Guilty Pleasures

[Pete and Maggie Haggart]

Hmmm...........................................

Let's admit it - - -

Do we take along special things with us on our Untours?
Items that we need (or think we need) but don't want to tell other people about?

I do....................................


I take a small feather pillow - just can't sleep well without it!

I take a small jar of peanut butter (creamy) as some "comfort" food that I usually don't find in Europe.

I take a couple of rolls of soft soft TP -------- you already know about European TP

How about you...............................???

[Mary Lou Grier]

Everyone's going to know our secrets now, Maggie - but
of course I take some special items. Most important is
a jar of jalapeno-stuffed olives and a box of tooth picks -
two olives on a tooth pick in my vodka is a super treat.
And then there's the "brick" of freeze-dried Folgers; a
couple of fly catcher strips are always needed. Don't
need to take the soft soft TP as the super COOP in
Buonconvento carries it. There's bound to be more but
it's my bedtime now.

[Pete and Maggie Haggart]

Actually it is Pete - not Maggie that requires these "comforts" while away from Moscow................

[Pete and Maggie Haggart]

Take this question where you want Kim. The forum if you like. I am willing..............

Pete

[Joanne Roczniak]

Two things I normally bring are my trusty laptop and my jewelry-making stuff, both of which irritate my traveling companions as they tend to slow things down a bit in airport security (especially my favorite pliers, which are just under the legal length). I didn't bring either on this last trip, and wouldn't you know, my favorite bracelet broke just as the SuperShuttle pulled up to our door, and when we got to Switzerland, all my important notes about the trip were still back home on my computer!
Will also be sure to bring leave-in conditioner from now on - I never did discover what the product's called in any other language, and my hair suffered for it.

[Marlene Hench]

My pillow....having had neck fusions I don't leave home without it. Also, some lamb's wool in case my toe hurts. It was a life saver (or toe saver) with all the walking in Paris last year. Oh my gosh, I'm sounding like I'm 99 and falling apart! hehe.

[Lotta Rao]

Hmmmm, I don't know that I bring anything I don't want other to know about on my way over; I have more of a tendency to bring things back. From Denmark and Sweden (my birth country and the country of my nationality), I always bring back food: black licorce; hindbaersnitter (a Danish baked delicacy); a liquor made from cloudberries; a special vinegar (!) I can only get in Sweden; rose hip soup; anchovies (which are different than anchovies here...in fact I don't think they are the same fish); and the list goes on and on....

[Michelle Vaden]

Lately I've been taking a "Wonder Vase", it's plastic and packs flat but turns into a lovely vase for those spontanious flower purchases. I wish I had had one in Florence in 2004 because as much as I wanted the flowers in the market I had no vase and didn't want to buy one and haul it around the rest of my trip. I even keep one in my desk at my office for those rare times I get flowers...or stop and buy them myself. It makes a rental more like home.

[Jean and Fred Agneta]

OH yes, peanut butter!!! Also I pack some packages of children's stickers, I always ask the parents first, then let the child/children pick out a sticker, It is great to see their little eyes light up, when they pick one out--- some place the sticker on their jersey, another boy put it on his forehead--- this is always a fun thing to do!!!

[Michelle Vaden]

Jean and Fred- Your comment reminds me of when I went to Kenya and Tanzania...it was suggested we bring something for the children we met and most of us did. The biggest hit was the bubbles. One couple bought a whole bunch of the little bottles that I think you can get in party supply stores. It was a delight to see children in a Masai village running after the bubbles. I'm sure children everywhere love them.

[Jean and Fred Agneta]

Bubbles for children sound like a great idea, this appeals to all ages!!!! It must be so much fun to watch the children running everywhere to chase the bubbles!!!