Packing for Europe

[Bowie MeMe]

I tend to be someone who always carries a few OTC meds. Not because you can't purchase them, but if you need something at 9 at night, you don't want to have to go out! I have a small zippered pouch, about the size of a travel Kleenex pack. It's not gusseted. I sometimes buy single OTC meds from minimus, but more typically put a couple of pills into a very small ziplock bag (the kind that are about 1"x2"). I write what it is and the expiration with permanent ink marker. Typically I include Excedrin or equivalent, Aleve (for dh), a couple of tums and a flu and cold medicine. Basically a days worth (6 pills). I't seems I've always used something from the pouch and was glad I had it. Now, if someone is really sick, this won't cover it. But it will get you through the first night.

 

I am always the go to person because I basically bring my medicine cabinet with me. I have 4 quart size bags labeled Tummy Cold/flu Bandages Skin (and occasionally tissue and laundry bags). Tummy has antiacid, laxative, pepto bismal, tums, suppositories, etc. Cold/flu Tylenol, Benadryl, Claritin , Afrin nose spray, ear wax cleaner, cough drops, mucinex, etc Bandages alcohol wipes, gauze squares, tape, cotton balls/q tips, panty liners, cotton squares, bar of soap, shoe string (bleeding stop or sling or shoe string or tie) and several sizes of band aides (big one for skinned knee) safety pins writing pen small sharpie. Thermometer. Skin: sun screen, antihistamine cream, antibiotic cream, lip balm, toothpaste (extra) RX creams sting relieve, insect repellant wipes,

 

When we travel these 4 bags go with us. 2 in hubby and 2 in mine. Car travel they are in a large purse like container and take to the room at night. Cabin generally just leave them in bottom drawer. At home they sit in a basket in the bathroom cabinet -- it is small supply but we buy more when needed. Even hubby has no trouble finding what he needs. Once a year I check all for being in date for use/ replace what used . Use the list on the outside to check before each trip that nothing has strayed. So home or away I have the items that I use for problems and they are neat and organized. Works for me and I have been able to help many a person because "I have that". Gets me through the night and or to a doctor or pharmacy.

[Bowie MeMe]

I do similarly, but like you, it's just a tiny container with a few pills. However, I have heard some people describe the variety and quantity of OTC meds they bring and there are definitely some people who take way too much (IMHO). Often it's clear that they are under the erroneous impression that they won't be able to find such things anywhere outside the US.

 

I know that you can find many things in many countries but sometimes I don't want to try and explain my problem in my one and only English -- I don't have the words for that!:p Sometimes it is hard to find a place to buy something when you are in museum/church/tour bus all day (and you have to deal with foreign currency or very high prices) and now I have to have specialized products for high BP or something that I know I'm not allergic to. Just more convenient to carry what you are used to. I just weighed my 4 packets (getting ready for a trip) and they weigh all together about 19 ounces on a food scale. Worth it.

[Bowie MeMe]

Do note items that are OTC at home but might not be where you are traveling. For instance - Immodium (loperamide) is not OTC in Jamaica, as I found out a few years back :eek:

 

(of course, the opposite can be true as well)

 

Pepto Bismal is illegal in Australia. The pharmacy owner trained in Texas and he said he could make a fortune if he could import it to Sydney for tourists.:p

[NorthernLite]

Pepto Bismal is illegal in Australia. The pharmacy owner trained in Texas and he said he could make a fortune if he could import it to Sydney for tourists.:p

 

Last week there was a short piece on the local news that was rather disturbing. It seems kids are now taking from 50-300 tablets of Immodium to get high. It has a small amount of some opiod derivative in it. I have the sneaking suspicion that after the first idiot dies from a ruptured intestine or bowel impaction that it will either go under the counter or become a prescription drug here.

[waterbug123]

I have 4 quart size bags labeled Tummy Cold/flu Bandages Skin

 

When we travel these 4 bags go with us

 

Gets me through the night and or to a doctor or pharmacy.

 

I know that you can find many things in many countries but sometimes I don't want to try and explain my problem in my one and only English

 

If traveling with 4 quart sized bags of OTC stuff works for you, great. Many don't need quite that much to get through a day or so until being able to find and purchase more, so for the OP who was really hoping to travel light, this might not be the best way to do it. Again, if it works for you go for it, but I'd rather not have 2-4 quart size bags of "just in case" stuff when traveling light is the priority. :)

(note: I know you said all 4 of your bags together only weigh a little over a pound I believe, but traveling light is about reducing bulk, not just reducing weight.)

