It's electric.

I have a minor fear of shorting out my entire hotel, but after reviewing old vacation photos, I've realized that traveling without hair appliances is not an option. So for my upcoming trip to Germany, I decided to invest in a proper adapter and surge protector. I've seen models sell for upwards of $50 at Sharper Image, but I went with the Franzus All-in-One from Adorama instead -- a much more wallet-friendly $12.85 (plus shipping). Bonus: It adapts to outlets in the UK, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, so I can plug in anywhere without blowing a fuse.

No more arm length pics.

Despite the awkward product shot, I am obsessed with the QuikPod. (It is neither fast nor affiliated with Apple, so I'm guessing the name refers to its usage as a slightly more convenient tripod.) Basically, you attach the handheld stick thingie to your camera, set the self-timer, and snap a pic that actually contains your entire face and some scenery. "That's nice," you say. "But can't you just ask a friendly stranger to snap your picture?" Sure. Unless, say, you've just climbed Mount Everest and your sherpa is taking a water break. Or you're in a sketchy area that already has you clutching your makeshift fanny pack precariously. Or you just don't want some idiot stranger taking a picture of your nose and the Empire State Building. The QuikPod costs about $30 at Amazon -- worth it if you travel solo. (Need an excuse to spend more money? The LCD screen on the Canon PowerShot A630 flips and rotates, so you can preview your self-portrait before you snap it. Sweet!)

These are almost cute.

I sincerely believe that Crocs are the scourges of fashion. I have nothing against comfortable footwear, but I draw the line at wearing a $30 foam clog that looks like a cross between a wiffle ball and clown vomit. Croc devotees can wax rapturous all they want; at the end of the day, they're still wearing fugly shoes. However, I will admit that these "Cleo" sandals aren't entirely putrid. I'd still rather walk the entire Jersey coastline in five-inch heels than give in to the cult of Crocs, but at least this color combo is sunny and cute, and they (mostly) lack the Bozo-chic vibe. Score?

Neutral goes with everything.

I was feeling pretty good about my footprint until I took this quiz, which alerted me to the fact that it would take five planets to sustain my lifestyle. Agghh! Now, I will argue that there were no specific questions about home energy use. If I am going to live without A/C, give me some credit, dammit! But travel consumes a decent chunk of carbon (though apparently not as much as my voracious love of carne), so calculate your next flight's footprint at Carbon Neutral, then pony up a few GBPs to offset the damage. Voila! Guilt-free globetrotting.

Improve hygiene, save the world, etc.

Hotel soap is the work of the devil. I suspect the key ingredients are cutting oil and talc. My favorite BYO suds right now: The Owl, from Gianna Rose Atelier, which may be the darn cutest $20 you'll ever spend; and Daisy Soap from Body Shop ($4.50), which makes you all squeaky-clean inside and out, since it's made with community-trade shea butter and the proceeds go to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Come and get me, mosquito.

I swear, every time I go to the beach, I come home with six different types of bug bites. Two complications this time: One, I have a bite on the inside of my middle toe that is killing me. And two, I'm out of Humphrey's. WAIT! Before you click, let me clarify. On a late-night walk along Palm Beach in Aruba, I acquired no less than thirty bites -- three on one toe, and itchy toes are my pet peeve. When I finally stumbled down to front desk the next morning and begged for some Benadryl or a shotgun, the fabulous concierge instructed me to buy a pot of Humphrey's Anti-Itch Ointment. It says the active ingredient is plain old benzocaine, but I can assure you it's made of magic and wishes and sunshine. Now for the downside: it's marketed as a hemorrhoid cream stateside. Try to ignore that, and pack a pot on your next trip to the tropics. Your toes will thank you.

You cell phone just wants to help.

I'll admit it, I was slacking on the posts this weekend. But there's a good reason: I was mooching. I spent the weekend at the Jersey shore, sleeping on my aunt's floor and gorging on soft pretzels (25 cents each) and homemade cookies (free).

Ahh, frugality.

Anyway, for more far-flung excursions, I've recently become addicted to the free text help you can get from Google via cell phone -- without paying a fortune per minute for web access. Need a phone number? Text the name and zip to GOOGL (46645, if you're too lazy) and it'll shoot back the digits. No habla espanol? Can't parlez-vous francais? Text the letter T, the word or phrase, and the language you need to translate to or from (for example, t beer to spanish) and you're an instant bilinguist (cerveza!).

Just not while driving. 'Kay?

Blah blah blah...

I guess it goes without saying that I like to talk about traveling. And when I can't find anyone who'll listen to me, a travel journal comes in handy. I love this Travel Collage from Barnes and Noble ($10.36) -- you can't tell from the pic, but it has an accordion folder on the left for ticket stubs, brochures, receipts, stickers, and photos, plus a notepad on the right for worldly observations. Besides, it's cute.

Keep your passport cozy.

My passport is one of my prized possessions and the best $67 I've ever spent. Therefore, it deserves to travel in style. I get a surprising number of comments on my purple suede passport holder from (bored) airport security staffers. But I'll concede that this Diarpell Passport Case ($14.95, BN.com) is equally cool. I'm a sucker for antique maps, so...'nuff said. It even has an inside pocket for your license, credit card, or ticket stubs.

Excuse me, which way to the turnpike?

So, this weekend I got hopelessly lost on the way home from Lancaster, which taught me two things:
1) No one should ever drive on Route 10; in fact, that road should not even exist.
2) I need a GPS system.

So far it looks like the best value might be the Magellan Roadmate 2000. It gets great reviews, and the price is right -- I saw it on Buy.com for $159.99 after a rebate. A slightly pricier option (relatively speaking) is the Garmin StreetPilot c330, which gets rave reviews and goes for $249.99 on Amazon. Both are pretty low on the frills, but I don't need frills. I just need to get the hell out of Pennsylvania.