Packing -101

   Our medicines are packed in our Baggalini bags http://www.baggallini.com/  and stored away in our travel cabinet so we do not have to pack and unpack each time.Not only does it make travel easier but it serves as an emergency backup as we live in an earthquake prone are.Just remember to check expiration dates at least once a year.

Medicine List

Over the counter
I like to shop on line at www.drugstore.com  so I can get hotel or airline points through their shopping portals.
First aid mini kit (to carry around during day) including  mini tweezers  for splinters and solarcaine for sun burn
Pain patches-Thermal care or equivalent
Painkillers-Advil,Tylenol, etc
-baby aspirin
Women  -Midol or equivalent,vagisil and monistat
-Cystex for urinary infections
Allergy-Benedryl tablets,Zyrtec and   creams like benedryl and hydrocortisone  cream.
Digestive-Immodium,fiber tablets like Metamucil,preparation H,Nauzene for nausea,Heartburn-Mylanta,Gas X,Zantac etc
Eye care-Visine,Patanol
Ear ache-similasan homeopathic drops or equivalent
Flu symptoms-throat lozenges,Nyquil day and night or equivalent,cough syrup like Delysm,nose spray like Afrin.Do not forget to carry your own THERMOMETER and covers so several people can safely use it.
Lice shampoo-lice are more wide spread than you might think
Pin X-pinworm treatment-
Skin fungus-lamisil or equivalent.
Blisters-Mole skin,Band aid,Antibiotic cream,Anti chafing stick
Sleep aid-Melatonin,Benedryl,ear plugs
Suture and seringe set -especially important for travel in third world countries
Activated charcoal for poison absorbent 
Prescription

Antibiotics tablets-recommended  especially if you are allergic to certain types carry your own.
Eye antibiotic -tobradex or equivalent
Ear antibiotic
Transderm patch-for motion sickness
*Save a tooth kit -can be purchased in any dental depot .If a tooth is knocked out,retrieved it can be kept for 1-2 hours in the container  until you reach help.
At least one extra pair of vision glasses if you wear glasses.I carry four pairs for each family member and there have been times we were down to our last pair with our own autistic globetrotter!

Take at least one week’s worth of prescription medicines and always carry prescription medicines in your hand luggage!

Choose hard plastic and distinguishable suitcases as they provide better protection against bed bugs.Online try www.overstock.com or www.Ebags.com for a good selection and hotel/airline points.
Keep your suitcases off the floor,preferably use hotel suitcase racks Put your belongings in  labeled ziploc bags(we use colored duct tape for each family member) and use the big blue ziploc bags that you can hang in the closet.Avoid using hotel/cabin furniture and never put any belonging in drawers  unprotected by a ziploc bag.Pack extra 2 gallon ziploc bags as well as XXL blue ziplocs.
Upon entering your hotel room/ship cabin lift your mattress and check seams carefully with a flashlight!

Pack  hand wipes or equivalent to clean hands before meals.

Avoid those wipes and antibacterial gels that contain a high percentage of alcohol.
Mini lysol sprays for toilet seats!
Pack an anti bacterial spray like 409 to ‘clean’ your hotel room or ship cabin upon arriving.Remember a bath mat for the shower stall/tub.
A small package of straws and mini cups/foldable cups .
Always replace your tavel toothbrushes-never use them from one voyage to the next! 

Personal items-scarf,gloves,leg warmers,ear muffs
Extra pair of shoes and waterproof your shoes with spray
Rain-umbrella,poncho ,galouches,rain boots
Snow or Ice-special shoe anti slip attachments

Hot/Humid weather

Personal mini fan-pack batteries separately!
Carabiner to carry water bottle
Hat or Visor
Sunglasses including ones you can wear over vision glasses
Sunsreen (make sure it is not expired) and Alovera oiltment for sun burns
Insect repellant spray and cortisone cream to treat bites,anti chafing stick.

Flashlight-I recommend one per person small to medium size
Door and or a window alarm-
Nightlight-great for unknown hotel rooms and ship cabin,especially in cabins with bunk beds that entail ladders.Make sure you carry an extra bulb and batteries.
Face masks to protect against smoke inhalation-special ones to help during fires that you can find in army supply stores/
Combination worldwide short wave reception radio/clock by grundig
Room thermometer
Emergency blankets-the thin tin foil like you find in surplus stores
Rope -in case you need to have family members hold on to in smoke infested corridors
Whistle-as a way of communication in smoke conditions

If your autistic globetrotter is prone to leaving the hotel room/cabin unnoticed then you might consider baby proofing the room with stick on sensors or using lifePROTEKT (see our recommended product section)

Always   check the escape route/map on your cabin or hotel  room door.
Also physically walk to the nearest exit door with all your travel companions so that everyone knows exactly what to do if needbe.
When traveling abroad ask the front desk in your hotel  what is the phone number to dial for emergency since many countries have different numbers.

