will be first time traveling to europe.
family of four (twin boys 11). what travel accessories would you say is important and i should purchase before i leave.
i think we are already going to get a travel pillow and blanket for the plane, but what else helped you out?
Ziploc bags in various sizes, You will use them for lots of things -- packing damp laundry or dirty clothes, keeping ticket stubs or other small souvenirs together, getting all of that Euro change out of your pockets, keeping open snacks fresh, etc. I also use the 2 gallon size for "vacuum packing" underwear and socks, or outfits for the kids. If your bag is searched, the TSA can see everything without touching everything. In a pinch, I have also inflated one and used it as a pillow when sleeping in an airport.
Small sewing "kit". I have fixed everything from hems and rips to umbrellas and day bags. Hand wipes and stain wipes- obvious uses. Second on the ziplocs- quart and gallon sizes and some twist ties, plastic forks, spoons and knives, paper napkins (grab these when you stop in McDonald's for an afternoon drink) and maybe small paper plates. Individual sized drink mixes (like Crystal Light) to add to bottled water.
Virtually everything suggested can be purchased in Europe if the need arises. Why burden yourselves with stuff? You are travelling to Europe, not Uzebikestan.
We just returned from a fabulous trip to Europe. Each of us had our own ipod with Rick's free tours on them, books, and favorite music. Some type of Gameboy will save your sanity on layovers. You probably already have some of these electronics. Just make sure you have some new and interesting stuff on them when you leave. Also, can you have a "kids' camera?" Your boys will have a blast taking goofy pictures and showing them to each other. I always travel with an ibupropen and lip balm in my pocket where I can easily reach them. Have a great time!
Look through the "General Europe" header. There is a lot of discussions about this subject and Ricks books have some of the same.
Here are some ideas for starters: passports, money belt or similar item for safe storage, guide books or pages from them, camera(s)(if desired) and accessories , credit & debit cards, binoculars, small first aid kit, converters and adapters as necessary for any electronics/electrical items.
There will be more ideas to come from other people.
Yes, you can buy many of these things in Europe, but some take longer to find then others! I would take small roll of duct tape. I really needed it in France and no one knew what I was asking for. And, the shops were closed on the day I needed it. So, I now carry it. I would pick up a couple of decks of cards. I know that would keep my nephews busy while waiting for adults or for rain to stop...Pam
Money. Anything you have sensitivities or allergies to. Anything else can be purchased in Europe. Grin. :)
But seriously those items follow by: Guide Book: Small roll of duct tape, assorted Plastic bags, some kind of cutting utensil, and MOLESKIN. Moleskin can be a godsend if you get a blister or a sore spot.
A crumple-able cloth shopping bag is nice too, and a handkercheif can make a nice picnic blanket.
I'm on the side of buy it in Europe. I got a really large blister on my heel during a walking trip in Italy. Stopped in a small pharmacy & mimed sore heel. I was directed to what I thought was bandaids (which I knew would just rub off). I bought what he showed me. Turned out to be a new (to me, 7 yrs ago) bandaid that once put on, stayed on for days until the blister healed. I could walk without pain soon as I put it on. Blister healed in just a few days. When I returned home, I looked for them but didn't find them for a few yrs. I wouldn't have known about them if I had brought my own stuff.
My favourite items are a universal sink plug ( because it is not usually supplied),soap tablets, and a short line or even dental floss. I put them in one ziploc bag as my laundry pack which lets me do laundry overnight. Handy packs of Kleenex and Wet ones are also high on my list.
The one item I really don't want to forget is my camera and the adapter so I can recharge the battery. If you're travelling in less touristy places it may take quite some time to hunt down a place that sells them.
Woolite makes small, single-use packets of laundry detergent. Great for in-sink washing. I'm sure you're only taking fast-drying clothes ;)
And a small roll of duct tape, of course!
We used 2 gallon zipper bags for undies and socks, and I used a marker to write "clean" on one and "dirty" on another. Sure, you could use the sniff test, but I preferred this way.
I'm afraid to ask, but why duct tape?
