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Electrical Appliances


Worried about getting the right electrical adapters while you're overseas? Leave Your Electrical Appliances At Home! Don't know how? Follow my suggestions:
Hair dryer: Visit your hair stylist or barber a week or two before your trip. Tell your stylist that you would like a style that is easy to style without a hair dryer. It might mean a light body perm, or a simple wash-and-go cut. This should work for most people. If you MUST take a hair dryer with you, consider getting the smallest model you can find. That for me was a Sharper Image/Brookstone hair dryer that fit on the palm of my hand.
Curling Iron: As with the hair dryer, try to get your hair styled so that you don't have to have it curled. There are some new models that are very tiny and are easy to pack, such as the butane-fueled models from Braun. However, butane is an inflammable fuel that should not be taken onto the flight. You could take an empty curling iron with you and purchase a butane cell at your destination, although I would simply advise not taking one at all.
Irons: This gets to be pretty tricky for most people, who can't seem to get away from ironing their clothes. Those who must take clothes with them that wrinkle, they should take canisters of things like "Wrinkle Away" that help soften the wrinkles in your clothing. The best thing to do is to purchase clothing labeled "hard to wrinkle." Many have a polyester blend--and are easy to find in the TravelSmith catalog.
If you DO take clothing with you that wrinkles, hang it in your bathroom and give it a full steaming by drawing a hot shower for five minutes. This should relax the wrinkles.
Steamers: Travel-sized steamers still take up too much space for the traveliter. Again, best to try to steam out your clothes in the bathroom.
Remember that by avoiding taking any appliances with you, you don't have to worry about adapters. You also have less chance for being held up at security gate for having electric gadgets in your carry-on.
If you must take electrical appliances with you on an overseas trip, you will need to pick up some electrical adapters. Most travel stores carry them. Want a diagram of the different types, and which countries use which adapters? Get a free catalog from Magellan's, as they list them in there (they sell the adapters too, if you want).
Personal Stereo: I have received email from people who swear by their Walkmans (Walkmen? Walkpeople?). Whether to avoid having to listen to local music, avoid boredom, or avoid being bothered, personal headphones are a wonderful way to isolate and insulate yourself from your surroundings. Is that good? You decide (my preference would be to take a short-wave radio with me. There are quite a few models by Sony, Grundig and others, that are both affordable, and small).
Techno Geeks Like Me! So you can forego most modern conveniences except your computer and 'net access?! ("Please sir, anything but my PowerBook!") Go visit Patrick Jennings' "Outfitting the Multimedia Guerrilla" web site to start. He has a comprehensive packing list he used for his own travels. It's one thing to wanna take your laptop with you--it's another to worry about adapters and cables and all that stuff. If you have the foresight to shop for a laptop with travel in mind, I would recommend that you get something small and lightweight. So what if you can't get an SVGA screen?
Instead of carrying a separate computer case, I recommend the neoprene "WetSuit" from Silicon Graphics (available from MacZone at 800-555-1212, APS Technologies at 800-874-3197, or Mac Wholesale at 800-531-4622). They come in various colors and run about $40 each. Unlike standard carrying cases, Wetsuits "hug" your computer even when it's open. It serves to provide padding for your notebook, and can be stuffed into your carry-on bag.

Converters or Adapter Plugs?

[The following from Charles Drummond.] There are electrical converters and then there are adapter plugs. The plugs don't weigh much or take up much space. The key is to buy appliances that automatically switch to the correct voltage and need only the adapter plug. Braun, for example, makes a very nice electric razor that converts automatically. Many tiny travel hair dryers do the same. So, for those of us who *must* use electric appliances, the key is automatic convertibility.