Comments for the article "What not to take on your trip"

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What not to take on your trip

I would take a sheet bag. Or have one made in India from a cotton saree (fold in in two and have the sides stitched together). Weighs noting and is great on the cheaper trains, on the beach etc.. I still use the one made for me in Nepal in 1983.

Swiss Army knife. Take one, or do you never peel an apple...

For the rest: yeah, don't take it.

Hans

Nadreg, it seem you plan to travel soon, and already cutting down the baggage...

I'd add toothpaste to the 'do not take' list. You can get small tubes of Colgate everywhere for 6 rupees - lighter to carry and far cheaper than the UK.

And if there is no plug for a sink (and I've NEVER seen one anywhere in India!), just tear a piece of plastic from a carrier bag, put it over the plug hole and weight down with any coin. Then run the tap. It seals pretty well if you just hold the plastic flat until there is enough weight of water to keep it down. Much easier and more environmentally friendly than rinsing washing under a running tap.

Not me, Shashank. I'll probably be traveling later this year. And the SO travels with a lot of baggage.

er..."baggage" or "luggage," nad?

Ehem...! "Luggage" of course! Thanks for pointing out that mistake in the choice of words.

just looking out for you, nad.

Great article, but here's my big disagreement: one of the best things I've learned is to bring my favorite old pillow on the trip and leave it behind when I go.

Doesn't weigh much, and really helps me get a better night's sleep.

........

Take one from the plane and exchange it on every next flight. Oops didn't say that.

Hans

Good grief, I wouldn't like to be your pillow!




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Or, if you are traveling in winter and think there's the off chance you might end up somewhere cold-ish, a down jacket or vest does pretty spectacular double duty. At least that's how it worked out for me.

That said, I think all of this is a HUGE 'your mileage may vary' situation. For instance one of the best things I brought along was really good scented moisturizer, the stuff I usually save for fancy nights out. It was so nice to smell something that reminded me of home and fun times, and I also found that it helped me feel cleaner. Probably a pavlovian response because I usually use it right out of a nice long bath and before slipping into a swank party dress.

Whereas someone else might think a big bottle of virtually useless toiletries would be a waste.

Disagree with The 3# on the list
" Sink and Bath plug: As for the lesser matter of a one-size-fits-all sink and bath plug - it’s equally pointless. People don’t take baths in a tub in India so, customarily, your hotel room will not be equipped with such a decadent foreign item. As for the sink, if there’s no plug – so what! In budget guesthouses it’s unlikely you will get a hot water tap (sometimes even if you pay for running hot water, you may not get it), so just let the cold water run. If that’s not good water conservation, blame it on the hotel. "
a universal (fits all) plug is such a small item to Cary and assists with doing the laundry overnight !! I have tried a sock in the plug hole and it don't work for long ,the water and detergent just leak out . Could leave the tap running i suppose and blame the water lose on the management but somehow that doesn't feel right .So keep the plug

An inflatable headrest is a god-send on any long haul flight.