What to Pack

• Bring those larger suction cups (with the hooks on them) that adhere to windows, which you can purchase at any craft store (or perhaps hardware). These are wonderful for putting on your hotel bathroom mirror and hanging a face cloth, necklaces, toothbrush, etc. They keep things clean and off the bathroom sink, and they're very strong. You can also get suction holders made specifically for hanging a shaver on (saw them at bathroom/home supply stores).
  
  
• Think about bringing a role of bubble wrap and a role of masking tape with you on a trip. Find something fragile that you MUST have? No problem. Wrap it in the bubble wrap, and put it in your carry-on!
  
  
• The clothespin - one of the greatest inventions of mankind. Not only at home, but when traveling, they have a multitude of uses. Hang your clothes in the closet with them, clip your receipts together, close those plastic bags, hang up your swimsuit, close your partially-eaten chips bag, etc. I always pack 2 and believe me, they get used!
  
  
• Your feet can suffer greatly during travel! There are lots of soothing products on the market you can easily pack to provide yourself relief at the end of a long day. I find that the Body Shop has a particularly good line of footcare, including refreshing sprays, soothing gels, foot soaking granules, peppermint lotions, etc. Often, they'll give you a sample of 1 or 2 products if you ask the sales clerk. Then you can have a tiny container of just enough product to relieve your aching feet. I'm sure other stores and brands have similar products. I find it very rewarding to take care of my feet, especially if I'm on them all day sightseeing!
  
  
• When traveling be sure to carry:
  • A knit black dress. They do not need ironing and may serve as eveningwear.
  • An extra large T-shirt in your tote bag at all times - it may serve as a towel, a blanket, a night shirt, a scarf, a skirt, a cover-up, etc.
  • Be sure to split your valuables up - don't put all your eggs in the same basket.
    
    
• On trips I bring a small plastic bag or box of Q-Tips and my favorite kind of Kleenex. They are very easy to pack and come in very handy.
  
  
• I have found that a pair of lightweight pants that has 2 detachable lengths is very convenient. Not only are they in style, they make "changing" into shorts or long pants easy with just a zip!
  
  
• Take a universal sink plug - it worked for Cardinal Hume, and it does for me too.
  
  
• Pack a bottle of iodine. It will purify water if you get stuck in a place without any bottled water. It may make it/or your beverage taste funny, but it will help prevent you from getting Montezuma's Revenge! Also take Imodium A-D if you happen to forget and brush your teeth with the local water (or drink something with ice cubes in it)!
  
  
• I always pack 2 small spray bottles - 1 with bleach and 1 with rubbing alcohol. These are indispensable for killing germs/fungus in shower stalls and toilet seats, and can be wiped off with toilet paper. Plus the alcohol keeps the bathroom mirror 'fog free'. However, be sure to keep the bottles inside a double plastic ziploc bag to prevent any leakage.
  
  
• A pillowcase is excellent for dirty laundry. Clothes can get moldy if they are kept in an airtight plastic bag.
  
  
• When traveling to Europe, most of the hotels and B&Bs do not provide washcloths. My tip is this: Buy a package of Handy Wipes. Cut each one in half. Take one for each night of the trip. If sharing a room, use a different color for each person. You now have a soft, clean washcloth for each night of your journey. In the morning, wipe off shoes and toss out. No more carrying around a wet, smelly washcloth in a plastic bag!
  
  
• I always take a small container of pure castile soap (Dr. Bronner's Peppermint). It is biodegradable, smells great, and has many uses (as the bottle will tell you), and, while it doesn't taste very good, it can even be used to brush your teeth.
  
  
• Buy books to read on the flight/beach from a local charity shop or boot/garage sale - they are one tenth the price of brand new, and you can afford to leave them behind at the resort, in the hotel library, etc., to leave more space in your luggage for souvenirs, etc. and to save weight.
  
  
• Be sure to either wear a wristwatch that has an alarm, or take a small travel alarm clock. You don't want to oversleep if you need to be somewhere early. Plus, if the face glows in the dark, you can check the time in the middle of the night without disturbing others.
  
  
• A plastic shopping bag packed on bottom and top of your case often comes in extremely handy.
  
  
• Contact lens users: Always have a small torch with some fresh batteries in your luggage (placed right on top). If you have ever spent an hour creeping around on the floor of a hotel bathroom, you will never travel without one again! (Keeping the light beam parallel to the surface you are checking will make your search easier.)
  
  
• I found an unbreakable magnetic mirror intended for school lockers in the school supplies section at one of the large chain discount stores. It is paper thin, measures about 3" by 3", weighs practically nothing, and fits in any corner of my bag without a worry.
  
