Useful Things to Travel with - What are Yours?

[overedge]

I was thinking about this while packing for my most recent work trip. What things do you take when you travel to make life on the road a little easier? A few of mine:

- Dental floss: not only for teeth, but when there is an annoying drip from the faucet in the sink or the tub, I tie a piece of dental floss around the neck of the faucet. So the water runs down the dental floss into the drain, and doesn't go plop....plop...plop...all night long.
- Covered hair elastics: not only for hair, but if I am in a hotel with those hangers that have the super-tiny hooks (so you won't steal them for home) - I loop a hair elastic over the shower curtain rail and hang the hanger hook from that. So I can put hanging clothes where I want them and not where the hotel orders me to hang them

Please add to this list with your own ideas.

[A.H.Black]

antibiotics. I had an abscessed tooth at Nationals one year. I always try to have some with me - just in case. I haven't had to take them ever but it comforts me to know I have them handy.

[Nan]

Several sizes of empty zip-lock bags. Protects things and helps organize small items.

[Aussie Willy]

antibiotics. I had an abscessed tooth at Nationals one year. I always try to have some with me - just in case. I haven't had to take them ever but it comforts me to know I have them handy.

Is that such a good idea? I thought you only ever got antibiotics for particular conditions and they should be prescribed by a doctor for what the ailment is. Is there such thing as an all purpose antibiotic?

The thing I have discovered are little containers that you can put small quantities of make up and other items in. Really saves on space in your toilet and make up bag.

[Oreo]

Ear plugs.

[Artemis@BC]

- Covered hair elastics: not only for hair, but if I am in a hotel with those hangers that have the super-tiny hooks (so you won't steal them for home) - I loop a hair elastic over the shower curtain rail and hang the hanger hook from that. So I can put hanging clothes where I want them and not where the hotel orders me to hang them

That's a neat trick.

My must have items include ziploc bags. Soooo many uses! And I always travel with a small package of baking soda -- great for cleaning, insect bites, a soothing bath for sunburn, and lots of other uses.

I'm also a bit of a collector of travel gadgets -- I rarely travel with all of them, but I always use the ones that I bring. My favourites include:

~ a travel clothesline -- 2 cords twisted together (so no pegs are needed, just slip the clothes bw the two twists) and super strong suction cups at each end to hang anywhere
~ a padded hanger with a zippered pouch hanging down -- big enough for your passport or a small wallet, hang a shirt over top and voila it's a safe (not the most secure, of course, but better than nothing)
~ an inflatable footbath
~ USB-rechargable batteries -- since I have a USB wall plug for charging my ereader & cell phone, I can recharge my camera batteries without having to bring an extra charger just for that
~ this really cool travel organizer -- insert your clothes in the shelves, collapse to pack into your suitcase, then when you get to your destination just lift out and hang (I just got this one recently and am looking forward to trying it out on my next trip -- got one as a present for my mother too)

[KatieC]

A washcloth and toilet paper. The first always, as sometimes hotels don't supply them, the second depends on where I'm going. Oh, and I don't travel with it, but I love a scale for suitcases, to weigh things before going to the airport. I'm always under, but it's nice to make sure.

I like the idea for hair elastics - I always take them for my hair, but I get annoyed when I can't hang things where I want them.

[JasperBoy]

I like to have a paper copy of all e-reservations and tickets. I keep them, in the order in which I will need them, in a thesis folder. I remove them from the folder as I go, so that when the folder is empty, (except for return flight info) it's time to go home!

Back home I shred all the documents. I never throw them into hotel garbage cans.

It is surprising how many times hotels have tried to deny a reservation, only to back down when they see a paper copy of the confirmation.

[BigB08822]

Xanax

[AJ Skatefan]

Earplugs and sleeping pills.

[AragornElessar]

Paper Clothing Detergent. My last couple of trips, that little container's saved me more times than I could think of. They're paper slips that all you have to do is fill up the bathtub, put the clothes in, then a couple of those paper slips, swish around and then wring out your clothing *really* well and hang over the shower curtain rod to dry.

