I have started bringing a small silk travel pillow with a removable cover I bought on sale at "Restoration Hardware" a few years ago. It is worth the space it occupies in my luggage. I was beginning to find the foam pillows at B&B's and agriturismos very hard to sleep on. There was a thread about the RH pillow in this forum, so I took the cue from many fodorites! Unfortunately I think the pillow may have been discontinued.

What do you do with your bed-pillows - do you have plastic covers for them or anything? The thing that I don't like is the thought of taking something off my bed and using it, unprotected, on an airplane - and then taking it back home again - gah. I've seen plenty o' people just walking around with wadded up bed pillows and I think, "eek". What if you dropped it on an airport floor?

I'm really only mildly germophobic - I don't use those clean-wipes when I get on an airplane or anything - but I don't use the blanket or pillow the airline provides either - they turn those planes pretty quickly for the next run and I doubt they get cleaned or replaced each time. Airline blanket/pillows become my lumbar support!

ps. good comments by the way - might have some ideas for the next trip now! :)

"Airline blanket/pillows become my lumbar support!" Me too

I do have an inflatable neck pillow but it sprung a leak on our last trip, I'll have to see about getting another. I leave a corkscrew in my luggage at all times!I don't like the ones they have in hotel rooms.

Since we almost always stay in apartments, I bring along some basic, temporary things, just in case they don't have them, and they usually don't. Yes, all of this stuff is available (well maybe not the Arby's stuff), but maybe I don't want to shop on my first day, but I also find that I forget to buy stuff when there and so lots of this stuff makes it easy.

* Picnic style salt/pepper shakers;

* little packs of ketchup, mayo, mustard, ArbyQ sauce and Arby's Horsey Sauce;

* roll of TP;

* small can-opener;

* some of those Folger's coffee bags and some hot chocolate bags (in case I don't want to go out);

* sugar packs;

* a few of those flavored coffee creamers that come in the little containers;

* a small scrubby sponge and a little container of dish detergent

* paper napkins in a baggie

* a pack of those "little trees" car air-fresheners to hang in the bathroom. Let's face it, sometimes 500 year old plumbing doesn't fully control smells.

* I have a little tool kit that has been used on every trip we have taken.

* a couple of packs of liquid laundry detergent.

dave

On international flights, as long as the waitresses have plenty of those little bottles of Bailey's Irish Cream, I'm set for creature comforts.

I take a lot of the above listed. Ex. Toilet Paper, pillow, laundry detergent, corkscrew, fake sugar and a blanket(Need to spend the night at an airport to appreciate one). Not listed above but I take is a small battery/plug in 10" fan. Comes in very handy in hotel rooms with no AC in summer. I also take an inverter to use with my electric scooter and small laptop.

my own washrag. they dont have them in Europe.

"What creature comforts do you take on a trip?"

My wife.

My iPod with all my favorite music and tv shows on it, my body gel, lip gloss, my cashmere throw, my camera, and my favorite pillow, which only comes out when I reach my final destination.

I used to bring my piggy slippers, but it became too cumbersome for airplanes, so now they only go on road trips.

Oh, and how can I forget, my unlocked quad band cell phone (only for trips of long duration).

Books. I never travel with less than 3. Airports, airplanes, I have to read. Also, wherever I am, I can't go to sleep without reading a few pages.

I understand the pillow thing as I need at least 2, but I never bring one. I've been known to stuff a sofa pillow under my bed pillow when there are not enough on the bed.

A small selection of my own tea and a couple of Folger's coffee bags. It was a good thing I did in Amsterdam as the hotel thought instant coffee was coffee. Silly them.

I also bring a coffee cup, it's a hard plastic mug that is the next best thing to ceramic.

A couple of small tea light candles, a couple of small sticks of incense just in case.

Notebooks, one large 70 sheet spiral and a small notebook to carry around.

Silk undies. Extra book.

If it's a car trip, I bring my pillows.

I take yoga pants - they are SO fabulous to change into after a hectic day of exploring. Even if it's just to wear while I'm recovering from the days outings and getting ready to go out for dinner. The next one is going to seem really silly to some of you, but I take my own hair dryer - i HATE hotel hair dryers - they don't have enough ooomph for my mane.

Adrienne, I love your idea of scented lotion rather than perfume. I always take perfume, but it stays in my hand luggage just to be sure. Your idea is much smarter!!

Melj, if I shove my husband in the overhead locker, does that mean i can have his seat?? :)

I endeavor to bring dual purpose items. My slides, go-the-distance comfortable walking shoes, double as slippers. Silk long underwear doubles for PJ's/lounging. Though, I always pack double knit black slacks for lounging, running a quick errand, wearing home on the plane for comfort. Except in hot weather, I love a polartec jacket with hood - great on the plane (which tends to be chilly, and who wants to use those airplane blankets?) and a fabulous extra layer while out and about that can be stuffed into a tote bag and emerge looking just fine.

I used to never leave home without my blow dryer and curling brush, but now insist on a wash & go cut from my stylist, sometime with a body/wavy perm. It's not so much dragging the appliances as the time it takes to get out the door in the morning.

Over the years, I've collected the perfect tiny containers for all my toiletries (small pump bottles for shower items, etc.), so that I can bring everything I might want/need without excess weight. But, I've learned to bring a minimum of makeup - you just don't need/use all that!

But, best is figuring out versatile clothing that packs nicely, fits comfortable and looks wonderful, everything must match everything else and take you anywhere.

enjoyed reading the posts!
i take a neck pillow - you cant be certain of the pillows you get and i can scrunch this beady one

coffee bags-given up on depending on foreign coffee and would rather have something familiar

candles- OH and i never dine without them

thick socks with soles - to cozy up in after the rain


perfumed handcream for nighttime

two watches---one for local time and one for home time so we can call home without doing the maths

I always take travel TP. I was very fortunate to have it. One August we rented an apartment in Florence. We arrived on Sunday. Sunday in August is brutal to find a store with TP since so many stores are closed for the month and it was Sunday. We actually didn't find one until Tuesday for various reasons. We were so desperate we were going to go to a hotel and ask to borrow a roll from them. I had my travel TP so we used that, but we didn't want to run out. I never go on a trip without it.

Inflatable neck pillow

Victorinox Swiss Army card, the size of a credit card but contains scissors, tooth pick, knife, nail file, tweezers and something that looks like a long nail, which I've never used.

<<Eddie Bauer Down Travel Pillow & Throw set with me on my trips!>>

Is there a separate pillow in this set? Or is pillow the throw stuffed into the pillow case?

It looks too large to me but I've been considering an LLBean down pillow that I saw in their recent catalog. It's about 15 inches long and costs $29.95. It's supposed to flatten out to pack and then puff up.

Has anyone seen the LLBean down pillow?

<i>"versatile clothing that packs nicely, fits comfortable and looks wonderful, everything must match everything else and take you anywhere"..</i>

- hey, what store did you find these clothes in? ;;)

Luisah - I think the travel down pillow/throw is what you described: throw stuffed into the case to become a pillow. At least that's what it looked like to me on the website.