Hi mcnyc, feeling much better, thank you for asking. It is funny what 4 days of peace and quite can do isn't it? Best wishes to you for a job that you will enjoy going to. A stressful job is terrible IMO.

mcnys, your comment on a cell phone interested me as the last time I went to Italy I did not have a cell phone. The one I had (my SIL's) would no longer work. I was going to get a new one and never did. What a blessing that was!!! I am sure I will get one next trip but honestly I so enjoyed not having one as strange as that sounds. Take good care and best wishes to you.

This works for us. Each traveler take a backpack in addition to regular luggage. Very handy for day trips, etc. And works well for an overnight at a B & B when you can lock your luggage in the vehicle--just take in what you need in the backpack.

An example: Before flying home from London, checked our bags (and golf clubs) at the Heathrow hotel we were to stay at the night before flying out. Packed our backpacks with what we needed for an overnight in London. Caught the tube in and were spared the headache of lugging all the extra around with us. Have done that several times.

Cheers,

Jinx Hoover

Hi LoveItaly, glad to hear you're feeling much better. :D I hope things are better in your family's life.

I am constantly seeing cell phone posts here, and although I have a cell phone w/SIM card for Italy, my experience is while it was very useful in my particular situation, I found that I could have also done without it. You, of course, have family there, so it's a more different situation. It's nice to have, but then how would you run away from family? ;)

DH won't leave home without duc tape. We've used it on every trip, one way or another. It saved my life and my feet, when it held the bandaides on my poor blistered foot in Tanzania.

It got so that everyone in our group was asking him for some almost daily, to repair or hold something together - after initally teasing him about it. Now none of them travel without it.

Nina

Hi mcnyc, exactly!!! LOL. You got it dear one. But I will get a cell phone next time..but it was great last time without it although I always had a lot of phone calls to return when I got back to my hotel etc. Take good care.

>>>>>
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)
>>>>>

i never heard of this...have the plastic bag manufacturers really convinced people that they need to put their clothes in plastic bags within their suitcases? ...so much so that they make bags for this purpose? crazy.

Hi

Split your luggage so that you get half your travel partner's clothes and they get half yours. That way if one of your pieces of luggage goes missing that person has clothes for a few days. I then pray that my wife's bag doesn't go missing in case a Customs search of mine leaves me having to explain that the ladies underwear belong to my wife!!

Back to the underwear thing...




Does Your Underwear have HOLES in it?
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No?!!!
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.Then how do you get your legs into them?

Thanks for the great travel tips everyone! One comment and one Question:
Re: walking circles in Amsterdam like Grownmom's kids... Avoid eating the Spacecakes. That will help.
Q: Has anyone tried those new plastic-bag type garment condensing things?

Kate

These may be elemental but they have been helpful to me:

-Use a standard packing list. It can be edited each year for additions or deletions.It should contain a check list that you hang on your exit door at home:

-Passport
-Photo-ID
-Tickets
-Medication

A second is a reminder not to over-plan a trip. Do not try to plan every minute.
A plan should be a broad outline filled in by experiences as you go.

If you are driving and plan to stay in small towns/villages allow for some accommodations to remain open. We have done this many times and some of these overnight stays have been our most memorable and enjoyable experiences. We always consult our travel books for descriptions of B&B's or inns or get advice from the place you are leaving. My husband loves to run and a good place for running is always a consideration. He is still talking about his perfect run along a river in Aberfoyle Scotland. We would never plan to arrive in a large city WO a reservation.

What an odd thread. I look in whenever I can to escape the stress in my life for an hour or so. It seems that the exchanges at this forum recall so many pleasant memories and raise the possibility of future travels that I'm distracted temporarily from that which sometimes threatens to overwhelm me. So I click here to read some tips and lo, I find that I'm not the only one here dealing with acid and knots in the stomach. Who knew? Love and prayers all around. J.

SweetKate: Are you talking about those TravelSpace Bags? The kind you squeeze the air out of?

