This is a list of unusual things you may not think about packing but you will find useful if you bring them along.

PACKING THE UNUSUAL

Alarm clock radio: Helps you to catch those early-morning trains.

Apple slicer/peeler: Fruit makes a great snack. Assume the fruit has not been washed and you have no place to wash it. The slicer and peeler are handy when you are traveling on the train where the warning signs over the sink say "Do Not Drink the Water." Note: This item should be packed only in your check-on luggage, not your carry-on luggage.

ATM: Please refer to the section "Before You Leave Home" in the front of this book for detailed information on this subject.

Batteries: For alarm clock, radio, flashlight, camera and tape recorder. Don't forget lots of film, which usually costs more in Europe.

Cable lock: A lightweight adjustable-length cable lock. Great for locking your bags on trains and ships. I travel alone by train to do my research so I lock my bags to the overhead rack.

Calculator: Perfect for figuring out exchange rates.

Clothesline, clothes pegs, sink stopper and soap: Take advantage of those sinks and don't forget the soap suds!

Earplugs: A lifesaver when your roommate's snoring becomes unbearable. They also come in handy for those rooms that sound like they're in the middle of a highway. Include an eye mask to help you sleep in hotels, on planes or trains.

Electrical adaptor: For charging up your cell phone & other appliances.

Eyeglasses: Bring a backup pair of sunglasses/eyeglasses, photocopy of the prescription and a retainer cord. I have had to replace lost eyeglasses more than once.

Facecloths: European hotels do not supply them.

Flashlight (purse-size): You never know when you will need one.

Guidebooks: Travel guide (your favorite), language book and, of course, do not forget this one! Please refer to the section "Before You Leave Home" in the front of this book for detailed information about why it is important to purchase certain books prior to leaving home.

Hand sanitizers or towelettes: You can never pack enough of these.

Highlighter: Handy to use for highlighting maps and sections in your travel guide.

Inflatable neck cushion: Handy for planes, trains, buses and resting your head while on the beach.

Magnifying glass: Great for reading maps. Even better if it comes with a light.

Maps: Please refer to the section "Before You Leave Home" in the front of this book for a detailed explanation about why it is important to purchase your maps prior to leaving home.

Mosquito spray & citronella candles: Window screens are rare. A definite must for the summer.

Night light (international voltage): Comes in very handy when you are trying to find your toilet in the middle of the night, especially if you change hotel rooms as often as we do.

Notebook (small, spiral): Perfect for recording your memories. The notebook also comes in handy when negotiating room prices and taking down train information. I also pack a microcassette recorder to record my trip.

Novels (paperbacks): They help pass the time when you encounter the inevitable long train lines. When you finish reading them, give them away to other English-speaking tourists. It's a great way to introduce yourself. They are three times the cost in Europe.

Photocopies: Make copies of your passport, credit card numbers (including their domestic and international numbers in case they are stolen or lost), a record of traveler's checks and airline tickets. Also, make copies of medication and eyeglass prescriptions. Leave two copies at home with friends/family and take two with you. Remember to pack the copies separate from the originals.

Photo ID: You can use these photos if you have to replace your passport.

Plastic bags: Small, medium and large resealable plastic bags to be used for carrying food, stuff, wet or dirty clothes and brochures you pick up along the way. Also use them as hot or cold compresses, as well as for the plastic bottles filled with liquid in your suitcase.

Pre-printed address labels: Makes your life so much easier when you can just stick a pre-printed or handwritten address label on a postcard to friends back home. This is great if you are traveling with children. You can have their friends' names on pre-printed address labels.

Prunes, figs or something similar: Fiber is not big on European menus, and all that rice and pasta does not exactly help your digestive system. Sometimes it needs a little assistance. Whatever works.

Reading light: Perfect for reading books on planes, trains or in hotels. Also, not all hotels have overhead reading lights or they are not bright enough.

Security undercover wallets: Invest in a deluxe undercover wallet that is worn underneath your clothes. They come in different shapes and styles to be worn around your waist, shoulders, legs or neck. Buy whatever is comfortable for you but get one. Also get a small pouch with a loop in the back that slips onto your belt. I use the Eagle Creek's Departure Pouch. Use this pouch to carry your day's money, train tickets and one credit card to avoid having to go into your secured undercover wallet. Look in the section under "Before You Leave Home" to get more information on pickpockets.

Sea bands: (For motion sickness.) Wear them on your wrists and use them for traveling by buses or cars while they are navigating scary narrow roads. Even short boat rides can be bumpy going across the water.

Survival kit: Combination of rubber bands, safety pins, shoelaces, sewing kit, bobby pins, transparent tape, pens, compact scissors, Bandaids™, and Visine™ eye drops (for those late nights).

Toilet paper (1/2 roll): Toilet paper may not always be available when you use the public toilets and sometimes a pack of tissues is just not enough. Most public toilets on trains and at train and bus stations don't have toilet paper.

Toilet seat covers: When you finally find a public toilet bowl that has a seat on it, you may not always have the strength to bend your knees and hold yourself up. After hiking for 5 hours, a friend of mine said she did not care what type of disease she might contract from sitting on the toilet. Perfect for toilets on trains, public restrooms in bus stations and restaurants.

Umbrella (collapsible): Just when you think you don't need one, it rains.

Utility web straps (3/4" x 24"): Great for tying your jacket to your purse straps.

Vaseline™: Use it to rub on the bottom of your feet to cut down on friction and to avoid getting blisters from all that walking on cobble streets. Add baby powder, blister/corn pads, inner cushion soles, moleskin and Second Skin™ to your list.

Walkie Talkies: I can't say enough good things about them. Perfect for when you want to split up for a couple of hours.

Water bottle carrier: So you can always have fresh water handy.

Wine bottle opener/corkscrew/wine cap: We eat a lot of our dinners on late-night trains and a bottle of wine complements the meal. We also like to bring a bottle back to our room at night. Include a set of camping utensils. Note: These items should be packed only in your check-on luggage, not your carry-on luggage.

Most of these items are carried by your local favorite travel bookstore or drugstore. If you have difficulty locating these items, you can contact Magellan's at (800) 962-4943 or Web site http://www.magellans.com/ They extend a one-time 15% discount on your first order to readers of this book. Code TO1.

Order Now! (click here)

Hello Spain!

Hello France!

Hello Italy!

Hello Britain & Ireland!

HelloEurope.com