pat

It was my first international trip. We went to Russia, In my nervousness, I forgot to pack underwear! We went to Gum`s department store in Moscow. After seeing what they had, I just washed out undies everynight and hung them out the hotel window. Now it`s the first thing I pack!

crckwc

A battery operated reading light (available at most book stores) that clips onto your book. Many European hotels don't have good bedside lighting.

crefloors

I forgot all my makeup and toiletries one time years ago. I always take some mole skin for a possible blister, a small tube of Neosporin, a few bandaids, a few packets of handiwipes, or equivilent, and a couple of bottles of waterless hand soap. When I get on the plane I take a handiwipe and wipe down the seat back, the tray, and the arm rests..I know it sounds paranoid but I got so sick after I got home my first trip that I just felt better about doing that the next trip. Don't know if it helped but I didn't get sick that trip. I also forgot my nightgown on one of my trips. Fortuneately I room alone...trust me..it's NOT pretty!

L84SKY

Toothbrush and floss in the handbag I keep with me on my seat. I hate to have to dig through my bag to find it while in the air.
For everything else- there's VISA or ATM.
As others have suggested on different threads:
Did you stop your newspaper and mail?
Turn off appliances if you don't have a housesitter? Give the key to the nieghbor who is feeding you pet? (A friend of mine did this-Yikes)

amp322

Cell phone charger and ADAPTER!!

Otherwise, you can pretty much buy everything there, unless you forget your CREDIT CARD!!

PS- the day before I left for a 1 month trip to Europe last year, a brand new credit card arrived in the mail (with a NEW expiration date) Turns out that the old one would have expired while I was overseas!!! Big Duh on my part. Thank my lucky stars I got the new one when I did!!

Bon voyage!

newtraveller01

thanks for all the tips

newtraveller01

....

suze

passports
plane ticket or confirmation no.
cash, credit card, ATM card
prescription meds & eyeglasses

suze

truly i believe, these are the only true essentials that could not be fairly easily replaced upon arrival in europe.

with kids... i think whatever can help make them comfortable on the long plane ride, and more at home staying in hotel rooms is a nice touch. plenty of healthy snacks, things to drink, blankie and a few toys, books, small flashlight/nightlight.

FainaAgain

My children couldn't survive any vacation without cutting or scraping themselves. I've learned to always have with me: water (not soda!); tissues not Kleenex, but the smaller packages, stronger type, sold where the greeting cards are sold; handkerchief or cotton cloth, band-aid in different sizes, anticeptic in small packages, lotion-type, travel-size hand sanitizer.

For more ideas go to your local pharmacy (Walgreens) travel department, they have so many things tiny-sized!

Also, will your children need sunblock?

Can they carry a small backpack each to learn to carry their own water bottle?

sorriso

I brought a great skirt with no stockings/nylons to wear under it. I have a photo of me on the Appian Way with my black knee highs plainly visible through the slit in the back. The lovely, fashionable Italian women must have had a field day with that.

In my defense, it was our first full day, a Sunday, and I did make it a priority to buy stockings when the shops opened. For some reason I really wanted to wear the skirt that day.

On our last trip I eliminated the problem by not packing the skirt, formerly a travel staple.

newtraveller01

.....

nini

I always try to bring a full size bar of soap in a case and avoid those tiny two inch thin bars most hotels provide.

MaureenGP

I always seemed to forget to pack something vital for my late husband. Once it was his belt, another time it was socks. We weren't in Europe that time--we'd gone to the Thousand Islands area in Canada, and it was some kind of national holiday, so all the stores were closed, except for a souvenir shop or two. Try as I might, I couldn't find socks (not even with a maple leaf design!), so I would wash the pair he was wearing each night and try to finish drying them with my hair dryer the next morning. Needless to say, I never forgot his socks again!
In most cases, if you forget something, you can buy it at your destination. This was the only time I could not.

Nikki

Wash cloths. Even though I have answered similar questions on this same message board suggesting that people bring wash cloths, I have forgotten to pack them on two of my last three trips. Many European hotels and apartments do not provide them.

hopingtotravel

Shut off the water taps to your washing machine--especially if it's on the second floor.

dmkujat

If I was travelling with MY kids when THEY were 5 and 7, I would definately pack some valium! I can say that NOW because they are 22 and 24

Molloy95

I was just thinking "birth control" when I read travel bunny's response. My daughter was conceived in Madrid. We should have named her Rioja.

happygolucky

I recently went to London with my best friend, and we made a mutual 'do-not-forget!' list... we had an overnight flight and when we arrived, we realized we had both forgotten toothpaste or mouthwash, so we had to bear with morning breath paranoia for hours until we could pop into a drug store.

Lorac1127

Tissues.