travel essentials...things you forgot and wish you had...

[Bakeneko]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

My husband wears a sleep mask, because he has a hard time sleeping unless the room is pitch black and there's something putting pressure on his eyes. We always have to remind ourselves to pack the sleep mask.

(I wonder how he manages to fall alseep in front of the TV without it. I'll have to ask him that sometime.)

Stuff that I use only when I travel (like my sleep mask) I just keep in my suitcase so I don't forget them...

As I've gotten older and creakier, I don't like to get caught without my hating pad and extension cord...

Also- I learned how to knot a few years ago and now find that I get less anxious about flying if I have something to do with my hands...

[Blinx]

Some essentials:
Wedge door stopper -- for smaller hotels/B&Bs without deadbolts
Nail clippers -- not for my nails. I use them to cut off zip ties from luggage
Safety pins (large and small)

Things I've had to run out and buy:
Glasses repair kit and sewing kit. Buttons have a way of popping off only when I travel -- same for lenses!
Camera batteries and memory cards -- would have saved a LOT of money if I had bought these at home.

[Ameriscot]

I'm not a hypochondriac but people seem to think I am when I tell them that I always travel with: sinus headache pills (in case I get a good whiff of someone's perfume, lotion which I'm allergic to), Immodium, Ibuprofen/paracetamol, tablets for indigestion/heartburn.

[ccc123]

I always travel with what my family calls " the med box" which contains Pepto, Tums, Advil, Advil PM, Sinus/cold pills etc. on any road trip we take. They always laugh until one of them needs something from the box and then it's not so funny anymore.

[gouligann]

Originally Posted by ccc123

I always travel with what my family calls " the med box" which contains Pepto, Tums, Advil, Advil PM, Sinus/cold pills etc. on any road trip we take. They always laugh until one of them needs something from the box and then it's not so funny anymore.

I agree. I pack all those and more. (bandages, antiseptic ointment, etc)

I'm always nervous and excited when we fly, not because of flying, but because I am afraid of being late to the airport, gate, etc. I almost always get the runs the morning we are to fly out, so I take an Immodium as soon as I wake up and pack them for the return trip too. They are also handy to have in case you eat or drink something that causes the runs while on vacation.

[Ameriscot]

Originally Posted by gouligann

I agree. I pack all those and more. (bandages, antiseptic ointment, etc)

I'm always nervous and excited when we fly, not because of flying, but because I am afraid of being late to the airport, gate, etc. I almost always get the runs the morning we are to fly out, so I take an Immodium as soon as I wake up and pack them for the return trip too. They are also handy to have in case you eat or drink something that causes the runs while on vacation.

I also pack rehydration packets if I do get food poisoning. Used them a lot when we lived in Uganda. We also learned that unless you really have to - like when you have to make a trip, you should never take immodium when you have diarrhea. You should get out of your system whatever made you sick. You don't always know if something just didn't agree with you or if there is a bacteria from an unwashed cooks hands, etc.

Never, ever eat salad or raw food on a plane!

We are about to travel to Thailand and one of the relatives we will be meeting there has already got food poisoning there. I plan on no salads, no fruit unless I've washed it myself, no uncooked foods, no street foods unless I know it's been well cooked. Bottled water only, even when rinsing mouth after brushing teeth.

[jasper12]

Oddly enough, warm socks, and flip flops.

I have been on so many airplanes, and my feet were freezing cold! Now, I just bundle into a pair of warm socks that I keep in my travel bag.

Flip flops...last week I was in three different hotels, not too crazy about walking around hotel rooms in bare feet, call me crazy...just prefer to have some shoes on...or flip flops for running down to the breakfast area...

I second not drinking water or ice, or eating salad in unusual areas...last time I was in South America, I just decided to drink wine all the time, sometimes with soda water in it, and only eat well cooked food, preferably vegetables, or things I can identify. Nothing like being ill on a trip...

[Bakeneko]

Originally Posted by jasper12

Oddly enough, warm socks, and flip flops.

I have been on so many airplanes, and my feet were freezing cold! Now, I just bundle into a pair of warm socks that I keep in my travel bag.

Flip flops...last week I was in three different hotels, not too crazy about walking around hotel rooms in bare feet, call me crazy...just prefer to have some shoes on...or flip flops for running down to the breakfast area...

I second not drinking water or ice, or eating salad in unusual areas...last time I was in South America, I just decided to drink wine all the time, sometimes with soda water in it, and only eat well cooked food, preferably vegetables, or things I can identify. Nothing like being ill on a trip...

I hear ya, I always bring a pair of nice slipper socks with me when I fly.

A couple years back, I forgot my flip-flops on a trip... ended up with a planter wart that I battled for months before finally the thing went away.... I travel with my toddler and make sure that she's either in shoes or her footed pjs in the room

[jaynaydee]

Slippers, extra socks, long sleeve and pants pj's.
No matter how much I adjust the temp in the hotel room I'm always cold. Or if I'm sharing a room with my son, I'll keep the temp comfortable for him and I'll wrap up.