Credit to Nicola Jane

Many years ago, Nicci told us that she had occasionally taken a power box overseas. One of those multiplug boxes that you plug your crap into, using up only one wall socket. 

This can then be plugged into an adapter for whatever country you’re in. 

A brilliant idea for when every phone or device came with it's own 3-pin plug on the charger. 

Now, of course, everything has moved to USB, first type-A, and more recently type-C. 

So a pocket full of cables is now standard. 

I have a couple of adaptors I carry now that cover all countries. They also have USB plugs built in. 

My biggest concern, however, is the weight of adapters. Once you’ve loaded it up with USB cables, and maybe a 3-pin plug hanging off the back for those that take it, and it’s pretty heavy. That means that all of the weight is hanging a couple of inches away from the prongs of the plug.

If it’s the Au/NZ plug or the UK/SIN/UAE style, there’s a lot to hold on with. For the EU type, not so much. 2 round pins, no more.

Add to that, hotel rooms. Like many things that get used many times daily, hotel room plugs get a little loose. Just sayin’. 

So we have to be prepared for the occasion when the plug wants to fall out of the plug, or the socket is so close to some furniture that you can’t use it with a bulky adapter.

And then I found it. Circling back to Nicola Jane’s idea. In K-Mart (I know, right?!?), I found a perfect toy from Anko.

It has 2 x 3-pin plugs for hair-dryer or cpap machine

It has 2 x USB-A ports

It has 2 x USB-C ports

It also has an assortment of plugs to suit your country du jour. 

Plus, this is the only adaptor I’ve seen with the full round plug for Europe, called a schuko plug. 

The round body fits into the socket to better support the fit. 

The alternative is a flat plug called a Europlug. 

Because it’s not the shape of the circular recess in the socket, it doesn’t support the weight quite as well. 

They're not terrible, because their shape includes a wedge at each end that is supported in the round recess.
Most travel plugs use this style, for lack of bulk, particularly in a multiplug. 

As one final note to flexibility, I have put a short extension cord in my bag, for the older properties that are not replete with plug locations.

Bottom line. I’ve done my PhD and hopefully have all possible hotel room scenarios covered. It would not go well for me if Sarah's phones and work iPad don't get the warm buzz of electricity every night.

Having now said that, sure as eggs is eggs, an unexpected scenario will hit me upside of the head sometime soon.