Skull Sling

I was in an overnight shuttle bus heading West through Guatemala not so long ago. The local buses are small mini-vans, each seat notably without a head rest. All very well on short journeys, but for this particular one - 9 hours through the night - it was uncomfortable to the point of madness. Thankfully, I was cheered by a Californian girl sat next to me who found everything about the situation inexplicably hilarious.

I tried a few things. I tried shifting my body forward to bring my shoulders into closer proximity to the top of my seat, but alas the seats in front crippled my legs by cutting the blood from reaching my feet, or indeed returning.

California offered her lap as a potential place to rest my head, but her sitting next to me meant my spine was forced into an interesting pretzel formation that would have caused paralysis had we hit a pot-hole in the road.

I ended up piling a vast assortment of objects on to my knees in order to form a plinth upon which to rest my face. This was merely uncomfortable, and rocked and shuddered at every turn in the winding dirt-track roads.

No. I needed a Head Hammock; an idea California giggled at for some time as I described it, but I had genuinely considered halfmarketable, if you take my meaning.

Simply, a tiny adjustable hammock within which one can rest one's head. It can be affixed to the vehicle in question using sucker pads to the roof, or hooked on to handles above. Perhaps a Velcro attachment could be employed. Ensure head lies back into it - if leaning forward into it, a crash may lead to painful decapitation. Always read the label!

Presumably this could be used in all manner of places, like in bed when you want to read a book but can't quite get your head elevated to that perfect position with but one pillow at your disposal. Or, indeed, anywhere where holding up your head with both hands while relaxing in the sun inevitably reduces your ability to drink a beer at the same time.

These are my troubles, for which I am grateful, but wish to overcome nevertheless.

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* Presumably you could also use it hurl skulls long distances.