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These
are a few of my fav-or-ite things... After four months of rigourous
testing on the road, here are some items that performed outstandingly.
Text
in GREEN has been added since my latest trip. Do
you know about a great travel product? Tell me
about it!
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Skirt
Macabi |
When
I got my new Macabi skirt in the mail, I couldn't believe how small
and light the package was... I thought they must have made a mistake
and sent me a scarf instead! But no, they got it right -- the material
may be light (Supplex nylon), but the cut is long and full, and really
does convert easily into blowzy pants, and can even be made to imitate
shorts. A truly practical and innovative design.
The skirt worked very well, I especially appreciated
the deep pockets and the additional security pocket (something every
item of travel clothing should include, in my opinion).
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Long
Sleeve Shirt
Royal
Robbins |
Full-featured,
this shirt is breezy and light, but also boasts a sun protection
factor of 40, has tabs for holding rolled up sleeves in place, generous
velcro-secured front pockets (one with security zipper), hidden mesh
vents in both the front and back, and the Supplex nylon resists wrinkles
and dries in a flash. A very good shirt, I wore
it often.
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Sleeveless Shirt
TravelSmith |
Cute,
cool, light. Anti-wrinkle fabric. Pockets. I
wore this over and over again, and it still kept coming back for more...
The security pocket was particularly useful when I was wearing a skirt
or pants that did not have a secure pocket. The fabric held it shape
despite many washings and crushings. It dried fast enough that I could
wash it, wring it out in a towel, and put it on immediately.
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Day
Pack
Jansport |
I got this Tree Frog day pack just days
before I left, and I'm glad I did. This became like another
appendage for me, carried everywhere. The lockable zippers gave me a
sense of security, the built-in rainfly protected everything when the
sky opened up. The organizer section kept phone, binoculars, headlamp,
etc. safe and easy to access. The main compartment was large enough
to carry guidebooks, jacket, water, snacks, photo supplies, etc. Padded
straps and ergonomic design made carrying all this comfortable.
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Mesh
Bags
TravelSmith |
These nylon mesh bags with zipper closure
across the top are probably the single most important reason I lost
almost nothing in four months of continuous travel. I used
one to keep my small clothing items (socks, underwear, scarves) together,
and one for small electronic gear (phone charger, battery charger, hard
drive for photo storage, etc.). I used a larger one to keep dirty clothes
separate from clean clothes. The mesh allows everything to shift and
compress for maximum compactness, provides excellent ventilation, and
still keeps things together and organized. I got mine from TravelSmith,
but it appears they are not selling them anymore. A good (although possibly
less robust) alternative would be the net bags sold to wash delicate
laundry (look for them in drugstores).
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Mini
Notebook
The Container Store |
Absolutely one of the most essential
pieces of equipment I brought with me... a great place to jot
down everything, from addresses of people you meet, to train schedules,
hostel and hotel information, quick observations and thoughts. Measuring
just 2-3/4" x 3-3/4" it has an elastic band that keeps it
neatly and securely closed. The bright color makes it easy to find,
and hard to lose.
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Toiletry
Bag
Eagle
Creek |
This is a well-constructed bag
with lots of handy pockets and features, including a little velcro-attached
mirror, a spill-proof zippered section, and an open mesh section for
allowing things like toothbrushes to dry. A very
fine bag of adequate size that held up excellently during four months
of continuous use.
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Anti-Friction
Ointment
Body Glide |
Designed for endurance athletes, this is a lifesaver
for anyone who faces trouble with skin chaffing, be
it to preventing blisters from ill-fitting shoes or inner thighs rubbing
together. On days when I wore skirts and did lots of walking,
especially in sweaty or humid conditions, one application in the morning
when dressing lasted all day long. The version pictured here also has
an SPF 25 and can double as sunscreen as well.
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Stain
Treatment
Shout |
I love these things...when a pigeon dive-bombed me in St. Peter's Square
during breakfast, I just whipped out one of these moist towelettes and
quickly made my skirt presentable again. These
saved me time and again, highly recommended. When you only have a few
clothes to last you for months, it's really important to keep them looking
their best.
