What’s Inside My Travel Handbag & Travel-Themed Toothpaste

Thanks so much to Ginger for telling me about this fun “luxury” travel toothpaste. The toothpaste comes in some pretty exotic-sounding flavors.

The description describes them this way:

This set contains 1.3oz travel sizes of all three limited edition toothpaste flavors in Marvis’ Wonders of the World collection, inspired by an imaginary and adventurous journey around the world.

I purchased one set for me and one for my friend, Teresa, who planned our upcoming trip to Egypt. You’ll find them available here in case you’re curious to try them or you’re looking for a unique gift for someone who loves to travel: Wonders of the World Toothpaste.

I’ll be visiting the only surviving member of the seven, ancient “Wonders of the World” next week (the Great Pyramid at Giza) so it’s only fitting to have toothpaste to match. Hee, hee.

Marvis Wonders of the World Toothpaste

 

I wrapped Teresa’s gift in wrapping paper purchased recently in my local Marshalls. (Hope she doesn’t see this post…hopefully, she’s too busy packing!) The wrapping paper depicts wonderful, old-world maps. This paper HERE looks very similar.

By the way, if you ever want to know how to tie a “Tiffany Bow” which is a knotless bow, there are quite a few videos on YouTube showing exactly how it’s done. A knotless bow makes untieing the ribbon on a package really easy for the recipient.

It was a little tricky to tie with the velvet, red ribbon I used because it was only pretty on one side. I recommend using ribbon that’s the same on both sides when tying a Tiffany style bow. It will make it much easier to follow the tutorials on YouTube.

Gift for People Who Love Travel

 

Anti-theft Travel Handbags

Today, I got a wild hair and ordered a new travel handbag: HERE. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it because I’m still quite happy with my current travel handbag, but a new trip always makes me want to update some of my existing travel gear.

I’ll see how I feel about it once it arrives on Sunday. I may just end up using my current bag, I remembered just how much I like it as I was changing my things over to it this evening.

Travelon Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bag for Travel

 

Here’s how my current bag is set up/organized inside. There are anti-theft, RFID slots inside to hold my credit cards, preventing a bad guy from scanning them and stealing the numbers. There’s a pocket just above the credit cards slots that perfectly holds a passport.

RFID Pockets, Travelon Travel Bag

 

The main compartment of the bag is nice and roomy. I stuck my Egypt travel book in for size comparison, but I probably won’t be carrying it around with me every day, although I could since this bag is a crossbody bag and a breeze to wear. I always forget I even have it on.

Often what I end up carrying in the main compartment during the day is my Nikon D7000 with an 18-105mm lens attached. The camera (along with the lens) will comfortably fit inside the main compartment of this bag.

Best Travel Handbag, Holds Camera

 

I’ll probably keep the little change purse I purchased in Holland inside this main compartment of the bag. Tipping is something that’s expected often while traveling across Egypt, so I like knowing I can reach for coins/dollars easily when needed.

Best Travel Handbag

 

My little gift fits easily inside, as well.

Best Handbag for Travel

 

There’s a large pocket on the front of this travel handbag. That’s where I’ll keep the antibacterial wipes I’ll be using to wipe down the armrests, tray table etc… right after I board the various flights I’ll be taking. Not sure what else I’ll keep here. A phone will fit in those smaller pockets, but I prefer to keep my phone in another pocket on this bag.

Update: The Wet Wipes ended up in one of the pockets. I placed THESE in the other pocket. The main part of the pocket is now holding a small makeup bag with lipstick, chapstick, sunscreen, etc…

Storage Pockets in Travelon Handbag

 

There’s a large pocket on the back of the bag where I’ll store the itinerary and probably my plane ticket. I may keep my phone in this pocket since this pocket will be against my body when I’m wearing the bag, thus very secure. This pocket can also be “latched” if needed, as can the main compartment of this bag. I love all the security features on this bag!

Back Storage Pocket in Travel Bag

 

Forgot to take a photo of it, but see the zipper pocket on the opposite side of the bag from the credit card slots in this photo below? That’s where I plan to stash any cash I’ll be carrying. I’ll probably move my passport over to that pocket once I’m finished in the airport. That pocket is very secure since it’s inside the main compartment of the bag which zips and has a latch.

That would also be a great place to stash away any other meds I think I might need during the day. I’m sure I’ll add a few more things to my bag, but these are the things I know I’ll be carrying, so far.

