Whatever i miss, i buy there. If you pack using the precautionary principle (oh, I might just need this in case….), it will be very costly to you in 2 ways:
1. The weight of your filled backpack(s)
2. You won’t have room for the stuff you didn’t know you needed until you got there, the weather changes, you fall in love, a plague of locusts occurs (no matter how much research you did).

Pack for the average events, not the extreme ones. It’s hard to guess them in advance; many of the people giving you advice will be packing for extremes; and you can always buy what you need over here. Plan for these contingencies in your budget.

Case in point: Did I know I needed a foldable lightweight deck chair, a sun umbrella, and a foam cooler to enjoy the sandy beaches on Rab? Nope, i thought it would be like Greece. And, had i known that the conditions were primative and you had to hike a couple km into the beaches, i wouldn’t have brought the stuff i needed anyway. I bought it and left it there.

I missed music. I decided against taking a cd player because I wanted to socialize and interact more, but night trains when everyone is asleep, if you suffer from cronic insomnia like I do, it can be really boring. Or maybe after 2 months you don’t want to interact one day, no sin on that, so I bought a cd player and cd’s on sale, but I missed music I had left at home which is hard to get.

My ipod was a lifesaver on long train trips, or even long walks around the city. And pictures from home I couldn’t live without. Everything else you can buy there, and it’s much more fun that way anyhow. I too love wearing jewelry, and I bought different things wherever I went, so by the end I had amassed a nice collection that I can wear at home as well

Need a small iron for clothes.

quote:I was wondering if anyone had missed anything during the course of their travels?

A ball-peen hammer to smack my traveling companion with.

I agree Jester, MUSIC is a must and we can’t live without it !!!

Maybe that’s why U were trying to fly with your dildo to kill the boredom (I’m just kidding) Anyway what I do is to always bring tons of songs in my head and sing to myself all the time ( hope noone saw me singing in spanish while I was in Europe).

Believe it or not the thing I really feel like missing so bad is my mexican food ! because it’s so unique and tasty. It’s hard to get used to not waking up and having some tamales, tacos or hot salsa, so I guess it’s a weakness.

Greetings from Mexico !

Cannis

I agree Jester, MUSIC is a must and we can’t live without it !!!

Maybe that’s why U were trying to fly with your dildo to kill the boredom (I’m just kidding) Anyway what I do is to always bring tons of songs in my head and sing to myself all the time ( hope noone saw me singing in spanish while I was in Europe).

Believe it or not the thing I really feel like missing so bad is my mexican food ! because it’s so unique and tasty. It’s hard to get used to not waking up and having some tamales, tacos or hot salsa, so I guess it’s a weakness.

Greetings from Mexico !

Cannis

my comfy bed…

Nothing else was missed more.

I missed my cat while travelling, as for music, I need that, I just copied about 30 CD’s and that came in handy, especially with snoring all around me

My mother’s homemade chicken soup when I was sick with a cold.

I have to agree with missing my own bed…I really enjoy that first night back after an extended trip when I can climb back into my own bed…it’s like being reunited with an old friend

A good meat pie. I don’t even eat them at home but god I wanted one in Europe when there were none to be found!

I missed Mountain Dew…although London has a similar drink, Lilt, which I’ve been unable to find anywhere else.

In relation to the US, you mean? Well, in Denmark you can’t go into a supermarket between around 8PM and 10AM; you can’t get breakfast except at a hotel until 10AM; and there are no egg Macmuffins any time of the day. But that’s a small price to pay.

I like to travel as light as possible. So when I’m backpacking I miss having my blow dryer, straightener and make-up (I refuse to bring any of it).

No question about it for me. I always miss my own bed. The first night home after a long trip is always such a good sleep.

Although these things are obvious, I forgot my tweezers and nail clippers and extra hair elastics. I had to buy all three in desperation. I also really missed my blowdryer. Next time I go I would probably pack a tiny one. I got so desperate as to use hand driers in the morning at the hostels that had them. You don’t want to end up in that kind of situation!

Elana

I couldn’t pack my tweezers since I took only carry-on. Missed them dreadfully. I also ended up buying a pumice stone. I wore only sandals or flip flops everywhere and managed to get some real dirty, dry feet. It worked wonders buffing up my tired tootsies with a soapy pumice stone each night. Also had to buy nail clippers – kept tripping on cobblestones and unfamiliar door jambs and cracking my toenails.

DON’T PACK TOO MUCH!!!!!!! I made that mistake and had to drag way too much stuff for too far and too long! Pack as little as possible and try to buy things you forgot there.

Mexican Food !!!!! I live in the southwest and it is a staple in my diet.
Music and my kitchen as well

I actually made a list when I came back of the things I should’ve brought. Here it is:

1. More ziploc bags. These were a life-saver. But I should’ve brought more than I did.

2. small calculator. I had one on my phone, but since charging was an issue sometimes, I should’ve just brought one with me.

3. a pair of jeans. everyone’s against bringing jeans, but I really felt weird since everyone else who lived in those countries were wearing them. I felt that my travelling khaki pants were really making me stick out as a traveller.

4. Another long-sleeved sweater-type shirt to keep warm. I was freezing my butt off sometimes.

That’s all..Hope this helps!

I think that my best trips were those in which I felt I missed something (my bed, my family, my music, etc.). I think we are all comfortable with having a familiar bed to sleep in, or a familiar face to chat with, but I think that the adventure truly begins when we let go of what we consider comfortable. Take a look at that long thread about[url=‘http://www.eurotrip.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=100281’]travel memories[/url] and you’ll see that a lot of pleasant memories were about experiences that occurred when they had let go of what they were comfortable with. Getting lost because we didn’t have a map. Meeting new people even though we didn’t know the language. As backpackers, we all have to make tough decisions on what to take and what to leave home. I’m an over packer myself, but I hope for the day I’ll be able to explore with just a lightweight pack strapped to my back.

I just finished "The Tao of Pooh" and there’s a great quote I’ll always remember: "To gain knowledge, add something every day. To gain wisdom, subtract something everyday."

1. Should’ve NOT brought the jacket (although there were quick 10-minute rainy episodes at random times of a few days)

2. &quotrotection" – didn’t need it in the end anyways

3. A camcorder: could’ve bought one, borrowed one, or used the older 8mm Sony camcorder

Funny but the two things I missed on the last trip were Qtips.. gotta clean those ears out every once in a while and a deck of
cards… you can play so many games with a deck of cards and meet some great people too.

My cat. Seriously the only thing I miss when I go on trips.

Make sure you bring plenty of contacts solution. I ALMOST ran out and looked for it in several cities before being able to find it . I know its a bit bulky but at least bring a decent amount but give urself plenty of lead time before you run out in case it also takes you a couple weeks to find it.

Def bring music… i couldnt imagine my trip if i didnt have my cd player. yeah its great to socialize but on some train rides the person next to you doesnt speak english, or u just want a little while to yourself in some park. Now with the ipod its even easier i just didnt have the $300 to buy one…

bit stupid but didnt take a small bag that i could use during the day for money, mobile…