Most Useless Pre-Trip Purchase
 

Hi Fodorites,<BR><BR>I am going to England in March, and I see so many suggestions of what to buy specially for a trip - alarm clocks, rain ponchos, money belts, neck pillows, luggage locks, special quickdrying clothes, etc. What do you think is a waste of money? Obviously a lot of companies are interested in making us think these things are all essentials!<BR><BR>So far I have considered the following as essentials, but I don't want to buy too much more:<BR><BR>wheeled backpack<BR>good loafers<BR>long underwear<BR>Pack-It compressor <BR>money belt <BR>laundry kit<BR>alarm clock<BR><BR>Am I ready to stop spending?<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Julie<BR><BR>

The pack it compressor is not needed. I paid so much for mine and after a few times of being rolled to squeeze out the air, they acquired little holes and the air seeped in anyway. Maybe just freezer weight zip lock bags would be better, I have used them and they are fine.

The last thing I want to hear on my vacation is an alarm clock! I bought a money belt for my husband and he never used it. We got money from the ATM as we went and he put his wallet in his front pocket.<BR><BR>I also don't worry about laundry. No one knows you anyway so don't worry if you smell a little. I also bought cheap undies and threw them away as I went so I had more room for souvenirs.<BR><BR>Be sure and take two pairs of shoes so you can switch off.

As to laundry kit: you can use your shampoo or the shampoo provided by hotels for washing out clothes, and just have inflatable hangers to dry out items, they let the air circulate and they dry fast. That is all you really need laundry-wise.

I agree the pack-it compressor is unnecessary. The freezer-weight gallon size ziplock bags worked great for me. Just fill them up, zip almost closed, press your knee or elbow on the bag to whoosh the air out and zip closed. They are great for organizing outfits, keeping dirty clothes separate from clean ones, etc.<BR><BR>I found a money belt to be cumbersome and unnecessary. I wouldn't use one here in San Francisco, why need one in London? If you plan to use your Visa card for most large purchases (best exchange rate) and just get cash from the ATM for walking around money, you won't have much cash to carry anyway. I did always keep my passport and airline tickets on me, but in my daypack, strapped to the front of me when in crowded situations, like the tube, seemed safe enough. I'm sure you'll get differing opinions here.<BR><BR>I also think a poncho is silly. You are going to England, you'll bring your raincoat, right? And a small foldup umbrella. You don't want to look like a dork with a wrinkled plastic raincoat draped over you.<BR><BR>I've also found a travel hair dryer to be unnecessary. All the hotels I've stayed in in Europe have had them available. Have fun!

I'm not sure what a laundry kit would entail, but you can use shampoo to wash out stuff, hang it over the tub or shower to dry; you can buy laundry detergent everywhere, and there are self-serve laundromats in the cities and larger towns.<BR><BR>Unless you plan to tromp the Highlands, long underwear would probably be better left home. Tights or pantyhose should do the trick, and you can wear them with a skirt and not look like a dufus.<BR><BR>Good loafers? I'm assuming you mean a pair of comfortable walking shoes; if not, do.<BR><BR>

No need for inflatable hangers . . . just take along a few balloons, they take up no room, and when inflated, will help your clothes dry faster, works like a charm.<BR><BR>And, I don't travel anyplace (abroad or in US) without my Eagle Creek nylon hidden pocket (see http://www.magellans.com/shopping/br...ectorymain.jsp). People who carry their money, credit cards, passport, tickets in their purse or wallet are just asking for trouble. The hidden pocket hangs from your belt on the inside of your pants and is a more convenient and comfortable version of the unpopular money belt that goes around one's waist.<BR><BR>And . . . I can't travel without my earplugs!<BR><BR>Happy travels,<BR>Sandy

What a good idea, Sandy. Balloons, who would have thought! Do you hang your clothes on something and stick balloons<BR>inside them? Then leave them for the maids? :^)