Best Travel Handbag

 

Water Bottle Feature

I have an easy tip for how to avoid losing your credit cards/cash etc… while traveling, but before I share that, there’s one more feature I should share on this bag that’s a must when you’re traveling to areas where drinking the water could be a problem. On each side of this bag, there are two pockets designed to hold water bottles. A regular water bottle fits easily as seen in this older photo taken a while back.

Best Travelon Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bag, Holds Water Bottle

 

I wondered if my recently purchased 2-stage filter water bottle would fit–and it does! These water bottle pockets stay zipped up and close into the side of the bag until you unzip them. They unzip to open out for holding a water bottle when needed.

Travel Bag Holds Water Bottle with 2-Stage Filter

 

The new filtered water bottle also has a clip, so if I feel the bottle could use a bit more support, I can clip it to one of the hooks on the bag, as shown. It’s almost as if they had this special water bottle in mind when they created this travel bag! (Water Bottle is available here: 2-Stage Filter Water Bottle.)

If you’re in need of a great anti-theft crossbody travel bag, I can highly recommend this one. You’ll find it available in a bunch of colors here: Anti-Theft Travel Bag.

Update: Read how this bag kept a thief from stealing all my credit card numbers while traveling in Cairo, Egypt in this post: How I Foiled a Pickpocket Thief in the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo.

2-Stage Filtered Water Bottle in Travel Bag

 

How to Avoid the Nightmare of Losing Your Handbag or Your Wallet

I have a fairly full-proof method for avoiding the nightmare of losing your handbag, wallet, credit cards, etc… while traveling. I guess this is geared more toward women although it would work for men who are carrying a similar messenger bag.

On every trip I take, I have a hard and fast rule I never, ever break. The rule is: from the moment I walk out the door of my hotel room and until I return, I never remove my crossbody bag from my body for any reason. It stays on my body when I eat and even when I stop for a restroom break. I also never use a wallet when traveling.

So let me explain why this works. If you carry your driver’s license, credit cards and cash in a wallet, when you take the wallet out of your bag to pay for something, it’s super easy to get distracted and walk off leaving the wallet on the counter. Even if you realize you’ve left it behind just a minute or two later, your wallet will probably be missing when you return to the store. Whatever was in that wallet is now gone for good, including all your credit cards, cash, IDs, etc…  That’s a nightmare situation I never want to be in!

If you carry a travel handbag that is designed for travel like the bag I’ve been using, when it comes time to pay for something, you simply reach into your bag (while still wearing the bag) and pull out the card or cash you plan to use. If you accidentally walk off and leave the card behind, all you’ve lost is one card…not everything.  This crossbody bag opens up nice and wide, so it’s easy to reach inside for the card that’s needed without ever removing the bag from your body.

When out sightseeing, if we stop to eat, I still do not remove my crossbody bag from my body, even though the bag has a mechanism for latching it to the back of a chair. It would scare me having my bag behind me where I can’t see it, even if it is secured to the chair. If placed on a chair or the table, it could easily be snatched by a passerby. I always wear it crossbody since it’s designed for that, so I just simply push it to the side or let it rest in my lap while I eat. It doesn’t get in the way and there’s no danger of leaving it behind or having it snatched or pickpocketed.

When I go to the restroom, again I do not remove my bag because I don’t want to risk walking out and leaving it hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I simply let it hang on my body while I’m in the restroom. If you’re wearing a heavy coat, you may end up having to remove it, but you’re taking a risk that you’ll forget it when you do.

If you set it on the floor, someone could grab it from the stall next to you. I’ve even heard of handbags being snatched right off the hook on the door by a person reaching over the top of the door. Even if it’s a little inconvenient, it’s best to never take your bag off your body when you’re out and about while traveling/touring. If I’m dining in the hotel restaurant where I’m staying, I may leave my bag back in the room, but usually, I take it with me even then.

I also keep my Passport inside my handbag and with me at all times. I don’t like leaving it in the room safe because I’ve read too many stores on Trip Advisor of folks having cash stolen out of their room safe while they were out sightseeing during the day. It may be okay to leave it in the hotel’s main safe, but I’d be afraid of forgetting and leaving it at the hotel when I left to travel to another destination on the trip. I’ve always felt my passport was safe in my handbag since my bag never leaves my body for even a moment when I’m out and about.

