Comments on: Ridiculous things we buy on our travels

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:02:09 +0000

Love it Beau! I can see why it was irresistable. You never know when you might need it

By: Beau Wynja

Beau Wynja — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:36:40 +0000

I’ll own up. I have no idea what I was thinking, but I had to have it…. http://tinyurl.com/234kpks (Bought in Shanghai, China)
It is currently serving as a dust collector/ conversational piece in my office. Fun article, I really enjoyed it.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:41:36 +0000

It’s funny how we feel the need to have at least one trinket from each place to remember it by! Usha, it’s when it’s the other way round that it worries me; when you see something you buy in a market, and then you get it home and it’s so big it’s ridiculous!
An endless topic… thanks to all for the great contributions

By: Usha

Usha — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:02:23 +0000

My mom bought this massive fan with thailand scenaries painted onto it. It hangs on the living room wall now. Though it looks much smaller on the wall then it did when we bought it. :s

I bought this mini clay sampan on my trekking trip to Taman Negara, Malaysia. Its collection dust. lol..

Sometimes I tell myself I shouldn’t buy unnecessary stuff, then I wonder how else am to remember i visited this place if not for something peculiar to adorn my living area. Lol..

Cheers

By: AirTreks Nico

AirTreks Nico — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:35:50 +0000

I can’t seem to pass up buying at least one little tchotchke in every country I visit, the ones from the guys with tables outside major landmarks. I hate to say it.

But the expense is minimal, they’re tiny and light and even though the item is usually poorly made and identical to a thousand other ones, I end up falling in love with it after get home. They’re great to help jump start the nostalgia.

I also have a fairly extensive fridge magnet collection.
As seen on Keith’s Velvet Escape blog: http://velvetescape.com/blog/2009/09/the-ubiquitous-fridge-magnet-a-readers-collection/

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:53:26 +0000

This is hilarious! I get crap from customs every time I come back from vacation.

Declare the value of goods purchased in another country and entering the US: “None.” None?! How many days were you abroad? “Five.” And none? Wine? “No.” Cigars? “Non.” Clothes? “Nope.” Jewelery? “Nooooo.” Art? “…(Annoyed look) NO!”

However, R.- I wear my fisherman pants from Cambodia all the time!

-Laura
http://www.tastethistours.com

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:13:56 +0000

Thanks for some great confessions!
Ian and Wendy, we need to see a picture of the octopus pot!
Clare, thanks for sharing your very busy wall with us! Don’t other places do tea towels? Why not? How do they dry their dishes? Ha, a case of British ignorance.
Ruben, by the time you get home your feet won’t be able to stand normal shoes anymore. Shorts and sandals for the rest of your life.
Ann-Katrin and Keith, you need to talk to each other about fridge magnets – I think there’s a common theme there?
Barbara, it’s great to have that freedom of not wondering where to put that giant pot that someone’s trying to sell you. ‘I have no house’ must be a good way to stop the hawkers in their tracks.

By: Keith

Keith — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:25:17 +0000

Haha, great post Andy! I have a bamboo musical instrument (I’ve no idea how to play it) from Indonesia and a Maasai water pouch. Authentic, and they look fine… but pretty useless. LOL!

By: Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels

Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:39:13 +0000

Oh boy I can relate! Fortunately, I no longer have a house, since I’m pretty much a perpetual traveler these days, so I have an excuse for NOT buying this stuff anymore.

By: Ann-Katrin

Ann-Katrin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:49:04 +0000

I stopped shopping when I travel, except for one thing: I try and buy a fridge magnet in every major city I visit, and then I put them on a big white board I have in the bathroom. That’s the only thing, although last time I was in Asia I bought a little hand made wallet too, one I could have in my shorts pocket. I simply realised how cluttered my home would have gotten otherwise…