ESSENTIALS: TOILET PAPER

TOILET PAPER is a must to carry when traveling in the Middle East, Asia, South & Central America. Not that European toilet paper is wonderful, but they generally have it. Take the cardboard core out of half-size roles & flatten to pack in plastic bags. Travel packs of baby wipes (just not in China, I'm told airport security will take them from you) are advisable along with hand sanitizer. If you don’t bring your own toilet seat covers, even in many parts of the United States they are not provided… squatting helps build leg muscles! Since I grew up in Japan where most toilets were bowls in the floor I'm good at squatting & forget about the worry of what you might contract from contact with the toilet seat!