Distillation: Packing Creative Extras, 2005
• Xerox copies of the mug-shot page of my passport for when a hotel or bank needs to have my passport.
• Sarong: A large piece of lightweight material, it can be used as a quick-drying towel, blanket, pillow, etc.
• Extra pair of insoles: For when shoes get wet. Overnight, I pulled the insoles out of the pair I wore and let the shoes and insoles air out. A second pair of insoles is much lighter than a second pair of shoes.
• Disposable cameras: Once shot, break them apart, toss away all but the film, and put the film in a zip-lock bag.
• Inflatable hangers: Clothes dry faster ($5 at AAA, light and tiny).
• The two most useful medicines: Tylenol is a general analgesic and helps reduce fatigue. Benadryl is a great sedative and sleep aid.
• Small suction cups with hooks: To hang a toiletry bag from the mirror in small bathrooms and to dangle moneybelt from the youth-hostel shower wall.
• Ladies — two words: Fem Wipes. Towelettes by Summer's Eve, individually wrapped like Handi-Wipes...great for freshening up and pigeon doo.
• Half a tennis ball works as a stopper in any sink!
• Earplugs for the night the hostel gets rowdy!
• Small zip-lock baggie: To save theater stubs, train tickets, subway tickets, and all kinds of other tiny souvenirs.
• Dental floss or fishing line: Strong, versatile, waterproof, nearly weightless. Tied backpack together when it broke, doubled as a shoelace, etc.
• "Freshette," a feminine standup urinary aide, made by Sani-Fem company, tel. 800/542-5580.
• Sleep machine/alarm clock: In noisy hotel rooms, the sleep machine (which emits various soothing sounds) is a true godsend.
• Local cassette tapes: We rented a car, and in each country we visited we bought cassette tapes of traditional music. We'd be driving down German side roads, passing maypoles, and listening to tubas.
• Comfy slippers: If your feet aren't happy, YOU aren't happy. Pamper them!
• A combination alarm clock/flashlight/motion-sensor ($30 from Brookstone): Attach to the hotel door or window. If someone moves the door or window, the motion sensor emits a high-pitched sound similar to a fire alarm.
• If you have a fancy camera, a little black electrician's tape across the brand name discourages thieves. What appears to be a generic camera is almost worthless to those who regularly "hunt" Canon, Leica, Nikon, and so on.
• I "cinch-tied" the opening of my backpack to make it less accessible for would-be thieves (punched holes in the band at the top of the bag and ran an extendable cable lock through the holes, pulled it tight, and locked it).
• Fake hair: My thin, sweaty hair looks fabulous with Revlon's fake hair (Spare Hair, $7–$35). Of many styles, my favorite is the Twist, a "scrunchie" of curled hair on an elastic band. I pull my hair back in a modified pony tail with some hair sticking up out of the elastic band like a bun, bobby pin the loose end of the pony tail around this, then use the Spare Hair scrunchie around the bun twice, and it looks like I've spent hours curling my hair. It takes about 15 minutes to do. I can go days with only washing my bangs.
• A headlight instead of a flashlight. Better for reading in bed. Frees your hands if needed.
• Post-It notes to flag guidebooks.
• Women, pack some yeast infection cream or Monistat one-day suppositories — difficult to find in some countries.
• Body Shop's "Refreshing Foot Spray" and "Peppermint Foot Lotion" in small, travel-size bottles: Soothe tired, aching feet.
• Tiny musical instrument: If you can play a harmonica, the spoons, the bones, or another tiny instrument, bring it. Playing music can break the ice, start friendships, and even earn you a free meal!
• Pillowcase: To put your backpack/travel bag in while you sleep on it on an overnight train. It's another obstacle thieves must overcome. Also, set up the Coke-can warning system on your compartment door (a few pennies in an empty can).
• Put your extra camera lenses in a thick ankle sock. You can toss them in your day pack without worrying about damage and they take up less room than bulky lens cases.
• Pack a picture of your home town and a small map to locate it.
• Tie something distinctive, like a ribbon, to your luggage handle for quick spotting at airport carousels.
• Mailing tubes: To collect prints and posters, also handy for small items and breakables. A very thin placemat from a favorite Paris restaurant made it home safely this way and is now framed and hanging in my home.
• Walkman: for listening to local radio stations.
• Zip-lock bags: to store the second half of that huge café sandwich.
• Digital tape recorder: a great way to catch the waves, traffic, sounds in the cafés, and more. I send audio files to friends via the Internet, with digital photos.
• Combo journal/scrapbook: Buy a fancy (lightweight) journal and take colored pens and a glue stick. As you write each day, add creative touches by sketching in color, paste in museum tickets, or even cut/paste local brochures, etc.
• Vitamin B6: Makes your blood undesirable to mosquitoes. You have to take it for a few days before it works. Also, a couple of years ago I bought a neat little gadget at Babies-R-Us that keeps mosquitoes away. It's designed for babies (who are too young for bug-spray), but works for anyone! This magical red, plastic ladybug clips onto your clothing...or diapers.