Good heavens, Julie, if you listen to everybody, you'll end up spending your whole travel budget on stuff! In my 30 years of traveling, I have never used any of the things in your list, so I guess I think all of it is a waste of money.<BR><BR>Wheeled backpacks are too heavy to be good as backpacks and too small to be good as wheeled luggage. Get a good model of whichever you'll really use. Or better yet, borrow one.<BR><BR>Loafers aren't sturdy enough for most vacations, even if you're just marching around museums or shopping all day. Pavement, especially cobblestones, requires thick, bouncy soles.<BR><BR>What's in a "laundry kit" besides a tiny bottle of detergent and maybe a piece of string to hang things on?<BR><BR>If you don't wear a money belt at home, you don't need one in England either.<BR><BR>Where do you think you'll be staying that you'll need to provide your own clock? Based on my experience, unless you're camping or staying at the Howard Johnson's in Kent, Ohio, you should be ok without packing one.<BR><BR>England in March doesn't warrant long undies unless you've been living in a tropical climate for several years. Even so, just another layer will be fine, and easier to shed if you find yourself in an overheated musem exhibit. England isn't the North Pole!<BR><BR>If you can't create a temporary neck-pillow out of a rolled-up blanket or sweater, I feel sorry for you! This is the type of item that some people swear by, but which IMHO really fills up a suitcase unnecessarily.<BR><BR>Chances are that you don't need to buy quick-drying clothes. Just don't bring any heavy cottons. Synthetic sweaters are warmer and lighter than cotton, anyway; if you don't already own a dark-colored lightweight acrylic sweater, you have my permission to get one.<BR><BR>There! I think I've just saved you a bundle, so you can stay in England a day or two longer!

Nan,<BR><BR>I try to get balloons that are rather small or those long skinny ones. You just blow them up, tie them off, hang up your blouse on a hanger and put the balloons inside, the skinny ones work great for pants legs and sleeves. All you want to do is keep something between the front/back to let the air circulate. It does cut the drying time 'way down.<BR><BR>I think I got this tip from a Fodorite on this board last year!<BR><BR>Sandy

Re: "you don't use a money belt/pouch at home, why use it on vacation.<BR><BR>At home, I'm not carrying my passport, and a stolen credit card is only SLIGHTLY inconvienient. Plus, I'm not distracted by the unknown surroundings.

Julie--I've never taken any of the items you mention. What I can't live without is my hygiene product organizer (mine's from LL Bean, although others make them), earplugs for the plane, those small, oil-absorbing papers for your face (great for feeling a little cleaner0.

I arranged to have my bathing suit tailored and sent to me in Guadeloupe, FWI, unaware a postal strike was planned. As back-up, I purchased black dye for a pair of white shorts, to swim in ... forgetting of course about the chlorene in pools. Ciao

A number of years ago I went to Radio Shack and paid about $100 for a small currency converter that could be programmed to convert a number of currencies. (Of course these things are really cheap now, but not then.)<BR>When we arrived in Europe we discovered it wouldn't work -- tried a new battery and it was totally useless. We were in Europe for four months and when I got home I immediately took it to Radio Shack for a refund. They wouldn't do anything about it because it was more than six weeks (or some similar time frame) old. So it was a total waste of $100. Later it finally occurred to me that all you'd need to do is use any basic little calculator and multiply any figure by a simple number that you had to look up and program anyway, so in retrospect I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought the stupid thing. It was also the last time I've been inside a Radio Shack. Even though I explained there was no way to return it since I was in Europe all that time, and I still had my receipt, there was nothing they would do about it.

Let me tell you a story. I graduated college five years ago and took off for Europe with three friends for 6 weeks. What preceeded my trip was a massive preparation that included a $400 backpack, rain gear, "travel clothes" that are quick dry as you mentioned, and several more items that I felt were necessary. The total amount spent exceeded $800 (including some new shoes). Not to mention a ton of other stuff that I brought, that I already owned. I think my backpack wieghed 35 lbs. full! Two weeks into my trip, my pocket was picked, which included my locker ticket at the train station, which enclosed my backpack. I put it there so that it would be safe and ready for me to take on the train the next morning. Essentailly, I lost everything, except my money belt which had my credit cards, plane tickets, and passport. My camera was also on my person, thank God. After a day of shock and despair, I decided that I would be ok - and realized quickly that I was MUCH happier without all the stuff. I traveled lighter, happier, less concerned about material goods, and with more energy to enjoy the sights. I bought toiletries and some clothes, but not many, just to get by and it was a terrific way to travel. I learned more about the culture buying these items than I did touring churches and cathedrals. Essentially, I would be very careful not to overpack, you don't need nearly as much as you think you do. Luckily, my renter's insurance covered my goods in full when I got home, for which I was VERY thankful.

