Kate

We are leaving for 2 weeks in northern Italy on Sunday and I wanted to survey you about packing. I am taking only a 22" suitcase and a backpack - mostly lightweight pants, shirts, and sundresses/jumpers along with comfortable shoes. I have thought of the obvious extras - small sewing kit, first aid kit, etc. Do you have any suggestions for special items that you always take when traveling or items you wished you had with you on a trip. Thanks!!!

Jim

Things we found came in handy for Italy.<BR>Unbrella, esp for Venice.<BR>Rubber sink stopper.<BR>Clothesline, pins and Woolite. <BR>Small flashlight<BR>Small washcloth<BR>insect repellant<BR>small notebook<BR>Will probably think of more.

claire

In a hot summer, Febreze! Travel size. Ziploc plastic bags. A small cassette recorder to catch some sounds from our favorite places.

Book Chick

sunscreen and a repair kit for your (sun)glasses with the little screwdriver. (I had to use the screwdriver on the handle of my suitcase once, but it did the trick.)<BR><BR>Buon Viaggio,<BR>BC

Alice Twain

Cameras! If you are not a photographer travelling everywhere with your rflex and all, I found that the best camera to use during a trip are the small disposable cameras that you buy already equipped with film. They cost just a little more than the regular film, nobody will ever think about stealing them and, unless you are a profesional, you will get out of them photos that are almost as good as those taken with any other kind of camera. Buy a couple before you leave and, in case they are not enough, buy another once you are here in Italy. But make sure not to buy it at any touristy shop! Head straight for a supermarket and buy it there. <BR>At http://www.alicetwain.supereva.it/ph...toindex.html?p you can see some of the photos I made with such cameras.

JOdy

Alice twain...<BR><BR><BR>Beautiful pictures..thanks for sharing them.<BR><BR>You really should do a seperate posting , so others can see these..the address may be lost here if someone doesn't read this packing post. I'm sure lots of people would love to see these. <BR>Thanks again

Susan

Kate, Everyone's different but here's mine...<BR><BR>Pack less clothes than you think you need! Everyone says this but it is hard to do. I just returned from 3 weeks in Amsterdam and Switzerland using only my 22" roller. Even so, I could have done with at lesat 1 less of most items (pants, tanks, t-shirts, undies, etc.)<BR><BR>Be sure your shoes or sandals are well broken in (plus I take a pair of really lightweight ankle socks and bandaids just in case, even with soft sandals).<BR><BR>Know that you may have to check-in your suitcase even though technically carry-on sized. British Airways weighed mine rather than measured. Not a problem, just better to pack knowing it may be checked-thru.<BR><BR>Your backpack may or may not count as a second piece of luggage (sometimes they let it thru as a "purse/pocketbook" but sometimes not).<BR><BR>Earplugs, sleeping aid (prescription or over the counter depending on how 'good' a sleeper you are!), small flashlight, tiny notepad are my extras. I use zippered 'pencil case' like meant for a 3-ring binder to keep all my paperwork organized.<BR><BR>When I wash out clothing I simply use shampoo, stop the sink with the item itself, hang over towel rod or hanger to dry (doing without stopper, clothesline, pins, woolite).<BR><BR>And I wouldn't go overboard with sewing kit, first aid, etc. unless you are going someplace remote, these can be easily purchased at any pharmacy along the way.<BR><BR>Travel-size any personal cosmetics and toiletries (I 'have' to have my own shampoo, conditioner, make-up, etc. but take just enough for the 2 weeks).<BR><BR>I never bother packing an umbrella. Just duck into a cafe or if it's truly a downpour there will be umbrellas for sale.<BR><BR>Agree with Alice's comments about disposable cameras. They work great. Also come in panoramic size.

Jim

We thought the same thing about an umbrella, except when we woke up one Sunday morning in Venice to a very steady early June rainstorm, and we had planned to walk to San Marco for Sunday mass. We finally just braved it and ran from the Accademia area to San Marco. On arrival, my wife who normally takes at least an hour just on her hair looked like she had just gotten out of a shower. After mass, we did find umbrellas, for a whopping 15 EURO each. Take an umbrella, it takes such little space.

Rae

I always take a few first aid supplies - bandaids, small gauze bandages, tape, first aid cream - in a zip lock bag. It takes up very little room in the suitcase. True, you can buy them there but when you need first aid it is usually an emergency and you may not be able to get to a store or it may not be open. Last year I was on a trip alone and taking a shower about midnight. I was shaving my legs, dropped my razor and, in trying to pick it up, managed to step on it (yes, I am the world's biggest klutz). I had a pretty nasty cut on my foot and was very glad I had my little baggie of first aid supplies with me.

Susan again

I should rephrase and in agreement with Rae (sorry about your foot!)...<BR><BR>I DO take a handful of bandaids, Imodium, a few aspirin/tylenol/advil, tweezers, etc. because some things when you need them YOU NEED THEM ;-) I just don't take up the room in my bag for a full-fledged official first aid red cross style box of stuff.

Janice

I might be fairly close to the Red Cross style - I have cold medicine, stomach medicine, motion sickness, diahrrhea, Tylenol, Tylenol PM, bandaids, Neosporin, alcohol swabs, tweezers, and more that I can't even remember. Over a long period of time, and careful searching for small containers and packages, I manage to get all of this into a container the size of a paperback. If you know you're going to be travelling sometime in the next decade, it's helpful to keep that in the back of your mind whenever you're in a supermarket or drugstore, as some of those small items seem to come and go and you can't find them when you need them.

Alice Twain

Umbrellas<BR><BR>If you badly need an umbrella in one large Italian city, buy it from some African or Chinese street vendor. They sell ordinary transparent plastic umbrellas (I have got a red one and an orange one ^_^) and foldable umbrellas for around 5 to 7 euro.

Jean

Small binoculars with which to look at those beautiful ceilings in every church and for looking at the scenery from the top of Duomos, Campaniles, etc.

Carin

Take a small mirror in your purse. This also works well to see frescoes on the ceiling and you don't get dizzy leaning back and looking up all the time. Take a few sheets of bubble wrap - I was glad I had it for packing on the way back. Take a TRAVEL umbrella - they are really small and worth it!

Alice Twain

You do not need to bring the bubble wrap. When you buy something as for "imballaggio" and it will be wrapped in bubble wrap or paper. In case some items still need wrapping. just buy a copy of "Corriere della sera": newspapers are great wraps!

xxx

benadryl tablets---really came in<BR>handy!!