Works like a charm and I would never ever travel w/out from now on.

[Spareoom]

Is that such a good idea? I thought you only ever got antibiotics for particular conditions and they should be prescribed by a doctor for what the ailment is. Is there such thing as an all purpose antibiotic?

There must be. My sister left for a year in Taiwan a few months ago, and before she left our doctor prescribed her a general antibiotic for her to have in case she got sick and couldn't get to a doctor (she's in a small town quite a bit outside of Taipei; not exactly a thriving metropolis). I can't imagine carrying around something like that is a bad thing, as long as you're mindful to make sure it's not in extreme weather conditions and hasn't expired.

[pollyanna]

Money belt - flat, hidden, zippered pouch — straps around and tucked under clothes. Keeps money, passport, etc. safe. (Can also use as eye mask for sleeping.)
Ziplocs, assorted sizes.
Photocopies and a couple of passport-type photos can help you get replacements more quickly if the originals are lost or stolen. In your luggage, pack a record of all reservations (print out your hotels' confirmation emails), along with a trip calendar page to keep things up to date as your trip evolves.
Address list. If you want to mail postcards, consider printing your mailing list onto a sheet of adhesive address labels.
Duct tape. Fixes everything.
A universal bath stopper.
Small packet or individual packets of antibacterial wipes, wet wipes or like.

[overedge]

Money belt - flat, hidden, zippered pouch — straps around and tucked under clothes. Keeps money, passport, etc. safe. (Can also use as eye mask for sleeping.)

Awesome idea about the eye mask!

[BittyBug]

Another vote for ziploc bags, duct tape and sanitizing wipes. I also always travel with paper towels. I fold single sheets and put a dozen in a quart-sized ziploc bag. They're useful for spills (drinks, food), wiping hands, can serve as tissues, and they can also sub for toilet paper if needed. And of course, they can just be themselves and serve as paper towels.

[zaphyre14]

In the US, a 100-watt/equivilant light buld. Hotel lamps are never bright enough for me.

[Vagabond]

I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.

[Aceon6]

I bring a medium sized microfiber towel. The hotel towels are too big to use after washing my hair and don't suck as much moisture out as the microfiber ones.

[skateycat]

a hot pot, a melita, filters, ground coffee and a mug or a pint glass.

Because I'd rather stick forks in my eyes than start the day without a good cup of coffee.

And I don't know about the rest of the world, but hotels in the US have gotten rid of their 4-cup coffee makers with these awful single cup things that make brown water.

[orbitz]

Money belt - flat, hidden, zippered pouch — straps around and tucked under clothes. Keeps money, passport, etc. safe.

I can never find a comfortable way to wear a money belt on my body. It gets bulky and sweaty underneath the clothing, and I find it to be such a hassle to remove or add money to it. I do use a money belt, but I keep it in the zippered compartment of my over-the-shoulder camera bag. The zippered compartment faces my body, so I don't worry about it being pick-pocketed, and the camera bag's strap, of course, never leave my side while I'm out and about.

Ziplocs, assorted sizes.
Photocopies and a couple of passport-type photos can help you get replacements more quickly if the originals are lost or stolen. In your luggage, pack a record of all reservations (print out your hotels' confirmation emails), along with a trip calendar page to keep things up to date as your trip evolves.

I do this too. Plus I also email myself a copy of my passport and any important contact numbers and even passwords that I might need to access.

Small packet or individual packets of antibacterial wipes, wet wipes or like.

Yes, I much prefer using anti-bacterial wet wipes over those alcohol gel, which I find really drying for my hands.


Asides from passport and credit and debit cards, the following I can never forget:
1. Alarm clock. I have a simple, small plastic one running on one AA battery that has yet to fail me in the last 4 years.
2. Anti-Diarrhea med
3. Toilet paper
4. Some U.S. cash for emergency