Julie:<BR>Can you tell everyone has his special need? <BR><BR>I hate the money belt or money pocket, but I use it; it's not about the money or the credit card--it's about a stolen passport that can be used by a terrorist or that can fund a terrorist organization. If there's a room safe, I get rid of it; if not, I wear the thing.<BR><BR>After years of European hotel rooms, I am finally a convert to ear plugs. I find I am much more relaxed about the hotel/city because I know I'm going to sleep!<BR><BR>Pack-it compressor is a waste--freezer bags are our life. Heck, pack a dozen of them.<BR><BR>I disagree with posters on the long underwear because I use silk (not the bulky) underwear constantly. England and Ireland in general have required this extra layer, and I need it when we're walking the Seine in Paris. It takes up no room on your body or in your luggage and it breathes even better than a pair of stockings. You don't feel sweaty in this fabric. Sometimes in very changeable weather (like March!) I can throw the top and/or bottom in my daypack to avoid having to return to the hotel room. For the same reason, I like to toss a 99c rain poncho in the back on a sunny day. However, for March I always have a little umbrella in my suitcase.<BR><BR>I do carry the inflatable hanger (liked the balloon idea, Sandy) and the little clothesline, but only when we're on Backroads-type hiking/biking trips. Our clothes are dripping with sweat then and we have no allotted time for an hour or two at the laundromat. I use a baggie of powdered Tide then--we need a heavy-duty, get-the-mud-out type stuff.<BR><BR>However, unless you're planning to hike, don't worry about it. Shampoo is great. Pack your oldest underwear and throw it away as you go.<BR><BR>I don't know why you're carrying a wheeled backpack, though. Would have to know more about your trip, I suppose.<BR><BR>Alarm clock? Never use one until the last day--and then...have had the power go out (in the US), have had many a late wake-up call, etc. that could have spelled disaster for making the plane back. <BR><BR>I don't use luggage locks or neck pillows. Because of allergies, I do bring an allergy cover for the pillow(but that's just me). <BR><BR>

"Waste of money" is like "worth it?" questions, it's in the eye of the beholder, or the check-writer. No one is wrong, everyone is right for him/herself.<BR><BR>I too am a no-security-wallet, no-money belt person, never have been, if anyone feels better with one it's fine with me.Maybe those of us who live in big cities are more likely to feel we don't need them, but maybe that's a generalization that isn't always true.<BR>I use my carry-on totebag as my daily handbag, it is lightweight nylon, black,<BR>has internal zippered compartments and enough room for my guide book, map, bottle of water, and everything else I'm lugging around that day. I pack a small clutch bag for evenings when I want to look and feel less loaded down.<BR>I don't carry my passport every day, I leave it in my hotel room safe along with my extra credit card and my plane ticket. I carry with me daily the xeroxed picture page of my passport, to show to stores if I'm trying to qualify for a VAT refund. The photocopy will also come in handy should my passport become lost for some reason.<BR>I too use shampoo for hand laundry, or else I bring a couple of little packets of woolite--each is enough for one sinkful.<BR>I do carry a travel alarm if I think my hotel or B&B won't have a clock and I use it for back up anyway on urgent wake-up calls, because I've almost missed a couple of planes in my life due to failed wake-up calls.<BR>I use regular jumbo baggies for "compression", as mentioned above. I can't say if it works as well, but it works well enough for me.<BR>Long underwear--do you mean woolies?<BR>I do pack ultra thin silk ski underwear, sink washable, tops only. For bottoms I do what elvira does and wear pantyhose or tights.<BR>

I wouldn't trade any bag for my old Eagle Creek wheeled backpack. Rolls most places, but when you get into the stairs/train aisles/flooded walkways in Venice situation, it's got an abundance of ways to be carried. Beyond that I've always figured I could buy whatever I really needed.<BR>re: currency converters - does everybody use one? I just divide in my head. Maybe I should be more careful with my $$$?

