I have just got back from a short break in Spain and the weather was as unpredictable as here. Warm sunshine for our first couple of days then torrential rain but it didn't really matter what the weather was doing the apartment was coolish at night.

We had an apartment with heating but having been to Spain before in January I remembered how cold I was when I went to bed so this time I went armed with the heat pads for comfort.

I use the ThermaCare heat wraps for my journey to and from Spain and also wear a back support and find this a tremendous help. This time I also took my WellCare electric heat pad which my friend had bought me for using in the bed at night. It was absolutely brilliant as I would lie it flat on the bed for a couple of minutes before I got in then moved it higher to lie on for my neck and middle back. Its very safe and has three heat settings and an automatic switch off after 60 mins. I've been trying to track down a supplier of this heat pad as my friend bought it on QVC but I haven't had any joy so if anyone knows where I can get these from I would be very grateful.

I bought a Dreamland Heatpad for my daughter (great for period pains) which was from Gray's of Edinburgh which was also very good and another make called Beurer do back and neck ones but they are very expensive.Prices for them all do vary so much so it is worth researching and even looking on ebay for one. For anyone going away to a strange bed with a back problem the pad is a must as there is no question about it - heat does help ease pain. Maybe not completely but enough to make you comfortable while you sleep or for that matter sit in a strange chair.

Another heat wrap that I found which can be heated in the Microwave and can be reused is the hot water bottle back wrap which is basically a microwavable heated wrap which is a comfortable non-restrictive one size fits all belt and not too expensive. The website for that is www.hotwaterbottles.net/backwrap.