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Deodorant
Nivea |
Tiny Nivea Deo Compact spray deodorant I discovered
first in Ireland, and later in other European countries, but I
have yet to see it here in the states. Too bad, since it's
so compact, light and concentrated (a container just a little longer
than a lipstick lasts for 2 months).
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Lightness,
sharpness and toughness were the qualities that made these Victory Compact
8 x 20 B T binoculars by Zeiss so attractive. The field of view is sharp
from edge to edge, and they come with a lifetime transferable warranty.
Also, they're waterproof and fold up very compactly. I
carried these everywhere with me, and I was delighted with their performance,
whether it be in enjoying the theatre in London or the opera in Rome,
admiring the stained glass in the cathedral at Chartres, spotting a
submarine off the Isle of Skye or getting a closer look at an elk in
the Scottish Highlands. If you're going to see the world, why not get
the best possible view?
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Headlamp
Princeton
Tec |
Three white LEDs provide
lots of light (300 hours for 3 AAA batteries), and the headband provides
hands-free convenience. Plus it's waterproof.
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Hiking
Shoes
Ecco |
Ecco
Track Terrain Plain Toe, Low Cut: Thick nubuck above, solid serious
traction below, and lined with waterproof, breathable Goretex. As
seriously sturdy as any hiking boot, but still look o.k. with a skirt.
These have already proved themselves through days of walking in the
ice and snow of Chicago, these
are shoes I feel I can count on. These
shoes performed awesomely, giving me the surefootedness of a goat
on mountain trails, keeping my feet warm and dry through chilling
downpours, with positively no blisters, no matter how far I walked.
The only improvements I could suggest are a protective covering for
the toe (as the leather on the upper front took a beating) and shoe
laces that stay tied without having to resort to double knots.
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Digital
Camera
Minolta |
The Minolta Diamage F100 features four megapixel
resolution and 3x optical zoom, wrapped in a tough, compact all-metal
body. It has goodly array of both manual and automatic controls, and
can take AA batteries (easy to find just about anywhere).
This camera performed like a champ through extremes of temperature
and humidity, taking great pictures, especially in low light situations.
It is small enough to take everywhere without weighing me down. It
goes through batteries pretty quickly, so I plan ahead by carrying
2-4 extra rechargeable AAs. All my Picture
of the Day photos are from this camera, so you can judge the quality
for yourself. One problem that has just developed
recently is that when the batteries are spent, the camera loses any
custom settings (including date, time, and picture size/quality) and
reverts to the default settings, which is most inconvenient.
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Travel
Towel
Micronet |
This towel strikes a good balance between effectiveness
and aesthetic appeal. Its microfibers soak up water easily and dry quickly,
but it also has the soft pliability you expect from a towel.
This towel worked better than any other travel towel I have tried.
It dried very quickly, was slow to pick up off odors, and when it finally
got smelly, I could wash it in the shower along with myself, and then
wring it out enough to dry myself off afterwards. Bravo! The 20"
x 40" size is enough to get me dry, but not really enough to modestly
wrap myself up in, but the savings in bulk and size are usually worth
it to me.
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Menstrual
Cup
Instead |
A less-well-known alternative
to tampons and pads, the cup is something to think about if you don't
want to carry around mounds of supplies. I like the cups because I can
wear them longer and I stay cleaner with them. But no solution is perfect,
so I am taking a selection of supplies for maximum flexibility.
These worked great, and were much less bulky than other methods. Do
try them out before you go, they take some getting used to and they
are not the best solution for everyone.
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Saline
Gel
Ayr |
Anyone
who flies knows that plane air is dry air, and spending much time
in the air dries out one's nose. This is a problem not just because
it's uncomfortable, but also because when nasal membranes dry out,
they're less able to fend off airborne infectious agents that cheerfully
re-circulate throughout the cabin. Similar
to saline spray, but more compact and concentrated, this gel dries
out less quickly. This is good for people
who don't want to be spraying something up their nose every half hour
or so. Duck behind your in-flight magazine, dab a little inside each
nostril, and breathe more comfortably for hours.
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LIZ'S
TOP PICKS - EQUIPMENT - ELECTRONICS
- CLOTHING - PERSONAL
CARE - HEALTH - SUPPLIES
- LEFT BEHIND
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