Edited May 22, 2016 by waterbug123

[Hoyaheel]

I have one medicine bag and it comes with me wherever. Sure can get what I need in Europe, but I'm in China or Tanzania for work and I want my own stuff with me. I can still pack light, but I know what I need. We all travel differently and to different places.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Hoyaheel

[nolatravelgirl]

Re wearing and mixing and matching sounds good for winter, but in summer? I'm heading to Italy and Greece in July for 14 days (12 night cruise) and am not sure I'd be able to wear much more than once. I'm picturing very hot days and lots of sweating. We are planning to stuff a bag for laundry service and wash out some things in the sink, but...

I believe you are taking the same cruise I took last year, the 12 night Grand Med on the NCL Spirit. You can read my review here.

 

We had an insert for a “stuff a bag” laundry special in our room. I think this is a great bargain and that bag is BIG! Seabourn does something similar but the charge is $50 and the bag is smaller. The Seabourn folks all make this big deal about the laundry coming back nicely folded in a wicker basket. Seeing as this was half the cost of Seabourn and the bag was bigger I was worried that I was just going to get an unfolded bag of clean clothes back. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I received a lovely basket of folded clothes back. Everything was clean, neatly folded and didn’t look any worse for the wear. Remember you can each stuff a bag! The bag was paper so I made sure I was gentle in packing it. It took a bit of time but I laid out all the shirts flat on top of each other then put the whole "roll" in the bag. Same thing with pants, etc. You needed to put a count of items on the slip so this helped me count as well

 

Here is my bag which was not full. If I had known the bags were so big I would have likely packed differently

 

Here is my returned basket

 

[SadieN]

We take a picture of the clothes we're sending out JIC the red shirts get mixed up again.

 

 

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[waterbug123]

I have one medicine bag and it comes with me wherever. Sure can get what I need in Europe, but I'm in China or Tanzania for work and I want my own stuff with me. I can still pack light, but I know what I need. We all travel differently and to different places.

 

And I will be packing more just-in-case meds when I go to Tanzania myself this summer. But the poster in question is traveling to Europe so my response was tailored to that. :)

[caviargal]

Humex, my favorite French cough medicine! (not codeine but whatever it is isn't sold in the US at all:p) I have my list of things to buy when I go to France. Now trying to figure out if I can get retin-A over the counter in Portugal or Singapore (fall trips:p)

.

 

I would be interested in what you find out. We are headed to Portugal in a few months and I have a list of my usual things to stock up but had not thought about retinol.

 

Thanks for the tip on Humex as well. My souvenirs are always of the apothecary type from my Europe trips :) , with an occasional fashion find thrown in.

[Hoyaheel]

Humex is for a toux grasse (wet cough). The pharmacist also made sure I was aware it is for nighttime only. She repeated that (easy vocab - pour dormir :p) And it tastes of butterscotch. I've also gotten cough syrup for dry cough but it didn't put us to sleep (and didn't taste as good) and have tried various pill cough expectorants and decongestants. On our 2014 river cruise, 5 in my family were sick with various cold & respiratory ailments. I was the only one who didn't get sick - and also the only one who speaks French - though my vocab never covered some of the things I was trying to communicate to the pharmacists.

 

As for the retinol, I'm almost out now and it's time for my annual derm visit, so I'll get more, but I buy mine at her office so I'll also ask for a prescription and try that way overseas too (I don't mind getting a prescription - what I mind is the cost! Because insurance won't cover...Anyway:rolleyes:)

 

PS Any Portugal recommendations? Going with my college roommates - most of us have booked our flights but we haven't rented a villa yet - probably the Atlantic coast northwest of Lisbon, not too far north....If you have any suggestions, please email! (don't want to get too far off topic here) hoyaheel at gmail dot com

Edited June 3, 2016 by Hoyaheel

[slidergirl]

And I will be packing more just-in-case meds when I go to Tanzania myself this summer. But the poster in question is traveling to Europe so my response was tailored to that. :)

 

A thought for you: If you are going with a tour, ask if there is a local tribal clinic at your last stop. See if they would like to take your "leftovers." The group I went to Kenya with did this - the second little part of our humanitarian actions (first was a visit to a school where we distributed supplies each of us brought and then hosted honor roll kids to lunch at our safari camp).