  
• When I have had a nice stay at a bed and breakfast, friend's home, or nice lodge. I always take a small thank you card, and leave it behind where the staff or provider can find it. It's just a nice left behind surprise. That way I never forget to say "Thank You!"
  
  
• Make sure you bring a voltage converter with you ALONG with the adapter (to fit your plugs into foreign outlets). Recently I went to Spain and stayed with some friends. I had brought a video camera and a hairdryer. When I went to use these items, I found that the adapter package I had bought had no converter, so it was useless.
  
  
• Be sure to take a packet of toothpicks with you. You will find them useful during travelling - especially after snacks in cars or in open areas.
  
  
• A few items that I try to include are a small credit card-sized calculator for currency calculations and the like, a small handheld compass, and an extra pair of prescription glasses plus a copy of my lens prescription.
  
  
• Always carry a bottle of water.
  
  
• I don't take a portable iron - I use a spray bottle. It works great. I didn't believe it until I tried it before my trip. Cuts down on weight and bulk, which is great when you use one suitcase for a trip.
  
  
• When packing, don't forget over-the-counter meds. What I find works best is the following combination: 1 small bottle of Neoproxin Sodium (Aleve), decongestant, and/or Day/NiQuil, Exedrin Migraine (women, also useful if you are sensitive to air pressure in flight cabin), and Pepto Bismol.
  
  
• On a recent trip to France, I found that the best sort of shoe is the flip-flop. My trip was very rainy and a flip flop didn't catch water the way regular shoes did - not to mention that if I had something else to do that night, I would have dry shoes to wear while my tourist flip-flops were safe for repacking. Also, be prepared for all weather. I brought loads of summer clothes for a summer trip, and used my only pair of pants and a sweater almost the entire time. Make the best of rainy days. For shutterbugs: you'll find your pictures are more fun in bad weather.
  
  
• Travel clocks with multiple time zones are as cheap and compact as regular travel alarm clocks. They allow you to see what time it is back home so that you can call at a reasonable hour. They're also handy for when you make calls to your destination from home.
  
  
• We all know how frustrating it is when we have a stubborn zipper (for both men and women travellers). I always find it useful to pack a 'birthday cake candle' - as you know that rubbing the candle wax along the zipper actually smoothens the travelling of the zip. Incidentally, if in emergency, and you do not have a candle handy, you can also use a cake of soap to rub on the zipper. Make sure the soap is DRY or just very, very slightly moist when you do it - you wouldn't want to be walking around with soap bubbles at your crotch !!
  
  
• When I travel, I always take a couple of 100-watt bulbs with me. Most hotels only use 40-watt, and it is impossible to read in that light.
  
  
• The best form of mosquito repellant I've found is Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray, which is sold by Avon Cosmetics. Not only does this spray work well in preventing you from being eaten alive, but it smells fresh and keeps your skin well moisturized throughout the day and night. (Great in hot countries.) Also this product is half the cost of traditional mosquito repellants, and lasts a lot longer!
  
  
• Pack a small electric hot plate if you are traveling for a few months and want to save money. You will also need a cheap coffeepot. I save about 1-3 dollars per day cooking my coffee, spaghetti, or rice, etc. Almost all cheap hotels have plugs. If you are creative you can buy all the electrical devices needed to unplug light bulbs, and insert a double plug and light bulb.
  
  
• When traveling in third world countries, we have found anti-microbial, anti-bacterial handi-wipes are our best friend. You can't beat them for cleaning after getting out of one of those awful train or boat toilets with no washing facilities. Other than that, we use them whenever eating with our hands. We buy them by the box of individual packets from hospital or nursing supply places.
  
  
• Pack a calling card. I was stranded for three days in east Texas and made about 50 long distance phone calls in that time. I had almost forgotten I had the phone card in my wallet. It was a lifesaver!
  
  
• Tape electrical conversion plugs to hairdryer or jug to be sure not to leave behind. It is impossible to buy them in Europe.
  
  
• Bring along pure vitamin E cream. It can be used to moisturize, soothe chapped skin and lips, and it helps to heal scars and burns.
  
  
• When traveling internationally your luggage will go through a lot of x-rays. Buy a lead bag before you leave and store your camera film in this. X-rays damage the film, and the lead bag provides protection.
  
  
• Safety and security whilst travelling are a must for everyone - and two simple RUBBER DOOR STOPS securely placed under any door of a hotel will keep you just that much safer.
  
  
• The best travel tip anyone ever gave me was to always carry a pair of small folding scissors ... A thousand uses and I'm never without them.
  
