After avidly reading about the travels of fellow Onions, I realized that some here may be able to benefit from a tip that my pals and I have used to pack a bottle of wine to bring home from a trip.
Here it is: roll of toilet paper around the neck of the bottle + seal in plastic bag + place clothing around the item for cushioning.
@linguafood, on one of our more adventurous trips it was advised that we bring TP and and a jug of bottled water as we traveled from town to town. But no wine to bring home from that trip! So there’s that.
The only time we check a bag on the outbound leg of the journey is when friends ask us to bring stuff they can’t get easily outside of the U.S. Like American snack food. Hardly seems fair that they will bring us balsamic vinegar or wine when they come to the States though.
The “worst” was at a motel in FL. We had wine, but no opener. None to be found in our room. Thus started a drive across Key Largo. Think we finally got lucky at a Winndixie.
I had to pack a wine bottle back from Germany for my sister and some sake for my BIL from Japan once, but didn’t use the toilet paper. I did gather as many plastic bags I could get my hands on to layer in the extra protection, wrap that baby up tightly and then cushioned it with my clothes. No issues. I’ve also done this with jars of stuff. If I’m home and taking this to another country, I recycle the ‘stuffing’ in my boxes - those air cushions, bubble wrap, or even a cut fedex envelope for extra protection.
For years, we would bring wine home…slip a sock over the bottle, then into a small plastic trash bag (bathroom size) and tape. Then layer with clothes in the checked bag.
Worked for dozens of bottles…the only one that broke was when a delivery guy heaved the heavy bag onto the concrete stoop…one bottle caught the corner of the step. We heard it break when he threw it ans quickly dumped the bag…no leakage.
I’ve tried all the methods above. Then a vintner friend gave me a bunch of these. Now I never travel without one if I expect to bring a bottle back home.
Went wine tasting at a winery on Santorini and bought a bottle to take back to my hotel. They put the bottle in this well-constructed carrier. I have been using it ever since.
I saw this on video last week (didn’t pay attention to what platform it was originally posted), but someone showed taking two baby diapers and essentially wrapping one around the bottom (using the sticky straps close it tightly), and then another over the top. The absorbent padding of the diaper would trap any liquids in case it does break. I don’t know how well that would absorb, but it did seem like a decent option. Just not sure who tends to have extra diapers hanging around!
I travel a good deal. And one of the things that I carry with me ALL the time is third of a roll of toilet paper squashed flat (with the cardboard cylinder removed) and sealed in a small zip loc bag. Packs flat and easy to carry.
If you gotta go, you gotta go and having your own TP makes it a little less stressful.
Especially after I have eaten a green curry mussel dish in Thailand…
What to do with the other 2/3 of a roll? I think we can all find a use somehow.