So far, after 8 trips and 9 countries, I’ve never lost a single thing other than a hat I left in the overhead bin on an Air France flight. Now I always pack my hat inside my suitcase instead of carrying it in my hand.

It’s a simple rule, but I’ve found it works: Buy an anti-theft crossbody bag and never let it leave your body when you’re outside your room. If at all possible, buy a crossbody bag with built-in credit card slots to avoid carrying a wallet that could easily be left behind on a counter.

 

The Anti-theft Bag I Just Ordered

This is the bag I just ordered today. It has all of the same features as my current bag, including the pockets for water bottles, but looks a bit roomier. Not sure if I’ll keep it, will just have to see what I think about it once it arrives on Sunday. I ordered it in the “Dark Gray” color with the grey interior. See additional interior views of the inside and read all about its features here: Anti-theft Travel Bag.

Update: The bag below arrived today and it’s smaller than I expected. Also, the sections of the bag are harder to get into, more restrictive openings. So I’m returning it and will continue using the bag I’ve been carrying on trips as shown in this post above.

Anti-theft Travel Bag

Did you notice the plaid pillow in this photo earlier in the post?

Travel Bag Holds Water Bottle with 2-Stage Filter

 

I’ve put the fall-winter bedding back on the bed as seen in this photo below from a previous year. I love this bedding so much and always look forward to getting it back out each fall. It makes the transition to fall and winter a little less painful knowing I can bring out tartans! 🙂

If you love this look, this bedding is surprisingly back in stock again this year. It’s available here: Tartan Bedding. They didn’t make a bed skirt for it so I had one made from tablecloths that were out of the exact same fabric as the bedding. Read all about that in this post: No More Faking It.

Tartan Plaid Bedding For Winter

 

Happy weekend to you! It’s finally starting to feel like fall here. Drat!

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Comments

  1. Faye Meyers says

    Hi Susan-
    You have inspired me to travel to Egypt. I think a girlfriend and I will go in 2020.
    I’ll look forward to reading your posts!
    Have you or will you post a detailed itinerary?
    Have a wonderful time and be safe and enjoy wearing all your fun clothes!!
    Faye

    • I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to put that together in a post, but thanks for the suggestion, Faye! Looking forward to sharing Egypt with you!

  2. Claudette flanigan says

    That bag is absolutely perfect for safe travel. And never taking it off is the best idea!! Have a wonderful trip!

  3. Cyndi Raines says

    You are SO Smart to keep your handbag on your body at all times and no wallet, but cards / and a small amount of cash inside your anti theft purse. We took my elderly mom with us on a trip to Kentucky. We we about half way there and stopped at a gas station that was also like a small grocery store. I went to the restroom. My mom wanted a snack and took her wallet out to pay but also and an envelope with $600.00 in cash. Somehow she picked up her wallet but forgot to put the envelope back in her purse. We we were only a couple miles down the highway when she realized it and we raced back to the station. Of course it was too late. The cash register girl said she never saw it, but there wasn’t any other customers present at the time we were in there so we feel she found it after we left. Of course we couldn’t prove it and had to go on. Well, my poor mom felt so foolish and it really ruined the trip for her. I didn’t know she had that much cash on her and felt sick about it too. Lessons learned, no large amounts of cash, pay with a credit card and don’t allow yourself to get distracted which is so easy to do in the excitement of the trip. Trusting you and Theresa will have a great time with lots of good memories and no drama.

    • I’m so sorry that happened to her, Cyndi! I do not see how people can take advantage of someone like that and look at themselves in the mirror day after day. When I was growing up, theft was a constant issue in the city I grew up in, or at least it was in my neighborhood and the school I attended. I was a victim many times in my youth and it’s a sickening feeling. I can see how that ruined the trip for her. It’s so easy to take things out and then miss an item when you’re putting them back or carrying other packages/purchases. Thanks! We are looking forward to it!

  4. I LOVE that wrapping paper! I miss Marshall’s and TJ Maxx so much. I didn’t see that 3 pack gift set of the toothpaste and got the 7 assorted kinds but that really is an excellent gift.

    I’m on some Facebook travel groups and one suggestion if going to a place where a mugging is possible is to carry an old wallet with a few business cards, some pictures and a little money in it to hand to a robber instead of your real wallet. It could get you out of a sticky situation.