Duct tape and a small keychain flashlight. You never know when you need a light.
I took a small pencil and wound some duct tape around it to create a small spool that I could use when necessary. It is great for fixing any holes on bags that might form unexpectedly. Can also be a short-term solution for holes in shoes, until you can get out to get a replacement.
Duct tape can mend tears in duffle bags; Duct tape can be used to hold things together that fall apart; And so on. Pam
Duct tape is best solution if a blister on the heel is starting... too late if its already broken.
Duct tape fixes all, even clothes. Another suggestion: a small compass to help get your bearings when you come up from subway.
Besides the duct tape...I like to take along:
Spork (spoon on one end, fork/knife on the other. Made of lexan plastic and easier than carrying individual utensils.)
Compass/thermometer/magnifier--all-in-one attaches to daybag
Insoles/Odor Eaters--one pair, pre-cut, per week. I only travel with one pair of shoes and these help to keep them fresh and add just a bit of cushion
tiny flashlight
Eye Shades
ear plugs
Inflatable Hangers--I found a new design by Travelon. They inflate but look more like pants hangers with hooks on the bottom. Two or three of these and I may not need a clothesline. They should arrive soon and I'll try them out once they do. Should be able to hang a shirt, a couple of pairs of undies, and a pair of socks or two from one hanger.
Duct tape--one of the greatest inventions of mankind!! It now comes in small travel sized rolls.
And in honor of the late, great Karl Malden let me say..."Don't leave home without it."
I also take one or two things that for me make travel life a little more enjoyable. I'm one of those people who like a cup of coffee or tea upon waking up. So, I travel with a small immersion heater. It doesn't stop me from going out for coffee or tea later, it just helps me to get my eyes open.
Yup--Duct tape, because, as Frank II says, it's one of humankind's greatest inventions and also because I'm a guy. Lots of uses. My travel pillow is inflatable, so packs tiny. Some other items on my list: A cord for clothesline. Small journal to record each day's activities--I can't remember them all after weeks away--and other notes, like addresses of people I meet. A folder of photocopied information I need--lodging reservations, guidebook pages, etc. which I discard as no longer needed. Compact binoculars. A few safety pins.
I knew someone who always took a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce to spice up bland foods.
Yup I always take some duct tape wrapped around a pencil. Also take a four packet of one use Superglue. Four CHEAP wire hangers (good for steaming out wrinkles in the shower or drying tops), some cloths line and a handful of clothespins (can be used to pin closed drapes as well). Don't forget a picnic kit! I do buy paper plates, a roll of paper towels etc. over there but I chuck into my suitcase a knife, fork and spoon for each person (got four very different looking sets at garage sale so everyone knows who's fork is who's), one sturdy plastic plate (for cutting stuff up) and finally, yes, a small bottle of Tabasco! None of this stuff weighs much or takes up any space. Oh yes, and I do take a small selection of ziplock bags and fabric softner sheets (place half a sheet in each sneaker at night to eliminate order - can be used over and over).
After 5 trips to Italy in four years and being die hard one baggers here's my personal list of extras. Some assorted ziplock bags, Advil LIQUIGELS, Dove Body Spray either citrus or the cucumber. It's 3oz, a light refreshing scent that's perfect in concert with my other favorite wet ones (one pack of aloe vera and one pack of the antibacterial) for a little freshening break. I also fill an empty dove spray bottle with some febreeze which is nice for freshening shoes and clothes along the way. A tide stain pen, a small roll of ducttape, a tiny sewing kit (which I've never used but still recommend)a small first aid kit that has a few bandages and a little tube of neosporin to which I've added a few Imodium tabs, and a few antacid tabs and a couple of decongestant tabs--- just enough to hold us until we get to a pharmacy. Adaptors for our camera chargers. A small stick of spf 50 sunscreen and some Burt's bees tinted lip balm. This last trip I also brought some of the single serve Crystal light packs which I would definitely do again. Two large trashbags one for dirty laundry and the other for transporting clean laundry from the lavendria a cheap watch that converts to military time and has an alarm.For the boys you might consider a couple of new games for their gameboys or new books, or puzzle books if they like reading.We ditched the travel pillows after the first trip. They take up too much room and we didn't find them that helpful.
