medium setting will sound like a party!
iFlyz
Price: $29.99
Buy From: iFlyz
If you are dotting from country to country, the quickest and easiest way to get around is by plane. Catch a flight to Kuala Lumpur and the world is your oyster, with Asia on your doorstep and Australia just a quick hop across the pond. However, seeing as you will be taking so many flights around the globe, you are bound to get stuck watching the same old Rom-Com where a quirky but cute Jennifer Aniston character just can’t decide which man to go for…well, not anymore! IFlyz can clip onto your seat tray and will prop your iPhone up at eye-height, enabling you to watch whatever movie is playing in your iPhone’s library. OK, so it’s not the most essential piece of travelling equipment, but as iFlyz can also clip onto other objects, you can just sit back anywhere in the world and watch whatever you desire, with or without Ms. Aniston!
Nitrox iConn Plus Extended Battery Case
Amazon Price: $69.98
Buy From:Nitrox iConn Plus Extended Battery Case for iPhone
Some travelers are braver than others and there will be certain jungle treks and mountain climbing adventures where bringing a plug adapter will be about as useful as an underwater hairdryer. But what about all the amazing pictures that you want to take with your new Hipstamatic App?! The Nitrox iConn Plus Extended Battery Case is designed for iPhone 3G and 3Gs and doubles your iPhone’s battery life, thanks to the Li-Polymer battery. With a sleek leather case, this Apple certified product gives you that little extra window of time when you are away from a power outlet, should you want to make a call, take a photo or finish that game of ‘Angry Birds’…
Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot
BestBuy Price: $49.99
Buy From:Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot
Wherever you are in the world, you will always appreciate a good WiFi connection. Whether it is to update Facebook with photos and videos of your exploits, email your friends back home to make them turn green with envy or book the next flight out of whichever country you are in, a decent WiFi connection will be incredibly beneficial. The Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot uses a 3G signal to share WiFi with anyone with your personal access code, (a great way to make new friends in hostels!) and is compatible with iPhones, touches and notebooks. It certainly isn’t cheap, as you have to pay for the monthly line rental which can be anything up to $60, but it does mean that you can cut frustrating rants at dilapidated computers in Thai internet cafes out of your trip.
