DESTINATION, PLEASURE: A GUIDE TO SEX TOYS & TRAVELING

Guest written by Rain Andersen (@wearenotfriends_), a marketing and e-commerce coordinator for Lovers. Rain is a retired sex worker, pleasure advocate, and sexual wellness expert. Rain has worked in the adult entertainment industry for eight years and in the adult retail industry for four years.

In January 2021, President Joe Biden issued a travel ban in response to concerns of a new COVID variant. It was one of several entry bans that countries have adopted to prevent travelers from entering the most impacted regions. Seven months later, with the distribution of three new COVID vaccines, we are beginning to see these restrictions lifted. Travel spending is stabilizing, along with our comfort levels. A survey conducted on over 1,300 adults, shortly after Biden’s January announcement, revealed that 49% of respondents planned to get the vaccine in order to be able to travel. It’s safe to say that American’s are not only interested in traveling this summer- we’re out of practice. After a year of being quarantined to our homes, we’re seeking out experiences that thrill, enrich, and awaken our minds. This guide explores the connection between sex and travel, providing you with the tools to have the safest and sexiest overseas experiences.

QUICK LINKS:

1. An International Affair: Condom Use & Birth Control Abroad
2. Traveling with Sex Toys: How to Get Your Toy on an Airplane
3. Wander Lust: How to Pick a Vibrating Travel Companion
4. Destination, Pleasure: The Best Portable Sex Toys for Travel
5. Eat, Fuck, Love: Travel Kits by Destination

An International Affair: Condom Use & Birth Control Abroad

“What Happens on Vacation, May Not Stay on Vacation”

The relationship between sex and travel is closer than we might imagine. As if by design, these two activities help to expose us to new and unexpected stimuli, effectively activating the same neurotransmitters engaged during arousal. One insight that researchers have been able to glean from this is that people are more likely to participate in casual sex when abroad. Is it true that the further we distance ourselves from our comfort zone, the less inhibited we become?

One thing that we can do to ensure that our travels are both enriching and safe, is to have access to condoms and birth control while abroad. Traveling (particularly for long periods of time) means that you won’t have access to the same doctors and services that might be available to you at home. Knowing that we have a tendency to follow our hearts when we travel (sorry, brain) we recommend that you bring additional condoms and birth control methods with you. You can store condoms in both carry on and checked baggage. These 100% TSA compliant barriers should be kept in a cool, dry space, away from items with sharp edges or moisture.

There are many reasons why traveling with condoms can benefit you abroad (the most prominent reason being that condoms are not always readily available in other countries). Nigeria, Indonesia, and the Philippines are just a few of the countries leading the conversation on anti-condom rhetoric, making it difficult to procure these items when you need them. Additionally, countries that report lower statistics of condom usage are typically associated with higher rates of STI’s, an unfortunate outcome of the obscurity of condoms in these regions.

Traveling With Sex Toys: How to Get Your Toy on an Airplane

“Ma’am, your suitcase is vibrating. We’re going to need to call the bomb squad.”

Is there anything more mortifying then playing a game of show-and-tell at the international airport? It’s everyone’s greatest fear, but one that may be unwarranted. It turns out, airport employees aren’t eager to handle your vibrator either! By planning ahead and packing properly, you can get your vibrator through TSA quickly and painlessly.

Traveling for Business or for Pleasure Today?
While fabric storage bags offer the most breathable environment for transporting your sex toy, they don’t offer a clear visual of what they contain. Your screening time will be significantly shorter if you are transparent about what it is you’re bringing aboard. TSA recommends keeping vibrators in a clear, plastic sandwich bag so that they can easily identify the nature of the object at a glance. An added benefit of storing your sex toys in a sandwich bag is that it prevents your toy from being physically handled, thus mitigating the transfer of unwanted bacteria’s.

Hi, My Name is VIBRATOR
Even if an item is permitted on an airplane, it may be subject to additional screening if it triggers an alarm during the screening process. To facilitate the screening process, you can label your sex toy to make it easily identifiable.

