The thing is, I’ve been traveling a LOT of years.  And, I’ve learned, through trial and error, which travel products work, and which don’t. I’ve just started listing my favorites here. Stay tuned for more specific endorsements…. all based on personal experience.

* Traveler’s Line of Women’s Clothing by Chico’s

I’m a Chico’s Chick. For as long as the Traveler’s line has been out, I’ve been wearing it!  And Chico’s has just come out with New Traveler’s… “a new collection of pieces we’d never leave without. Mix them. Match them. Just don’t forget to pack them.”

On a recent trip to Europe I went from day to night with just six items from the Traveler’s line. The mix and match tops, tanks, skirt and slacks practically disappear when folded or rolled, are machine washable or hand-washable in your hotel room, and hang dry in a flash. They refuse to wrinkle, they’re lightweight but warm and can be dressed up or down with scarves, jewelry and hats. And speaking of accessories, Chico’s has a treasure trove of stylish baubles to complement your clothes.

* Easihair by Jon Renau

Wish I could claim these luscious locks as my own. Well, I do own them, so I guess I can! Clip-on hair is the greatest invention since the flat-iron, even better, actually, since you don’t spend any time or effort to look your coiffed best! Just clip-on and go. I’ve tried many brands, but Easihair is my fave, hands-down. All the quality, color and style without the high price. I pack several styles whenever I travel. Great for going to last minute meetings, parties or just looking and feeling great in a flash.

Easihair is always striving to present a fashion forward image that exudes fine quality and prestige. Trend-setting styles, colors and quality make up the characteristics that define the Easihair brand.

* Canon Powershot Camera

As you can imagine, we’ve gone through many brands of cameras. We found Canon’s Powershot to be the best suited for our needs, and here’s why. This high-end line of digital cameras incorporates the creative performance of a professional digital SLR camera and the compact convenience of a point-and-shoot.

The Powershot is easy for us to operate yet yields professional quality videos and stills. We love it. Well, Patrick does, and occasionally,  he’ll even let ME fire off a few stills or capture some video footage.

* Acer Aspire One Netbook

I’m a Chihuahua. Just like my little Mimi. Yeah, we’re small, but watch out! Our diminutive size belies our spunk. So it goes with Acer’s netbooks. Here’s the scoop. No disrespect intended to other companies’ products; I’ve tried (and returned) several of them but happily ended up with an Acer Aspire One.

Why? Large keyboard for its size, sharp screen, faster than you can imagine, lots of storage, small enough to fit in my purse, and well, simply sweet. I love my Acer. And not just ‘cause it’s pink.

* Mini Mouse by Targus

No matter the brand, size or style of laptop or netbook I’ve tried, I’ve never mastered the skill of using a touch pad. So in concert with my tiny netbook, I use a tiny mouse! The Targus Compact Optical Mouse is only 3 inches long and features a scroll button, handy retractable cord and standard USB connection.

I’m here to tell ya, good things really do come in small packages!