What unusual / eccentric item to you take on holiday with you?

[JustTravel]

As we get ready for our spring/summer trip, I am trying to decide what we really need to take with us. I usually bring a couple of sharp kitchen knives and chopping mat. Lesson learned when I bought a whole chicken in Siena in 1995 with only dinner knives in the apartment. Fortunately, we carried a small Swiss knife. I butchered the chicken with that.

Since we will be taking the Eurostar from London to Brussels, I think the knives have to stay home but the chopping mat will go.

 

[Ian Sutton]

I think we'd see it as an opportunity to visit one of the old-school knife shops in Italy, the sort who no doubt also arrange sharpening and would jump at the chance to make something special for you themselves.

 

[JustTravel]

Unfortunately, the shops were closed by the time I realized that there was no sharp knife in the apartment back then. We have bought several knives in Europe since then plus many other very special things.

 

[Pauline]

I usually bring a couple of sharp kitchen knives and chopping mat.

I always bring my good knife, but never thought about a chopping mat. What a great idea! Most places have hideous chopping boards. I will get one for our next trip!!

 

[Peabody]

I bought a copy of Somerset Maugham's book - The Painted Veil - about 10 years ago in an airport. Since then, that thin volume has traveled the world with me. I have actually not read it yet but always take it as a back up. It has now become a good luck charm and something that I look at and smile no matter where I am. Silly but it just happened that way.
Ziplock bags are always in my case. And I always pack a night light.

 

[Rome Addict]

Knives. At least 3. I stayed in one place the only knife was so dull it slipped. Wasn't so dull I didn't need stitches. We mostly stay at a friends house in Farnese Italy and I bought a set of IKEA knives and a couple of pots that I leave there. They also rent it on airbandb. Last time we went someone had stolen the knives. We have now come up with a locked cabinet in the house for our stuff and the friends. Upside/downside of using the same rental and storing stuff there.

 

[Rome Addict]

Gawd I miss American zip lock bags. The kind with a real zipper. One of the few american niceties I miss.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Ah another silly little one I'd forgotten - two large plastic bags (the M&S bag for life bags work well). For white / coloured dirty laundry, either for convenience when there, or the same on return home. One full bag is generally a near full load.

 

[Rome Addict]

I think we'd see it as an opportunity to visit one of the old-school knife shops in Italy, the sort who no doubt also arrange sharpening and would jump at the chance to make something special for you themselves.

There is a knife grinder who drives his motorcycle thru Rome and sharpens restaurant knives. One of my favorite Rome moments.

 

[Rome Addict]

Coming home I always have my luggage backed with Nespresso capsules since they are so much cheaper in France.

You do realize you can get a "permanent" Nespresso capsule and just put in illy coffee. BTW something I just discovered last trip. You CAN mail slow boat from Italy. It requires 5 kilo minimum (in Italy) and to Thailand took about 6 weeks. My guess is the same amount of time to the US. It is a little bit of a hassle (what isn't in Italy?) but when I can save $6 a can on Illy I will ship a year's supply.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/03/k-cup-creator-expresses-regret/ Since international air travel leaves a huge eco imprint I try to minimize it in the rest of my life.

 

[Rome Addict]

Ah another silly little one I'd forgotten - two large plastic bags (the M&S bag for life bags work well). For white / coloured dirty laundry, either for convenience when there, or the same on return home. One full bag is generally a near full load.

Ian, Ian, Ian she says; shaking her head. You fail to understand the fact that you fill shopping bags in Europe with goodies not bring empty ones from M and S.

 

[Rome Addict]

I know someone who takes a cabbage patch doll around the world with them

I have taken more than one Flat Stanley in my life. Then there is the traveling gnome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelling_gnome

 

[aap519]

You do realize you can get a "permanent" Nespresso capsule and just put in illy coffee. ....

Yes, I have seen those at Amazon, but I just haven't tried one yet.

 

[Ian Sutton]

You CAN mail slow boat from Italy. It requires 5 kilo minimum (in Italy) and to Thailand took about 6 weeks.

We've often sent a parcel to ourselves in the post, generally waiting until the last 2-3 days of the holiday, as even on the slowest rate, it can be quite quick to arrive in the UK. Italy's postal service has a bad reputation in England, but I think that is all down to postcards, which I recall reading are treated as 'clearly not urgent' even though the postage is the same as a letter.

I must admit it's not just about fitting into a tight luggage allowance, but also a lovely treat to receive a parcel from Italy to reignite memories of the trip. I think 12KG is the most we've sent back before. Cost varies by weight & destination, but for us is typically 40Eur (up to 10kg)
PACCO ORDINARIO INTERNAZIONALE
Zona 1 kg 3 kg 5 kg 10 kg 15 kg 20 kg (up to this weight)
1 22,00 25,00 30,00 40,00 45,00 55,00 (Europe/EU/UK)
2 24,00 30,00 35,00 50,00 60,00 75,00
3 26,00 32,00 40,00 52,00 65,00 80,00
4 28,00 34,00 42,00 55,00 70,00 87,00 (USA/CAN)
5 32,00 40,00 50,00 70,00 100,00 120,00
6 38,00 45,00 55,00 90,00 125,00 170,00

A quick how to do it:

