We had this as a thread on Redsnake at one time. I dug this list out of my archives:

Condoms
Vitamins
Prescriptions
Viagra
Money and concealable holder(s)
Photocopies of your passport and drivers license kept in multiple places. I recently read that oone guy scanned his and placed them in an e-mail account he could access from any internet enabled PC.
Camera & Film
Towel
Toilet kit
UW
Socks
Shirts
Pants
Spanish English Dictionary
Benadryl
Notebook
Pictures
Hot!Spanish
Map
Flashlight
Westfargo decoder ring

Five dollar bills and lots of singles. Nothing is better than paying a whore with 4 bills each of 5 dollars instead of one $20 bill. You will not get any requests for a tip :-)

Playstation, how do you hook up speakers to use it as a stereo? My next trip I'm bringing it with me, but i want to utilize it for musica, not just video games. I might even end up trading it for an allnighter ;-)
SB

GFE Supplies:

Wriggly's Gum: a Plen-T-Pac of your favorite and a variety of the 25c packs. Every chica has her favorite. You'd be amazed how something as simple as "remambering" to bring her favorite gum can make an impression.

Candles: I get the four pack from Long's. Two by the mirror and two on the night stand. This is the short cut to the GFE.

An extra new tooth brush: If this gets used, you've already had a good time, and it's only going to get better! I found this one by accident.

The $5 you spend at Longs or Rite-Aid will go a hell of a lot further than the $6 fica towards the GFE!

Hey Salsa Boy...

Did you read my Costa Rica trip report, last day? Your Playstation will go farther there, they retail for $300-$400. I was never able to find a converter for speakers.

For you tipping types:

Take some of the new gold dollar coins and $2 bills. Everyone down there seems to get off on them.

I always bring a supply of new high-end toothbrushes! More for me (one of the first things I do is go into the bathroom and brush my teeth and invite them to do as well...they never refuse!) then the chica but they always like them. Important note: don't have more then 1 new one (plus yours) in the bathroom or you'll get a quizzical look from the chica.

I always bring some good face scrub (for me) and it ALWAYS gets snatched up by a chica.

If you plan on seeing a chica that you've seen during a past visit, try hard to remember something she may have said about something she likes. Believe me, as much as they like high-end gifts...they like small personal (to them) gifts just as much.

I've given up many small "torch" lighters that are good for cigars.

I can't speak for the gold dollar coins but I have had 2 chicas practically beg me to bring back with me $2 bills.

It goes without saying that a good massage oil goes far as the chica assumes it will be used on her as well.

I always bring my own condoms.

As per the desire for $2 bills and new gold dollar
coins. My mexicana better half tells me they are
both considered to bring good luck by Mexicans.

How about little index cards with commonly used English or Spanish phrases so you can communicate when the club music is too loud, or the chica speaks no English and you speak no Spanish? Or better yet, an index card which states in Spanish all of the particulars of the hotel session that you desire (such as a full 30 minutes, DFK, DATY, etc) so there can be no misunderstanding of the terms of your agreement.

Hey Bumpy! Great hearing from you again. I hope everything is going well in your life.

A Soft-spoken kind of guy,

Out-of-Towner

I have been giving out the Golden Dollars as tips, and no one in TJ seems to know what they are.

It is easiest to get the Golden Dollars at the post office as change from their stamp machines. There are still a lot of people in the US that have never seen one.

"Golden Dollars" are also available from trolley ticket machines, but like the post office, they are intermixed with SBA dollars.

Candles are also good for eliminating odors (such as the previous occupant's smoke).

This is a repost of a trip report I did many months ago. I think it outlines my concept of what to bring.

****

I'm sure that this may sound nuts to many of you, but this started when I wanted to do something unusual and nice for mi una amiga especial. (this was before she quit the business and went home) I'll tell you, it made a HUGE impression on mi amiga!

On the first trip with this stuff, I also brought a bunch of the 'travel' size shower gels and shampoos from my far flung business trips, a new tooth brush for her, as well as the sheets & towels. (BTW she was actually thrilled when I told her to keep the toothbrush, shower gel, shampoo and mesh sponge) Also brought some munchies and drinks, which I stuck, into a soft-sided cooler I'd brought. (I got the room-cleaning guy to get me two buckets of ice for the cooler). When I got there, I remade the bed with my sheets and stashed the regular linens above the closet. I laid out the other stuff, so that it would all be ready when I came back to the room with mi amiga.

When we got to the room, mi amiga was SURPRISED. She spent the minutes going from surprise to surprise in the room, and each thing seemed to thrill her more than the last. She'd never seen any of the drinks that I brought, (Trader Joe's Specials) The toiletries were much of a mystery to her, and the fluffy towels were a big hit, as were the fresh sheets on the bed. When she'd finished her 'tour', mi amiga gave me a GIANT hug, coupled with a passionate kiss.

