Home is where my bed is

Chicciola, you make me laugh so hard every time you talk about my little zip loc bag :) If only I was as good with the rest of my packing. I always bring long underwear, even in July! I hope to pack better this year also.

I don't think I could go without my iPod though...although this year I am taking my new iPod Touch so it will double as a computer - might be doing very brief posts!

I bought a dual voltage hair dryer a couple of years ago. Make sure to check to see if there is a little switch or button to turn for the correct voltage (there was one on my hair dryer). I think I am going to skip the hair dryer this year (a hat will have to do!) and again skip taking a computer even though I finally have a laptop.

Congrats on your good buy, Chiocciola. And on the effort to pack light.
I am too always cold, so I tend to over pack warm clothing.
I am going to leave my electronics at home too for my upcoming trip. I've never done before, so hopefully, I can survive:)

Girasoli, of course I have to link to your post! It has become tradition now. :)

I am surprised that you like the 1/2 ounce bottles, to me they seem to small for anything!

Candi, I am sure you'll do great without your electronics! It sure is less to worry about and less to carry.

I have to take the iPod also. I can't live without music.

I do pretty well with layering and matching colors. Silk underwear works well if you get cold. Lots of black with bright colors for contrasts.

I think the 1/2oz would be too small for me also. I did learn *not* to bring along those bottles with flip and squeeze tops on the last trip. I had one with shampoo and I put it in a ziplock and it still leaked all over my suitcase and a bit of my clothes. Never again - just straight screw tops from now on. I'm pretty certain I've used it before - but it failed this time.

Chiocciola, I use the same cheap-but-sturdy curling iron, at home and when I travel. Its dual voltage systtem is great (I hate heavy converters.)

But I still managed to misuse it 2 years ago in Umbria. I had some kind of flashback to travel years earlier, when I used to pack a single-voltage curling iron for travel, and would just dial the heat level waaaaay down to compensate. It worked fine in Cuba and Mexico.

Yet for some reason, all through my 3 week Umbrian trip in 2007, I thought I needed to keep the setting extremely low (forgetting it was dual voltage) And then I couldn't figure out why my hair would go flat within an hour! I guess I go a bit mad in Italy.

Good luck with packing, and traveling without an iPod. You're very disciplined -- I think I really would go mad without my iPod!

Chiocciola, you are being very good! I travel with a carry-on filled with electronics. But then--we go for 6-8+ weeks so guess that's OK. Isn't the planning fun?

Jane, 6-8 weeks is quite different! Plus you have a certain young boy with you who probably likes a little electronic fun now and then!

Sandra, after opening up the box of the curling iron I realized the one I have is also dual voltage! There is just no button or dial to switch, it does it by itself. So now I feel stupid! :)

Marta, thanks for the advice on the bottles, I got all screw top except one with a squeezy top but I could probably switch that one out to avoid any conditioner-all-over-my-clothes situation!

I am always on a mission to pack light (and I like the challenge of it). I only take my camera and battery charger with adaptor. I like taking a vacation from technology so I don't take a phone or anything else.

Happy planning!

I had to go back and look at my little ziploc bag to figure out just what I put in those half oz bottles.

1/2 oz cleanser for my face
1/2 oz face lotion
1/2 oz sunscreen for my face

I love my face cleanser and don't want to be without in case my check in bag gets lost so I won't be without. If we weren't limited to the 1 ziploc, I would take an ounce bottle of it. I now pack another 1/2 oz in my check in.

I take the face lotion because the plane is so dry (19 hours actual flying time for me) and the sunscreen bottle because I carry that with me when I head out each day while in Italy and again don't want to be without if my check in gets lost.

Thanks Annie!

Girasoli, now I understand the tiny bottles better, that makes a lot of sense! I too try to be really diligent about bringing sunscreen around. Especially now that I am as white as a ghost!

You are one brave woman!
I cannot do it. I tried and was miserable, so I reverted to packing what I like and dealing with the schlepping of my luggage.
Still, I sometimes wish I could...

Haha Brenda, I don't consider myself brave, just lazy! I am taking a lot of trains so I want the flexibility. I have never been good at packing light so it is also a little bit of a test run to see if I can do it!