Yes - I have used them for almost 10 years and would not leave home without them, for a number of reasons.
- Yes they really do give you extra space in your bag.
- It makes security checks go MUCH faster, because they are clear, they can see what is inside, and you don't have undies & socks flying all over the security station. I have actually heard a couple of security guys say that they love it when people use those bags - makes their life much easier.
- You have a builtin place for the dirty laundry , that is airtight , so the rest of your clothes stay fresh & clean.
- If by some chance a bottle opens up , or your shoes are dirty , the plastic bags protect your clothes.

TIP: Take a permanent marker and label the edge with the air vents (the only part of the bag that is not smooshed & compressed) with your name - that way if one gets left somewhere , they may be able to find you.

1. Always carry a lightweight pair of binoculars--always. I go NOWHERE without them, and have never regretted it. 2. You can spend a week in Paris wearing two mini skirts, black tights, two vests, two cotton turtlenecks, two l/s wrinkle free shirts. Two pairs of comfortable shoes--not sneakers. One raincoat, one hat, and a few scarves. You won't be seeing the same people everyday, and even across a dining table, you only see 'waist up'! 3. I may be one of the few people in the world left who use a non-digital camera, but I swear by my Canon Sure Shot point and shoot camera. I take one or two shots and don't agonize over 'does it look good? should i take it over? is my memory getting low?' Plus, just take your film to the store and come back an hour later for finished prints. 4. Ask locals or fellow travelers to take your photo WITH the landmarks--it's much more interesting and will remind you about your wonderful trip. 5. And finally WALK and take public (bus, metro) transportation. You will see more, and you can EAT MORE croissants, tarts, and other delicacies!

walkinaround, I am a convert to packing most of my clothes in plastic bags (I don't bother doing this with pants or jeans). Sometimes I use ziplocks or spacesavers, sometimes I just use cheap see-thru plastic sweater bags that have the zipper up the long side.

The biggest advantage is that it keeps your stuff organized in your suitcase if you are moving every few days. Underwear in 1 bag, T-shirts in another, etc. Easy to keep dirty clothes separate. I also use one to keep odds and ends together: electric adapters, travel clock, book light, belt, etc.

And when you want something at the bottom of your suitcase, it's a lot easier to move a few bags than to dig through a pile of clothes.

With current security measures, it's easier for the screeners to handle your belongings and see what's in the bag. Hopefully a bag of clothes is less likely to get left behind than a stray garment.

Anyway, the only danger of the space bags is that you might be able to get so much in that you couldn't lift your bag. :-D

I can get by with 2 black miniskirts in Paris? All these years I've been lugging heavy black slacks that take up so much room in my suitcase. Who knew? :-)

David

Okay Debbie! I'm all over this Spacesaver Bag thing ~running to AAA to buy some tomorrow!

I cannot believe I never even knew they exsited until a few weeks ago, and now to learn they actually WORK!

Kate

Beware of the *weight* of your suitcase using ziplocks or a system that makes your clothing smaller (remember it does not make those clothes any lighter). The first time I enthusiastically packed with the gallon ziplock method was also the first time I had to check my 22" rolling suitcase, because it was over the carry-on weight limit.

SweetKate - Glad to help. I have my Mom & best friend hooked on them too ;)

fyi - I just saw a version of them in 3 packs in the travel section at TARGET.
( you can also get them at a TOTES/SAMSONITE store if you have one near you)

I got my first ones at Walgreens, and since then have ordered them off TV - from QVC & HSN , because you get a large quantity for a really good price.

Be sure to shop around ( if you have time before your trip that is :) )

A lesson learned the hard way:

Even though you may be able to buy almost anything you really need in Europe, it's a very good idea to have a clean set of clothing in which to go shopping for them. I went to Florence, my luggage went to Pisa. I went shopping for clothing to wear until my luggage arrived (two days later). I did however, have a toothbrush and hairbrush in my carry-on. If only I had thought to put a change of clothing in there also.

David,

If by chance you'll be in Paris the week of September 18-25, will you please parade along Rue Cler in your mini-skirt(s)? I'd love to point it out to my Mom and Aunt about the latest in "haute coutoure" of Paris! Now THAT's a picture I'd like to see my dear Auntie take back to Sacramento after her first trip to Europe!

:)

Jules