Packing and special travel equipment
 

I'm just wondering why people from the US coming to Europe worry so much about packing and is it the same for Europeans going in the other direction.

I'm also wondering why there is this market for special travel stuff - like from Travelsmith - I never heard of this before I found it mentioned on this site. I don't think we have anything like this in Europe. Or am I wrong?

I'm a light packer and I don't own any special travel "stuff" - but am I a normal European or not? I just don't know.

I only buy special "travel stuff" that will considerably lighten my load. Clothes, no, but I do have certain things that I tend to pack because they are light weight and don't wrinkle.

I have my toiletries in mini sizes and always packed & ready to go.

I look at the Travelsmith stuff but have never bought any of it so I don't know the quality.

Yes, you are a normal european, I think :)

While I have seen some of that "stuff" here in Spain in shops, they are not in the same shop and are not labelled as "travel".
What strikes me the most are the packing books and lists ! And also the "germ finder" !!!

I have to say, though, that my trips are not as long as the ones of people from the US.

I don't know if it has something to do with the different styles of vacations.
Europeans going to the US often stay 2 weeks in Florida in one place (or similar), or rent a car at the airport and do a road trip.
I always had a car, and made sure that once a week I stay at a motel with coin laundry.
So I only had stuff for one week, and took that kinda clothes that suited the climate. Sometimes less, sometimes more.
Never pack any toiletries. Since I always wake up at 4am due to the jet lag after my 1st night, I use the early morning hours for a trip to the next Walgreens to stock up on cheap shaving gel, shower gel, etc. Since that also goes in the trunk, I don't care about the size. After that, a hearty breakfast at IHOP and I'm on my way .. do I hear people screaming? ;-)

But many US tourist seem to travel from town to town in Europe by rail (or plane). In that case it may matter more to pack light because you have to carry all your belongings every day from A to B.

All the people I know from Spain who has gone to the US..has gone to NYC. I really don't know anyone who has gone to Florida ! Maybe it is because we usually have sun and beaches...I don't know.
Then the trip is more expensive..so they are in NYC for 7 or 10 days at the maximum.

Cowboy - that's probably it - it's the travelling from A to B. I just don't do it that much and if I do it in the US I have a car. I suppose if you're changing hotels every day or every two days - you want your packing to be minimal.