Hacker News Reader

Comment by ravenstine | Hacker News Reader

I don't understand why people bring easily acquired items like sunscreen in their luggage. Unless you're going somewhere that doesn't have a Walgreens or a Rite-Aid, I see no reason to haul around sunscreen, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash, contact lens fluid, etc., to get stopped by the TSA multiple times and have to throw it out anyway because it exploded because of the pressure difference.

View on HN

So you arrive somewhere on a holiday, and rather than getting out and seeing the sites, you go shopping at a grocery store? And you are confused why everyone doesn't do the same? That is such a strange question to me.

Yeah, it takes about 12 minutes and the extra $12 spent is worth not having to haul those things around. I prefer carrying as little with me as possible. Plus, the grocery store has gummy worms.

Hell, you can get it on arrival at most airports. I agree with you - I hate packing stuff I can buy.

You must only go to boring places if you can always get those extra things easily ;)

Often personal preference, especially when travelling through different countries. Canada has vastly different preferences in deodorant style and scents to New Zealand for example. Also different countries have different brand names (eg Lynx in NZ, Axe in North America), so if you have a preferred brand for whatever reason it might have a different name or not exist at all.

Plus the last thing I want to do after getting off a long flight is go shopping for toothpaste.

No Old Spice in NZ :(

Cost and convenience. The markup on personal hygiene products at Walgreens for example is horrific compared to say, Walmart. After landing in a far away place, I don’t want to have to spend any time tracking those items down.

If you follow the TSA regs for liquids, it’s a non-issue.

in my case, I know what's there when I get there, vs what I can bring.

I tend to stay outside of Lahaina on Maui, and there's a CVS pharmacy (long's drugs), a Walgreens, and a Safeway. all of them tend to carry the same mass-market greasy sunscreen with low spf values. my skin does not do well with that, and I end up extremely sunburnt. bringing my own ends up being a better value proposition.

editing to add: if I'm on vacation, I'm checking a bag, so taking extra liquids is no problem. if I'm traveling for work, I have a bag already packed with everything within TSA requirements, so no need to try to track down a store to walk or ride to somewhere near my hotel.

So the first thing you do when you arrive at any destination is load up and go shopping? Sounds very inconvenient to me and that's assuming you are probably travelling alone or with a companion. Add kids to the mix and things get worse. I take things in 3 oz bottles and can't remember the last time anything exploded due to altitude. At most, some might squeeze out into the ziploc. I guess occasionally, lodging will have a little kiosk open until 6pm that will sell you a small bottle of sunscreen for $13.

It really isn't that big of a deal. I don't pack "essentials" either, unless I know that a place won't have what I need (stick deodorant is a good example of this).

Most people will check into their hotel first-thing anyway. A 10 minute diversion to stop at a convenience store isn't as bad as you might think.

What do you do with the things you buy? Dump them in the trash when you leave?

I can buy a 3 pack of sunscreen at BJ’s for $10. The same sunscreen in a smaller bottle was $13 a CVS on the Maine coast.

If it's a vacation, that's not a significant expense compared to the other vacation activities, a rental car or taxis, meals out, etc.

Have you considered the possibility that some people are able to afford a vacation only because they are thrifty? Your comments are very close to "let them eat cake" levels of detachment (and yes, I know that quote is apocryphal).

My idea of a vacation isn’t trudging to a busy CVS to buy sunscreen and personal care items.

I'm with you- but I always pack as lightly as possible. It seems we may be the exception!

American sunscreens don't work as well. Thanks, FDA.

Yeah, I've heard that. Would love to hear recommendations on what better foreign sunscreens I can buy.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com