International Travel Adaptors
The benefits of international travel are numerous. These include stress relief, mental health benefits and a chance to escape the drudgery of work. Then there are the cultural aspects that you can immerse yourself in. Going abroad also allows you to learn new language skills as you awkwardly ask for directions. International travel is a chance to make lasting memories and it often gives the traveller a greater appreciation of their own home. At the very least the beer is always better abroad and that is the very definition of “broadening your horizons”. Yet despite all these positive points, there is one unavoidable hassle when comes with travelling abroad. The fact that the country or countries that you’re visiting will invariably use a different electrical plug and socket standard. In an age where a lot of the stuff you bring along with you on holiday needs charging, this can be a very stressful problem to solve.
As a UK citizen, I have the privilege of enjoying the “gold standard” of AC power plugs and sockets. The Type G plug with its three pins and integrated fuse, is widely regarded by safety experts as one of the safest and most well-engineered plug designs in the world. Just don’t step on one if it’s facing upwards as you’ll be reminded how similar it is to a caltrop but I digress. Sadly, this excellent design is not the global standard. Hence when travelling abroad you have to first search the internet to find out the appropriate plug standard of the county you’re visiting and then purchase a suitable adaptor. This has to be done meticulously as a mistake will render your international holiday comparable to living in the stone age. As for the adaptors themselves, this can be somewhat of a lottery. Are there sufficient outlets for all your devices? Why is it the size of a shoe box? Is it safe to use without becoming hotter than Chernobyl?
Note the power sockets on either side of the bed
I am going on a river cruise later this week, stopping at three major European cities. Fortunately I don’t have to concern myself with the plug standards of Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. All I have to worry about is the kind of sockets that are used on the cruise ship. A quick Google search has answered all my questions regarding what standard of electrical socket are used. The TUI Skyla uses European 2-pin (Type F / Schuko) electrical sockets in its cabins. These operate at a standard voltage of 230V. Hence I have bought a suitable adaptor from Amazon which provides a three pin outlet, two USB and a single USB-C sockets. It is worth noting that there are only two outlets available to use in the cabin and a shaver outlet in the bathroom. Fortunately, the only items that require charging are my phone, watch and toothbrush. I have decided not to bring a laptop, tablet or USB toaster as we’re only travelling for four days.
Contemporary international travel is dependent upon multiple layers of technology. I recently wrote about how a straightforward four day break abroad requires me to use five apps to manage my holiday. Making sure I have the right power adaptor is just another example of this phenomenon. The fact that people take so much technology with them these days is possibly a blog post in itself. The sad fact is we’re culturally reliant on this technology. Have you actually had a holiday if you haven’t posted pictures all over social media? Hence, before I depart for Vienna on Friday morning, I have to contact my phone provider to ensure I have an appropriate data allowance package. I shall no doubt will be using Google maps a lot, as well as Instagram. Phones can also assist with potential language barriers these days. So the last thing I want is to find myself cut off from the internet. In such circumstances, I would have to make my way to the nearest British Embassy and demand to be repatriated.
