Hygiene (women only)

Make-up / Make-up remover  Sanitary napkins  Tampons 

"Tampons are far more compact than sanitary napkins; the latter will probably be available in almost any city anyway. I recommend the tampons that have no applicator, since that's one less thing to worry about discarding or breaking. Don't trust the plumbing systems to flush tampons, and some small plastic disposal bags might be a good idea (or you can use newspaper). Out in the wild the problem is made worse by animals attracted by the scent of blood, so tampons are a definite plus here."

- Evelyn C. Leeper 

Menstrual cup 

"If you will be traveling where clean running water is available at least once a day, and are already accustomed to using applicator-less tampons, check out The Keeper. It is a "reusable menstrual cup" (think "diaphram" in reverse), that will last 10 years. A bonus is that once you've learned to insert it correctly, it is far less likely to leak than a tampon. And, there's nothing to throw away."

- CattMoran 

"I have just discovered Menstrual Cups which are a fabulous alternative to tampons and are a godsend for travelling and is (you only need one) even more compact than tampons! They completely eliminate the whole "how to dispose of tampons" bizzo AND for those on long trips "how to avoid having to pack a huge stash of feminine hygiene products" bizzo or "finding a chemist/shop in the Amazon *or wherever you happen to be) cause I ran out" bizzo!!!!! Goggling Menstrual Cups brings up some websites with some interesting testimonials especially regards travellers! It takes a month or two of getting used to so buy one well in advance of your trip!"

- Janet Pollard 

Womens specific medications 

"Recently on a two-week trip to Fukuoka, Japan I experienced a terrible yeast infection. Don't be disgusted, or surprised: some women experience this every couple of months. To my horror, despite my familiarity with japanese culture and language I discovered I didnt know how to ask for the medication, what it would look like in a japanese pharmacy - and just try to find this phrase in a phrasebook!!! Now I carry a $6US bottle of the medicated cream with me on every trip. Please remind all of your women readers that this needs to be packed with all other "female emergency" items."

- Melissa Macias 

"PMS medications -- midol pamprin -- these are really hard to find if you want a specific brand in different states / countries. Its always easier to buy them before you go just in case, so you're not stuck with serious cramps when you're supposed to be enjoying the beach. If someone is going to the beach it's also good to have a medication that reduces bloating so you don't feel like a whale in your bikini."

- Kelsie Ferguson 

Hygiene (optional)

Comb  Hair brush  Barrettes, headbands, hair ties  Clothes pegs ( Clothes pins )  Laundry bag  Fingernail clippers  Moisturizer  Qtips  Tweezers 

Health General health items

Prescription medicine 

"Travellers should make sure they take ample supplies, especially if it is a life preserving medication and they will be travelling in unindustrialized parts of the world. In the States it can be difficult to obtain medication in advance due to cost saving requirements imposed by managed health care companies. Those travellers will need to have their pharmacist or physician (or both) request a vacation override agreement with the insurance company. This can be a very time consuming process if dealing with a large volume of medicine or a particularly bad insurance company. Start the process well in advance of the departure date. Ultimately, travellers may have to purchase the medication outright so they need to be prepared to factor the cost into their budgets."

- Dilip Tripathy 

Condoms 

"Bring your own condoms and plenty of them. Buying them in a foreign country can be embarrassing, especially if you're allergic to nonoxynil 9. I bought some in Spain that were small thick and had some of the most powerful spermicide known to man. The words burning sensation should be enough warning to all. Anyhow, condoms are waterproof, if nothing else you can put your money in one and safety pin it to the inside of your swimming trunks."

- Christina 

Sore tape ( Adhesive tape )  Insect repellent 

"Malaria prophylaxis is not a sure thing anymore. Taking malaria tablets cannot guarantee that you will not get malaria in places where it is endemic. There are now many resistant strains of malaria. So if you want to avoid getting it, you must avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Some insect spray also repels leeches, such as the ones that can make jungle treks in Malaysia less than perfect. For specific brands of mosquito spray, check out what this expert has to say."

- Mats Henricson 

Band-Aids ( Plaster )  Water bottle 

"Many people are now using these small backpacks you can fill with water that have a plastic tube and a valve at the front, so that you can drink any time. They seem very useful, but I haven't used them myself, except when biking."

- Mats Henricson 

"*After* the purifying time has passed and the water is safe to drink, you can neutralize the yucky iodine taste with Vitamin C. Which some people carry anyway to ward off catching a cold."

- deb 

Chewing gum