What did you buy for your trip that turned out to be a total waste of money?
Jul 7th, 2006, 09:12 PM
#41
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a 30 inch rolling Columbia duffle. Bought from Ebags inexpensively. When it was full, I couldn't lift it! Plus I am 5 foot tall, I looked like an elf dragging it. The 24 inch rolling duffle was perfect.
I gave it to a woman who was going home to Peru who was delighted as she said she was bringing home almost 250 lbs of stuff for the folks at home and it was extremely well made.
Probably would have been fine for a six foot college kid.
I gave it to a woman who was going home to Peru who was delighted as she said she was bringing home almost 250 lbs of stuff for the folks at home and it was extremely well made.
Probably would have been fine for a six foot college kid.
Jul 7th, 2006, 10:00 PM
#42
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LoveItaly: if you go to arthritissupplies.com, search for zipper ring. I found it by googling.
Hope it helps you get into and, equally importantly, out of that expensive black linen dress. Geez, can you inmagine if you had to sleep in it all night?
You'd wake up looking like an accodian trampled by flamenco dancers!
This, Dallas, is exactly why we need electronic door alarms. To foil those roving bands of flamenco dancers in search of vulnerable linen.
Hope it helps you get into and, equally importantly, out of that expensive black linen dress. Geez, can you inmagine if you had to sleep in it all night?
You'd wake up looking like an accodian trampled by flamenco dancers!
This, Dallas, is exactly why we need electronic door alarms. To foil those roving bands of flamenco dancers in search of vulnerable linen.
Jul 7th, 2006, 10:31 PM
#44
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I spent $60 on a metal bag for protecting film from x-ray machines.
Talk about not packing light!
I didn't ever bring it with me it was so heavy. Even if I had, I'm sure they would have wanted me to empty the contents.
I never send film through checked bags anyway.
Talk about not packing light!
I didn't ever bring it with me it was so heavy. Even if I had, I'm sure they would have wanted me to empty the contents.
I never send film through checked bags anyway.
Jul 8th, 2006, 05:00 AM
#46
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DH will not wear the money belt I bought him--the kind that wraps around the waist, under a shirt. He tried it once and rattled off about 12 things that were wrong with it...I tuned out after reason number five...it's collecting dust in the closet.
I had to have two traveler shirts that resisted wrinkles, stains, and large crowds but turned out to have zero breathability, if that's a word. Had the shirts covered me from head to toe I would have suffocated... stop dreaming! ;-)
I had to have two traveler shirts that resisted wrinkles, stains, and large crowds but turned out to have zero breathability, if that's a word. Had the shirts covered me from head to toe I would have suffocated... stop dreaming! ;-)
Jul 8th, 2006, 05:47 AM
#49
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Useless items: a calculator for converting different currencies; a travel iron; non-inflatable pillows; many security gadgets (other than those listed below); portable fan
These are my useful, indispensable items, well worth the cost:
1. ear plugs and portable sound machine
2. a sleeping mask: very useful for hotels that have flimsy curtains
3. light-weight, comfortable money belt
4. door stop
5. around-the-neck holder for holding passport/drivers license/boarding pass/luggage receipts (especially useful when traveling to other countries, where some airports require IDs to be shown umpteen times; but also helpful at USA airports)
6. combination-type luggage locks for all my luggage; also a cable-type lock
7. a self-inflating back pillow, for when I take long flights; also useful for driving long distances. Thermarest makes a good one. For really long flights, a wonderful item I recently discovered is Pocket Pillow: www.pocketpillow.com . I used it on a flight to Japan, and it was terrific. Usually even 2 hours in an airplane seat is enough to give me back pain, but this product let me go through a 13 hour flight with no pain whatsoever.
These are my useful, indispensable items, well worth the cost:
1. ear plugs and portable sound machine
2. a sleeping mask: very useful for hotels that have flimsy curtains
3. light-weight, comfortable money belt
4. door stop
5. around-the-neck holder for holding passport/drivers license/boarding pass/luggage receipts (especially useful when traveling to other countries, where some airports require IDs to be shown umpteen times; but also helpful at USA airports)
6. combination-type luggage locks for all my luggage; also a cable-type lock
7. a self-inflating back pillow, for when I take long flights; also useful for driving long distances. Thermarest makes a good one. For really long flights, a wonderful item I recently discovered is Pocket Pillow: www.pocketpillow.com . I used it on a flight to Japan, and it was terrific. Usually even 2 hours in an airplane seat is enough to give me back pain, but this product let me go through a 13 hour flight with no pain whatsoever.
Jul 8th, 2006, 06:45 AM
#50
instead of the silly inflatable hangers or clothesline gadgets, i recently started taking two molded plastic hangers in the bottom of the suitcase. handy for laundry in the sink to drip-dry (often hangers are attached to closet rods). leave them behind at the last stop of the trip.
