Adding to the What to Bring list.

May 29, 2006
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With any luck, I'll finally be able to get back to the DR in a month or so. Here's are some items I've added to my standard "What to Bring" list over the years.

Small Collapsible Ice Cooler. Something that can hold 8-12 cans of beer, which would hold about 4 bottles of President along with some ice. Handy for the beach and for toting frozen items from the grocery store. Some have removable plastic liners which keep items from being crushed. I've brought one twice now and I prefer it over a day pack. $15-$20 at Target and many other stores.

Portable Safe. I have one from Tractor Supply, $20 and weighs about a pound. I don't have much faith in hotel safes. Comes with a security cable to secure it to a bed or other large object. Made for handguns~they are secure. Unlock it during travel.

Disposable Credit/Debit Card. You can get these at any drug store chain though I'm not sure if you can reload them online anymore. I avoid keeping my credit cards on me unless I'm going to a fancy restaurant. Have your info online so if it does get lost or stolen, you can use the balance to close out the account shopping at Amazon or whatever. Scratch off the CCV code on the back after recording it and black it out with a Sharpie to prevent anyone else from using it online if it's stolen.

Spices.
Make great gifts when you leave the island and essential if you're staying more than a week or so. I'll be bringing Old Bay, Chili Powder, GOOD Black Pepper, and Montreal Steak Seasoning. I can get disposable pepper shakers for under a buck and the pepper is fresh.

Can Opener.
I bring a $10 Swing Away. They don't last in the salt air, but it beats using a knife to pop open cans. Don't expect to find one in a hotel kitchenette, (or a sharp knife.)

Reusable Grocery Tote Bags or IKEA tote bags. The cheap plastic bags cut into your fingers when you have to walk from the supermarket or ride on the back of a motoconcho. They also fail, which is no fun... I can carry four gallon jugs in my jumbo tote bag, which is more than I like to carry.

Snacks and travel food. Small tetra packs of juice, and other lunch box items. Avoid items that crush easily unless you can protect them. Essential in case your flight gets delayed or rerouted.

Burner cell phone.
Bringing a fancy cell phone is asking to be pick-pocketed. I'll bring the cheapest thing that has a camera in it. If you must bring an iPhone, leave it in the hotel when you hit the bars/clubs at night. They aren't hard to get used in the DR(what with so many being stolen...) Upload your photos before you come and every couple days when you're on the island in case it disappears. Put a photo of your name and hotel info on the unlocked screen in case someone actually wants to return it you. This may also be handy if you're in some kind of accident. Make sure all your contact info is copied somewhere online.

"Handy Packs" of Kleenex Easier than toting an extra roll of Toilet paper around. Tiny bottles of hand sanitizers are nice too if there is no soap or water in a bathroom.

Tiny Personal Alarm I just picked one up at Home Depot for $2. It has a leash on it and a key chain. I might attach my wallet to it then have the leash on a belt loop. I haven't really figured out what it will be good for, but I think it might be handy. It could prevent me from losing my keys if nothing else. Maybe hot glue it to the burner phone?
 

Jaime809

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Aug 23, 2012
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Small Collapsible Ice Cooler. Something that can hold 8-12 cans of beer, which would hold about 4 bottles of President along with some ice. Handy for the beach and for toting frozen items from the grocery store. Some have removable plastic liners which keep items from being crushed. I've brought one twice now and I prefer it over a day pack. $15-$20 at Target and many other stores.

Costco sells these 2/~$8, but they are catch as catch can in the warehouses. Probably in warmer temps they are more regularly available. Some places also sell cooler backpacks, which I might suggest is an even better idea, especially for grocery shopping.
 

Jaime809

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Aug 23, 2012
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I would add the following:

Knife sharpener if staying for 1 month or longer
Small standard tool set
Small precision screwdrivers if you wear glasses
 
May 29, 2006
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I was in Sosua on my last trip, but I'll be around Santiago mostly this time. I'm hoping to do some "voluntourism" for the Tardiff Orphanage and maybe check out Cabera and GH. I might pass through Sosua, but I burned out on it last time. With any luck, I'll also be catching up on some overdue dental work. Yee haw...

