1) Talking Translator. There are a few of these on the market and, as is always the case with translation tools, they produce varying results. Still, hunt around for the best and you have a luxury travel gadget that probably goes unrivalled.

The principle is simple: These handheld devices not only translate what you type into them, they also say it back to you. As anyone who speaks French as a second language will testify, the benefit of hearing a translation instead of reading it is massive – not only does it stick in your head longer, it’s also much, much easier to reproduce when ordering a dish in a top Parisian restaurant!

When researching for Talking Translators, look to see whether they are either GPS enabled or capable of displaying maps.

2) Noise-Canceling Earphones. Again, there are plenty of these on the market – though this time, their results … READ MORE ...