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Journeywoman's
Top 25 Picks....
She's
So Practical
...1 Be
sure to take along several photographs
of yourself. This way you'll avoid
the hassle of having to locate
a photo booth when you need ID
for a foreign bus pass or museum
card. 
...2 Pack
a folding umbrella that has an
aluminum spine and handle. This
type is more expensive to buy
than all the others but it's so
light and compact, you'll almost
forget you're carrying it.
...3 In
hot humid countries, a folding
paper fan works wonders when waiting
at bus stops or travelling by
(non-air conditioned) vehicles.
...4 A
mini flashlight -- the light disposable
type is invaluable for Third World
destinations where power failures
are frequent.
...5 Leave
expensive jewellry at home. Instead,
for an evening on the town, try
dressing up your hair. A dime-store
rhinestone barrette or sparkly
bobby pin works wonders with black
shirt and pants.
...6 Can't
wash your undies because the plug
in your hotel sink is missing?
Before you leave on holiday, pop
into your local hardware store
and pick up a "one-size fits all"
stopper just in case.
All
Bathrooms Aren't Created Equal
...7 Always
carry emergency toilet paper or
a package of tissues. In some
parts of the world, it's either
very scarce or too coarse to be
usable.
...8 Handiwipes
are perfect when hand-washing
facilities aren't readily available.
...9 The
smell in toilets is sometimes
overpowering. Carry a mentholated
chapstick and dab some under your
nose to help mask the odours while
you use the facilities.
She's
Health Wise
...10 Feel
a cold coming on? Keep lots of
chewable Vitamin C on hand. Many
women swear by it and when taken
in prescribed doses, for short
periods of time, it's reported
to be quite harmless.
...11 Ditto
for Echinacea -- a herbal remedy
meant to rebuild your immune system.
...12 No
chicken soup available? For some
women, Ancient Healing Formula
in tea bag form (Yogi Tea Co.)
is the anti-sniffles remedy of
choice. Even when it's hard to
find a pharmacy, it's easy to
locate hot water.
...13 Carry
these two recipes for making your
own emergency rehydration mixture
should diarrhea strike and you
find yourself far from a pharmacy.
(Mix 1 litre of bottled purified
water, one-half teaspoon of salt
and four teaspoons of honey or
sugar). If these ingredients are
not available, eat bananas (to
restore your potassium levels)
and dry chips (to give you salt)
and drink cola (to provide glucose).
She
Needs Her Beauty Sleep
...14 Don't
leave home without your eyeshades
...15 ..or
your earplugs. They're perfect
for snoozing on the airplane and,
for keeping out the "sounds of
baby" just two rows ahead.
...16 Carry
clothespins for those hotel drapes
that refuse to close properly.
They're perfect for blocking out
the early morning sun as well
as discouraging potential "Peeping
Toms."
...17 A
tiny (1 oz.) bottle of lavender
oil is lovely for relaxation.
Add several drops to an evening
bath and travel stress will simply
melt away. Put some on your pillowcase
and you'll sleep like a baby.
Ms.
Fix-it
...18 A
small roll of electrical tape
has a myriad of uses. A skirt
hem come down? Tape it up in a
pinch. Leaving your luggage at
the hostel for a few days? Tape
everything closed so nothing can
be slipped in or out. Shipping
a box home, want to put souvenirs
into your journal, need to take
fluff off a black sweater? Hurrah
for electrical tape!
...19 Don't
throw away the plastic canister
that your film comes in. They
make perfect do-it-yourself sewing
kits with enough room for needles,
thread, a few extra buttons and
safety pins.
She's
a Hungry Girl
...20 Many
hotels and B&B's now provide electric
kettles in their guest rooms.
To satisfy those middle of the
night munchies, it's great to
have packets of dehydrated soups,
powdered hot chocolate (and a
light-weight plastic spoon) on
hand.
...21 Girl
Travellers Have Special Needs!
Having your period while travelling
can make your body feel extra
tired. Pack dried fruit (heavy
on the apricots) and pop them
at "period time." These magic
morsels help to replenish the
iron your body has lost and you'll
feel great again.
Making
Connections - Discouraging Connections
...22 When
on holiday, leave those formal
business cards behind. Instead
carry colorful postcards from
home and give your new acquaintances
a glimpse of where you live. Relevant
contact info can be printed on
the reverse.
...23 Carry
ball-point pens for the kiddies
you meet. In some Third World
destinations young irresistible
children will beg you for candy.
Why help to rot their teeth? Instead,
before you leave home, check your
local phone book for those companies
that personalize ball-point pens.
They generally have no use for
their misprinted stock and will
be happy to give you some free
of charge.
...24 Want
to discourage unwanted and persistent
male advances while travelling?
Pre-trip, pick up a (Chinese)
magazine in Chinatown. Then when
someone invades your personal
space, pretend that you don't
understand English, absorb yourself
in your Chinese reading material
and watch the guy's puzzled reaction.
(P.S. If you do read and speak
Chinese...all the better. You
don't have to pretend).
She
Finds Many Uses For One Item
...25 Always
carry a few cotton handkerchiefs.
They're cheap, they're light,
they fold flat and they serve
a 1,000 purposes (well...almost...)
Use them to carry groceries, sit
on them, tie one to your backpack
for instant creative color, wrap
them around your favorite travel
hat to spice it up. If you need
a drain plug, a hankie comes in
very handy. Want to stay cool
on a hot day? Simply wet it and
wrap around your neck. They work
wonders at keeping your hair up
or pulled back. If you exercise
while traveling, they make super
sweat bands. Want to take an unexpected
dip and don't have a towel...
use a hankie. They dry real fast.
Cotton handkerchiefs can carry
leftovers from lunch picnics.
You can put them on your head
when visiting churches or when
walking in the sun. Tie one around
a backpack handle or strap--it
makes yours easier to spot when
in a train or bus luggage pile.
You can hold it in your teeth
and dance with a Greek Adonis
in a taverna. Italian and French
dogs love them around their necks
and so do their masters --they're
a yummy ice breaker. You can use
one as a belt. Or an arm sling
(heaven forbid). Want to say thank-you
for something special? Always
keep a few new ones aside and
give them as gifts. |