Extra powerstrip and or extention cords
Universal converter and or transformer for international travel
Extra cords to recharge items like i pads,pods cameras and  e readers,so you don’t fight over them.
Remember  to take your phone recharger or even better buy an extra one for travel.
Walkie talkies- especially for cruise ships

Room comfort

Room thermometer to check your room/cabin temperature if your globetrotter is temperature sensitive
Alarm clock-in case that wake up call malfunctions!
Swiss army knife or versions of it;
Bottle opener,laundry clip to hold your  room curtains together(keep light out),Scissors,mini pliers,mini screw drivers,carabiners.
Mini sewing kit,mini stapler,sharpie,marker,superglue tube,rubber bands,
WD40-great for stuck anything especially suitcase zippers
Fabreeze-for those ‘mouldy’ smelling room or funky smelling bathroom
Hanger holder-metal thin hanger holders to use as extra hanging area
Mini reading lights-small clip ons to read  with while everyone else is sleeping
Saran wrap (to cover foods overnight),trash bags-great to use to cover your hand luggage if you need to place it in your big suitcases.,small ziplocs to carry snacks on travel
Sticky notes-to remind your room steward on the ship of anything you need.

Personal

Safety pins,duct tape , velcro and double stick thin clothing tape
Static Guard spray,Wrinkle free spray
Bubble wrap and a mini tape measure for those shopping globetrotters!
Check ahead of time if your hotel or ship provides you with an extra handhed shower head  for the tub, otherwise as you might need to bring  your own cheap plastic one.
If your autistic globetrotter has a problem with reaching bathrooms in time it might be a good idea to look into bringing  kid or adult size diapers
Laundry

Small packets of laundry soap such as Woolite,lint away mini roller,sink stops (buy at least two  sizes),stain remover stick,clothes pin,clothes line.

Face/Body;

Carry your own soap especially if you are or your autistic globetrotter is allergic to some brands
-acne soap for those who need it face or body.
-body lotion if the weather  dictates it.
-face cream
Remember to bring your bath mat!

Hair

        -shampoo/conditioner combo  and detangler.
-shower cap and REMEMBER YOUR SWIM CAP
-hair dryer,hair flattener
-lice shampoo
-hair brush and comb
-shavers and shaving cream

Mouth

tooth brushes,tooth paste,tongue cleaners,mouth wash,dental floss,oragel mouth spray,mini plastic cups.
Oragel for emergencies!

Eyes

         -sunglasses
-everything you need for contacts
-extra glasses
-visine or anything to remove the eye redness
-tools to fix glasses.

Nails,hands,feet

                       -nail polish and nail polish remover
-base and top coats
-anti chafing stick
-foot spray
-foot cream,hand cream
-nail clipper,scissors,emory boards,tweezers

Mix everyone’s clothing in each suitcase ,so if one of the suitcases gets lost everyone in your party hopefully still has some clothes .Take separate XXL ziploc bags labeled with the different color for each traveler and start his/her laundry bag too ,so when you pack to return home you can pack each suitcase with only one person’s belongings.
That will make it a lot easier to unpack,wash and put back!

Teach your kids to pack and unpack

Pack for travel-

At home have each kid put his/her belongings in color coded 2.5 ziploc bags and press the air out to make them easier to organize in the suitcase.

Unpack-

In the hotel/cabin have an adult open the suitcases while each kid  takes all  of his/her  2.5 color coded bags and places  them in his/her XXL blue ziplic bag and HANG it in the closet.
Use a separate XXL bag per person (label the bags) for laundry bags.

Repack-

Each kid brings his/her XXL laundry bag  and the XXL bag with any unused clothes(hopefully non)and either put it directly in the suitcase as is which is not that recommended as it makes the suitcase unevenly packed or reuse the 2.5 ziplocs to repack .This time each person should have their belongings  in their own suitcase. 

Reasons for liking them
-my belonging stays dry in the rain or when the suitcase is accidently dropped in water.
-best for bed bugs ,as all you need to worry about is the single zipper area.
-colorful choices that make for better visability and recognition at the airport/
-as they rotate and are easy to handle you can teach each family member to carry one!

Print out your detailed itinerary with dates ,places and accessible phone numbers of hotels /cruise line.  Put two copies in each suitcase,one on the outside and one inside.This information is priceless if and when your suitcase is lost or misplaced and  someone needs to reach you in order to return it.