Thanks for all the great replies. I know this will help me pare down my purchases! I can clarify a bit, too, about some of the things on my list:<BR><BR>wheeled backpack - actually, I already bought this, and it seems very cool because it has a detachable daypack as part of it<BR><BR>loafers - I found some Easy Spirits with comfy rubber soles for $30; maybe I should have said walking shoes<BR><BR>long underwear - not woolies or Grandpa-type long underwear!; I just meant lightweight silk stuff (and actually, I *am* from a subtropical climate and absolutely hate to be cold)<BR><BR>laundry kit - its a few packets of Woolite with a clothesline and sink stopper; using shampoo instead is a great idea!<BR><BR>alarm clock - we have some early trains to catch to get to some appointments but maybe this isn't necessary; I was thinking some rural B&Bs might not have alarm clocks in the room...<BR><BR>Thanks to everyone who's replied so far! I'll print this out and reread it when I feel myself being seduced by an unnecessary travel gadget!<BR>

Preparing for my last trip to Paris I purchased a collapsible cup. What on earth was I thinking? Boy Scouts? Where did I think I was going? Those travel/luggage shops can be dangerous to the wallet.<BR>Julie; Long underwear? Don't bother. If necessary, in England, you can find really nice wool/cashmere tights and silk undershirts. But I doubt you will need either in March. Also,I take a very small little plastic bottle of concentrated soap (like shaklee basic h) for washing stuff out. But the shampoo idea is even better. Sometimes you might need the money belt if you are not using the hotel safe and they don't take up much room in your luggage. But in England, unless things have really changed since last I was there, I don't think you'll need it. Just take the same precautions you would at home. Good shoes are the most important thing on your list. At least have one pair that you have tried out and you know will be comfortable for long days of walking.

Hi Julie.<BR>Some watches have built in alarms, as an alternative to alarm clocks. When our hotel forgot to send us our wakeup call, the alarm watch saved us from missing our early a.m flight.<BR><BR>If you really can't stand wearing a money belt, try one of Eagle Creek's products...whatever you do, never, never leave your passport and credit cards in any bag that you'll be tempted to put on the floor. <BR>

Sorry, this won't help the original poster much, but WHAT in the world are you all talking about with these pack-it compressor things, and freezer bags in place of them? This sounds like something that *might* help me in my travels, but i don't know what either of them are used for...

They are food storage bags that "zip" closed and are air tight. You seal them closed with your fingers. If you close them almost all the way, then squeeze out all the extra air, then seal it, you will have vacuume-packed clothes, etc. and they will take up less space.

Wheeled backpack: a good idea to and from airports, hotels, etc. But a small, lightweight one or tote bag is enought to hold maps, etc. and can be shoved anywhere while dining, etc.<BR><BR>Good loafers: I would suggest two well-broken-in shoes and/or sneakers.<BR><BR>Pack-It compressor: I just bought plastic bags from QVC which you roll the air out of...no compressor or vacuum needed. I'm using them in my linen closet right now and fit a quilt in one and it squashed down to nothing. Terrific! <BR><BR>Money belt: I find them annoying. Bring two credit cards and an ATM card.<BR><BR>Laundry kit: I have a rule...NO laundry on vacations.<BR><BR>Alarm clock: Hotels usually offer wake-up calls. Save the space to bring home a gift for yourself.<BR><BR>Have fun.

Dear Author xyz: showed my kids your posts and they laughed. Do you know the Austin Powers scene where Elizabeth Hurley's stuff is all packed in plastic bags? That's us (or "we" to be correct).<BR><BR>We're a little less anal rententive, but not much. Since we only travel with one carry-on, whether it be three days or three weeks, compression is the key to our existence. We buy two-gallon freezer bags, stuff them, sit on them to squeeze the air out, and label them.<BR><BR>The benefit? Not only do you have more room in the suitcase, but when you're traveling to 8+ hotels in two weeks, you can go through all the stuff in the suitcase by just tossing the bags on the floor. Need to repack? Toss them back in.

Hey Posters, don't think most of you get the drift with the money belt...<BR><BR>I think many of us understand that there's temporary loss--credit cards, money--and permanent loss with permanent damage.<BR><BR>Losing your passport is not just your loss; it's a loss to your country. Ask any embassy official about what harm you may be doing.<BR><BR>God Bless those of you in Britain. Yes, you have a safe country. But there are people in your very safe country who are looking for American tourists. We are easy to identify and our passports are valuable commodities.<BR><BR>If I can afford to travel, I can afford the loss of cash or credit cards. I cannot afford as an American citizen the loss of a valuable piece of identification that can cause harm to my country.<BR><BR>If my hotel has a room safe, then I stick the darn money belt and airline tickets there. I can do that at the front desk, too. I am happy to take the loss of my credit card and ATM money on any subway; I am not happy to lose my identity and to lose my country's security.<BR><BR>