If you are in the habit of using washcloths, be sure to take them as most places in Europe do not provide them.
Yes, you can buy most of these things in Europe, but it may take time in a strange place to find where to purchase what you need. Personally I'd rather use that time in a better way on my vacation.
duct tape?
seriously.. i would never have thought of this
Money belt, iPod, my Eagle Creek inflatable pillow (to actually get some sleep on the plane without my head bobbing continuously! :), earplugs, my RS French, Italian & German phrasebook
Camera and LOTS of data cards, a mini LED flashlight (walked the walls of Rothenburg at night with it!) and a comfortable day bag.
Toilet paper, I unroll it then fold it flat and put it in a zip lock baggie and compress it by squeezing the air out and throw it in my day bag. I was grateful I did it too, there were a lot of WC I went into that were without toilet paper.
You can find rolls of Charmin To Go in the sample/travel area of Target or Walmart. I never travel without that in my day bag.
Flip-flops. Never, ever, leave home with out flip-flops. I always take them in my carry-on so that I can wear them in the air craft and they are great around the hotel or in hot weather or in the shower.
RE: what maggie says... I also always bring the new DOVE spray. I have a travel sized one with the travel deoderant to match. They are lightly perfumed and really do a great job to freshen you up after a 9 hour flight or a 4 hour train ride, until you can get a shower.
Also I could kiss the person that invented Pantiliners..
I also bring my tiny 8X8 dollar store cutting board. Fits easily into a full suitcase and along with a heavy duty plastic knife, works well when having a lunch picnic. I just buy paper plates and plastic cutlery there (32p (75 cents) at Tescos (England)for a pack of 24 pieces - spoon, fork, knife). I just keep it all in a Ziploc bag and wash it after I get back to the room.
Empty Nalgene bottle : 16 Fluid ounces. One for each person. In Europe, I put water in it. I Carry it with me, all the time. People doing sightseeing could become dehydrated. I do not like spending money for a small glass bottle of water in a cafe in Europe, every time I want to drink water. Water does not leak out of a Nalgene bottle, and its lid does not break easily if the bottle falls on a hard floor. I like to buy a jumbo size plastic bottle of water in a grocery store in Europe. Keep that bottle in my hotel room, drink much water from it early in the morning, and pour water from it into the Nalgene bottle before I leave the hotel room, every day. In Paris, you could spend 7 Euro for one glass of Coca Cola at a sidewalk cafe. I wouldn't do that. And, water is the best thirst quencher.
Besides the obvious (passport, money etc...) I always pack a plastic spork, sigg bottle, headlamp, eyeshades and earplugs, and various sizes of zip locks. For dirty clothes I put them in either a large zip lock and compress it, or a plastic bag that I picked up in a grocery store. For all others mentioned I never bring because I have never needed it. Knock on wood, but when and if I need it I will buy it there. You can buy anything in Europe that you can buy in North America. And sometimes finding something you need can be a little fun as sometimes it takes you off the tourist trail and off the beaten track.
Blow up hangers. Wash your travel clothes before you go to dinner and they'll be dry by the time you return.
Funny about the comments about duct tape. The stuff really can fix just about anything... broken back pack, one patch on each side of a tear, and pop! your ripped pants are fixed! I love it!.
I take the duct tape off the roll myself, make about an 1/8" fold, and then roll it up. Or Alternatively, just cut about a 1/2" piece of cardboard off a box, and start rolling on that. Saves a lot of space over the traditional "ring" tape is put on.
And yeah - super glue is great as well! :)
I mentioned earlier in this thread that I ordered some new inflatable hangers by Travelon...well..they came in and I'm really impressed. I may be able to leave the clothesline home.
Travelon Inflatable Hangers
Probably not strong enough to hold a pair of pants but they can hold one shirt, one or two pairs of undies and a pair or two of socks. They fold up as small as my current inflatable hangers that don't have all the accessories.