1. Getting the box and packing materials. Whilst you can use your own box, for ease we always use the Poste Italiane boxes which from memory are around 4-8 Euro and come in about 7-8 different sizes. Ask for 'una scatola' (if this doesn't register, add 'per spedizione'. Currently yellow in colour and always a little flimsy so best to use packing tape rather than sellotape (generically referred to as 'scotch' in Italian). Make sure you know where the stickers & address details go, so you don't tape over these. By buying it from the post office, they'll give you the declaration of address / contents etc. form, plus the stickers to make a tamper proof seal. If the post office don't have bubble-wrap (plurobol seems to be the most widely used name for it in Italy), then find a backstreet homeware shop who usually sell it by the 5m for not much money. As it's wide, 5m is always more than enough.
2. Filling out the form. Most is in Italian from recollection, but armed with a small dictionary or the internet, it's easy to work out. This isn't too easy to read, but the 1st section 'Da' is from details (I usually use the address of where we are staying in Italy), the 2nd section 'A' is where it's going e.g. your home address. The next box down is a declaration of what's in there and approximate weight. We always find this a compromise, as we might have a dozen different items in a single parcel and there are only 4 rows, so try to summarise as best as possible and I often leave the last one without a weight, so that it can be entered to make up the difference to the total. Price is something you'll know pretty accurately, and a degree of insurance is included in the cost. I can't read / remember the other boxes, but a number are to be entered by the clerk. Getting most filled was always tolerated, as they'd ask the rest. There are is also an address box on the parcel to fill out and the stickers need to be put in place to finish (i.e. once you've packed the parcel & sealed it)

3. Back in the post office. As with buying the box, you'll need to take a queuing ticket for the relevant service in all but the smallest post offices. This can be confusing, but we never guessed wrong when we started, so I think it's easy to work out. I suspect they wouldn't care if a foreigner picked up the wrong ticket. When your number comes up, go to the appropriate desk number (you'll be able to guess the 2-4 likely desks if you watch the monitors).

4. When at the desk. I usually say something like 'Vorrei mandare questa scatola all'Inghilterra' but frankly you have a full yellow box and a mostly completed form. It's pretty obvious what you want to do! They'll check the form & ask you to pass the box over the desk or into a weighing cubicle. They'll also want to know which service you want. These options are online in Italian here https://www.poste.it/bisogni/spedire-e-ricevere.html but I'll typically ask for 'Da più lentamente' : the slowest (currently 'pacco ordinario estero' : basic parcel overseas). On one occasion only, the clerk asked for an IVA (tax code), and wouldn't allow us to send the parcel without it. They were wrong, but we simply went back the following day, was served by someone else and didn't need it. If this worries you, then someone has posted on the forum the way IVAs are generated, so you can have your own anyway!

and that's it, just journey home and await your local postman delivering the parcel. It sounds complicated, and it is quite daunting walking into a bustling post office and not knowing how it all works. Hopefully this helps demystify it, and like me you'll end up quite looking forward to this, as further embedding of the culture & way of life in Italy. It's also good for those that enjoy people watching.

 

[Ian Sutton]

p.s. for those who also do this, I'd appreciate any comments / corrections / enhancements. It might be a useful travel note to save.

 

[Rome Addict]

p.s. for those who also do this, I'd appreciate any comments / corrections / enhancements. It might be a useful travel note to save.

90 euro (1.05 exchange rate) for 20 kilograms to the US is the deal of the century. A second bag on most airlines is now $200. Even pre-paying luggage runs over $100.

We did it 3 times last year. Once about 1/2 way through the trip, once about one week out and once the final day. If you are shipping to the US you cannot use a carton that has a liquor reference, wine company, etc.. Just get a new box at a stationary store or the post office. You will need to go into one to get strapping tape anyway. Poste Italia wants string (sometimes) so bring some along when you go to the post office.

BE CAREFUL. If shipping to the US foodstuffs are prohibited. I will admit to not paying a lot of attention to this. Ship mixed loads, clothes, pictures, a couple of bottles of wine, a container of olive oil, etc.. I just discretely "forget" to mention 2 bottles of wine or a container of olive oil.

Less than 1 in 1000 international packages are checked and slow boat is checked even less frequently. A huge cargo container arrives at a port of entry. It is zip coded. It goes to San Diego, or Dallas or one of the 7 major districts in the US Postal Service. There it is sorted into the appropriate state and sent on. At the state level is where they run the sniffer dogs over it. So proscutto will be found. But bottled or canned products seem to be fine.

If you are a wine snob be aware that surface mail subjects the wine to every rigor known to man, heat, cold, constant agitation. Better to bring in a dozen bottles and pay customs at port of entry.

I have never had a shipment impounded. If they do and it contains food you won't see it. If it has something that requires duty either pay the customs or walk away.

If you want a lot of a particular kind of wine (100 bottles or more) find an exporter in the country. They can handle larger shipments, deal with customs, etc..

 

[Rome Addict]

Ian's post about mailing just reminded me. I bring a black magic marker and strapping tape. Mostly because it is really hard to find this kind of stuff in small town Italy. I am always mailing presents home, it is vastly cheaper to go to the post office yourself than to have a store do it.

I still bring a couple current converters and plug adaptors. There hasn't been a trip yet where I haven't need one or the other.

Burner cell. Buy a sim card in the various countries. Much cheaper than any international rate offer. And most of my calls are to other phones in the country I am visiting. If I want to "phone home" I use skype or people who are on my line ap. If you got an old smart phone laying around it works beautifully. As long at it is "unlocked" to use in Europe. Lots of places in the states will "unlock" a phone for European travel.

 

[Rome Addict]

The permanent nespresso capsules work fine. I sort of feel since international air travel leaves such a huge eco foot print that I try to make up in other ways. I am a little leery of buying carbon exchanges. All that does is move the pollution to a different place.

 

[Dennis]

For us, a universal flat drain stopper is a must. Also I travel with a generous amount of duct tape wrapped around a water bottle or walking stick. Maple sugar suckers are a hit with rental owners' children. Cheap label pins or pens from our home province are great for placing in geocaches.