Really interesting thread - we all have such different ideas on what is essential. Myself - I do bring a very small travel alarm. When I'm travelling on business, I always get a wake up call. But when I'm travelling on my own, I'm often staying in small places where we don't have a telephone in the room. I like to know that if I'm expected to catch a bus or whatever one morning, I won't sleep in. I always travel with earplugs - come to think of it, I often use them at home as well. I don't like to wear a moneybelt, but I always carry a small shoulder bag which has a built-in wallet. I learned my lesson when my wallet was stolen from my purse not once, but twice, while riding the streetcar in my home town. I also take an inflatable neck pillow. I'm fairly short and I find the headrest on an airplane is more than useless, it's uncomfortable. The inflatable neck pillow isn't perfect, but it sure helps and it takes up almost no space. This past Christmas, I got my husband an itty bitty book light for travel. We usually stay in budget accommodation. We both read in bed, but often the lighting is less than adequate. <BR><BR>That's my list, or at least some of it. Now if you were ask my husband, he'd probably have another list entirely!

Nan; Does vacuum packed mean that the clothes do not wrinkle?

The first time I visited Earth, I bought a gravity belt. Hah! Can you imagine? How dumb was THAT? You can bet I will never make that mistake again.<BR><BR>Pax.

I bought a portable motion detector for my daughter's trip to Europe. She wouldn't take it...I can't give it away!

I take a small folding alarm clock - unwilling to rely on a wake-up call and quite a few rooms I've stayed in in 2-star hotels have not had clocks in them. Since I go to Europe at least twice a year, I bought a small hair dryer with Euro voltage and plug converters for it (which I take on an as-needed basis.) <BR><BR>I do wash a few things out in the sink, using liquid Tide from a sample-size shampoo bottle. (Find that this gets things as clean and fresh-smelling as possible.) Also take Febreeze in a travel-size pump hairspray bottle; it really helps to get the smell of smoke out of clothes and/or freshen up things you can't wash! (Spray clothes before you go to bed and hang to air overnight.)<BR><BR>I pack plastic bags flat in the bottom of my suitcase and use them to segregate dirty clothes from clean ones. But the concept of "compressing" more into less space w/ziplocks doesn't work for me - there's only so much weight I want to drag around!<BR>

Just a few comments. I agree that a rollaway backpack is something heavy trying to be two things. Since you already have one though the point is moot. Good comfortable broken in shoes are essential. Waterproof/gortex shoes are especially good. I think my wife and kids use Ecco. You also need a second pair to pack. I never used long underwear when I lived in England. Forget the compressor, Zip bags rule. I don't use a money belt as I use the room safe or the inside pocket of my gortex parka. I do not think that a money belt is a bad idea though. I think a waterproof/ gortex like parka is a must. I also use shampoo for laundry and just about everything else. I bring along a small alarm clock for backup. Lastly I have found useful a small nylon duffle bag that takes up little room but is something I can fill up with dirty clothes on the last location of my trip so I have room for purchases in my suitcase. Have a good trip. I also will be in England in March.<BR>

We put our passports in the hotel safes, along with our credit cards when we didn't need them, so the moneybelts were a waste, as was the clothesline and laundry items and compressor bags. We had a washer and dryer the 2nd week of our trip and we'd taken enough clothes to last 1st week. Things I am very glad I had with me: zip-lock bags, Band-aids, moleskin for my blistered feet, wet wipes, Shout laundry wipes, lip balm, Timex Ironman watch with alarm and military time function as well as light-up face. I woke up by 5 am anyway, so I never needed and alarm, but I needed that light-up face for checking the time in the middle of the night. I never adapted to Italy time, but I got some great shots of Saint Mark's Square in the pre-dawn light - no one there but me, some pigeons and a couple of policemen.

When deciding what to take think about the category of lodging you'll be staying in. we've taken 3 Rick Steves level trips in the past couple years. I can only remember 1 room out of all those that had a hairdryer. Some didn't have clocks either. Those mini reading lights are also essential for budget lodgings which are usually dimly lit. A couple things I always take that nobody else mentioned are a highlighter, a tiny 1st aid kit (yes you can buy that stuff over there but who wants to hassle trying to find a store and then explaining what you need in a foreign language), safety pins, and a tiny flashlight.