Everyone has given great advise. One thing that I am glad we brought was my sons iTouch ipod (I think that is what is called). We had several hours to kill in airports and eurostar station. Kept him from getting bored on airplanes when there was no inflight entertainment.It give us enjoyment playing games together. We also used it in Paris where our hotel had free wi-fi. He wanted to find the Statue of Liberty in Paris. We would plug into the converter to charge.
Forgot to add, my travel bottle of advil. I injured my knee on the day we landed in London. I spend the first 10 days of my trip in pain. I even had to purchase a cane in Windsor (not the kind of souvenier that I wanted to spend money on). Not an accessory, but don't forget travel insurance. I was thankful that I had it, but too stubborn to loose a day sightseeing to find a doctor.
I like to take a small tube of vaseline (chapped lips, blisters, etc.), bandaids, travel sized lotion, travel size sunscreen, facial moisturizer with spf (I have a small jar with a lid that I scoop my regular stuff into), advil, toothpaste, contact lens solution. For the rest of it, I just rely on the hotel to provide. Since I had my son, I started carrying travel size bottles of hand sanitizer and a tide pen or shout wipe cloths for messes while out and about away from the hotel. I split up the supplies into ziplock bags and give each of us our own essentials. If I am going to be gone more than a week or going someplace that doesn't have a lot of English translation, I also take travel size bottle of liquid laundry detergent. Yes, you can buy a lot in Europe, but if you have special needs like sensitive skin and the language is unfamiliar, that can be stressful.
I have a 9 year old son, so I also take our mini dvd player, a few dvds, and comics for the train and plane. When I was in Paris last time the only English channel in our hotel was CNN, so this can save your sanity at night. I also bought my son a cheap digital camera so he can take his own photos and a journal to write down his memories.
I have been reading this thread about so-called travel accessories with wonderment at what some people take with them on their trips to the civilized parts of the world. Then yesterday I read a review in The Economist of a book about Englishmen travelling in Europe in the 19th century. Here is how one such made the journey:
"When one Colonel Thornton embarked for France in 1814 he and his six guests took three carriages and coachmen, a variety of servants, including chief butler and falconer, three hawks, ten horses, 30 guns and as many as 120 hounds."
No mention of duct tape or toilet paper, but maybe one of the many servants thought to take some.
Happy Trails !
The one thing we have settled on for every trip is to take at least one RS Hide-Away Tote for each of us. It is light weight, 6 oz, folds flat (6" X 10" X 1"), and carries up to 2800 cubic inches of stuff which is more than the Classic Back Door Bag carries. We travel very light (one carry-on each weighing less than 20 lbs) and with the tote, we can bring back gifts and "stuff" and still be legal for carry-on.
A couple of Sharpies.
A roll of toilet paper
A couple of SpaceBags vacuum seal bags (great for compressing a winter coat GOING; great for bringing back European down pillows when returning home)
An iPod or iTouch - I've traveled overseas a lot in my lifetime but my last two trips I used my iTouch and the 11-hour flight seemed to not be quite as long . I listened to all of my music, made notes to myself, planned my calendar (all w/iTouch).
wow, just great advice.
the only problem is my list is getting longer and longer.
thanks
A roll of toilet paper (sans cardboard roll) would be #1. European TP standards are not always up to par. As Lori (I believe) stated) put it in your day backpack and forget it. You may never need it, but that one time you do, boy are you glad to have it with you. Do NOT forget you have it!
Electrical adaptors for the countries to which you are going.
Laundry detergent. We do nightly laundry wherever we are. Also a good laundry line that can be both hooked or tied. We take both.
As part of #3, twill travel shirts - about three. Think my wife gets them at Penny's now, but Eddie Bauer before that. With pockets. Wash up quick and dries quick. Best item of clothing to travel with ever invented. I think Rick Steves wears them on his shows.
One pair (1) of good travel shoes, such as Ecco's. On my second pair and still the best and only pair of shoes I take with me.
Cork screw :)
Washcloth. Seems simple but a necessity when you need one and realize the hotel has none and you end up using the edge of your essential bath towel to wash your face and then its wet and already dirty and its just not a good way to start your trip.
