What Can't you get or Live Without in Europe?
May 13th, 2006, 10:58 AM
#61
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koreaprincess: this is probably just my ignorance, but what makes Australian cheddar so special, as opposed to British, which I'm sure is much cheaper (and, as a Mexican food enthusiast, what are you doing using cheddar on Mexican food anyway?!)?
May 13th, 2006, 01:38 PM
#64
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Washcloths - I take Handi Wipes reusable cloths cut in half with me to wash my face.
grsing, if peanut butter is such an expensive item in europe, perhaps I should bring some Skippy with me to barter since the euro keeps going up! Of course, perhaps it is only treasured by ex-pats. Would someone from France appreciate receiving a jar of Skippy as a gift? lol
grsing, if peanut butter is such an expensive item in europe, perhaps I should bring some Skippy with me to barter since the euro keeps going up! Of course, perhaps it is only treasured by ex-pats. Would someone from France appreciate receiving a jar of Skippy as a gift? lol
May 13th, 2006, 02:08 PM
#65
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Ira
You made me laugh with the comment about only renting mid-sized cars in Europe. Sounds like DH and I, but it's HIS stuff that requires the larger car, not mine ... lol
I miss good Mexican food in Europe as well as many on this thread. I'm in Illinois and what we have here isn't all that great, but it sure beats anything I've had in Germany or Switzerland, to date.
I've also had Mexican food in Bangkok, and trust me... it "ain't" the same!
I also need to remember to bring my Excedrin and Tylenol. Friends in Germany always buy Excedrin when they come to visit us in the US and friends from Italy always make sure they pick up the Tylenol when here!
Carol
You made me laugh with the comment about only renting mid-sized cars in Europe. Sounds like DH and I, but it's HIS stuff that requires the larger car, not mine ... lol
I miss good Mexican food in Europe as well as many on this thread. I'm in Illinois and what we have here isn't all that great, but it sure beats anything I've had in Germany or Switzerland, to date.
I've also had Mexican food in Bangkok, and trust me... it "ain't" the same!
I also need to remember to bring my Excedrin and Tylenol. Friends in Germany always buy Excedrin when they come to visit us in the US and friends from Italy always make sure they pick up the Tylenol when here!
Carol
May 13th, 2006, 02:13 PM
#66
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Ronda: They very well might, if they like peanut butter. The jar of Skippy here (London) is about half the size of the English PB, for roughly twice the price (can't remember exactly how much, just that I was unwilling to pay it). It's not that English (European?) PB is bad, just not particularly great (probably don't add the sugar and stuff that makes US peanut butter bad for you 
May 15th, 2006, 02:07 AM
#67
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I'm always gasping for a proper cup of tea when I get back to the old UK. On the continent they just put a tea bag in a cup with some warm water ....it tastes vile. Why can't any other country actually boil water?
May 15th, 2006, 02:14 AM
#68
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Bring your good tooth floss! I brought some cheap travel stuff, hated it and ended up paying 5 Euros for floss at the pharmacy - thats almost 10 dollars floss in Canadian dollars - Yikes!
In general I find the pharmacies very expensive, so I highly recommend bringing your own supply of bandaid, blister cream etc. Also, you have to ask the pharmacist for everything useful and personally I don't like to have that close a relationship with pharmacy staff, so anything you don't want to disuss with a stranger - bring yourself.
Just my opinion,
Cheers,
Murph
In general I find the pharmacies very expensive, so I highly recommend bringing your own supply of bandaid, blister cream etc. Also, you have to ask the pharmacist for everything useful and personally I don't like to have that close a relationship with pharmacy staff, so anything you don't want to disuss with a stranger - bring yourself.
Just my opinion,
Cheers,
Murph
May 16th, 2006, 07:54 PM
#69
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I like to miss things while I'm on vacation so it gives me *something* to look forward to when I get home - for me it is Mexican food, my dogs, and the abundance of fresh fruits & vegies here in So Calif (like GreenDragon - a LARGE cold glass of orange juice).
I am meeting up with my ex-in-laws in London on the way home from our Italy trip and I plan to surpise them with a care package from 'home'. Originally from Liverpool, after 30 years here in the states, they retired back to England. Home here was Oxnard 'the strawberry capital of the world' - so I made some jam from fresh picked Oxnard strawberries and was going to bring some mexican fixings - tortillas & salsa. I guess from reading this post I should also bring some seasonings too.