  
• Foam ear plugs are a must for any trip. You may purchase them at any pharmacy, usually in multiple packs. They are great for the flight (to sleep). In addition to that, you never know when you will be in a hotel where other guests do not appreciate the fact that your tour leaves at 700 a.m.!
  
  
• PackTOWL's are made for campers and available at sports stores. They are made of absorbent material that can be wrung out and used immediately again. They make an often-welcome supplement to hotel towels. I cut them up to make face cloths and store them moist in ziploc bags to use in planes, airports, and train stations to freshen up or remove stains from travel clothing.
  
  
• Moleskin! Travelling usually involves more walking than usual - and even with comfortable old shoes (never pack new shoes) you easily develop blisters. I always carry a package of moleskin, soft pads you can cut to any shape to cover a foot problem temporarily. They have saved the day many times.
  
  
• Once, on a trip where I had to do my own laundry, I had brought some dryer sheets with me. One of my friends told me to put them in my suitcase to keep my clothes smelling clean all week ... and it worked. I never forget them now - especially when I go camping.
  
  
• Traveling in cold weather requires sweaters or bulky flannels. Roll garment, and using the leg of a pair of pantyhose, stuff the item toward the foot. Voila! Instant tight container that doesn't take up any suitcase space. Obviously, the newer the pantyhose, the tighter the fit to the sweater.
  
  
• Don't be a bedbug's dinner - pack a plastic sheet to cover your bed mattress in the hotel, campgound, youth hostel, etc. It won't take up any room in your suitcase and you will end up being bug-free in bed.
  
  
• A large-tipped black marker comes in handy not only for addressing packages going back home you might mail, but also it polishes shoes scuffed by walking those cobblestone streets.
  
  
• Always bring some bottled water. It's good to stay hydrated on long flights and it may be hard to get enough water. Also, it may be hard to find a drinking fountain with drinkable water in an airport.
  
  
• Bring a small scented candle with you to create a homey atmosphere in hotel rooms. The nice scent will take away the sterile hotel room smell and also the scent will calm you.
  
  
• Very simple but important tip: Make sure that you always have a pen with you at all times. You never know when you might need to write down something important.
  
  
• Place an envelope in one of your checked bags containing certified copies of birth certificates and an additional photo I.D. for each member of your family traveling with you. In the event your passport is lost or stolen, these may suffice to get you back home without the cost and hassle of replacing your passport abroad. If your travels will take you to or through countries where a passport is required to continue your travel, have a copy of your passport application and two extra copies of passport photos in this envelope as well. Passport replacement abroad can be accomplished through U.S. embassies or consulate offices. Your hotel should have phone numbers for the nearest office or embassy.
  
  
• Never leave home without a small penlight flashlight. Carries easy in your toilet kit and has led me the way in hotel rooms around the world.
  
  
• Take a big bottle of shampoo. It's perfect for all purpose laundry in the sink, and you won't have to worry about running out of your favorite hair product.
  
  
• Pack a small plug-in nightlight with your toiletries. Use it in the bathroom of your hotel, and you won't be blinded by the overhead light in the middle of the night ... and remember to bring it home with you!
  
  
• When planning a sightseeing tour, pack a wrapping-paper towel tube cut to the length of your suitcase. This comes in handy when you want to buy a poster of where you visited or when you get a picture drawn of yourself or someone else. The tube takes up very little room, and clothes can be rolled around it - which prevents wrinkles!
  
  
• When traveling it may be a good idea to carry a hand sanitizer (kills germs without water). This is convenient for any type of travel, i.e. hiking, backpacking, sightseeing. 'Purell' hand sanitizer is a good brand with moisturizer.
  
  
• For those of you who travel with "dressy" items that wrinkle easily, instead of taking an iron, there is a spray ... you spray a small amount onto the clothing, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then smooth it out with your hands. I have seen this item at MANY travel shops. If you run out of this item, another easy way to get wrinkles out is to hang the article of clothing on the bathroom door while you take a hot shower. The steam will take the wrinkles out.
  
  
• Never leave on any trip without two or three garbage bags in your pack or suitcase. They take up almost no space at all and can have countless uses. I've used garbage bags as pack covers, as extra insulation for a sleeping bag, to patch holes in a tarp, as a raincoat (in an emergency) and as a waterproof layer inside baggage. Once you travel with garbage bags, you'll wonder how you got along without them.
  
  
• Always carry several zip lock type bags, both large and small, for wet toothbrushes, clothing, etc. Pack with plastic bags too - they help keep clothes from wrinkling. Just fold clothing, place in bag, let out excess air, voila! I find them great for packing for small children too. I place their shirt, pants, underwear and socks in one bag. When it's time to dress, it's all there, coordinated and no decisions!

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