London / Paris Here We Come!!! 9/2 - 9/10/11

[Chropistopy]

I think Kevin and John will get their's first, followed by Christy N.

I'm fine with being second just as long as I get the box soon!!

 

[Chropistopy]

Bring a skateboard and we can strap you to it. We will then thread a rope out one of the windows to tether you to the bus. This way you will still get some good motion footage.

I just had an awful visual of what would happen when the bus stopped.

 

[k5jm]

Bactine might sting too much. I'll bring the kids Johnson and Johnson "ouchless" stuff. Although, I bet Mike would tough it up for the love of his craft.

"No sting" is good!!

Mike, we have 2 Travel Pro duffle bags. Those are big enough...we can pull you around in it!

I could wear them like roller skates!

I'm fine with being second just as long as I get the box soon!!

Is this our Christmas? I have not wanted a box to show up this quick in a long time! Well, maybe since last week.

I just had an awful visual of what would happen when the bus stopped.

The best close-up of a tail pipe EVER!!!

 

[Chropistopy]

Is this our Christmas? I have not wanted a box to show up this quick in a long time! Well, maybe since last week.

It's close. Getting the box will just make it more real. The box from ABD just says "Yes, you are going to London and Paris."

 

[k5jm]

I am ordering a "Universal World Power Strip" which will work on 110/220/240v. This should allow me to have to only buy a couple of adapters.

 

[Becx N Gav]

So do they talk in French in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show @ DLP?

I can't remember if it's in French too or just English, they may have different shows in each language. It's a good show but the so called all you can eat turned out to be one serving then they never came back
You get a cool hat though

I want to run up to the Queen of England and get a shot like this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5obMVBxAGA

Let me know when you plan to do this, I have to see that

 

[sayhello]

I think Montmarte is the area of Moulin Rouge, right? And the Sacre Coeur (sp?) church, where people sit on the steps to get a panoramic view of the city below. I'd probably be up for that.

I still have to pick up some plug adapters for both countries. I figure I'm charging my phone or camera, so I won't need the converter.

I'd be up for Montmarte during our time off, too!

I have some interesting information for those on "box watch".

And I'm not telling.

Okay...I cant take the pressure.

Boxes are to be mailed tomorrow 8/2/2011.

Who will get theirs first?

Note to self: Be careful what you tell Kevin! Loose lips sink ships!

I am ordering a "Universal World Power Strip" which will work on 110/220/240v. This should allow me to have to only buy a couple of adapters.

Oooo, where did you find that? What countries does it support? Doesn't look quite right to me... And what adapters would you need to buy if this handles everything?

I don't care what order I get my box in! I just want my box!!! (it's just about time to start the countdown calendar! I want my 30-day countdown calendar!!!)

Sayhello

 

[k5jm]

Oooo, where did you find that? What countries does it support? Doesn't look quite right to me... And what adapters would you need to buy if this handles everything?

Sayhello

click the picture and it will take you to the amazon page. It supports all Europe/UK/US devices. You will need a US to UK plug for London and a US to Europe(Paris) adapter for the plug that actually goes into the wall.

 

[sayhello]

click the picture and it will take you to the amazon page. It supports all Europe/UK/US devices. You will need a US to UK plug for London and a US to Europe(Paris) adapter for the plug that actually goes into the wall.

That doesn't quite make sense. Seems to me you want one the other way around. This one adapts their plugs to ours. Seems you want one that adapts our plugs to theirs. Then you'd only need one adaptor, for whichever one it didn't plug into.

Sayhello

 

[k5jm]

That doesn't quite make sense. Seems to me you want one the other way around. This one adapts their plugs to ours. Seems you want one that adapts our plugs to theirs. Then you'd only need one adaptor, for whichever one it didn't plug into.

Sayhello

It was designed to accept ANY plug on the plug strip at 220/110 volts. This will allow it to work in both the US and overseas. Just use a generic plug adapter on the plug that goes into the wall.

 

[mattincanberra]

Hmm, I do pretty much the same thing with a $2 power strip with a plug adapter for the wall. It is one of the standard things i have in my bag whenever i travel - makes surviving in hotels so much easier - and saves my lugging around a million adapters, or just charging one thing at a time.

BTW I'm prepared to bet I get my box last

 

[belle41379]

I am ordering a "Universal World Power Strip" which will work on 110/220/240v. This should allow me to have to only buy a couple of adapters.

It was designed to accept ANY plug on the plug strip at 220/110 volts. This will allow it to work in both the US and overseas. Just use a generic plug adapter on the plug that goes into the wall.

Ugh! I'm so confused. So I'll either need a plug to put in the wall in both London and Paris for each item I need to plug in (or use things one at a time...yeah right!) or get one of those strips and an adapter for the wall for each place for the strip?

I was reading the hotel website for London, and I thought I read something about them having adaptors in the rooms...maybe I need to look at that again.

ETA: website says "outlet with duel voltage adaptor". Translation, please. LOL

 

[Emiel]

It was designed to accept ANY plug on the plug strip at 220/110 volts. This will allow it to work in both the US and overseas. Just use a generic plug adapter on the plug that goes into the wall.

Why not buy a US power strip and one UK to US and one FR to US adapter???? It is what we do all the time when we come over to the US: bring a Dutch power strip and one US to Dutch adapter. Will save you a lot of money.... Just sayin´

 

[k5jm]

Ugh! I'm so confused. So I'll either need a plug to put in the wall in both London and Paris for each item I need to plug in (or use things one at a time...yeah right!) or get one of those strips and an adapter for the wall for each place for the strip?

I was reading the hotel website for London, and I thought I read something about them having adaptors in the rooms...maybe I need to look at that again.

