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Some questions to prepare!!


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So i have some questions for you guys who've been to the OCC before...

1. What to pack? My mom is worried she'll have to carry my luggage on the way home. Plus i want to get in some serious TJ shopping so i know i'll need to leave some room. I know to pack light, and loose fitting clothes... but does anyone else have advice/thoughts on the subject??

2. Will we need cash? Does everyone in TJ accept american currency?

3. Is there anything you experieinced bandsters would reccomend doing or bringing? Like Gas-x strips or hitting up Revolution Ave for some knock off purses??? (The Sex in the City movie has me "shopping for lables") :laugh2:

Thanks!!

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Hello! All you will need is a few t-shirts and comfy shorts. I wore my Birkenstocks the whole time. They were easy to wear through airport security! You will need cash...brings lots of ones and fives as many of the places you will need the cash don't make change!. You will need it for shopping and tipping people (hotel bell boys, OCC drivers, taxi drivers, etc.) We brought $200 and spent every dime of it. I recommend some Phazyme and liquid pain medicine. I brought Gas-X strips but they did not work for me. Truelytangledgirl gave me some Phazyme and it worked great! You may also want to bring some books or magazines and an I-Pod or MP3 player. Remember to pack your liquids (meds, shampoos, etc.) in small containers and put them in a quart sized ziploc. These are the requirements for the airport! I left all my jewelry at home. I know this is a lot of random info, but I hope it helps!!!

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So i have some questions for you guys who've been to the OCC before...

1. What to pack? My mom is worried she'll have to carry my luggage on the way home. Plus i want to get in some serious TJ shopping so i know i'll need to leave some room. I know to pack light, and loose fitting clothes... but does anyone else have advice/thoughts on the subject??

2. Will we need cash? Does everyone in TJ accept american currency?

3. Is there anything you experieinced bandsters would reccomend doing or bringing? Like Gas-x strips or hitting up Revolution Ave for some knock off purses??? (The Sex in the City movie has me "shopping for lables") :laugh2:

Thanks!!

Just a suggestion but I brought little gifts for the people that were banded with me I gave them crystal light and bullion packets and a few other items , I have heard that they really came in handy... (not that you have to give gifts ) just that the packets could be useful , they supply bottled water for you and you can buy it anywhere, tea bags if your into caffine might be a thought the hotel only had coffee, tea was more soothing to me and tasted good and gas x liquid gels (little green gel ) worked the best for me as far as clothing quick easy and fuss free... and you have to walk back across the border a short distance so do pack light or have something with wheels to help with carring issues.... good luck to you your going to do great!!!! yeah for you your going to have an amazing time...Crissi :girl_dance: :girl_smile:

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They said it all..... the suitcase with wheels is a biggy!! It's a pain lugging a bag around if you're flying far. [i had to change planes so it was hard.... I DIDN'T have wheels!] Relax and have a good time in Mexico. If you go to revolution Ave. make sure you bargain with the shop owners, DO NOT GIVE THEM THE PRICE THEY ASK! I got a Coach purse for my daughter and they wanted $75 and I got it for $30. Pretend to walk away and the price comes down FAST! :rolleyes: Best wishes, Darlene

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The wheels is the best idea. When you come through customs to return home, you'll have to walk about 250 yards from the customs building to where the van parks. Post-surgery is not the time to lug large luggage, just pull it with you.

Leave plenty of empty space in your suitcase if you plan on going to Revolution Avenue - you may by tons of souvenirs. It's a unique place as long as you can say "no thank you". I've never seen more "zebras" in my life than on those corners.

We bought a few dresses and shirts. The ones were purchased have held up nicely, and seem to be of excellent quality. There is a store right across from the Lucerna where you can buy quick things, like an American convenience store, and it was handy, but not well-stocked with soups and broths.

Have a great trip!

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Darlene is right about the bargain shopping!! I got a Gucci wallet for $5 bucks! The starting price was $40 bucks!!! They will always ask you how much you want to pay for it. I ALWAYS said $5 bucks... Worked on a couple things!! LOL!

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I agree with everyone else about the contents for your suitcase. I LOVED the soup at the Lucerna, but it is 600 pesos a bowl. (Don't panic.. that is 6 bucks.) I also made use of the Special K protein powder.

I LOVED my Birkies.. nuf said.

