Lori

Karen, what do you do with the twist ties?

I recently purchased some Smith and Wesson earplugs which came in mighty handy the last time we traveled. Put me in a room near the ice machine? Ha! I will NEVER travel without those again! Being a really light sleeper, I have to confess that I travel with exactly 2 Bayer PM tablets for every night I will be away from home. They won't do the job alone, but they do help.

mm

My husband also likes to bring a couple of zip lock bags both small and large size. Came in handy one time we were in Egypt and one of our fellow members felt ill. Pepto-bismol or anything for an an upset stomach and the runs shoudl also be in your "just-in-case" bag. Toilet paper or tissues if you're travelling to a third world country.

elvira

Bungee cord
Rubber bands
Vitamin C drops
Small bottle of liquid handsoap, or small bar of soap for use on the plane
Saline nasal spray
Small needlepoint project
Crossword puzzle book and mechanical pencil
Flip-flops

nancy

Duct tape!!
Good for all kinds of things( plugging bottom of screens that don't fit well, to keep out voracious Maine mosquitos)
Put a piece over a splintery floorboard,
Tape a shoe together
Tape glasses together
Tape a piece of window glass in, that was getting ready to fall out.
Could go on and on.
Hairties, because my daughter is always losing them.
A small kit with a few pills for various stomach/digestive disorders.
A few codeine tabs for ER tooth pain, or my bad back.
Matches and a small candle, in case power goes out.
Safety pins, small sewing kit.
Endless things I hardly ever use.

crelly

Most of the above and...

> Plastic toothpics
> Eyeshades
> Submersion heater
> Lots of zip lock bags
> Insulated carrier for my water bottle (keeps the water cool and prevents sweating all over things)
> Door stop
> FLAT SINK STOPPER
> Highlighter (tour books and maps)
> Swiss Army knife with folding scissors
> Extra reading glasses
> Lip balm
> ..and my own pillow (which I leave, sans case, at my last destination and use the bag that carried the pillow for all my return goodies. There are some pretty bad pillows waiting out there!)

Me

High wattage light bulbs. When I must work in my room at night, the low wattage bulbs in most hotel rooms is inadequate.

Lillian

I bring along satin pillowcases, scented candles and a can of Lysol spray. Oh and one other thing I bring is honey roasted peanuts. I'm not the only one who misses them on the plane.

Pete

Condoms and KY

Marie

spare dentures......nope - not kidding!

MarcoPolo

Ah,yes. Forgot to mention my spare pair of glasses. Unfortunately learned the hard way. Never did see that wave.

redhead

hat with wide brim, sunblock,tiny bottles of liquor for the occasional moment when that is what you need.self-stick pre-addressed labels to make wrting home a little easier. tiny flashlight.a couple of tall kitchen bags for who knows what? they seem to come in handy adn take up no room.pepto bismol tablets for indigestion and great for the runs.coolmax undies and socks that dry in a couple of hours.

G. Kremer

Take a couple small trash bags for dirty laundry to keep separate from clean clothes or spare change to go to a laundromat if necessary.

xxx

Extra pair of shoelaces. Found out the wrong way to always have a spare.

Bug spray (you can buy a small pump bottle of Outdoorsman's off with about 90% deet)

Ziplock bags

Couple of plastic grocery store bags

Fix-a-Flat (must go with carryon luggage)

Jeannie

Plastic clothes pins with a hook at the top so that it can hang from any type rod. You can buy a package of several in the laundry section of most discount department stores (Walmart, Target). These are great for hanging wet clothes, or to distinguish your towel,washcloth from your traveling companions.

Kay

Wish I had checked this posting before went on last trip. Most of these I have learned the hard way.
Would like to stress the saline nose spray--especially on long haul plane trip. My M.D. feels that the moisture keeps the nasal mucosa moist and may reduce the incidence of catching some air born bug from the recirculated air.
Also clothespins have many uses--my favorite is to hold the black-out drapes closed where they never seem to meet in the middle.
Thanks to everyone for all the great ideas.....

please

clear nail polish and hydrocortisone cream.

me

I pack an extra $20 for emergencies.

Karen

Sorry, just getting back to this. The twist ties I use are the heavy duty plastic ones (though not the wide ones)you can get at electrical supply places. I thread it through the hole where normally one of those cheesy, flimsy locks would go. Pull it very tight and no one will feel like bothering with it.

jwagner

Plastic bags for wet swimming suits, shampoo bottles, etc.