London and Paris (Europe) have different power plugs from the US.

London uses this plug....

Paris (Europe) uses this plug...

On the back of that later plug, you will see the universal power receptacle that accepts US/UK/Europe/others power plugs. You can plug your laptop, Hair dryer, or clock radio into that plug as long as the device can use 220volt power.

The power strip I showed is just 6 of those universal receptacles. Most US power strips WILL NOT handle 220 Volts.

You will need 1 UK adapter and 1 European adapter for the power strip (or a multi-adapter that does both).

Here is a quick tutorial....

http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap11/electric.htm

 

[k5jm]

Why not buy a US power strip and one UK to US and one FR to US adapter???? It is what we do all the time when we come over to the US: bring a Dutch power strip and one US to Dutch adapter. Will save you a lot of money.... Just sayin´

Most US power strips do not support 220volts. They will blow.

Power Strips and Power Surge Strips

Definition: A power strip is an item with a power cord and a rank of outlets, normally three to six. This allows you to plug in multiple gizmos in your hotel room. European hotels rarely have a spare outlet. The cord may have an American, European Schucko, or UK/Irish plug. Depending on the plug and the countries you are visiting, you may need a plug adapter in order to use it.

Most Americans have a few power strips in the house. These are commonly used to plug computers, monitors, printers, and other devices into a single wall outlet. Power strips usually have built-in surge protection, power overload protection, on/off indicator light, and a shut off switch. Surge protection helps protect your gizmos against voltage spikes, e.g. lightning hitting the power line.

My email lately indicates that many travelers pack multiple gizmos that use rechargeable batteries. I do too. See the section above, "Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras, Cell Phones, and Similar Devices." It is nice to be able to charge them all overnight and start every day with your batteries fully loaded. You could have a crisis by mid afternoon otherwise. Typically there is only one wall outlet in your hotel room. In fact, sometimes the only outlets in the room are being used by lamps and the TV and there isn't a spare outlet for your equipment. This is when a power strip comes to the rescue.

A power strip with "universal" outlets is most useful. Then you can unplug a lamp in your room, plug in your power strip, plug the hotel lamp into the power strip, and plug in your American bricks and gizmos. The "universal" outlet looks like nothing you have ever seen before. In a T arrangement, it has a number of various shaped holes. It accepts everything — American, British, Irish, and all the Continental plugs.

American power strips can physically be connected to a plug adapter and plugged in to any European wall outlet. This results in 240 volts rushing through your American 110 volt power strip. Then you might have sparks and smoke. If you burn down the hotel you are responsible, if you are still alive. I recommend that any power strip you use be rated for 220 volts minimum. There are a couple of them in the green Amazon advert column on the left. One has a continental European Schucko plug on the cord so you do not need a plug adapter to plug it in for most countries. Both have universal outlets which accept virtually any plug on the planet.

Do not plug your high power hair blower into a power surge strip. Use a separate plug adapter. A high power hair blower could pop the circuit breaker. But you probably don't need to bring a hair blower anyway since most hotel rooms have one as standard equipment. This became common in the last 20 years. I suspect that hotels do this to help avoid getting burned down when uninformed guests plug in their 110 volt American hair blowers. The 220 volts of Europe immediately shorts out the hairblower, resulting in a wild fireworks display and the end of electricity in your room. Never plug in anything that is not rated for 240 volts. I recommend that you not plug anything other than electronic gizmos and battery chargers into your power strip. The capacity of a power strip is limited. This is a redundant statement (see above) but one that needs to be emphasized. Get out your magnifying glass and look at the bottom of your gizmos and bricks!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Ugh! I'm so confused. So I'll either need a plug to put in the wall in both London and Paris for each item I need to plug in (or use things one at a time...yeah right!) or get one of those strips and an adapter for the wall for each place for the strip?

I was reading the hotel website for London, and I thought I read something about them having adaptors in the rooms...maybe I need to look at that again.

ETA: website says "outlet with duel voltage adaptor". Translation, please. LOL

Why not buy a US power strip and one UK to US and one FR to US adapter???? It is what we do all the time when we come over to the US: bring a Dutch power strip and one US to Dutch adapter. Will save you a lot of money.... Just sayin´

Most US power strips do not support 220volts. They will blow.

Okay....I think I see the confusion here.

Adapter - will adapt a US plug from any device to fit into a European plug. The issue is that you will still be getting 220 volts and US devices are 110.

Converter - changes European 220 to US 110.

If you plan to use a USA power strip, you will need an adapter AND a converter.

The power strip Mike is suggesting is a converter, so you would only need an adapter to fit the European plug.

Does that help?

 

[belle41379]

Okay....I think I see the confusion here.

Adapter - will adapt a US plug from any device to fit into a European plug. The issue is that you will still be getting 220 volts and US devices are 110.

Converter - changes European 220 to US 110.

If you plan to use a USA power strip, you will need an adapter AND a converter.

The power strip Mike is suggesting is a converter, so you would only need an adapter to fit the European plug.

Does that help?

Yes, it does. If I am understanding correctly, if I use the strip Mike showed us, I will need both a UK and Europe adaptor. Is that correct?

 

[k5jm]

Yes, it does. If I am understanding correctly, if I use the strip Mike showed us, I will need both a UK and Europe adaptor. Is that correct?

Correct!! You will need just one of each as opposed to 2 per device that you would use at one time (like charging all of your devices).

 

[belle41379]

Correct!! You will need just one of each as opposed to 2 per device that you would use at one time (like charging all of your devices).

Whew! Thanks for helping me understand.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Thanks for the adapter/converter discussion and especially the pictures! I kept seeing them in travel magazines and could not figure it out.

Laurie