Phazyme, not gas-x

With regard to luggage, what I did last time (and will do tomorrow on my 2nd fill in TJ,) was just take my soft-sided leather computer case. I looked for a little backpack, but they were all too big or too little. The soft computer case worked fabulously. I put 3 changes of clothing in one of those vacuum bags, and it collapsed to a tiny packet, saving a LOT of space. I was also able to carry the tiny versions of toiletries and toothbrush, a book, magazine, and a puzzle book, in addition to the contents of my purse, which I didn't even take. I went to walmart before the trip and bought one of those collapsable sports bags, (it is about the size of a plate and about an inch thick.) EVERYTHING fit in my computer case. Mine has a shoulder strap, and it was very comfortable to put under the seat, carry in airports, etc.

On the way back, I put my purchased loot into the expanded sports bag, and carried back the computer case and the sports bag, which fit in the overhead. With two of you, it shouldn't be too heavy with the weight evenly distributed between both bags. If you are feeling well enough to shop on Revolution, it will be NO problem for you to carry a light bag.

Just for the record, I have a rolling suitcase and used it the first time, but my empty suitcase weighed more than my leather briefcase fully loaded. It really is up to each one to do what works best for them.

Before you leave, you might even try packing a suitcase with sheets, dragging it around for a while then trying it again in a smaller carry-on. The smaller suitcase you can take, the better.

About money... The hotel and nice restaurants take charge cards. We made the mistake of using our charge card on something on Revolution Ave. My husband had to follow the merchant (who didn't have a visa port,) to the shop of a friend of his brother's. Talk about make make us nervous!! It worked out okay, but we learned our lesson... cash only on Revolution Ave. Also, something that worked for us, was putting different denominations of money in different pockets. I had a five in one pocket and a couple of ones in the other. Hubby had a ten and a couple of ones in one pocket, and a twenty in the other. When we started to barter, it was convenient to pull a bill out of a pocket and act like that was all we had. It worked a number of times between all the pockets. Oh yeah, they prefer American money.

If you want to use one of the vacuum bags for packing your clothes, either coming or going, you don't even have to use the vacuum cleaner. Just start rolling from the bottom compressing the air out as you go. Get your mom to zip the zipper and your stuff will be greatly compressed. I even took my down pillow to Italy this way, and recompressed it every time we moved to a new location. Whether you do this for TJ or not, it is a great tip and I have done this many, many times. (mmm.. wonder if I can fit my down pillow in my briefcase?)

I will be there on the 10th, 11th, and til noon on the 12th. Looks like I will just miss you. Good luck, but you won't need luck.. they are excellent at the center.

Lordee.. I wrote a book!

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I learned this so I'm passing it on. When you get to the Center, and you are introduced to your suite, they will give you wonderful garments to wear for your surgery, including a HOT... and I mean HOT paper thong. I was told it was impolite to simply just put them on. It is considered bad manners there if you don't OHHHH! and AHHH! about the paper thong... be sure to ask for another pair to take home, because you like them so well.

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I learned this so I'm passing it on. When you get to the Center, and you are introduced to your suite, they will give you wonderful garments to wear for your surgery, including a HOT... and I mean HOT paper thong. I was told it was impolite to simply just put them on. It is considered bad manners there if you don't OHHHH! and AHHH! about the paper thong... be sure to ask for another pair to take home, because you like them so well.

Did you ask Dr. Ortiz to autograph them for you? :P

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The knock off purses on Revolution are okay, but I wouldn't pay more than 25-30 dollars for one, if they want more just tell them you will find another one down the street and they will chase you down to try and make the sale. I didn't buy the purses there though because they were "poor" fakes and I got better ones in the Virgin Isles and Belize for about $20! They have lots of other trinkets for the shoppers, but beware, no one sells real gold there.....always stick to your guns on your price you want to pay. Check other merchants if one won't meet your price another one may. This can be a lot of fun! I went crazy on the stained glass and bought a few nice window sized ones and the good merchants will pack it for you with handles for the plane (I carried mine on the plane with me). Can't wait to go down there again as I want to fill some more windows! Have fun, I took an "extra" bag inside my wheeled luggage and used that for the stuff that I brought home. Was a pain lugging it through customs....but it wasn't very far.

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See, this is exactly the type of insider info i wanted. Thanks for all your responses and keep 'em coming i don't leave until Thursday!

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