Best travel gadgets 2014

WHETHER YOU'RE an international jetsetter, regular MegaBus rider or more of a traditional 'I'll just use my legs' type, there are few journeys that aren't made more bearable with the help of some good old pocket-sized gadgets.

If it's just something to keep you occupied on public transport, to assist your travels or that no holiday can do without, gadgets are becoming more and more prevalent in the modern age where travel and communication become commonplace.

So here's our rundown of the best gadgets that no traveller can do without.

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse
Sometimes, even the best laptop touchpads just don't cut it, and true on-screen pointer precision requires nothing short of a good old fashioned mouse.

With a design that flexes from a flat to a curve, which when snapped into place powers it on, the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is the most slimline of its kind, and perfect for those mouse fans travelling light. Better yet, it features BlueTrack technology, which combines the power of optical with the precision of laser for more precise tracking on virtually any surface.

The Arc Touch also offers more than six months of life on each battery change, so it's ideal for long-term holidays or business trips.

The Arc Touch Mouse is available from the UK Microsoft Store for £60.

Lifestraw 
Containing no chemicals, no batteries and no moving parts, the Lifestraw is a gizmo that no adventurer can do without because you never know when you might find yourself gasping for a drink.

The Lifestraw's microbiological water purification system means it can filter 1,000 litres of water sucked up through the straw, removing a minimum of 99.9999 percent of waterborne bacteria and parasites.

It takes a good hard suck to get the water up, but that's hardly a problem when it's a matter of life or death, right? Perhaps save this one for emergencies, though, as you might look a little odd sipping water from a dirty river when there's a perfectly decent shop nearby