Since my son and I recently flew back and forth between Norrbotten and Svealand, I wanted to share a few travel tips for anyone with Autism who is planning a trip. There are actually some very simple tools out there that make packing easier and significantly reduce stress at airports, on noisy flights, and on trains.
First: Organize your packing with packing cubes
It makes a world of difference if you pack your clothes sorted into separate bags or cubes. Not only can you compress everything to save space, but more importantly, you get some actual order among your clothes. It lets you separate the underwear you need every single day from that one sweater you only plan to wear when going out for a nicer dinner. I have been using packing cubes for a few years now and really recommend giving them a try. They don’t have to be expensive either. Before this summer’s trip, I supplemented my collection with a cheap set from Amazon, and I honestly think that if you buy two kits like that, you will be set for many years to come. Why two? Because I have personally noticed that I prefer packing in the smaller bags, but sometimes it is great to have a large bag with you just to tuck away dirty laundry.
Second: Keep track of each other with a tracking app
When my son and I visited Skansen, I lost track of him at the Baltic Sea Center. He suddenly lost interest in the big salmon and wandered off just as I pulled out my phone to take a photo. So, my second tip of the day is about what to keep in mind when you are out and about, especially with a child or teenager with Autism. My son is much faster than you might think, and he walks away quickly whenever something looks interesting. Because of this, I make sure he always carries his mobile phone, and for a few years now, I have installed a tracking app on all devices in the family. This doesn’t just help when traveling; it is also great for when my son misplaces his tablet, as we can easily track it down. I have also bought a few Bluetooth tags so that keys, wallets, and similar items can be found when they go missing. (Trust me, it happens more often than you think.) The app we use is called Life360, and you can buy tags and wallet cards on Amazon. Being able to track my son brings peace of mind to both me and my wife when he is out on his own, but also for those moments when you turn your back for a second and he walks around a corner and disappears. After about 15 minutes of searching at Skansen, I remembered that I had an app to look for him. Even though it isn’t 100% accurate, it helped me locate which part of the building he had ended up in.
Third: Limit sensory overload with ANC headphones
I rarely have issues with sensory overload myself, but when I need to focus on where I am going and how we are getting there, it is incredibly nice to be able to put my ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) headphones in my ears. If you haven’t tried it, I can only describe it as a life-changer. On the train, the plane, the bus, or in the car. When I put them in, it feels like a privacy screen has been set up right next to me. My focus returns, and when I travel longer distances, I arrive without feeling completely brain-dead. I have recommended different models that I’ve owned in the past, but over the last year, I have upgraded a bit in both price and comfort. My current in-ear headphones are from Nothing, and I also bought a pair for my son—a different model from the same manufacturer. I actually planned on buying the Apple Airpods Pro 3, because I had tried my wife’s Airpods and realized they are really good. However, I feel that both my son and I are too careless to walk around with headphones that expensive in our pockets; they would either get crushed or lost eventually. Nothing’s headphones reach almost the same level of noise cancellation as Apple’s, which is more than enough.
In the photo, you don’t just see my in-ears that are in my pocket every single day—I have also upgraded my over-ear headphones. My old JBL headphones, which I have written about before, had one thing that annoyed me: they had simply become outdated. I was about to buy the updated model from JBL, where the biggest upgrade would have been that they now charge with the same cable as my phone (USB-C). But then I was walking around Arlanda Airport with an hour to kill while waiting for my flight. I test-listened to about 20 different pairs while I was there and realized there are better options. Once I got home, I ordered the pair that fit me best at the airport, and I am not disappointed. They turned out to be the Soundcore Q30 by Anker. For under a thousand Swedish kronor, I felt—at least based on my test at Arlanda—that you cannot find any headphones more suitable for me. And yes, I am completely satisfied. I have used them through a couple of battery charges now, and they work great in the workshop, at the computer, when watching TV, and in the car. It is not the exact same wall of silence that you get with my in-ears, but to achieve that kind of silence, you would need more physical noise dampening on the headphones, and then I think they become uncomfortable.
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