I'm in the habit of taking a 75 and/or 100 watt bulb with me when I travel domestically, because the 40 or 60 watt bulbs found in most places where I stay don't give me enough light to read comfortably. If I try this in Europe, will it work, or do their lamps require something different? Thanks for your comments.

Afraid not, for the same reason that American appliances won't work in Europe - different voltage. Also (at least this used to be the case) some European light bulbs don't have screw bottoms but a sort of press-and-twist-in bottom. If it's a real problem for you, you could buy higher wattage bulbs there, I'm sure.

A good practice. Nothing like reading a dense business report by the light of a 25 Watt bulb! <BR> <BR>Unfortunately a US bulb built for 120 volts would burn out in about 2 microseconds in Europe. You may want to ask someone other than the hotel staff where there's a nearby store ... but you will find a store close to your hotel that sells lightbulbs. And once you have one, it'll work everywhere in Europe. <BR> <BR>And, by the way, because of high energy costs, you'll find the need for a brighter bulb even greater in European hotels than at home. <BR> <BR>The good news is that more and more hotels (here as well as there) are installing reasonably bright fluorescents to replace their incandescent bulbs ... usually resulting in much improvement in actual light output. <BR> <BR>twenj

I would highly recommend buying a book light. If you go to amazon.com search on... book light... and you'll see the travel edition of the "Itty Bitty Book Light." I can't do without it and use it alot at home too. Also ,it's battery-operated so you don't have to worry about conversions when overseas.

You can have my bulbs. With the enegy crisis out here in California we are all swithing to 15 watt incandescents or reading by candlelight.

I find my butane lantern works good during blackouts. It doesn't require and voltage at all! But, now I usually just read by daylight and use the computer at night. That is when the power is on. This seems like the wave of the future. Better get used to it.

A friend gave me a terrific halogen travel light - it's more than bright enough, compact, stands up when unfolded, and also has a flashlight at one end. I use that along with the dim bulb (the lamp, not my travel companion) for enough light for reading, etc.

I just bought higher watts when I got to Europe, pretty cheap too, so it was worth it.