The first thing she wanted to do was take a shower. I agreed and asked to join her. She wasn't really sure what to do with the mesh-sponge and shower gel (thank you Raddison Hotels for the gel and shampoo). So, I took them from her and lathered her up with the gel and sponge. At first she started giggling, and telling me, "muchas cosquillas." Then came my turn and she had all kinds of fun with the lather and suds. She gave me a beard and drew words in the suds. After we'd rinsed off, I shampooed her hair, and then put conditioner on it as well. She strongly approved of the scent of the stuff I brought, and just cooed as I massaged her scalp. Once we were again rinsed off and done with our shower, I took to toweling her off.

I rubbed the soft towel all over her body and made sure to dry her off everywhere. She then did the same for me. Once our bodies were dry, I took out one of the 'hand towels' and dried her hair. Then I wrapped my arms around her and just held her to me. I could feel her body shiver and then stop. Then she shivered again. I turned her around and found that she was crying. I asked her why the tears and her answer kinda surprised me. She wrapped her arms around me and told me that nobody had ever been this kind to her before. I told her that I found that hard to believe and she pulled away and looking me dead in the eye said, "es verdad." I don't know if it was the truth or not, but I do know that from that evening on, every moment with esta amiga especial was magical.

Several weeks later she left the business, though, I continued to 'date' her. Sometimes I 'helped her out'. Sometimes I didn't. Often we would stay at PA or HA, which she liked even more than a 'dressed up' Cascadas room. After a few months of this, she left TJ 'to take care of her grandma'. (I know that she went home, and has since married)

Since then, I've adopted a similar MO for las amigas especiales, and found that showing a little effort and affection towards las chicas pays HUGE dividends. Most guys don't show las chicas much, if any, extra kindness. I know that I'm not alone in having this type of attitude with las chicas, and I know that others who share this approach find similar results to what I've outlined here.

I'm not saying that every chica will respond well to this, but the 'special' ones will.

My bag is a standard carry-on shoulder bag. It's like a 'sports' bag. As I recall, it's about 14"x14"x23", with two 'end cap' compartments and a pair of small front pockets as well as the main compartment.

As for hauling this stuff with me, well…. The entire sheet set came in a package that was about the size of two hard cover books, so I strive to get them folded into that same size. I usually end up fairly close, but I only take one of the pillow covers with me. I put the drinks inside of one of those 'tube' coolers that I cut in half. Three cans per tube. The hand towels are pretty easy to roll up and stick between the tubes at the bottom of the main compartment. The bath towels and sheets go on top of this 'bottom pack' with the sheets on edge against one end of the bag. On top of this goes my change of shirt, and there's still a little extra room for little stuff if I need it. One end compartment is my 'shaving kit' and my underwear and socks. The other is free for munchies etc. The front pockets hold the 'bath goodies' etc. (remember all of these are those little packages of shampoo and stuff that you get in hotels. As much as I travel, (78k miles in the last six months) I get to stock away TONS of this stuff. And, the Raddison and Marriott chains both use 'travel size' bottles of the Bath and Body products.)

What about 'overflow'? On a TJ trip this summer, I ran across a street vendor selling nice black leather backpacks for $15 each. (Talked him down to $10 each, so I got two of them) On the Rare occasion (only happened twice) that I can't get everything I'm bringing in to my main bag, I'll stick the extra stuff into this backpack and strap it to the top of my shoulder bag. (It fits just perfectly, and I can still carry everything using the main bag's shoulder strap. Though by this point, it is getting a little heavy and I end up switching shoulders as I walk across the boarder)

As to winter, I haven't figured out a fix for the blanket issue just yet. I'm thinking of just getting another one of those 'throws' that the street vendors sell in TJ, and using that. I actually have one that I bought for my home that would work great. (good size, warm and fluffy, and just perfect for cuddling with una amiga especial) I'm thinking that I'll just lay it through the shoulder strap across the top of my bag. But, this will preclude me from being able also to carry the backpack. (Both of them won't fit, I've tried. I suppose I could just use the backpack, as it's intended, if I really need to carry in that much stuff.)
(Update Note: This idea worked out well for me last winter)

StrikeEagle

How'd I miss THIS?

Bumpy, as I recall, you listed a 'pack' of stuff that was the begining of 'travel equipment' lists.

It's been a LONG time, but do you still bring along your bag??


StrikeEagle

Trust me--no trip "south" is complete without the following essential items.

Cucumber (in pants)
Breath Assure
Special whoring boots and belt buckle
Viagra (500 mg pills)
Toupe, with extra adhesive
Beano
Fake beard and sunglasses
Bright red Speedo/Spandex underpants
Kama Sutra oil/Tiger Balm
French Tickler (from bathroom in US strip joint)
XXX rated videos and handcuffs (gifts to chicas)
Letter of recommendation/current resume
Yohimbe bark
Extra cologne
New cell phone with silent vibrating ringer
Whips, midgets, Crisco oil
Current health card(register w/local authorities)

I'm not saying that every chica will respond well to this, but the 'special' ones will.

Dogster

...and how'd I forget?

Extra K-Y Jelly mixed with green food coloring and vanilla extract.