    I’m going to try your Neosporin trick. I also read that counterintuitively you should turn on that air vent above your plane seat to add fresh air blowing near you rather than the stale air in your immediate area on the plane. The air from the vent has been through Hepa filters and it isn’t the air on the plane you get sick from usually but the tray table, arm rests, etc. so good idea to use those wipes.

    Can’t wait to hear about your trip and will be hoping you get a free upgrade or at least they offer you one for a low price!

    • Oh, I may have to try the 7 assorted ones in the future! I’m so glad you told me about them. I love those little affordable luxuries, they are fun ways to spoil ourselves without spending a lot.
      I like that idea about carrying an old wallet, I just may add one to my purse. In addition to a few dollar bills, maybe we should fill it with cards with saying about repenting and giving up your evil ways. lol
      Ginger, don’t do the Neosporin trick, I removed it from the post becasue someone told me that it’s not good to rub it inside your nose. Someone needs to tell Meghan Markle that because she has recommended it in interviews. I had been reading that tip for years, but apparently, it’s not a considered a good idea.
      I’ll be in comfort plus on the way, on the first leg…was able to book that when I booked my flight. I haven’t been able to specifi seats on the other flights when I look online, but Delta was able to give me the seat numbers. They could see it in their system. Would love to get an upgrade, but not holding my breath. 🙂

  5. We’ve heard of tourists being stripped of everything–phone, wallet, cards, passpprt, $$…everything. You need to set up a contact in the US who will be able to bail you out, because the Embassy may not help with anything but a temp passport. The State Dept. gives limited assistance to tourists, and that generally doesn’t include money. Keep a copy of your passport in a safe place; extra pics are a good idea too. Agree with your US contact on a secret password. When they get an email from the Embassy saying you are stranded and need them to send funds, they’ll know it isn’t one of those travel phishing scams…and I’ve received that scam email before! I’ve even seen a recent story in the news of a US tourist stranded here in Zürich, the most expensive city in the world. The US officials required him to travel to the Embassy in Bern before they would help him, and how could he do that with no money? He ended up at the Salvation Army…

    • We will be with a guide throughout the trip, so I won’t ever be walking on the streets alone. And I definitely will not be going out anywhere at night. Thanks for that info, Beatrice. I’ll be sure to set up a password with my contact before I leave for Egypt.

  6. Wonderful, helpful ideas for keeping my personal information safe when traveling. Which, by the way, I’ve started traveling just a bit since retirement. I’d love to know if you make your own travel plans or go through an agent. Do you have a travel buddy or go with a group? Any other tips would be appreciated when you have time. Thank you and safe travels.

    • The majority of the time I use a travel company. Since I’m usually traveling alone, I prefer to travel with a small group via a travel agency.
      I did travel along on my first trip out of the U. S. which was to Kenya, but that was set up via an agency and I always had guides with me throughout the trip. I was never alone.
      Unfortunately, the two companies I’ve used the most just changed their fees and will no longer let solo travelers join in on the trips they post on their last minute travel deals. I don’t like traveling in large tours groups unless it’s a river cruise. You get to see sooo much more when you are in a small group. I couldn’t believe how much we saw and did when I traveled to Morocco on a small group tour. You really get your money’s worth.

      Here are some previous posts that explain all this a bit more:

      https://betweennapsontheporch.net/answering-your-safari-travel-questions-what-i-brought-back-from-kenya/

      https://betweennapsontheporch.net/5-ways-to-save-big-on-travel-abroad/

  7. Be sure to take lots of single USA one dollar bills. Everywhere you go in Egypt trinkets and tipping is one dollar. I wished I had taken 100 with me.

  8. Good idea not to trust the safes in the room. We were in Italy with some friends and their room didn’t have a safe, although it was supposed to have one. They went down to the desk and the answer they got was “oh, it must have been stolen”.

  9. Linda Miller says

    I have the same travelon bag and have carried it on several overseas vacations. I love the crossbody style and organize it in the same way as you. I feel so safe with it. I carry my DSLR and an extra lens inside, love the side pouches for a water bottle and small umbrella. However, I am thinking of downsizing my camera on my next trip and therefore a smaller Travelon bag. My current camera is just too heavy. I will be looking forward to your critique of the bag you ordered.