I bought a 4 pack of baby wash cloths from the dollar store. They are usually a cheap polyester-cotton blend so they dry fast and can be discarded after a few uses if you dont want to drag them home, since they are so cheap.
Skip the travel pillow & blanket - they have them on the plane.
Small spiral notebook & a pen.
Mini calculator for calculating euros to dollars. Money belt & a coin purse of a size that will carry
coins, folded bills, ID card, mini calculator.
Lots of ziplox of different sizes, including several
2 or 2 1/2 gallon ones for sink laundry.
A baby wash cloth for each person (small & they dry
fast).
Downy wrinkle remover in 3 oz spray bottle.
Dr. Scholl's foot powder has many uses, for body
rashes & stinky shoes & soothing sore feet.
A tote back that folds down small at the bottom of
your suitcase - can be used for diry clothes,
trips to the laundrymat, picnics, beach bag, &
extra luggage space when you go home!
Packets of sink laundry soap, I used Tide.
A package of balloons - when you do sink laundry,
blow em up & put em inside shirts & pant legs, it
separates the fabric & they dry faster!
Individual packets of hand towelettes & wet wipes,
very portable & didn't take space in the 3-1-1
baggie.
Hanging bag for bathroom items, as there isn't much
counter space in most European hotels.
Small flashlight for each person.
Most kids can sleep just about anywhere, so I would skip the pillow and blanket. Usually airlines provide them, but you might want to check with your airline since they may have cut those with all the cutbacks going on right now.
I always take a small roll of duct tape (suitcase had a slight break in Istanbul and duct tape helped it get safely home in one piece) and buy some smaller packs of anti-bacterial wipes that are in the travel section at Wal-Mart, etc. I take some on the plane and then put one in my daybag. Definitely helps when you grab street food and don't have anywhere to wash your hands!
As for toilet paper, no need to take it with you. I just use the hotel's toilet paper and make a small roll that I stuff in my daybag.
I only get to go to Europe for a week tops, so I have never really had the laundry issue. Depending on the length of your trip, inflatable hangers, etc. may just be a waste of space if you aren't going to be doing a lot of laundry.
Gail had some interesting items to add. I'm not sure I'd want to go to the trouble of inflating a bunch of balloons -- I've always had trouble tying them off with those little knots -- but I can appreciate the idea.
I do have one item I'd question, though: "Mini calculator for calculating euros to dollars." In most instances I don't really want to know this fact. The rough calculations I do in my head are sufficient. To lessen anxiety, I usually just tell myself to treat a Euro as being equal to one dollar and the same for a pound. I know it's not, but otherwise, I'd be moaning at how expensive everything was rather than enjoying the trip.
Also _ we made copies of our passports and all the creditcards we were taking and left them with a trusted family member along with our detailed itinerary.
2.travel light! About the 3rd time you are hefting your suitcaeses on and off trains, busses, up and down flights of stairs in hotels that don't have elevators(which is very common), you'll wish you had packed less!
4 Go to a AAA travel store, you will be able to get a lot of things there, from luggage to hats to travel books to converters.
All the above are great. Here are some of my favorite.
Small, child size, flat plate and sporks (has knife, spoon, fork in one). We used these all the time. The plates took up no room in my purse. We used bandanas for table cloths.
A travel size salt and pepper shaker—about 1.5 inches long and about the size of a dime around. Lots of places did not put S/P on the table.
People say, don’t worry, you can find stuff there but I found their pharmacies small with very little in them—don’t expect to find contact solution there. You’ll have to find an optometrist office. Who wants to spend all that time looking for stuff?
Small packs of Kleenex and wet wipes.
Every list I’ve ever seen includes duct tape. You can buy small rolls at www.minimus.com along with tons of other travel stuff and individual food items.
I took an immersion heater but it quit after the first cup. I posted the question here of why that might have happened because it was fairly expensive. I was told if you keep it plugged in and take it out of the cup, it blows something up inside (I’m sure that’s not exactly what happens). So if you take one, heat up your water and leave it in your cup until it cools off.
