News

Close cash

As an experienced traveller in developing countries, where ATMs are few and far between and cashing traveller's cheques can be challenging, I rely on my zippered belt for carrying the large sums of cash I need to get me through a trip. These belts look and function just like a normal belt, except that the flip side has one long, zippered storage compartment that can hold large quantities of folded bills.

-- Gail Bass, London, Ont.

Sink stopper

As a letter to the editor noted this week in The Globe, there are few things more frustrating than settling down to soak your tired feet only to find that the bathtub plug is the wrong size, or that there is no plug at all. A tip I learned from my mother is to always pack a one-size-fits-all sink plug.

The best is probably a round, flat piece of rubber --

this works when there is no plug, and can lie flat

on top of a metal plunger-style plug,

which often fails to do the job.

-- Christine Harrison, Guelph, Ont.

Power powder

Gatorade powder is ideal for backpacking jaunts across Europe. This stuff saved me many mornings after waking up in hot, stuffy hostels. Liberal amounts of the local lager in the late-night hours would have me seriously dehydrated, and this would be a cost-effective way of restoring electrolytes. -- Steven Borowiec, Toronto

Sight saver

As a myopic travel writer who has experienced both five-star comfort and backpacking treks, I've learned never to leave home without a tiny eyeglass repair kit, complete with extra screws and a screwdriver, and a spare pair of glasses for good measure (an old prescription will do in a pinch). -- Susan Andre, Calgary

Spray away wrinkles

After unpacking my suitcase, I put my predictably wrinkled clothes on hangers and mist them with water using a small plastic spray bottle. Twenty minutes later, they're wrinkle-free, and I'm ready to hit the town. Hasta la vista, travel iron. -- Sandra Gulland, Killaloe, Ont.

Let there be lite

I travel with a Mini Maglite flashlight and keep it on my hotel night table. It would certainly be useful in an emergency (knock on wood), and I also use it as a guiding light to get to the bathroom (and so as not to disturb my partner in the middle of the night). It also serves as a low-voltage night light in the bathroom, as most hotel bathrooms do not have dimmers on their bathroom light switches. (For more information, visit maglite.com.) -- Marjorie Law, West Vancouver

A cozy cover

A down throw weighs mere ounces and, with some practice, can fit into a large Ziploc bag. This travel saviour keeps me warm on those long overnight flights. But it can also be folded for use as a pillow or squished into the nooks of airline seats to offer protection from sharp corners. And it can be folded up and inserted into a hotel pillow slip, creating a mock pillow that feels much like my favourite squishy down version at home.

-- Mindy Selby, Calgary

Flexible fabric

The bandanas you see old time cowboys wear around their necks are small, lightweight and cheap and have a myriad of uses. As a hat (kerchief style or by knotting the four corners to make a cap); as a sun protector for our neck (try stuffing one end under a ball cap and letting the rest hand free); as a hankie or napkin as a face cloth; as something clean to sit on; as a dirt protector. (I once used one to cover a telephone receiver in a London tube station so my face wouldn't touch the mouthpiece; or as a fashion accessory to a very limited wardrobe. Patricia Gibson, Prince George B.C.