If you’re someone who has never used an eye mask, you may not think of bringing one. I’d certainly never needed one to sleep on planes before and thought that was the only place I might want one… So why bother?
Well yeah, transport is a major factor here. Are you likely to go on overnight transport? I brought one on my RTW trip and used it on overnight trains/buses/planes… But it’s usually dark at the time anyway so may seem optional. So why such a necessity?
The real reason you need one is Hostels.
Unless you’re planning a luxury trip of hotels and resorts, it’s likely you’ll stay in a hostel at some point on your trip. And although if you were out late one night, you would ever-so-quietly tip-toe into the room and guide your way to your bed with your phone or torch… There are some wankers out there who won’t. Every backpacker can tell you tales of horrifically inconsiderate arseholes who wake them up in dorm rooms in a whole manner of ways. But one of the lesser evil ways is by turning the light on and waking everyone up (I won’t tell you the worse ways, it may put you off altogether!). And if you are working holiday visa-ing it and have work the next day, you’ll be pissed off.
Obviously an eye mask will only avoid the being awoken by light thing. If you also put your handy sarong up as a curtain to your bunk and keep a flip flop handy to throw at the wankers, you may just survive… Ha! (Honestly its not that bad, just be prepared!)
So any particular kind? Well I brought the most amazing one with me – velvet with lavender inside. I got it as a gift before I went otherwise I wouldn’t have splashed out, but I massively appreciated it. Unfortunately I lost it on an overnight bus in Asia and had to replace it with a satin-y one from Typo in Australia. Not nearly as nice, it’s definitely worth getting a nicer one. Remember it’s quite likely you’ll wear it most nights (I did), so get a good one and stay away from the cheap plastic ones!
Here are some nice ones off of Amazon…
MSSilk Extra Size Breathable Pure Silk Sleep Eye Mask with Brocade Pouch and Earplugs Gift Set
Aroma Home Lavender Scented Blue Silk Eye Mask
Jasmine Silk 100% Pure Silk Filled Eye Mask / Sleeping Mask Sleep Mask – PINK
So there you go, bring an eye mask to minimise dorm confrontations!
Gosh I sound more and more like a flash packing princess with every post don’t I?!
Try one of these.
I used to have one, just to wear at home, but it was just from Dollar Store, and the elastic stretched so much that it kept coming off, or I’d wake up wearing it like a necklace. Eventually I gave up (partly because it was annoying, and partly because I am slightly paranoid about middle of the night choking in my sleep type things.) If I could find one that wouldn’t stretch I would totally get one!