Hmmm, I've never discarded laundry along the way (except the face cloths we brought from home since the hotels/apts do not always have them and they don't travel well wet), but if they are tossed in the trash...how much of a burden is that for the cleaning staff to throw away with the rest of the laundry. Just reading LoveItaly's comments calmed me some...so true. I would add to that not to plan much at all the first day --after not sleeping on the plan--as one or more members of our family are usually out of sorts. Most often one of the children, but they are good to go the next day.

My tip --maybe obvious to all the seasoned travelers--is the bring multiple CCs (2-3) and for you and your spouse to carry different ones. Always call before you leave home and tell them to expect charges from XXXXX and not to shut your CC down. Keep copies of Passports, ticket receipts and CC # and international service #s with a trusted person at home too...

The best tip I've heard lately was from another fodorite, to pack an extension cord. At first I thought it would just be one more thing to lug around, but when I brought one, I found it came in handy when the outlet was a tad too far from the desk, or hidden behind the bed, etc. It saves crawling in and out of tight spaces several times, also, to plug in and pull out different appliances. You can just plug it in once and then use the end where you need it. It also meant I could blow-dry my hair in the room mirror, without taking up precious mirror space in the bathroom. A big stress reliver, believe me!
Only question is: when you use a converter at the wall outlet, and plug the extension cord into it, can you plug in more than one appliance to the cord? If so, it saves on the number of converters you'd need. But it sounds like a fire hazard. Anyone know?

Marilyn, this summer in Grindelwald we stuck the adapter in first, then the splitter into that, then we pluged curling iron plug and CD burner plug into same outlet. Worked like a charm!

And as an aside, it's still a wonder to me why the bathrooms have outlets only for shavers.

Happy travels!

Sorry. I meant Maureen, not Marilyn.

My best tips to enjoying a trip is to embrace the culture, relax, expect differences and appreciate them, learn and just enjoy yourself.

I use those disposable Olay facial wash cloths which are impregnated with cleanser. After you use it on your face it still has enough strength to be used in the shower as a washcloth for the rest of you.

1. Well, I do use the old underwear tip, and as for disposing of it, I always put the items into a small plastic shopping bag and knot it, so the maid never really knows what she is disposing of, along with the empty water bottles, tissues, brochures, etc., that are normally in a hotel wastebasket. That way, I get rid of some of the extra bags I pick up on my travels as well.
I also take some old nightwear with me and get rid of it along the way. (Anybody who thinks getting rid of old underwear and nightwear doesn't open up some amount of space in the suitcase mustn't pack more than 2 or 3 pieces, which they then wash out. That works, too.) But, I pack enough clean underwear for the whole trip, so that does open up a little bit of space. (Also, before somebody jumps on this suggestion---this underwear is not torn, with holes, or anything other than ready to be replaced with brighter, fresher pieces. I only travel at most once a year out of the country, and I do replace my underwear at least once a year, if not more, so this works for me.)
2. Another tip I learned on a travel forum (maybe this one) is to take a package of balloons. When you are on an extended trip and have to wash clothing, blow up a balloon and stick one inside each item, and it will dry much more quickly because the cloth is separated instead of clinging together. I thought this tip was crazy, but it helps.
3. Zip-lock bags---I use all sizes. Big ones for clothing (much cheaper than buying the ones made expressly for packing clothing in a suitcase); as toiletry bags, snack bags, to keep maps or brochures together...just about anything you can think of. Keeps me much more organized, keeps knit clothing from snagging on something else, keeps me from rummaging for papers, keeps snack crumbs out of my purse or carry-on, etc. etc. etc.
4. Finally--I agree with all the people who said not to obsess and just go.
Europe is quite civilized--so you can buy toothpaste, shampoo, shoes, underwear, raincoats, umbrellas---anything you forget.
After my recent trip, in which I overpacked despite all my previous experience and the encouragement of other members of this forum, I am convinced it is not necessary to take all those "just in case" things. I carried a small umbrella around every day and never needed it. I took a raincoat in case it was rainy or cool during the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh (just one out of 12 nights of travel) and did not need it. If I did, I could have picked up a sweatshirt or small tartan blanket or something there. If it was actually raining, I could have bought a poncho.
My excuse has always been that I did not want to waste time shopping for something--but guess what? On the Royal Mile, on the way to the Tattoo, were innumerable shops with blankets, jackets, ponchos---I could have bought a whole kilt ensemble if I wanted to do so!
I also took shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. etc., and guess what? All hotels supply those things (along with hair dryers, irons...). In fact, I came home with more than I left with because I fell in love with a particular brand used by my hotel in Edinburgh (there was a price list so guests could purchase more shampoo, shower gel, etc. Craziness....) I also carried along a book to read during the trip, and ended up buying more books over there (and every airport has books if you run out of reading material, of course). In the end, I never had time to read---too busy looking at scenery, too tired at night to bother.
So, if we were all smart, we'd pack a few items of clothing, a few necessities such as prescriptions, and off we'd go!

Here's another, which I think many people are onto by now, but you never know:
In whichever email program you use when traveling (yahoo, hotmail, etc), create a folder for "travel docs." Then make sure all your emailed hotel confirmations, travel itineraries, e-ticket confirmations, car rental confirmations, etc are in that file. This will be a safety backup in case you lose your hard paper copies.