My Items:<BR><BR>- inflatable neck pillow<BR>you *have* to sleep on the plane if you're going to beat jet lag, and I can't sleep without mine<BR><BR>- eye mask and ear plugs<BR>same deal: significantly increases the chance that I'll get a restful sleep on the plane<BR><BR>Your Items (the ones I have comments on):<BR><BR>Pack-It compressor<BR>- not effective enough to be worth bothering, IMHO<BR><BR>money belt<BR>- rather than the cumbersome belt, I like a slim pouch that hangs from my neck under my jacket. Invisible and not so uncomfortable.<BR><BR>laundry kit<BR>- don't need the line (use hangers) or the detergent (use shampoo as mentioned above), but that universal stopper is great for sinks and tubs<BR><BR>alarm clock<BR>- better to have some other device that performs this function, perhaps (watch, cell phone?), but I *wholeheartedly* agree that you should not rely on devices or people at your destination to wake you up. Days get wasted and planes get missed that way.<BR><BR>Remember, you're not going to the wilderness. You're not even going anywhere where they speak a foreign language. (well, except for "lorrie" and "wireless" and such!) ;) Therefore, as a rule of thumb, I recommend that you splurge on things that might be useful on the plane, but hold back on the things you would use after you land. If you end up desperately needing something, just buy it there.

My Most Useless Pre-Trip Purchase:<BR> One of those little universal door-locking gizmos - we put it on the door of our (4-plex cabana -type) room in Telchac Puerto, Mexico - on the Gulf of Mexico, FYI. There was a torrential rain during the night, and in the morning we couldn't open the door - the door was swollen from the damp and the gizmo had jammed. Took the knob off- no luck; finally stood on the balcony (2nd floor- too far to jump and rocks below) and hollered for help- the resort maintenance people had to take the door off its hinges!!! Ended up having the USD $50.00 charge for a new doorknob written off by the desk manager - and we were treated like family by all the staff at the resort during our stay, so security was never an issue. Incidentally, we now travel with a "multi-tool", so that we can, theoretically, remove the linch-pins from the door hinges if we need to.<BR>ja

I bought two sizes of the compression bags at Walgreens. My husband had a blast vacuuming the air out of the one containing his Lands End-type knit shirts, causing it to become almost flat. However, not only did the shirts come out wrinkled but the air was back when we opened the suitcase. I do like them for grouping clothing, though, and they are bigger than ziplocks, but I use ziplocks for every group of smaller items now to keep the packing neat and articles easy to find.<BR><BR>I also wore my silk long underwear almost every day a few years ago in London in early April. I like my small, flat travel alarm but wish it lit up.

Carol, you either pack way too many clothes or you stink if you don't believe in doing laundry on vacation! Either that or you just go for the weekend.

Here's a new way to think about what to pack: what CAN'T you buy over there? Or, what can't you absolutely live without?<BR><BR>A few things that come to mind:<BR><BR>Passport<BR>credit card/ATM card<BR>tickets (plane, train, concert)<BR>prescription drugs<BR><BR>Just about everything else you can purchase there. Even if you forget a camera, you can always buy a disposable one there!<BR><BR>My personal list also extends to the following:<BR><BR>1) facial cleanser (I know it sounds silly, but I have sensitive skin and really don't want to risk skin problems, so I always carry it in my carry-on luggage)<BR><BR>2) good walking shoes (although shoes are available anywhere, it isn't particularly easy for me to find ones that fit extremely well)<BR><BR>3) tissues (the thought of being "trapped" in a ladies' room with no tp is a highly unpleasant thought...)<BR><BR>4) map of area and credit card sized flashlight<BR><BR>5) camera on my body at all times (don't ask me why, but I feel naked without one!)<BR><BR>6) pencil and paper (as silly as it sounds, I always end up writing something down and am completely lost with them!)<BR><BR>Of course, the best way to find out your own personal list is unfortunately through experience. Oh well, you'll be all the more prepared on your next trip!<BR><BR>Bon voyage,<BR><BR>Jennifer

Until recently, the only items I felt were indepensible when traveling to the U.K. were my ticket, passport and money of some sort. I've added a travel size Febreeze to my list. Whenever I'm over there, I spend almost every night in the pub. Consequently, my clothes smell horrible the next day, and so I couldn't wear anything twice. But now I just come home from the pub, and if I'm able to hold my balance long enough, spray my clothes and then I don't have to wash them so often.<BR><BR>