    • I love how that bag so easily holds a full size camera. I have a smaller camera that I take on some trips, but for this one, I really want my DSLR.
      I’ve thought about investing in a mirrorless camera. I need to look into those to see if they are available with a viewfinder. The thing I didn’t like about my small Sony camera I took to Italy was the lack of a viewfinder. It was hard to see outside in the sun when I tried to take outdoor photos of buildings/landscape without being able to see through a viewfinder. You really need a viewfinder for sunny situations…like Egypt.

  10. Never taking my crossbody purse off my body is something I also do….recently we have been to Israel and South Africa and have not had a problem with losing valuable cards or my Passport (and like you, I also carry that everywhere I go as well). I learned this several years ago when I was in a restroom at one of the service centers in NY…There was a woman from England who had just arrived in the U.S., had been in the restroom and laid her wrist wallet down and forgot about it – it contained all her ID, credit cards, cash and her Passport and it was now gone/stolen. She was obviously frantic as I know I would have been as well…my heart went out to her. You have given good advice here! Have a wonderful trip to Egypt!

  11. Just have to pass this health-related info along: I have read that the inactive ingredient, petrolatum, that is in both Vick’s and Neosporin should never be used inside of the nostrils where it is inhaled directly into the lungs. Our lungs cannot break down this petroleum product where it permanently adheres and can cause serious lung damage. I’d stick with the antibacterial wipes and fresh air in the plane to thwart any lurking germs.

  12. This post on not removing your travel purse from one’s body — and why to forgo a wallet — is one of the best hacks I’ve ever read on the topic of travel safety.

    A serious high-five. (There’s no way of knowing how many people you saved from serious trip-heartache, but I’m betting it’s in the thousands.)

    Your tip will stay with me forever.

    Wendy

    • Thanks so much, Wendy! As scatterbrained as I feel when trying to pay for something with foreign currency while not being able to speak the language…and often dealing with other packages I’m carrying at the same time, I know I could easily get flustered and leave a wallet behind. This has worked so well for me, hope it helps others!

  13. I feel like you are my personal shopper! I just ordered the bag….sounds perfect….Everything you recommend is well researched and I have loved each thing I have purchased with your recommendation…Have a wonderful and safe trip!!!

  14. This is the most wonderfully detailed and appealing travel post, Susan…so many totally practical ideas, with the charming toothpastes to make it fun. It will be so helpful to refer to next time I fly across country to visit my daughter.

    So you keep your bag on you while on a plane, and the flight attendants don’t ask you to put it under your seat? And you take it into the lav on flights? I’ve used a fanny pack for my wallet (and more recently, since I really don’t like dorky fanny packs–a slick little Talbots black nylon waist purse) on planes and just kept it on, then it goes back in my larger regular bag when I deplane, but I’m always kind of grossed out taking it into the lav. When I’m traveling with my husband I leave it with him.

    I love your idea of wiping down your seating area–I found a pretty well-done study once demonstrating that viral transmission on airplanes is primarily through hand-to-mouth contact, not the ventilation system as I’d always assumed. There are many opportunities for those sneaky little microbes to find their way from sick travelers to others–even the way the flight attendants distribute food and drink, and the lav door handles, offer those little bugs a free ride.

    Here’s an additional step I take (being in a high risk group due to severe asthma, but anyone might want to): about every hour I use Purel on my hands. I have a tiny travel size I carry on. I got that from 1) a study of military recruits, where hand washing by the clock, about every two hours, cut viral transmission in half (which is a HUGE effect), and 2) my brother, who used to commute to London from California for work, so lots of air time.

    I do bring along a mask, in case I am next to someone coughing and dripping, but I’ve never had the nerve to use it, and it’s been pretty well proven that such masks are ineffective. Still, I feel better knowing it is there!

    Anyway, I love your techniques and ‘equipment’, especially how you pack your travel bag. I always struggle to organize mine (which is a nice travel backpack, a shoulder bag is too unbalanced and hurts my back).

    I email current copies of my driver’s license and passport to myself, so I can at least access them online if there is a theft/loss, and also pack a color copy of each in a separate bag from the real McCoy.

    Great post!

    • I put my bag under the seat in front of me during takeoff and landing, but after that I keep it beside my feet, usually again the wall of the plane since I normally go for a window seat. I’m fine with it under the seat in front of me though because I can see it at all times. If I get up to go to the bathroom, I normally take it with me. If I were flying with a friend, I would leave it since they would be sitting right there. I just never take it off me when I’m traveling through airports or out and about sightseeing and eating. If you place your handbag down, you are begging a thief to take it. In England, they are even riding by and yanking phones right out of people’s hands…so never walk down the street talking on your cell phone. That happened to this YouTuber recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQZnIoEmvnE .

      That’s a great idea about the hand sanitizer! I do that too…I have emails I’ve saved from previous trips with photos of all that. Good to have in case something does ever happen.

    • Jen, I wanted to pass this amazing tip on, since I see that you too have severe asthma. I stumbled upon a life changing discovery that has drastically restricted my asthma symptoms and given me so much relief. I won’t go into long detail, but what it comes down to is drinking ginger tea made fresh from ginger root. I was able to go from using an inhaler every 3-4 hours (which meant using 1 inhaler a month) to having 1 inhaler last 9-10 months. The initial recipe I stumbled upon was ginger-milk tea, so the ginger water mixed with milk, honey and oolong tea. I hope you’ll try it.

      Also, I love the idea of emailing yourself copies of your documents. Thanks for suggesting that.

  15. Mary from Virginia says

    You are the most organized traveler!

    Have a wonderful time! Looking forward to seeing Egypt through your photos.

  16. A PS to previous comment: while I do put a wallet inside my waist pack, I never take it out…I open and use it while it is still in the waist pack, and I never let a credit card out of my sight. Seriously, I am staring at it as it goes from my hand to the clerk, if that is required (I am rude, er direct, enough to gently scold clerks who handle my credit card then set it down on the counter–they should ALWAYS hand it back directly to the customer).

    I don’t like switching from my regular wallet (which has RFD protection)–it discombobulates me–so this way I don’t need to…but I would say your method is somewhat more secure, although I can keep my waist pack inside my clothing if need be.

    The fact that I am posting two comments simply indicates what a fantastically useful post this is! Thank you!

    • That’s good you don’t ever take it out of your waist pack. The pockets inside my travel are RFID protected, so they can’t be scanned. I think even the passport pocket is RFID protected. Travelon is so good about including that in their bags.
      The thing I really like about the Travelon bags is they are cut proof. I had a BNOTP reader leave a comment back a long time ago about an incident that happened to her when she was wearing a waist pack/fanny pack on the street walking with her husband. A person came up and sliced across the bottom of it and all her stuff fell out and they ran off with it. Her husband actually chased the woman down and she was so afraid of him, she just threw all the stuff she had stolen at him and ran off. lol

      The Travelon bags are cut proof so no one can do that. The straps are also either cut proof or cut resistant so someone driving by on a motorbike can’t cut it and drive off.
      So glad you enjoyed this post, Jen! XXX

  17. I absolutely love your posts as you get ready to take a trip! You are so detailed oriented and cover so much info that it really becomes a “how to travel” guide. I’ll be going to Ireland this summer with my Choir (can’t wait to sing in a couple of the churches there!) and I take your traveling tips very seriously. BTW, my husband heard that same thing about Vaseline from his pulmonary doctor, so I would take it to heart. We both had been warding off colds on occasion by putting a light coverage of Vaseline in our noses when we were traveling or going to be in crowds during the cold season (especially when I’m getting ready for holiday concerts!), so we won’t be doing that anymore. Anyway, have a wonderful time, and I look forward to following your adventure on Instagram!

    • Thanks, Rosie! So glad you find these posts helpful. That’s scary about the Vaseline. I wonder if doctors have actually seen folks come in lung issues after doing that. That would be awful to do something like that trying to avoid getting sick, only to find out what you did actually made you way sicker than what you were trying to avoid.

  18. On a return trip from Disney, my family and I stopped at one of the rest stops on the highway. I took my son (then a toddler) to the restroom and hung my backpack on the hook on the back of the door. In the craziness of dealing with my cranky 4 year old, I left the bathroom without the backpack. When I realized it, I swear I felt the blood drain from my head and my ears felt on fire! But believe it or not, there are still good people left on this planet; someone turned in the backpack to another employee and I retrieved it, with nothing inside missing – even my wallet with cash. I will never forget that, and now, I also NEVER take off my purse when I’m out, even here in the U.S., restaurants, stores, restrooms, etc. I was very lucky.

    • Oh, I know that feeling when you realize you have misplaced your bag or something important. It’s the worst! Wow, you were so lucky! It’s so nice to hear a positive outcome and to know there are still good people in this world.