I so agree with flip flops. It just feels so good to take those shoes off you’ve been walking in all day.
You'll get a blanket on the plane, but I like my own pillow. The inflatable kind help my head not to bob all over, also.
After getting sick on two flights to Europe, I now always take a small packet of disinfecting wipes. Wipe down the arm rests on the seats, the TV controls, and the tray tables. If you've ever watched an airline cleaning crew come through you know that they don't really get cleaned that well.
An empty pillowcase can be stuffed with airlines blanket or your jacket or ??? to make a customized pillow. Can use it later as dirty clothes bag.
Clif bars can fill in the snack gap.
If washcloths are not ubiquitous in Europe, what do the "natives" use instead? It must work.
Zman
Small notebook and pen! Handy to write things down (directions, sights you have seen, pictures of sights you are looking for, etc.) Also, my husband and I wrote down every euro we spent on the trip, helped keep us on budget!
Al:
One thing that you might want to consider is buying each boy a small spiral bound travel journal. Take along several pens in different colors and two or three glue sticks and blunt craft scissors. At the end of each day the kids can sit down and write what they did each day and glue in any tickets, postcards or brochures they got at the sites they visited.
I did this for my last trip and it was great. I actually had someplace to put all the museum passes, entrance tickets (they can be quite beautiful),metro tickets, brochures etc. I know some travelers don't keep this stuff, but for me they are a real memory jogger.
When you get back from your trip get photo albums that have a place to write next to the pictures and let the kids make their own photo albums from the pictures they took with the camera's you got them to take along. It will really reflect the trip from their eyes and give them something to show friends and to keep for a long time.
We took our own travel water bottles- especially in hot Rome where water fountains were plentiful. It was a godsend and lots cheaper. We were just there with a 15 yo son.
Skip the pillows and blankets- the airplane will probably provide- especially British Air. Do the RS packing light method and each kid have a day bag. Yes, you can buy stuff in EU but it is pricey. We took along about 20 cheese and cracker packets, peanut & honey bars, etc. for our son to eat as snacks each day. As he is a growing, hungry kid, it saved us a lot of money. Sure he would have rather bought something, but these were great when it would be longer than we thought for dinner.
Also- though kids want their electronic toys, we had a big discussion before leaving that there would be days and times when the Ipod would not be allowed- their was a bit of sulking initially, but then our son did actually learn about what he was seeing. We ignored the initial complaints and stuck with the rules. Our decision was a good one when after touring Pompeii, our son said, "that was cool!"
We also took into consideration the attention span of who we were traveling with- didn't stay more than 3 hours at any one place/site. Sure, there were more churches and museums that my husband and I wanted to tour, but those can wait until we go without a child. Have a wonderful time!
More about the usefulness of a mini-calculator. I put a check register page in my purse & kept track of how much I spent using my debit card. I recorded my expenses in euros, converted it to dollars & added the estimated foreign transaction fee, & subtracted it from my bank balance.
Another travel tip, for peace of mind. I opened a checking account just for this trip, but also took my main checking account's debit card as an emergency backup in case the "vacation account" debit card was lost or stolen & that account had to be frozen. My travel partner had my backup debit card & 2nd credit card, & I had his backup set.
My past two trips to Europe I took travel pillows and blankets but didn't use them because I can't sleep no matter what. On overseas flights, I think most airlines provide "clean" blankets (at least they are sealed in a plastic bag.) In my opinion, these items just take up space you could use for something else. Ziploc bags are very handy to have as is a small nighlight for use in dark hotel rooms.
key chain flashlight to find the bathroom in the middle of the night :0
Vaseline petroleum jelly and baby powder to cut down on crotch rubbing (seriously)
Duct tape is THE FORCE - it has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
My luxury is one of my own pillowcases.
Also, my favorite souvenirs are hot pads for the kitchen; since cooks reign in my family, they make great gifts, too. I often think of the fun we had in _________ (pick a city/country) while I'm slaving over a hot stove here at home! They can be tucked in here and there in my bag, and used as padding for more delicate items, too.
