Overlooked vs. Useless
Jul 21st, 2011, 07:27 AM
#22
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Your advance planning, NeophyteBill, should mean your duffel is expertly packed. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip and perhaps, like Tom, you'll even manage a kiss on your exclamation point.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 10:18 AM
#26
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I've seen the advice about using Colgate toothpaste on insect bites before on this forum. Does anyone have an idea why this works? I used it for mosquito bites on a recent trip to Glacier NP, and it did help.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 11:20 AM
#28
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PA_Kathy, I think other toothpastes will work as well, e.g., Crest. Why does it work? I don't know, but I think perhaps it may be the peppermint or other mints, which contain menthol. Menthol has some soothing properties and probably gives the relief.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 03:01 PM
#29
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Guess any toothpaste will do, as it's soothing and what most of us always have (or should 
) when traveling. Even more so, if traveler has forgotten to take an antibiotic lotion to apply to bites/itching.
) when traveling. Even more so, if traveler has forgotten to take an antibiotic lotion to apply to bites/itching.
Jul 23rd, 2011, 01:40 PM
#31
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Speaking of toothpaste, keep it well stored in a ziplock when not in use to minimize the tantalizing fragrance. I once had a small creatue nibble through the tube and make a snack out of my Crest.
Jul 25th, 2011, 08:36 AM
#32
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We're off in a few hours!
Thanks to everyone for all of the helpful and entertaining advice/comments. You've pointed out several things that I had overlooked and am now bringing with me. I know we're taking too much stuff -- sort of belts and suspenders -- but, by gawd, we're prepared!
Thanks to everyone for all of the helpful and entertaining advice/comments. You've pointed out several things that I had overlooked and am now bringing with me. I know we're taking too much stuff -- sort of belts and suspenders -- but, by gawd, we're prepared!
Jul 25th, 2011, 11:00 AM
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We have a large medicine bag that goes on all our trips with us. I used to niggle about the size and weight but over the years, we've seldom had a trip where we've not used at least one item from the contents, and of course, one never knows just which item that will be. It contains a variety of painkillers, throat lozenges, anti-bacterials, antibiotics of different types, rehydration sachets, eye drops, antihistamines, bite creams and so on. No syringes or liquid medicines, which allows us to carry it in hand luggage for the flights.
Other than that, we take minimal clothing, thinking about which places offer laundry, how many days we'll be in each, which days we won't be able to have laundry done because of travel and work out our packing list to suit. For example, although I only need one warm fleece, for a trip longer than a week, I'll take two so have one to wear whilst other is in laundry. On a shorter trip, I suck it up and just take one, knowing it'll get a little dusty.
Our camera gear takes up a lot of our weight/ space allowance and on the outbound, not only cameras and lenses but all spare batteries, battery chargers, PSDs, PSD chargers and associated cables go in hand luggage as we can't manage long without the peripherals. On way back, the chargers and cables can be checked.
Over years, we've found we've not needed the smarter change of clothes (vaguely smarter not proper dressy) we used to take, just wear clean but regular clothes to dinner.
I do always take conditioner, as I can't comb through my hair without it, but seldom take shampoo and body wash as these normally provided (and am not fussy about type/ using shampoo for body wash etc.)
Other than that, we take minimal clothing, thinking about which places offer laundry, how many days we'll be in each, which days we won't be able to have laundry done because of travel and work out our packing list to suit. For example, although I only need one warm fleece, for a trip longer than a week, I'll take two so have one to wear whilst other is in laundry. On a shorter trip, I suck it up and just take one, knowing it'll get a little dusty.
Our camera gear takes up a lot of our weight/ space allowance and on the outbound, not only cameras and lenses but all spare batteries, battery chargers, PSDs, PSD chargers and associated cables go in hand luggage as we can't manage long without the peripherals. On way back, the chargers and cables can be checked.
Over years, we've found we've not needed the smarter change of clothes (vaguely smarter not proper dressy) we used to take, just wear clean but regular clothes to dinner.
I do always take conditioner, as I can't comb through my hair without it, but seldom take shampoo and body wash as these normally provided (and am not fussy about type/ using shampoo for body wash etc.)