My best tip is to stop procrastinating and GO! Too many people think they need to plan "the trip of a lifetime," and it takes them years to finally decide when and where to go. Of course, they discover how easy it is and how much they enjoy it, and start planning their next trip as they wait in the airport for their flight home.

Most of the best travel tips I ever heard I got from this forum.

My favorites:

Bring lots of unwaxed unflavored dental floss. You can use it as a laundry line, shoelaces, to tie windows shut, to tie your pants together if you lose your belt or a button.

Don't bring an umbrella. They don't work very well anyway. Bring a raincoat with a hood.

Splurge a little more for better hotels so that everyone in your party can get a good night 's sleep. A trip can be ruined by a sleepy grump.

Put a copy of your itinerary complete with hotel names, cities, and dates in your suitcase and in your daypack. We were jawdroppingly lucky once and got a bag returned to us after leaving it on the bus. It had all our money, credit cards, and passports in it. Fortunately I had followed my own advice and someone turned it in to the police.

Plan a sleeping day as soon as you arrive.

Don't use travellers checks any more.

Always take a tour of a new city.

If you see it and want it, buy it. You will probably regret it if you don't.

Enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Make sure to pack at least one of your outfits in your spouse's suitcase, and have him/her pack some things in yours.

That way, if one bag doesn't arrive with you, you will each have some clean clothes while waiting for the bag to be delivered.

I always pack a change of clothes in my carry-on, too.

Byrd

Don't use traveller's cheques: you can say that again. I tried to cash my cheques at many different banks in London but most wouldn't take them. I ended up going to a Post Office (which never was easy to find). Or to a money exchange office where they charged me commission.

ATMs and credit cards seem the best way to go nowadays when travelling.

This is all good advice to read before leaving for a trip/vacation.
One more to add: If traveling with SO, and checking a bag for each, pack half of your clothes in one bag, half in another. This way, if one bag is lost, each traveler will have clothes to wear until the bag is found. This is a result of loss of nephew's bag with his and his wife's clothes in it. Lost for 3 days. She didn't have ANY clothes to wear, not even undies.
I usually carry a light change of clothes in carry-on in case the suitcases are both lost. This is usually for long, long trips or cruises. I am trying to master the art of carry-ons only. It's great!
Louise

Maybe I have too "high expectations", but I would never travel abroad with my old "undies".

My best travel tip: don't plan for every minute of your days, leave room for the unexpected and be open to adventures.

I wear my old undies ;-) Seriously, they never seem to wear out. Due to a recent weight loss (HURRAH) my are now way too big. So. for the first time, I actually could travel with them and throw them out ... but they are now too big. Hmmmmm, did I just tell you more than you needed or wanted to know??????

Seriously, my main travel tip is..... go with the flow. If it's not perfect, it's still better in Paris or wherever, than it is at home.

I should concentrate more on proofreading than on underwear ;-)


Nina

Whenever we plan to make day trips, I check the city's website to see if I can find parking info. Then I can either download a map online with the parking lots marked or go to michelin.com or another online mapping site and get directions from our point of origin. This has made things much easier than just driving in "cold" and hunting for a parking place that may or may not be near what we want to see.

Marilyn wrote: "When you are traveling through airports, train stations, etc, do a piece count on your belongings."

Worktowander: I lost a favorite rain jacket: comfortable, lightweight, warm, non-wrinkle, stayed clean, easy to layer.... oh the grief I have for that jacket! ;-)

I was only flying between Pittsburgh and NYC, and somehow, when I got off the plane in NY, there was no jacket. If I had kept a count of my carry on and bags, I might have noticed, somewhere along the line, that I didn't have the jacket. I will remember the tip to count my belongings, I hope, in the future.

I agree with the tip about carrying along an extra duffel. I have done this on all of my trips over the last 10 years or so, and it has saved me more than a few times. I usually put my shoes & dirty laundry in the duffel ( that way if someone steals it or opens it, they won't get much :) ) and save my good suitcase for any new purchases.

On the same topic - even though all my suitcases have the 'expando zipper' which gives you 30% more space , I never open that zipper on the way there. Keep that extra space for the return items.

For my travel documents / maps / receipts, etc, I prefer the plastic folder/envelops you can buy at any office supply place - they either have a tie string or velcro or a snap to keep them closed, but are wonderful to use. They come in a bunch of colors, so you can organize at a glance, and most are see through, so you don't even have to take your docs out 1/2 the time. They also come in different sizes ( I use the smaller ones for reciepts) and have enough structure to keep your papers from getting crushed.

One more tip - I try to only use carryons with wheels ( I have even found some as small as 16" that have wheels). Ever since I had to walk the entire length of O'hare and stand in line for customs with a bag filled with a glass pitcher & glasses from PV, I vowed I would always use a bag with wheels.

Re: the socks & underwear debate - I have to say 'no' from my world. I try to get new , well cushioned socks for each trip - to give my feet the best chance at withstanding hours of walking. and as for undies , I want to be comfortable on my trips, and old undies are not. Maybe if I was backpacking I would consider it, but If I can afford a nice hotel, I don't need to wear old undies :D

Lower your expectations of what you think your destination/restaurant/whatever should be. Then everything turns out to be a plus. We even try to treat the glitches and bumps in the road as an adventure. Not so much at the time, but we can laugh about it later.

Pack light. You can buy whatever you need once you get there, or find you can do perfectly well without the widget.

Don't compare your destination with the way things are at home.