Jul 8th, 2006, 07:54 AM
#51
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Purchases that engenderd a high degre of buyer's remorse:
leather travel documents holder - too big and bulky
portable travel iron - heavy, kept losing the adaptor plug
travel steamer - takes up too much space
money belt - uncomfortable, ugly and not very functional
OTOH, I love my inflatable neck pillow (not the ones stuffed with lentils or buckwheat or whatever). When flying coach on long trips it is a lifesaver. The other thing that is on the top of the to-take-along list is a simple leather messenger-type bag with a couple compartments. By now have worked out just which compartment works best to carry essentials (camera and accessories, guidebook and maps, phone, toiletries/first aid stuff, pen, notebook, list of addresses, etc.
leather travel documents holder - too big and bulky
portable travel iron - heavy, kept losing the adaptor plug
travel steamer - takes up too much space
money belt - uncomfortable, ugly and not very functional
OTOH, I love my inflatable neck pillow (not the ones stuffed with lentils or buckwheat or whatever). When flying coach on long trips it is a lifesaver. The other thing that is on the top of the to-take-along list is a simple leather messenger-type bag with a couple compartments. By now have worked out just which compartment works best to carry essentials (camera and accessories, guidebook and maps, phone, toiletries/first aid stuff, pen, notebook, list of addresses, etc.
Jul 8th, 2006, 08:34 AM
#52
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Inexpensive, but a waste non the less: inflatable hangers. Because we never were in need of extra hangers.
loisco: The clothes line with the suction cup came in handy for us when we took a four week trip. It attached best to the tile in the shower. I'd wash our clothes in the sink, then I'd hang the wet clothes using these large plastic clothes pins that are made with a hook on one end. Linen capris, underware, cotton tops and t's, all would dry overnight. It was a beautiful thing.
loisco: The clothes line with the suction cup came in handy for us when we took a four week trip. It attached best to the tile in the shower. I'd wash our clothes in the sink, then I'd hang the wet clothes using these large plastic clothes pins that are made with a hook on one end. Linen capris, underware, cotton tops and t's, all would dry overnight. It was a beautiful thing.
Jul 8th, 2006, 09:34 AM
#53
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I second the response to the money belt (and neck pouch) as being a total waste. I much prefer this bag which I ultimately traveled with, absolutely loved, and would never again travel without! It's the best--
http://www.tumi.com/tumi/flap_body_b...?modelid=41710
http://www.tumi.com/tumi/flap_body_b...?modelid=41710
Jul 8th, 2006, 09:42 AM
#54
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Oh, ronnie56, I LOVE that bag!
Ha, ha, I have to add my vote to "inflatable hangers." Mine may have been a gift, I do not remember purchasing them. Anyway, on our June flight to Paris, I diligently passed out the "neck pillows" to my family, and two of them turned out to be the inflatable hangers somehow misplaced in the neck pillow bags. My sons were not amused - but didn't like the pillows either.
They are in the trash at CDG now.
JES
Ha, ha, I have to add my vote to "inflatable hangers." Mine may have been a gift, I do not remember purchasing them. Anyway, on our June flight to Paris, I diligently passed out the "neck pillows" to my family, and two of them turned out to be the inflatable hangers somehow misplaced in the neck pillow bags. My sons were not amused - but didn't like the pillows either.
They are in the trash at CDG now.
JES
Jul 8th, 2006, 09:46 AM
#55
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I second Pilates' suggestion--the large clothes pins with large hooks on top. I take 6 with me but no clothes line. The hooks hang on just about anything in the bathroom. I love hanging my stuff all over the bathroom of a 5* hotel!! 
Jul 8th, 2006, 09:53 AM
#56
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How about a safari hat to wear in the European cities? But of course it matched my safari pants and jacket. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought them, well, they were the style sort of at that point in time. I put them on, had breakfast and felt like such a fool I went back to the room and repacked them and never took them out again.
Probably now an underpriviledged woman is wearing that outfit in Los Angeles, I took them to a woman's shelter! I hope she realizes there is a hook for a canteen on the jacket.
Probably now an underpriviledged woman is wearing that outfit in Los Angeles, I took them to a woman's shelter! I hope she realizes there is a hook for a canteen on the jacket.
Jul 8th, 2006, 10:21 AM
#57
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Dear Croque_Madame, thank you for the website! I fortunatly do not have artheritist (sp?) but one of those zipper pulls look like it might work. And yes, lol, can you imagine what a linen dress would look like after a night of sleeping in it?
Jul 8th, 2006, 10:36 AM
#58
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"5. around-the-neck holder for holding passport/drivers license/boarding pass/luggage receipts"
While several seem to hate these things, I love mine. I also put my rings, watch, etc. in it at the last minute before security. Different strokes, blah-blah-blah.
While several seem to hate these things, I love mine. I also put my rings, watch, etc. in it at the last minute before security. Different strokes, blah-blah-blah.
Jul 8th, 2006, 11:00 AM
#59
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I also love my neck strap passport/ID/creditcard holder. Then when I finally get aboard the plane (never before, because there is always someome else who wants to see something), I take it off and put in my purse or carry aboard.
Jul 8th, 2006, 11:22 AM
#60
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In the category of "best" purchases, I loved my very small down pillow (about 10 inches square) that let me sleep well when hotel pillows were too hard. It rolled up to nearly nothing. Unfortunately, I gave it to a friend when I thought I was developing an allergy to down, and now I can't find a reasonably priced one to replace it and use a poly-filled one that's ok but not great.