Can't wait to begin missing Mexican food and getting my fill of Italian cuisine!
I am meeting up with my ex-in-laws in London on the way home from our Italy trip and I plan to surpise them with a care package from 'home'. Originally from Liverpool, after 30 years here in the states, they retired back to England. Home here was Oxnard 'the strawberry capital of the world' - so I made some jam from fresh picked Oxnard strawberries and was going to bring some mexican fixings - tortillas & salsa. I guess from reading this post I should also bring some seasonings too.
Can't wait to begin missing Mexican food and getting my fill of Italian cuisine!
May 18th, 2006, 06:20 AM
#72
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You can get Kleenex (and I mean the Kleenex brand) easily in many European countries. And I don't understand where this outdated worry about TP comes from. Hotels may opt to use cheap, rough toilet paper, but you can easily find good TP (including some American brands) in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, etc.
May 22nd, 2006, 06:57 AM
#73
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As I think more and more about packing, I am realizing that I will, indeed, need some importing of Aveda hair products. I know that they have good stuff over there, but for me, nothing has yet to come close to Aveda.
I also will take cup and teaspoon measures, as I cook a lot and use my mother's recipes, which are in American terms.
I also will take cup and teaspoon measures, as I cook a lot and use my mother's recipes, which are in American terms.
May 22nd, 2006, 08:42 AM
#74
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..............sushi, sashimi, green tea
ice cream................
When our German exchange student went
back to Landau after four months of
Japanese food here in Vancouver, she
was forced - impelled - to drive all
the way to Munich for a sushi fix!
ice cream................
When our German exchange student went
back to Landau after four months of
Japanese food here in Vancouver, she
was forced - impelled - to drive all
the way to Munich for a sushi fix!
May 22nd, 2006, 10:02 AM
#76
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Laclaire, where will you be traveling? My hair salon in Brussels carries the line of Aveda products; there is also a full service Aveda salon over in the EU district. They are widely available in the UK as well (they are also available in Paris, Toulouse, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Iceland, etc.).
http://www.aveda.com/templates/door/locator.tmpl
http://www.aveda.com/templates/door/locator.tmpl
May 22nd, 2006, 12:16 PM
#79
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>When our German exchange student went
back to Landau after four months of
Japanese food here in Vancouver, she
was forced - impelled - to drive all
the way to Munich for a sushi fix!<
If I want sushi, I have to drive 0:30 hr to Athens.
If I want fairly good sushi, I have to drive to Atlanta.
back to Landau after four months of
Japanese food here in Vancouver, she
was forced - impelled - to drive all
the way to Munich for a sushi fix!<
If I want sushi, I have to drive 0:30 hr to Athens.
If I want fairly good sushi, I have to drive to Atlanta.
May 22nd, 2006, 12:20 PM
#80
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I'm like the original poster in that I like to be like locals when I travel. Currently my hubby and I only travel for a maximum of 3 weeks, so if we started missing things from home, I'd be worried!
One thing I absolutely must take is Immodium (for diarrhea). My digestive system already isn't the best, so eating new things can make it worse. However, if you don't have any, the best antidote is Japanese food. This helped me immensely last year in Spain after eating oily Spanish food for only a few days.
I cannot leave home with a few scarves. We usually travel in September, so the weather can be touch and go, depending on where you are. They don't take up much room in the suitcase and can really dress up an outfit and keep you warm!
The other thing I take is a change purse with 2 compartments. I bought one in Paris when I lived there years ago and it serves me really well. The compartments are nice and big so you can see all the change you have, and if it's stolen, you still have your IDs and cards with you.
One thing I absolutely must take is Immodium (for diarrhea). My digestive system already isn't the best, so eating new things can make it worse. However, if you don't have any, the best antidote is Japanese food. This helped me immensely last year in Spain after eating oily Spanish food for only a few days.
I cannot leave home with a few scarves. We usually travel in September, so the weather can be touch and go, depending on where you are. They don't take up much room in the suitcase and can really dress up an outfit and keep you warm!
The other thing I take is a change purse with 2 compartments. I bought one in Paris when I lived there years ago and it serves me really well. The compartments are nice and big so you can see all the change you have, and if it's stolen, you still have your IDs and cards with you.
