Travel accessories are a key requirement for problem free trips. If you leave home without some essential ones, your trip may end up being more of a nightmare – especially if you’re unable to find a good replacement.

A good example is your phone charger.

But…an even better example is your Power Bank – especially for people in my part of the world!

Since you’ll often be more on the road, than not, chances are good that you may not have ready access to electricity needed to powering your mobile devices – which, in today’s world are essential tools for optimal productivity in virtually every area of life.

The above is why having a ready and reliable means of charging your devices as you journey to your destination(s) is something you need to give careful consideration to.

In the course of my travels as a location independent multipreneur, I’ve learnt how important a good charging source can be to staying connected.

Even when one is not traveling, the ability to keep your mobile device ON is one that most people go out of their way to ensure they develop – for obvious reasons!

So, you see many carrying chargers and power banks of all kinds around with them.

This is an especially common sight in a place like Nigeria, where epileptic or even no power supply tends to be more of the norm than the exception. So, people are often on the lookout for every opportunity they can get to charge their devices.

Not doing so would make them stand the risk of losing valuable opportunities in their personal and work lives.

Take my case for example.

I once needed to transfer funds from an account to another that was linked to the debit card I wished to use at the ATM to cash money.

It was around 1p.m and I was at the ATM premises of the bank I used. Unfortunately, for me, the battery on my Smartphone (which has been flashing almost empty) finally shut down just as I tried to compose the SMS code to make the transfer!

When this happened, I almost panicked, since getting the funds was necessary for me to be able to continue towards my destination, where I was to keep an appointment to train a user who’d traveled down from outside the state, after purchasing my Feed Formulation Software and Handbook.

I owned a normal power bank that is charged using electric power supply (be it public or generator), but it was already drained…AND since there was no available place I could plug it into, like the phone, there was no way I could use it.

Out of desperation, I spoke to the security guard about finding a place I could connect my phone charger to boost the battery a bit.

But he told me there was no place I could do that where he was.

I looked around in frustration, and tried to think – hard. My mental attitude of never giving up, and always trying to think of viable alternative ways to achieve my intended purpose kicked in. 

All of a sudden, I remembered that I had in my bag another power bank that was solar powered!

Quickly reaching into my bag, I brought it out, and soon located a convenient spot to place it for maximum sunlight exposure. Thankfully, the sun was really out on that day.

At this point, I knew everything was likely to soon be okay.

TIP: This comforting feeling came from my recollection of a day when I was traveling back to Lagos from Cotonou, while expecting an important call.

My phone battery was almost out of power, so I had places the Solar Power Bank on the dashboard (front passenger side) of the taxi I was in.

Then I’d connected my phone USB cable to the power bank, and watched it get charged at the same time as the power bank was storing sunlight as energy.

This made it possible for me to keep the phone on, and NOT have to wait till the power bank was charged up to some lower limit.

As a result, even though my phone battery had almost shut down when we took off for Lagos, I was able to take a call I was expecting, without worrying that it would shut down.

On that day at the bank, it took the Smartphone battery about 20 minutes to come alive enough to get a signal and allow me send the SMS to effect the funds transfer.

Over the years I’ve noticed that it pays to keep a simple and small “battery economizing” phone (like the nifty double SIM Nokia shown in the photos below) as a backup for when one is on the road.

This is mainly for times when one’s bigger and more battery hungry Smartphone runs out of juice.

When you’re traveling, functionality and expedience will sometimes take precedence over the need to use the pretty features available with advanced devices!

This is why I’ve used my small Nokia phone in the photos to show the Solar Power Bank in use.

Do NOT however take it to mean it cannot charge bigger devices. It CAN.

For instance, I’ve used it to power my Blackberry, a relative’s Galaxy Tablet, and even another power bank with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

Yes. This solar power bank is THAT powerful (and as a result it’s NOT cheap!) 

My point, is however that using it with a smaller device when you’re on the road, can ensure you can stay connected LONGER, and that if your battery shuts down, you can get back up and running FASTER.

When you get back to “civilization” (i.e., places where you are sure of access to enough electricity for your charging needs), you can then switch your SIM card back to your Smartphone or other more advance mobile device.

That’s what I do anyway, and I’ve found it keeps me optimally productive.

Interestingly, small phones like the one in the photo are getting better at providing Internet enabled access.

For instance, mine lets me check my emails and Facebook quite easily – it’s just a smaller and simpler interface, but it works!

Another thing I absolutely LOVE about this solar power bank is the powerful fluorescent it has on the other side to the solar panel.

Even after it no longer has enough juice to charge my phone, it’s given me massive return for my investment in it by providing excellent lighting at night or in dark places I’ve had to be.

The best quality of this device is however its durability/longevity.

Since I bought the first one I ever used in 2015, the one in the photo is the 3^rd I’m buying.

But guess what? I’ve NEVER had to throw any away due to a fault or damage.

The first one got left behind in a Lagos Tricycle by my kids when we went on an outing. It still worked perfectly despite being badly scarred on the outside.

It had taken countless falls – without getting damaged – for over a year when that happened.

Sadly, the shop that sold that first one to me had run out of stock by the time I went back to them.

It took me time to find a reliable source to buy a replacement from (there are fake versions or copies in the market, so one needs to be careful) – and I only found the right place about 6 months ago.

Last week, I gave THAT second one to my daughter as a gift (so she and her siblings could use to charge their phones and also for lighting at night) and I bought the new one shown in the photos here.

I took that decision because I want to offer useful resources like this solar power bank to travel minded enthusiasts I intend to attract to DiscoverCotonou.com – the new Travel Website I’m launching.

Join DiscoverCotonou.com as a member and I’ll send you THIS Solar/Electricity Driven Power Bank and Fluorescent Lamp as a FREE Gift!

All you have to do is fill/submit this form to request details of how to sign up as a member. Click now to send me your message.

Below: Key Features of the Solar Power Bank/Charger & Fluorescent Lamp [Also Charges Using Electricity]

1. Solar panel on one side – for charging in direct sunlight e.g. you can charge on car dashboard while you drive or outside the house while you’re indoors.
2. Electricity input point for charging using current from public electricity supply.
3. Solar powered fluorescent lamp on opposite side/face
4. Long lasting. High Capacity :> When full, it charges my Smartphone twice. > Even after it no longer has enough juice to charge your phone/device, the residual power allows you use the powerful fluorescent lamp for hours!
5. Intelligent power management solution, soft switch button, steady and high efficiency
6. Works with most types of mobile phones and digital products wu9ch have USB cable connector
7. Provides several different charging adaptors e.g. iPhone/iPad/iPod/MP3/MP4/GPS/Cell Phone Bluetooth device, some tablet PC and other digital products
8. Possesses precise IC protector to safely prevent overcharging, over discharging, and short circuit.