Recently in Gear Category

It never fails -- things always happen at the most inconvenient times. Mostly bad things. And especially when you're away from home, and maybe can't even speak the local language.

Beautiful Smiles Family Dental Center in Fairview Township suggests putting together a dental emergency travel kit to take with you when you hit the road -- or air or sea.

Here's what you should bring:

Fixodent or Polygrip -- Yeah, you think dentures, but it works as a temporary cement if you lose a crown or bridge.

Benzodent, Ibuprofen -- For the inevitable toothache or gum irritation.

Empty prescription bottle with screw top and neutral saline solution -- If you lose a tooth, pop it in the container along with some of the solution.

Dental wax -- If braces, brackets or wires break or come loose, this can save your cheek and lips.

Dental floss and peroxide -- Use the floss to remove foreign debris, then flush with a mixture of half peroxide and half water. Apply Benzodent.

Denture repair kit -- Lets you mix up an acrylic material to repair cracked dentures or re-attach a denture tooth to the prosthesis.

Now this could be useful.

Like the author of this story, I know that some businesses offer discounts to AAA members. I also frequently forget to look for and ask about said discount.

To help you take advantage of your membership and save money more often, the travel organization now offers an application you can download to either the iPhone or the iTouch.

Anyone tried it? What do you think? I have an iTouch, so maybe I'll look into this...

The Kindle 2 has clearly gained more converts than the first version of Amazon's electronic book reader. For travelers worried about space and weight of their luggage and carry-ons, it can be a lifesaver.

But there are still reasons to opt for an old-fashioned book made from pages. Here's one take on it. And then another by YDR copy editor Teresa Cook's husband, who recently splurged on one to enjoy during his frequent travels.

Have you gone electronic with your library? What is your take on Kindle as the next must-have travel companion?

My jaw dropped when I read this story from USA Today.

I know plenty of folks who blindly go where the box on the dashboard tells them. And while I can see the appeal of freeing yourself to the wisdom of technology -- throwing your worries of wrong turns to the wind -- I would never feel comfortable driving unknown territory without the map books in my seat back pocket. See this post, my ode to maps.

Have you ditched your maps in favor of GPS? Are you a die-hard map lover? A combination? Post a comment and share your thoughts.

I haven't dedicated a post to travel gear in a while, so I thought it would be good to share some of the things that helped me survive my recent trip to Costa Rica.

Some of these would be good for any trip -- but others were especially useful this time since I hurt my back right before the trip and the medicine the doctor gave me messed with my stomach big time.

Here's the list:

I'm a big fan of giving the gift of a good read during the holidays.

Whether it's a treasury of fairy tales for my niece and nephews or a video game book for my cousin, you can usually find a book that would be of interest to even non-readers on your list. And the chilly, dark and uneventful months of January, February and March are the perfect excuse to curl up with a good book.

Since this blog focuses on travel and the outdoors, I've put together a list of some books I've run across that might be of interest to you, my faithful blog readers and travel enthusiasts.

Here's the list:

If there's someone on your holiday gift list who loves to travel (or who doesn't, but does anyhow), this story offers suggestions of great gear.

As I read down the list, I thought, hey, I know a cheaper way! So, in the spirit of trying to save money, here are some of the story's suggestions and my alternatives:

1. Dual wine-bottle carrier, $19.95-$64.95 at Bottlewise.com.
Jen's way: Wrap bottles in two plastic grocery bags and knot the tops. Place in the center of your suitcase and pack dirty laundry tightly around them. Six bottles of Argentinian wine (only three in my suitcase -- three in my non-wine-drinking friend's) traveled from South America to Pennsylvania this way unbroken in February.

2. Luggage Locator, $19.99 to $29.99 at Edwards Luggage and Going in Style stores.
Jen's way: A red suitcase decorated to your liking with flourescent duct tape from the hardware store. Can't miss it.

3. ICOON+ Global Picture Dictionary, $9.99 on Amazon.com.
Jen's way: Index cards and a pen. Draw your own pictures. Also doubles as entertainment while waiting in security lines.

What's your best thrifty travel tip? Post a comment and share!

One of America's favorite board games is going global.

Hasbro is swapping Broadway and Park Place for Montreal and Riga. (Do you even know where that is? I didn't. Answer at the end of this post) for a new Monopoly: World Edition.

New York City still made the cut, but it's the only U.S. city to do so. More than 5 million Monopoly fans voted online earlier this year for the cities they wanted to see in the new edition.

Here's the official line from a company press release: "We are thrilled that the first-ever global game board includes an interesting mix of cities that showcases the dynamic cultures, sights and history of the planet."

Next, I'm waiting to read about some goal-oriented traveler on a mission to visit each of the cities on the new board.

How tempting is is to pack your cell phone, iPod, digital camera, laptop, GPS and who knows how many other electronic devices when you go on a trip?

After all, you want to take pictures, have some good tunes to get you through airport delays, a way to access your voice mail and e-mail from afar. Not to mention the feeling of security that comes with GPS.

But this story from the San Jose Mercury News might make you reconsider.

Today, this little device arrived in the mail. Because electrical currents and outlets are different in various countries, most international travelers who want to charge a digital camera or other electronic device end up buying one of these at some point.

Until now, I've managed to do without. The outlets in Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela worked fine without adapters. But in Argentina, they use European-style outlets, hence the need for an adapter.

I figured if I have to buy one, might as well get an all-in-one unit that works in most countries and has a USB port to boot. The price was $30, but then add $10 for shipping and about the same amount to make sure I got it before leaving for my trip and you are looking at $50 for this little doo-hickey.

The price, my friends, of travel (and procrastination).