Erotic Contraband
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not only acceptable to bring sex toys on a plane, it’s acceptable to bring all sorts of erotic accessories. The general rule is this: if it can be used to club someone to death, don’t bring it. Many sex toys are designed with portability in mind, like Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraints and Door Jam. These light-weight and kinky accessories will bring excitement and unpredictability to your vacation without taking up too much space. Handcuffs, spanking canes, and massage candles are all fair game. Just be sure to transport anything sharp or potentially threatening, like a sensation wheel, in your checked baggage to avoid dispute. You can use TSA’s Security Screening Guide to confirm exactly which items are kosher to bring aboard a plane.

Wander Lust: How to Pick a Vibrating Travel Companion

It’s easier than ever to travel with sex toys! Smaller, more compact sex toys not only offer users discretion, they also compliment the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers. These days, a sex toys portability is as much a signature of its design as its method of stimulation.

One thing to consider when picking out a sex toy for travel is it’s charging method. If you plan to go overseas, you’ll want to find a brand that offers a universal charging method, or something that can adapt to alternative outlets. Brands like LELO, Fun Factory, We-Vibe, and Womanizer offer the charging accessories necessary to use their products anywhere in the world. Their ultra-adaptable chargers provide the quickest and easiest methods for charging your sex toy, including the ability to charge it from your very own laptop. If you prefer to opt for a battery-operated sex toy, just make sure to remove the batteries before your screening process. AA, AAA, C, and D batteries are permitted for both carry on and checked baggage, but may trigger alarms during the screening process if they are not properly stored.

Love traveling but don’t trust your electronic vibe? Many modern sex toys include a travel-lock feature that can prevent your possessions from reanimating inside your suitcase. Just look for the travel-lock feature listed alongside your vibrators specs to confirm if your sex toy offers this, or ask a Lovers associate to point you to the products that boast this feature.

Passport to Pleasure: The Best Portable Sex Toys for Travel

Not sure what to bring on your vacation? Shop travel-friendly sex toys and check out these three travel-friendly sex toys to get you inspired for your next out-of-state trip.

Evolved Thrust and Go ($139)

You "Thrust Go Travel" with this packable thrusting vibrator! Take this sex toy anywhere… the Thrust and Go vibrator is made up of four interchangeable pieces for easy assembly and break down. Choose from two shaft attachments and seven powerful settings to customize your experience. Equipped with its own detachable mount, the Thrust and Go Vibrator can be affixed to any flat, smooth surface along a 180-degree angle. The Thrust and Go is the ultimate penetrative sex toy for customized play!

We-Vibe Moxie ($129)

The We-Vibe Moxie is our best-selling panty vibrator, designed for hands free stimulation! The Moxie vibrator fits into the lining of your underwear to facilitate portable pleasure. Perfect for bars, clubs, and restaurants, the Moxie is the ultimate couple’s vibrator for discreet public play. It’s whisper quiet motor can be controlled via Bluetooth or remote, offering ten pre-programmed settings to choose from. This travel-friendly and interactive vibe is one of the best sex toys for connection-driven experiences.

Intro to Prostate Kit ($39)

Discover the pleasure of prostate play with the Intro to Prostate Kit. This kit is designed to take you through every stimulating stage of anal play, with four silicone butt plugs crafted for beginners and advanced users. We recommend bringing kits on your vacation because they contain everything you need to embark on an erotic adventure! This all-encompassing anal kit is an excellent travel companion, perfectly sized to fit in your luggage.

Eat, Fuck, Love: Travel Kits by Destination

Going somewhere? We put together the ultimate travel kit for these four, popular post-COVID destinations. Because let’s face it, every travel experience is unique (the sex we are having should be no different)! Use these checklists to make sure you don't forget any fun goodies for your trip.

Want more great sex tips?
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Further Readings:

How to Have Ethical Sex with Strangers on Vacation: Vice Magazine
What A Sex & Travel Study Reveals About International Relations: Travel Pulse
The Secret to Finding Great Sex While Traveling Solo: PLAYBOY

WITH PLEASURE,

LOVERS