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There are lots of travel web sites with great ideas, so I'll try not to re-state the obvious, but I have found a few things that seem to work and you may want to consider.

Like many travelers, I have come full circle and now subscribe to the theory that you don't return from a trip saying--"Boy, I sure wish I had packed MORE for that trip".  Most of my comments will be for men who travel.

These tips come from a guy who once bought an expensive ballistic nylon 30" soft side suitcase to be able to take lots of extra stuff on cruises including that tuxedo I almost bought--wow  - -  close call on that one!  Insanity passing, the suitcase sits unused in a closet.

Never did buy that tuxedo.


 
Rambling Thoughts (in no particular order).

You really can wear a shirt more than once.  Turtlenecks too!  And then I thought, what the heck, there is no real difference between an undershirt and a turtleneck . . . . .

Soap is soap. Use theirs first and then what you brought. You really can shave with it (your grandfather probably did).  Hey, you can even shave with shampoo with a dash of conditioner or use body wash.

Sometimes it pays to save time in the morning by shaving the night before--especially for the super early plane.

Bar soap to wash your hair isn't great but its better than nothing.  If I need to, I wash my hair (not a lot of it) with bar soap while showering and then only have to use a TINY bit of Nutrogena "clarifying" shampoo, intended for use between regular shampooing, to get the bar soap residue out.  A little bit of Nutrogena lasts a long time this way.  You can shower with it too if there is no other soap available.  I've tried "Camp Suds" too.  See note later on.

Shaving. Take 2 of the lightest double edge disposables that you like--one is backup if the handle breaks on the other.  Yes, you can always buy these while traveling but maybe not right where you are.  These take up almost no space or weight.  And if you really want to take shaving cream, the Gillete "Foamy" or Colgate 2.25 oz. travel size from your drug store can last a month if you take it easy and rinses well even in hard water.

Coolmax is a great fabric and you can go forever with 3 pairs of under shorts and 3 pairs of socks (washing in the sink is a pain, but you can travel light).  You can take less than 3 pairs, but I don't want to wash EVERY DAY!  "Travelsmith" briefs run small, if you need large, buy extra large.

Silk long underwear can be used for pajamas and are that extra layer you need if things turn cold.

Polortec layers are great.  Columbia has a 100 weight with a full zipper and zip pockets that can double as a sweater.  I take it on the plane on travel days.  Lands End has a super thin, super light half-zip that doubles as a layer and shirt.

Take one fairly light-weight, darker-colored ACRYLIC sweater that you know you can machine wash and dry with no shrinkage.  Wearing a sweater makes it look like you at least tried to dress up a little, plus it is a layer for warmth.

Wash clothes in a city where you stay more than one day for extra time to dry those thicker items.  Be prepared that if you drop your clothes at a laundry or do them yourself, their water could stain the clothes.  One time in Ireland, all my white stuff came back a light tinge of ORANGE.  NEW HINT--don't take anything WHITE!

A LONG length of thin nylon cord makes great clothes line and takes almost no space (15' fits in my closed hand).  Take a few plastic clothes pins.  They can also be used to hold curtains closed, clip together your notes while you are planning the next day, etc.

A 2 1/2 gallon Ziploc baggie make a good "washing machine" if you are just doing your underwear and a pair of socks, especially if the sink in your room is extra small or just won't hold the water.

Soap (again): "Camp Suds" seems to go a long way.  UPDATE (2007): The WalMart version of camp suds ("Camp Soap") (4 oz.) is twice the size and half the price of Camp Suds and works well.  If you want to save space, just refill your Camp Suds bottle with Camp Soap.

A super small/light 120/240v (just take the adapter plug) hair dryer is handy for shortening drying time (just stick it in the open end of a sock and run it for a bit before you hang up the socks.  I don't need a hair dryer, but if a traveling partner has one, borrow theirs.
 
Voltage Conversion: Most commonly available voltage conversion devices don't work with cameras, battery re-chargers, etc.  They are mainly meant for irons (leave THAT behind) and similar devices.

Lithium AA batteries (leave the re-charger home) and a digital camera work just fine--take it from a single lens reflex guy.  I can go 3-4 weeks on 2 sets of Lithium's.  They are light and they can be disposed of, if fully discharged (yes you can throw these in the trash--do a bit of google research on this one).  Plus, camera stores and other places have disposal bins for batteries in many locations if you are so inclined. UPDATE:  So many of today's cameras use custom rechargeable batteries you may have to take a recharger - still some manufactures do make compatible single use lithium disposable batteries for your camera.

Re-thinking the re-charger (2007) I took a trip and used a small/light "universal" travel re-charger and used the foreign adapter plug and it worked fine.  Unless you are packing "super light" the re-charger would be just fine.

Pre-trip travel checklists are a life saver.  In the last minutes just before your ride to the airport comes there is always something that gets left behind.

Rick Steve's "Civita" day bag works great.  I travel with a 21" rolling carryon and a smaller, lightweight Jansport backpack and a Civita.  Sometimes the Civita is packed for the day and THEN stuffed in the top of the Jansport.  I can pull into a train station, grab the Civita, check the 21" and the Jansport, and I am on my way in minutes.

If someone is going to handle your luggage for you, a 25" of 26" is fine and you get to take extra stuff.  Just don't over pack as YOU will still need to deal with it a few times.

Travelers checks aren't what they used to be.  Some American Express offices overseas charge you to cash American Express traveler's checks!  Still, if you are concentrating on one country, traveler's checks denominated in that countries currency can be helpful.

Foreign ATM pin pads rarely have letters.  If you remember your pin alphabetically rather than numerically, you may have to find a telephone keypad to figure out what the equivalent number is (they aren't where you think).  Make sure your pin is a 4-digit numeric pin.

Ziploc baggies don't take a lot of room.  Take some spares in different sizes.  A big one is great for dirty clothes.  I put my liquid stuff (soap, shampoo, etc.) in a small Ziploc BEFORE they go in my shaving kit.

Wash your hands a lot, don't touch your face, and I think alcohol gel, like Purell just before you eat, seems to help.  Since I started this, I have been a lot less sick on trips.

A TINY bag with a FEW safety pins, small paper clips, a few "binder" clips, etc. along with one of those small sewing kits from a hotel can be handy.

"Emergency Rations":  A couple of granola bars and small bottle of water with you at all times can be a life saver, when just can't get to food.  Skip the "healthy" bars.  Get the full fat, lots of calorie ones.  Also, on the first day of travel, we take a BIG ham & cheese sandwich on buttered substantial bread and keep it with us until we arrive at our first destination.  If you get stuck along the way or arrive and can't get food until the next morning, you will be glad.  Sometimes we just throw it away if all went well.

Water:  Security at the airport is a pain, but it is nice to have a small bottle of water in transit on the plane in case you want a drink in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping.  Bite the bullet and buy a bottle once you are through security.  The Frugal Version:  Take an empty water bottle through security.  Once you are on the plane ask the flight attendant for water and re-fill the bottle you brought with you.  This is especially good if you want to take a bottle that is smaller than the one you buy at the airport.

WOW: Digital cameras sure make the job of adding pictures to a web site lots easier.  Also easier and quicker to share with family and friends.

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