Hi! My body is not designed for cold or altitude, meaning quickly chapped hands, lips, dry nose and eyes, etc. So clearly a week in Mürren in early March is a good plan lol.
My question is this: should I bring saline, lotion etc with me from Atlanta (saving money)? Or are there higher quality products available for the above complaints at Swiss pharmacies that are worth paying more for?
I would bring ChapStick or whatever product you use for your lips and eye drops. What do you use for your nose? Do you use saline spray? IF so, when you leave the US you are allowed to put liquid "medicines" in a separate 3-1-1 ziplock bag from your regular toiletries 3-1-1 ziplock.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/disabilities-and-medical-conditions#ui-id-11
This may not be the case coming back home thru Swiss airport security so you may have to ditch some of your stuff.
For chapped hands, I would just get hand cream either locally in Switzerland or buy some in the airport after you pass thru security. I have not been to Murren since 2016 but there were not many stores there then so better to purchase what you need before you get to the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
plenty of Swiss have similar problems, and there are so many tourists from all over the world who have these issues too.
There are two very large supermarket chains in Switzerland (and a good handful of smaller ones) with similar departments you will find in a US supermarket, so lip care and hand care, especially in cold season and ski season, eye drops, nose sprays etc. Products are as good as or better than near your home. The two are Coop (pronounced like kope) and Migros (pronounced like mee grow) and have excellent own brand products.
If they don't have what you want, a pharmacy will.
There is a small Coop in Mürren, a larger one across the road from the train station in Lauterbrunnen, a huge one with a restaurant across the bus station from the train station at Interlaken Ost where you change for the train to Lauternbrunnen.
There is a whole Migros complex with a huge Migros, and ancillary stores across the road from Interlaken West station.
You'll be fine.
Personally, I like to go into European pharmacies (or grocery stores) to see what they have and pick up something that might be new, different or unique. Whether it's "better" than what you use at home can only be determined by you. Certainly sterile saline is sterile saline. I know I would need contact solution, lip balm and lotion for the flight so I'd have at least enough to use for a couple of days.
Hi. My name is Pam and I am addicted to ChapStick. It needs to be this brand, classic formula, no sunscreen, no flavors. I bring 3 with me on my trips. Sometimes a 4th gets squirreled in there. One for my pocket. One for my purse. One for my bedside travel cube!
I’ve had to buy emergency lip balm in Italy, France and England. It does not work as well. Have to reapply it more frequently, lips feel chapped or like an oil slick.
I’d honestly never take a chance on eye drops either. Needs to be one of the specific OTC recommendations from my ophthalmologist. (Insert eye roll emoji).
Hand cream and nose spray I could probably roll with. Hahahahaha….
How about taking just enough (small containers) to tide you over until you find some interesting products over there. I also like shopping (like a local) while traveling and trying new things. Note the difference between pharmacies in the US and abroad, and drogeries or other shops that sell such things.
My name is Trotter and I travel with two different lip balms. One is Bert's Bees. The other is Sun Bum SPF. Yes, I need both. Yes, I have one of each in every bag I carry. If I'm gone for more than 2 weeks I'll need multiple Sun Bums because they run out quickly.
This is what I do. I take what I use at home and then look for some new products to try while in Switzerland. I have found some really great sun care products that I now buy every time I am in Switzerland. I like the Coop up in Wengen. Small, but I’ve had good luck there.
And while you’re at the grocery store, be sure to pick up a bag or three of the Zweifel paprika potato chips. :-)
These replies are so helpful, thank you, especially for the unexpected chip recommendation:-). There is something wrong with me I think but grocery stores and pharmacies in other countries are some of my favorite attractions….sounds like I’ll bring my normal in-flight articles and replace them with local products once I run out.
