Dr. Bronner's liquid soap − Used it for laundry, dishes, body, floors, even hair (see below)
Little key chain light given to me at the 11th hour by my friend Ximena − Use many many times at night
Extra tshirts and pants and shoes − usually when I travel I bring 3 tshirts, 2 pants, 7 pairs of underwear, 2 bras and 2 pairs of shoes. This trip I brought 5 t-shirts, 2 pairs of capris, a pair of jeans, many pairs of underwear, 3 bras, light weight sneakers, heavy sneakers and teva sandals. My clothes get dirty here FAST because of heavy sweating and I am just dirty; Slopping food on me and sitting in stuff.
Harry Potter Book 5 − many hours of entertainment for people who can't understand the TV or radio or newspaper.
Jeans − it is ridiculously hot here but I use them when I doing my work out in the field to give me a feeling of protection against creepy crawlers. Suprisingly all the locals wear them.
Zip ties − I use on my luggage for added security and even fix cheap shelves.
New York keychains to give away
US Coins − which are actually way more popular than the keychains
Sharpies − good for marking things
My usual bag/bagpack − use often.
Tiny Bolivian purse (which looks shockingly like the indigenous purses of the Thai Hill tribes)
Tissue packets − not as easy to find here as in Hong Kong
Worst Things
Hair Conditioner − this was an accident. I thought I was buying a tube of shampoo: the perfect size. I was wondering after trying on a couple of occasions to wash my hair why it just wasn’t lathering. Then, I read the label. As it turned out I apparently I don’t need to wash my hair more than once a week. ;)
Lotion −what was I thinking? I am one oily mess here. Apparently I forgot what it was like to live in Florida.
Bar soap −never dries; it’s always mushy.
Envelopes −all of them have self-sealed in the humidity
Sharper image alarm clock −heavy and a little big. Bought it so that if I was afraid I could have it as a night light. Face goes out frequently so time isn't visible. So much for refurbished.
Huge bag of homemade trail mix −started to go stale way to quickly because of the humidity.
Towel that was super absorbent −I was thinking it was quick dry but super absorbent means it is sucking the humidity out of the air and getting funky.
Things I wish I had brought
Tiny pocket knife
More socks (to protect me from the creepy crawlers) although I guess I can't complain since I just bought more for 25 cents a pair.
King size bed sheet − seems as if no one uses them here. Although I can buy them but they seem expensive at $7 each.
Yoga Mat − I thought I could make due with small sticky mats I brought for hands and feet but I realize now that the yoga mat's purpose for me is 2 fold. One is to keep from slipping but the other and maybe more importantly is to protect you from some gross hotel floor.