Starting a fund raiser for the orphanage soon. It's off to a very good start.

I don't use a cell phone except as a camera. I don't believe in them.
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
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Ok, I'll play. I always bring a couple of Reynolds oven bags and my own (non-refillable) salt/pepper grinders.
 
May 29, 2006
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I would add the following:

Knife sharpener if staying for 1 month or longer
Small standard tool set
Small precision screwdrivers if you wear glasses

Good point on the glasses. I don't wear them now, but have on other trips. At least twice, the hinges broke while I was traveling. Used thread and superglue to hold one hinge together and had the other one repaired while in Japan. Shrink tubing works great, but they won't fold.

On longer trips, I also bring a dollar store sewing kit. Extra buttons and safety pins are handy if you happen to put on a couple pounds.

I use a 6 in 1 screwdriver around the house. Two sizes of Phillips head and flat tips and also drives two sizes of hex heads. Be aware you can't take hand tools onto carry-on.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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I always throw in some twist ties, a nail clipper, a small notebook, business cards, an MP3 FM player with earphones, some gauze and adhesive tape, a roll of masking tape, small pair of scissors.

Someone said that the pepper available in SD was great. I have only found something that resembles black dust with no flavor. I take the coarse ground Butcher Block pepper. Peanut butter is on sale and good in the US, never on sale and pretty awful in the s6tores where I have seen it. The sewing kit is definitely handy. Buy some dental floss, it is ideal for repairing heavy duty stuff like luggage and shoes.

I take some sulfa powder I bought in Argentina. Great for all skin abrasions and infections. Perhaps Bactine would do,
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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In the northern US and Canada, watch the summer closeouts - go to a beach town and stock up.

Collapsible coolers for $1-2..... excellent quality
Styrofoam coolers 89cents each (bot $3.99 0r $4.99)

flip flops , everything like that as those summer towns shed their shelves for the winter
 

Jaime809

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Aug 23, 2012
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I use a 6 in 1 screwdriver around the house. Two sizes of Phillips head and flat tips and also drives two sizes of hex heads. Be aware you can't take hand tools onto carry-on.

Agreed; the toolkits are strictly checked-luggage items. I've had both prescription glasses and sunglasses eyepiece screws back out completely while on vacation, after noticing they were loose. I even had a little multi-tool that was pliers, knife, and a few other things for a while. It was a casualty one trip when my luggage was searched, and a few things never made it to my destination.
 
May 29, 2006
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Never know what to do about footwear for the beach. It would be nice if there were more lockers around. Flip flops don't hold up and are frowned upon and deck shoes are more likely to be stolen. Maybe those weird reef shoes..
 
Aug 6, 2006
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Suntan lotion may be available where there are tourists, but it will be cheaper in the US and better as well.
Many Dominicans never touch the stuff. Unavailable in Barahona.
If you have Dominican friends, a bottle of offbrand Vaporrub will be most appreciated, as it has magical properties in the DR.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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A visit to a used clothing store will reveal many kinds of acceptable beach footwear that will not blow out. Experienced footwear at bargain rates. I got some Ocean Pacific flipflops that have proven to be indestructible for a mere three bucks. If they get stolen, you have no major cash outlay.
 
May 29, 2006
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Are Presidentes twist off yet? Reminds me, I saw someone bring their own beer cozies once. I was jealous.
 

Jaime809

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Aug 23, 2012
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Never know what to do about footwear for the beach. It would be nice if there were more lockers around. Flip flops don't hold up and are frowned upon and deck shoes are more likely to be stolen. Maybe those weird reef shoes..

I use aqua shoes and just keep them on. Good ones go on sale all the time that you can walk in to and from hte beach, as well as while you're at the beach. I've got 2 pair that I alternate between all the time now.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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I have not found them to be twisted off. I bring a small opener because otherwise I have to watch a friend use his teeth, which is hard to watch.