Having endured eight previous trips to Europe, Asia and the Middle East during which I suffered through seemingly endless hours of banging my knees against the economy-class seats in front of me, I've long dreamed of flying first class.
During my latest trip abroad, I got my wish.
Finally, I was privileged to see what's behind the curtain in front of the economy section on a Boeing Dreamliner.
It was, I will tell you, everything I dreamed of.
The cabin service was impeccable. Food _ served in china on starched linen _ was plentiful and quite good. The comfort level was without compromise.
But I write about computer gadgets and software, so why am I droning on about seats that recline into beds? Hear me out.
On the two airplanes I took _ a double-decker Airbus A380-800 and the aforementioned Boeing Dreamliner _ the gadgets amazed me.
There were 15-inch touch-screen TV monitors and Bose sound-canceling headphones on the Lufthansa segment of my trip. A removable remote allowed me to operate the monitor, find soundtracks for all genres of music and even play video games. But the seat-beds were what really sold me. With a quick touch on a screen, the seat converted into a bed _ a rather comfortable one, I'd add.
Somewhat puzzling were the missing electrical outlets and USB ports. But I hardly missed them, focusing instead on a book stored on my iPad Mini.
Purists might choose one of Amazon's Kindles, such as the Paperwhite ($120), for reading books, but I brought along a refurbished iPad Mini 2 ($209 at Apple.com), since I knew it would allow me to use Wi-Fi for email and connect to the internet at the apartment I rented.
I also brought along a Lumsing battery bank ($25 on Amazon) that has the capacity to charge an iPhone 6 up to six times and an iPad Air 2 up to two times, according to its product description. Be sure to get one rated at 15,000 mAh (milliampere hours) or higher to get the maximum number of charges. The model I bought has five USB ports that charge both phones and tablets; the ports are labeled for the voltage requirements of each device. Sounds confusing, but think of a portable battery bank as the battery in your car, except this one is portable and weighs less than a pound.
If lugging around another pound in your carry-on is a deal-breaker, I recommend getting an outlet adapter with USB ports that will charge at least two devices directly from a power outlet. And don't forget: foreign countries have different electrical outlets from U.S. outlets. Adapters can be bought inexpensively on Amazon just by searching for the countries you'll be visiting. Apple makes a collection of seven adapters that work in Europe, Australia, Korea, Hong Kong and Brazil for about $40 and available for less on Best Buy's website.
If you're bringing multiple devices that require different charging cables, go for a charging station. The devices plug into an electrical outlet and some feature charging cables for lightning, Android and older Apple devices. Amazon sells dozens of different models starting at $15.
Again, you'll need a country-specific electrical adapter in order to use the charging stations. If you just want a USB charging bank, there are dozens that feature six or more USB outlets. I like the ones that have multiple connector cables, since they negate the need to bring individual charging cables. The downside is charging stations tend to be heavy and bulky.
If you need to make phone calls home, I like the MagicJack Go device that works on Wi-Fi. You get a U.S. number, which the folks at home can call at no charge. And you can make calls to U.S. numbers at no charge. The device fits in a shirt pocket and costs $35, which includes a year of service.
Another, more practical way to make calls is T-Mobile's international plan. For $15 a month, you get unlimited data and messaging. Both incoming and outgoing calls cost 20 cents a minute. Calls are free if they're made on a Wi-Fi network. When you return home, the service can be canceled. If you don't buy the international plan, calls cost $2 a minute.
Or, you can rent a phone that gives you unlimited calling within the country you're visiting. SIM cards for international use can be purchased, too.
Guide books, such as the ones Fodor publishes, tend to be heavy and have small print. If you're lugging suitcases on trains, buses and airplanes, you might want to download Kindle versions of guidebooks. They're cheaper and the type size can be customized. They'll work just fine on tablets as well as Kindle devices. They're available on Amazon and Apple.
When I'm on an extended vacation, my kids will occasionally visit my home to check things out. But for folks without children who can stop by, there are 24/7 ways to secure your home.
I've reviewed both previously and still like them.
Ring, which is a doorbell with a built-in fish-eye camera, notifies you whenever someone is at the door, whether or not they ring the bell. Half-way across the world, I was able to see, on my phone and tablet, who approached the door, and I could even hold a two-way conversation with them. In case you're not near your phone, a paid service will keep video footage in the cloud. I used it several times a day. While there were no scofflaws attempting to break in, I was able to greet my sons when they came to wash clothes and raid the refrigerator.
The doorbell, available at www.ring.com, costs $200. Ring makes other security devices, such as the Stick Up Cam ($199), which provides surveillance from other areas around the house.
Another security service, alarm.com, lets you turn your home security system on and off remotely. It's a handy feature for times when a maid, for example, needs access, and you'd rather not give the maid the key. When the work is completed, the maid calls you, and you can arm your security system again. I pay $10 a month, on top of the $50 a month for security monitoring. Alarm also makes more sophisticated devices, such as ones that do video monitoring.
My trip abroad was full of pleasant surprises and random acts of kindness from the natives. The flight was great, the people I met were amazing, and by doing some research and planning, I was able to keep tabs on my home, use my electronic devices, and communicate with people at home and abroad. Then there were those seats that turned into beds. A gadget lover's Dreamliner.
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