Okay, call me silly or naive. Just came back from third trip to Europe, but first time my hair is long enough to require hair drying! Is it a safety feature to only have a shaver outlet in the bathroom and not an outlet to handle a hair dryer? <BR> <BR>I had bad hair days every day because I had to dry my hair in bad lighting in the bedroom area! <BR> <BR>Experts out there? (I didn't care if I had bad hair, I had a great time in London...saw the #1 musical playing, "Mamma Mia". <BR> <BR>Thanks!

I found this in most of the countries I visited. It must be a safety feature. Another feature I found interesting was having to put my room key in a slot inside the bedroom to turn on the lights and air conditioning -- remove the key to leave the room, all lights and air go off. Found this on my most recent trip to Greece and Paris.

Although your hair dryer will not work in the "shaver only" outlets, usually a curling iron or brush will. <BR> <BR>Many European trips ago, I purchased an extension cord in a hardware store in Spain. Now I always have access to a mirror when doing my hair, regardless where the outlets are positioned in a room. <BR> <BR>It's the best $4.00 vacation investment I've ever made. <BR>

Yes, it's a safety feature. I learned after my first trip ages ago to take an extension cord because drying hair without it can frequently involve some really weird body positioning and/or angles! Frequently the bedroom lighting is so bad too that I've wished I've brought light bulbs! (Never have, but I've seriously considered buying them over there!) I did ask the front desk once or twice about a higher voltage light bulb but they did not seem to grasp the importance of actually seeing what one was doing while drying one's hair...oh well, it makes for fun vacation stories when you get back home. <BR> <BR>I'm glad you said Mamma Mia was good, we've got front row, center seats for it in the Spring when we go back over to London, also front row for The Lion King!!! Did you see that by any chance? I also got 3rd row for Fosse which opens in London in Jan. If anyone wants to know how I got such good seats it was by calling Ticketmasters in London directly for Mamma Mia & Fosse and the box office directly for Lion King. I'd recommend going that route if you are interested in seeing shows, there is a service charge but still the seats are less money than we pay right here at home for shows, even adding in the phone call.

Lori, and everybody! Actually, I walked up to the theatre the morning of the day I wanted to see Mamma Mia. Got 10th row center, no service charge, matinee performance. It was a great, fun show. Lion King theatre was all ready for the show, but it doesn't open until - I think - this week, just about one week too late for my trip. <BR> <BR>I actually took some advice from Fodor's posters, who suggested going to the ticket office the day of the show. It worked great! Even for the #1 musical in London...Mamma Mia. <BR> <BR>Be sure that any of you looking for 1/2 price go to the "official" Leicester Square ticket booth....free standing kiosk, actually IN Leicester Square. Not the ticket windows just off the street after you come up from the tube. <BR> <BR>Lu <BR> <BR>

I thought the same about the bathrooms -excuse me, toilets - not having any electrical outlets, so I asked. Even private homes are not allowed to have electrical outlets because "water and electricity don't mix." Don't know how we do it in the USA! <BR> <BR>It is a problem with drying your hair, but I have solved the curling iron problem by taking a butane curling iron with me whenever I travel. That way you can be sure it will work with the light and mirror you need.

<BR>Boy, I can identify! Having <BR>nearly blown up a hotel in <BR>Australia years ago, and then <BR>wrecking my back in practically <BR>every European country I've been <BR>to trying to move furniture and <BR>dry and curl my hair with no <BR>mirror, while in obscene <BR>positions trying to get the job <BR>done, I now have short hair!

Lu, How these postings made me laugh out loud when I read them. Reminded me of my trip to Paris in May, crawling underneath a table attached to the wall so that I could dry my hair. Never thought of that extension cord!! Maybe a no frills "do" next time. Thanks again for the laugh!!

Gayle, <BR> <BR>I fell in love with my butane curling iron when I had one, but I was told that they cannot be carried on a plane. I guess the butane cartridges would be the same thing as carrying lighter fluid...I know I don't want that on my plane. <BR> <BR>