2008 Madrid Summer Program
Packing For A Trip
The number one rule in packing for a trip is to pack lightly. You will be moving two or more bags in and out of your car, through one or more
airports, off the luggage carousel, to the taxi stand or metro station,
on and off busses, back two or three kilometers because you overshot your stop, up six flights of stairs, onto the dresser, and into the closet.
You will soon realize that you do not need everything.
Here are things it is difficult to imagine not packing:
∙Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, razor, ) ∙Hair care equipment (brushes, comb, blow dryer)
∙Contact lens equipment and spare glasses (you might also wish to consider disposable contact lenses)
∙Makeup
Be sure any appliance you do bring is 220/110 compatible, and use a
good adapter for plug outlets, available at Radio Shack and other stores.
Feminine hygiene products, condoms, sun block, lotions—in fact, most items—are available at pharmacies and supermarkets.
Towels and clean sheets will be provided.
Since you will be looking at ceilings (in a castle or cathedral) and
paintings, bring a small hand mirror.
Clothes
Unless you like to iron in hot weather, bring clothes that do not wrinkle, that are supposed to look wrinkled already, or that don’t show wrinkles.
Clothes must be comfortable for long periods of time.  This is
especially true of shoes.  Bring Band-aids and mole-skin in case of
blisters.  Bring corn starch for rashes.
Clothes must be appropriate to the occasion.  You will not be allowed
in cathedrals with bare shoulders, for instance.  A young woman who
puts on a halter top, miniskirt, and flip-flops cannot complain when
people stare at her on the metro or sidewalk.
Two approaches:
∙Bring different color shirts/blouses, as mixing and matching fool people into thinking you have more clothes than you do.
∙Pick one color and stick with it.
The señora will do your wash once a week on average.  Make sure you bring enough of everything for a week.  She will not sort whites and
colors.  Everything will gradually turn grayish.  She will not have a
drier to fluff out wrinkles or soften the fabric as you are used to.  If
you bring a particularly favorite piece of clothing, she will lose it or
destroy it.
On the flight over to Madrid, keep at least one change of clothes in
your carry-on bag in case the airline loses your luggage.
Plan on bad weather.  In particular, be prepared for the nights being
chillier than you expect when we first arrive.
Miscellaneous
∙Day pack/duffel bag - if you are doing any sort of sightseeing, take some sort of small backpack or fanny pack. You will want to carry
maps and perhaps phrase books, guidebooks, water bottles,
sunglasses, and so on.
∙Neck wallet or money belt - this is especially important on the street.  Keep most of your money hidden away underneath your
clothes.  You might even want to go to a two or three-level system:
keep passport, airline tickets, and the bulk of your money in a money
belt, about US $50-100 in a neck wallet, and about US $5 - $10 in
your jeans pockets.
∙Earplugs, water bottle (with water!), chewing gum, snack food - these can make your plane trip much more enjoyable. In addition to
being noisy and prone to pressure changes, airplane cabins are very
dry, and you will tend to dehydrate. The gum helps with
depressurization.
time in a bottle∙Passport– make photocopies of your passport. If it gets lost, it is much easier to replace if you have a copy of the important information.
Do not keep the copy with the original.
∙Watch with alarm - a cheap digital watch with an alarm is small, light, and very useful.  No one else will wake you up.
∙Electrical transformers/plug adapters - If you want to use your computer/modem/electric razor/hair curler,/alarm clock abroad, you
will need to get adaptable equipment and dependable accessories.
Do not smuggle, especially controlled substances. It is not worth jail in a foreign country.
Watch the movie Midnight Express or Brokedown Palace before
you go.  Never ever joke about terrorism or contraband at an airport,
train station, bus stop, or parking garage.
How To Put Stuff In Your Luggage
Whatever you pack your gear in, be sure to clearly label your luggage
on the outside with your name, address, and phone number.  Also put
a piece of paper inside with the same information, in case the tag gets
stripped off.  Add something distinctive to the outside to help you
identify your bag on the carousel.
Shirts and pants wrinkle less when rolled, not folded.  They also take
up less room.  Be aware that dirty laundry takes up the most room at
all, especially inside plastic bags.
Heavy things go at the end by the wheels.
Sharp things must be wrapped carefully or they will tear a hole in the
luggage.
Liquids and creams should be packed inside zip-lock bags in your
checked luggage.  You are allowed only tiny amounts in carry-on bags.
Keep your gear close to you at all times.  Do not lock it if you are
going through an airport. Security will only break it open if they want
to look inside.
Bring a smaller bag or a duffle bag inside your large suitcase.  Most
people bring home much more stuff than they take over.  If you still
have room, toss in a small pillow to use for sleeping on the bus.  The
less things move around, the less likely they will break or get wrinkled.
Organizing The Space
You will undoubtedly want to organize the space in your luggage so
that items are easily accessible once you get to your destination.
Plastic bags are your friends when it comes to this. You can pack your
underwear in one bag, your socks in another, your toiletries in another, and so on. (Don't forget to pack a large extra bag for dirty laundry!)
As noted above, however, plastic bags make your stuff take up much
more room.
Avoiding Breakage
If you are traveling with anything breakable, surround it with soft and
squishy items. Put your CD player inside a plastic bag, and then put it
inside a plastic bag filled with your socks. Put your Listerine bottle
inside one of your boots. You might also want to put your breakable
item inside a cardboard box stuffed with foam or packing "peanuts"
and then putting that box inside your suitcase. The best way to avoid breakage is to take the item as carry-on, if possible.  Remember the
limitation on liquids.  Security will make you toss forbidden items into the trash.
Maximizing Space Utilization
If you are having trouble fitting everything in, look for ways to use
nooks and crannies. Fill the area around books with socks.  Put your
modem cables inside your shoes.  Also, you can cheat a little bit on the carry-on.  Wear your jacket on the plane instead of putting it in your
suitcase.  (This is not a bad idea anyway, since airplanes are
frequently cold.)  Put toothpaste, earrings, modem, or even a few
pairs of underwear in your coat pockets.
Selecting Luggage
Having appropriate luggage can make a world of difference. It may
mean the difference between carry-on and stowed (which may mean
the difference between lost and not lost!), health or a hurting back,
and damaged vs. undamaged belongings.
Note: This article assumes that you are packing for a plane flight;
traveling by train, bus, or car may be slightly different.
Seriously consider some sort of wheeled contraption. One can
purchase carts that can fold up and go inside the suitcase or suitcases that have wheels and a handle built in.  The latter is infinitely more
convenient and stable.
Suitcases with stiff, center-mounted racks are much more manageable than suitcases with leashes. The leashed suitcases have a tendency to wobble, tip, get stuck, fall over, etc. The leash is always too short for
your height, so you end up walking hunched over anyway.
The giant flea market in Madrid called the rastro offers great deals on luggage if you decide to buy a new or replace an old bag.