  19. Hi Susan-I was looking through the Stonewall Kitchen catalogue and saw this. I though if you immediately! There are two trays and also a truck. Have a great trip. Looking forward to your posts.

    https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/search?q=Tray

  20. Donna zoltanski says

    I absolutely love your tartan plaid! I think that grey travel crossbow looks perfect. Enjoy!!!

  21. I hope you have a wonderful trip. I also never remove my bag from my shoulder and don’t carry a wallet only a change purse when traveling. Your post has so many good reminders. I do think though that your toothpaste gift will have to go through TSA security. Isn’t toothpaste considered a “liquid?”

    • Thanks, Carol! Well, each tube is so small, I’m sure it’s under the required amount for a liquid. I was going to keep it in my purse until I saw my friend, so it would go through the x-ray thingy at security. They may have me unwrap it, not sure.

  22. Susan, thanks so much for this post. I had a real scare two weeks ago when I thought I had left my purse in one of the bathrooms at the grocery store. (I didn’t, thank God, I had put it on a shelf in the garage that I use sometimes when unloading the car.) I’ve never lost a purse, but it’s easy to get distracted, and I’m getting old…lol… So I think I’m going to get a couple of these for winter and summer, for when I’m out doing errands, grocery shopping, library, dollar store, etc. The cross body feature and your suggestions are perfect. No more close calls, especially for my husband, who was frantic when he thought my purse had disappeared. Thanks again, Susan, and have a wonderful, safe trip.

    • I love crossbody bags, they are my favorite for everyday use like running errands. I also don’t like placing my bag in the cart so prefer to just wear it when shopping in the grocery store. My friend, Marie, actually has a latch type mechanism on her bag, kind of like my water bottle has, so when she places her bag in a grocery cart, she latches it to the handle. They would have to steal the whole cart to get it or take time to try and unlatch it. lol I like that idea too for bags that aren’t crossbody.
      So glad you found your purse! Such a scary feeling!

      • Glad you said that. I don’t like putting a purse in the grocery cart but when I do, I use the kid’s seat belt and loop it thru the handles.

  23. Love the bag Susan. Do any of the bags have an alarm ? If you wear a coat on a trip, it’s easy to put the purse on before the coat. Years ago, my bag was stuck in the scanner at the airport. I walked off because there was so much distraction. The moment I went to sit down on the plane- I realized it. Thank goodness the person who took me to the airport had it and was running towards me when I got off the plane (before 9/11). No way that plane was taking off with me on it without my purse. Now when I shop locally, I have my tote bag with coupons, umbrella etc and my cards and keys are in my pants pocket. Sometimes I have to use a safety pin on my pocket. One woman said “You can take my purse, but I am not walking home” LOL I am allergic to topical antibiotic ointments. A doctor told me to take a capsule of antibiotic, open the capsule and make a paste out of the contents with a little water. Cuts heal much faster. This time of year, so many are sick with allergies and flu, so I keep a mask with me. Looking forward to updates on your trip.

  24. Bonnie Bruening says

    I have been to Egypt. Take toilet paper.

  25. Merlin Parde says

    Yup…put “our” plaid flannels on for the weekend!! Had to chuckle…your map wrapping paper is what I “papered” the back of our armoire! I “poly-ed” it to give it more of an antique flavor. Great travel tips, by the way!! franki

  26. Great advice on the handbag and not carrying a wallet. I just travelled to Europe and wore a cross body bag all the time. I like your current bag. It is very well set up for cards. I will look for one. Thanks for sharing.

  27. Love that bag Susan…I have the same camera and cannot believe that it fit so well in the bag along with your other necessities….let us know how it faired on your trip!

  28. My new travelon bag has a tiny LED light inside, however, it does not work. Is there something I should be doing to make it work? I hope I don’t have to find some obsecure battery to activate it. It came with a tiny piece of paper with illustrations for adding a battery, I guess. The only writing on the picture is 2XCR1220. Does that mean I need to find those batteries somewhere in order to make the little light to work? Thanks

    • I didn’t have to put a battery in mine. Is there a little clear tab that you’re supposed to pull out to activate it? Some things come with a tab that you pull out so the battery can touch whatever it needs to touch and does wear out before you get it. I don’t remember if mine had a clear tab to pull out since I’ve had mine for so long. If it doesn’t have that, I would return it for another one. I def never put in batteries in mine and it did work fine.

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