How to make the ultimate deaf travel kit

After recently jetting off to Nepal, I’ve never been more prepared for any holiday. I will be sightseeing, volunteering, renovating, and even trekking in the mountains!

Now I’m letting you all in on my tips and tricks, which make up the ultimate deaf travel kit!

Ultimate Deaf Travel Kit

Fellow Hearing Like Me writer Ashley has listed some incredible, fundamental basics for your packing list, so I figured why not add a few more and make it a bumper list? Here’s how to put together the ultimate deaf travel kit.

Read more: Packing essentials for the hard of hearing traveler

FYI: I cannot stress how important it is to pack hearing aid/cochlear implant batteries, and lots of them! There’s nothing worse than being stuck miles from home with dead batteries!

Ear Gears

These incredible ear socks last through dust, wind and light rain. They protected my precious hearing aids! They fit snugly over your hearing aids and stop sweat and dust from getting in and allow you to wear them in different conditions. If they can withstand a three day trek in the humid mountains, I’m confident they can do anything!

Your Wake-up Call

Whether you like a portable vibrating alarm clock, or a vibrating smart watch, there are many gadgets on the market ready to wake you up in the morning.

“Whether you like a portable vibrating alarm clock, or a vibrating smart watch, there are many gadgets on the market ready to wake you up in the morning.”

This is a daily must-have for the travel kit, especially if you can’t rely on an over-sleeping partner or hearing someone knocking on the door! One friend told me the hotel staff slipped a note under their door that said ‘Wake up’ when the deaf guests didn’t respond to their knocks. They missed their flight! Ironic, but best to be prepared.

“I have a hearing loss”

There’s so many cool deaf-related identification props online from ID cards to wristbands, badges and so on. These are perfect to wear and show if you face any difficulty with someone not understanding you. If you don’t fancy splashing the cash, why not make your own?

Make a Note of That

There comes a time during your travels when there are language barriers, which require notes to be made. A trusty notebook and pen will do, or if you’re tech savvy, there are great note apps on smartphones.

Tech for Tunes

If you wish to listen to music or catch up on the latest series on demand, don’t forget your headphones! I loved using this Y splitter which allows you to plug two headphones into one port – perfect if you’re with a hearing person who uses normal headphones.

Testing, Testing, 123

If your hearing aids need a quick repair, this 5 in 1 tool and battery tester are perfect pocket tools to check that your technologies are in working order.

Keep it All Dry

If you’re going someplace humid or wet, I definitely recommend taking a dry box and dry bag. These simple ones came in handy for my trip and worked wonders through the rainy trek in the mountains.

For an overnight drying option, why not invest in the Phonak Drybox? It’s perfect to clear your hearing aids for the next day.

Amazing Apps

Our tech-loving generation loves smartphones! There are loads of travel apps which will help make your trip as easy as possible. From flight trackers to public transport and maps, there’s an app for everything. Language translation apps are miracle workers, though! Whether typing to translate or through voice recognition to text, these are quick solutions for communication.

Power for Days

If you rely on your phone for navigation, communication, and all the rest, I cannot stress enough to have backup chargers! There aren’t always plug sockets around, so carry portable chargers with you. There are lightweight ones to bigger ones with more power; either is a must-have in your carry-on bag.

Trusty Assistive Aids

Last but not least, any Phonak assistive technologies are perfect to have when you’re out and about. Try the Phonak ComPilot for listening to music, the Roger Pen for conversations and even the Select for group conversations. If you’re not sure what’s best, speak to your audiologist.

I hope this ultimate deaf travel kit prepares you for your next adventure!

What would you add to this list?

• Author Details

Author Details

Ellie Parfitt

Ellie was born profoundly deaf, uses verbal communication, lipreads and wears Phonak Sky Q hearing aids. She is currently learning British Sign Language. Ellie hasn’t let her disability stand in the way and embraces every new challenge. Her deafness didn’t prevent her from achieving major accomplishments in her life, such as excelling in her education, previously working as a Marketing Executive and now as an Events Coordinator for a deaf organization, as well as blogging for Hearing Like Me. She is passionate about deaf awareness, campaigning for equality and helping others through her personal blog as Deafie Blogger.