Speaking of lists - I am so sad that I first make a list of the lists I need to make!!!! I am serious - and sad!!

I drive my husband mad with all my list. I usually start with a shopping list which I slowly work my way down during the year picking up bargains when I see them. Bearing in mind I booked this years holiday last May I have had plenty of time to shop, but I still need things and there are only 6 weeks until we go.
Once I have got most things on my shopping list I then make my packing lists. I say lists as there is one for my suitcase, one for my husbands and one each for the hand luggage.
Hubby gets fed up with me refining these list and asking him if there is anything he can think of that I have forgotten

Flossy

Whats wrong with lists eh girls ?
It seems to me it's the men who poke fun at us when we have to organise the lot and they just turn up and get on the plane
Next list - get hubby to do his share , we'd end up going nowhere with nothing packed or bought for it.
Seriously I like my lists , not only are they helpful but I enjoy them because I can think about my holidays and thats nice.
Here's another tip anyway for getting sand off feet , let the sand dry and gently rub talcum powder into the foot and the sand will rub off easily .I used to take a little bottle of baby powder in my bag when I took the boys to the beach as they were a right pair of moaners when It came to getting the sand off.

I have a template list of absolutely everything we need from passports to clothes and essentials. All I have to do is then photocopy the original and tick everything off each trip. That way I never forget anything.

Hey us blokes make lists too!!!

HOLIDAY LIST

1.Get wife to sort out the stuff
2.Make sure fridge is empty of beer
3.Binoculars for the birds,

I think I have mentioned this before somewhere, but even if I have it warrants a repeat on this thread....in my humble opinion.

Always take an old spare plastic loyalty card with you.....like an old Supermarket card, or pick up a spare Mobile Phone EtopUp card....it does not matter which network, just grab one from one of the many dispensers you see on shop counters, and take one or two with you.

Most Hotel rooms now have doors that are opened by use of a plastic 'key' card which you insert into a slot to release the lock. This saves the Hotels the expense of having to replace keys that are lost by their guests, or that have been forgotten to be handed back in on departure. The hotel is able to make a replacement keycard simply by inserting a blank card into their computer and storing that room's details onto the black strip on the reverse of the card.

This same keycard then has to be inserted into another slot on the wall just inside the room in order for the electricity to come on.
So if you want to leave a light on when you go out in the evening for security purposes, or if you want to leave your Air Condioning on permantley, you need to leave the card in the slot. Or if you want to leave your mobile on charge whilst you have dinner. Of course when you remove the card the power will go off after about five minutes of you leaving your room. So if you have a fridge in your room, or you have paid extra for the hire of a fridge, it is of very little use if the power cuts out within five minutes of you leaving your room, so please read on.........

Ok, this is where an old store loyality card, or an etopup card comes in handy. The black strip on the back is irrelevant, so don't worry about that, as it is the weight of the card itself pressing down on the button inside the slot that activates the power supply to that room. So you can insert the loyality card in the slot and have the power on all the time, even when you are not in your room. Very handy if you want your air conditioning system to be working when you get back from a day basking in the sun. Don't worry, loyality cards cannot open the room doors themselves, you need the actual keycard to do that as the information stored on the card is only read by that particular room.

Just remember to make sure that you remove the card from the slot whilst the cleaner is in your room otherwise she will confiscate it.

Hi Chivas

every time I read your thread I titter to myself. Like the thought of you taking binoculars for the birds, what birds
You mean the ones that wear the polka dots

kazee

BenidormHereICome: I love it! I do that whenever we go to the caribean, but we don't hide them from the maids, they never bothered! I got an old email card from france 3 years ago, and still use that... it has tweety bird on it

hi..chivas.. i think you got it spot on mate,i am also a ..poor mis-understood and down trodden male.....regards...johndoe

Your right gazza. you can also use the front of a cigarette pack(as I have done).

Your right gazza. you can also use the front of a cigarette pack(as I have done).

I never knew that I must admit, but basically anything that fits into the slot without jamming, and with just the right amount of weight to press down and stay down should do the trick.

Obviously the Hotels have also adopted this idea to cut back on their Electricity overheads as well as to cut down on the expense of replacimg lost keys or having new door locks installed.

But how can you use a fridge if their is no power when you are not in your room? Or, if like me, you like to leave a light on in your room to give the impression your room is occupied when it is not late at night (ok, instances of theft from rooms might be small but sadly it does happen).

So to add to my list then.....an old store card, an etop card or a portion of an empty cigarette packet.....

Any advances on a cigarette packet?????

Anything will work to be honest, as long as it presses down inside!
Beer mats, cereal box, we've used loads of things.
The maids even leave them in when they're done!

Kazee- whatever do you mean?

Hi all you poor misunderstood downtrodden men,

I also am a list person when going on holiday. We have never booked a holiday more than 6-8 weeks before we go due to us being self employed, so as soon as it's booked I write my list and start buying virtually straight away. My poor misunderstood downtrodden husband has a quick look at it to see what he can buy whilst doing the weekly/monthly supermarket run i.e. deodorants,headache tabs, the odd item from the clothing section. (Yes he really is downtrodden, he has done the grocery shopping for me for the last 14 years. I don't drive so it was easier for him to go it alone than take me and three small children) Although I appreciate that he tries to help with the holiday shopping he very rarely thinks to ask what I have already bought on the list and we often end up with enough Sun Tan Lotion or shower gel to last a lifetime because I have already bought it.

Can't complain too much I suppose, he is trying (very trying )

Rgds

lol jackie! You have him well trained!

Hi all
I am laughing at all these comments, its getting more like a holiday sketch!

Keep them coming, and "Carry On "adding the tips too!!

Laughing out loud
Dawn

some more tips
ice cold drinks, when your in the mid day heat can cause Gippy Tummy, Sore Throat & Dizziness due to the temp clash in your body, always drink body temp drinks in the sun, weird but true
vinegar, the colder the better, applied over the burnt areas will soothe and prevent peeling. Never scrub a burned skin.
Buy resealable food bags from the supermarket and use them to put toiletries in when packing. This will save your clothes in your suitcase from any leaks.

When you get older you tend to forget things!!! So for all you young things ,use my tip. Guys, don't make a different list for every holiday. Do it properly once to cover absolutely everything. Keep adding things at the very end that you've realised you haven't packed, then make photocopies. Voila....your list for life. On mine, things like nappies have now been replaced by inco pads!! (only kidding )

I always take a jar of Coffee to Manageress in Hotel in Bulgaria(get same room each time) I put this coffee with some bublewrap in a 2 litre Ice Cream Container, then if you buy breakables you can pack with the bubblewrap in container and things will be okay when you arrive home. Tonyt

ooh yes you've reminded me tonyt!

We always take some bubblewrap for wrapping up bottles and pressies.

And we make lists too, and I make notes after a holiday (we tend to go back to the same resorts I'm afraid!) saying for Hotel 1 DO need abc....DON'T need xyz etc.

As hbrac says, the list gets modified over the years as your needs change........

and if we pack early again, I'm going to make a list of what I've packed....so I don't forget anything crucial or take 10 pairs of pants !! (when it's easy to wash them overnight, and you're usually in swimwear all day anyway!)