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Thinking about upcoming Trip of Doom <tm>. Advice?

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LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 0:14:29
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Have to stay in a hotel in little more than two weeks. I've been dreading this for months, and it's almost here.

Been reading up (a lot). I'll have a roommate (who doesn't take this as seriously as I do), and likely twin beds. Willing to do all the looking myself if I have to. Checked on TripAdvisor and bedbugregistry; no red flags on either (although the latter did have reports on places a little over one kilometer and more away).

I've been reading up on inspection, and although I have no idea if I'm going to do this right, I'll try. I'm terrified of missing something, though.

One of my main concerns is what/how I'm going to pack. It's only for two nights, so I can pack light. I'd love to use my backpack, which has a laptop enclosure inside, but it's black and has many/extremely deep pockets, so it's very hard to inspect, and even harder to run decontamination on (I've tried; the dryer barely gets the outside fabric warm even after an hour). I could use a carryon size suitcase, but that would necessitate getting a laptop sleeve or case. (I could use the one from my backpack - it can be removed - but like the backpack itself, it's very deep and hard to inspect/decontaminate). Any thoughts on how I should approach this?

Anyway, this'll be a tough two and a half weeks. It seems like I think about this all the time, every day. This trip SHOULD be a possible advancement in my professional life, but all I can feel is fear, the same fear I get whenever I step even close to any hotel or public area, but a lot worse. It's stifling, and I don't know if I'm going to come home with the same life I had before I left. That's terrifying.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 0:21:27
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The travel FAQs should help with strategies.

Keep in mind, the room inspection is not about ensuring the room is 100% free of bed bugs, eggs, etc.

You can never be 100% sure. You will always need to take some precautions on going home (IMHO) -- the FAQs will help with that.

As I see it, the inspection assures me that if there are any bed bugs, I haven't seen them, which suggests that it's a small number of bed bugs (if any) and so I should not be bitten much (even if I am bitten).

And this also means the odds of taking them home are much slimmer than if there are lots of bed bugs present. What you do once you get home is extra assurance that any bed bugs which tried to come home did not make it.

So don't worry about your room inspection being perfect. Do your best to learn what to look for and where, and take ten minutes or so to search as carefully as you can.

If you find bed bugs, alert the management and ask for another room. If not, implement some reasonable precautions in the room and also back at home.

I would definitely keep traveling!
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 0:23:14
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Thanks... Any thoughts on the luggage choice?

I should mention that one factor is that I may just quarantine whatever bag I use in a big Ziploc perhaps indefinitely, because of my lack of confidence in inspection, so I'll be deprived of its use, which may mean I need to buy a laptop sleeve just to quarantine it forever.

Oh, and should I just use clothes that can be washed on hot? How can I tell if it can be washed in hot, without shrinking or ruining?

PS: Speaking of that FAQ, the Kleenfree link is dead; it just links to a generic search page now. So I don't know what it is, don't know how I can get it, and thus have no other real way to deal with whatever bag I use besides not using it for a couple of years.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 0:28:11
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LBP - 1 minute ago »
Thanks... Any thoughts on the luggage choice?
I should mention that one factor is that I may just quarantine whatever bag I use in a big Ziploc perhaps indefinitely, because of my lack of confidence in inspection, so I'll be deprived of its use, which may mean I need to buy a laptop sleeve just to quarantine it forever.

Is a Packtite an option? (I know it's pricey for one trip, but I would assume you would be using it going forward.)

You can seal luggage in a bag in the room. This won't protect you en route, but would keep the bag safe in the room (The FAQs deal with this I think.) Once clothing comes out to be worn, it will go home inside a sealed ziploc (air pushed out), so as not to re-expose the suitcase on the way home.

There are simple, inexpensive laptop sleeves which might work and which can go in the dryer briefly (starting dry) -- I think the wetsuit material ones might be okay like this but you can look into it.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 0:36:35
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I've been agonizing about the Packtite. It seems handy, but I'm feeling financially strapped right now, so spending $300 is extremely non-trivial to me. Plus, I'm wondering about that one-star review it got on Amazon. In ADDITION, the oncoming-ness of the trip has paralyzed my decision making process, mostly out of fear and pressure. I'm even more indecisive about it than I was before!

I did think about the quarantining in plastic bags, but that'd mean I couldn't wear the same clothing twice (e.g. pants) or use the bag outside the room, so I'm trying to figure out if there's another strategy I can use.

As for the sleeve, I'm not sure, because I want it to actually, y'know, pad my laptop from dings if I use a suitcase.

There's just so much to do and decide SOON that I'm panicking something fierce.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 1:22:24
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LBP - 3 minutes ago »
I've been agonizing about the Packtite. It seems handy, but I'm feeling financially strapped right now, so spending $300 is extremely non-trivial to me. Plus, I'm wondering about that one-star review it got on Amazon. In ADDITION, the oncoming-ness of the trip has paralyzed my decision making process, mostly out of fear and pressure. I'm even more indecisive about it than I was before!

I see an average of four stars on Amazon (here). Six reviews are 4-5 stars, one is 1-star.

The one-star review claims the product is just a duffle bag with a space heater inside.

(Note: these are affiliate links to Amazon; please read our Disclosure statement if you haven't yet.)

Interestingly, someone posted a similar comment here and it was debunked by David James here and here, who clarified how and why it's not just a regular off-the-shelf space heater inside.

Anyway, $300 is a lot of money, and I am not trying to push you in that direction, I just wanted to comment on that bad review, if it's the same one I saw.

The product can give peace of mind and lots of people here are using it and almost all seem to have good things to say. But only you can decide if it is a possibility and a good idea for you.

Read the FAQs on Travel if you haven't yet and see if there are other suggestions that you can implement.

The following is not a foolproof plan but might work if you travel rarely.

In the absence of a Packtite, and in the absence of evidence the room was infested, I would bring the suitcase home, unpack outside (in nature, not a garage or deck, etc.) or in a bathtub that gets rinsed with a kettle of boiling water afterwards (if outside is not an option).

I would then put all clothing into sealed bags (to await laundering --- wash any temperature, dry on hot until really, really dry). Bringing them home sealed in bags inside the suitcase is even better and speeds up the process, which is a good idea.

I would then carefully visually inspect all non-washables. Books, page by page. I would like to put shoes in a drier if possible, though it might not be doable to dry them long enough to be sure.

I would as quickly as possible bag the suitcase in an airtight manner, knowing that it could have bed bugs and eggs inside. (Visually inspecting in the bathtub would be a good idea. In addition, spraying is a possibility, but then it can't be bagged until dry.)

This might work if you travel rarely, say once a year or so. I can't say for sure that bed bugs and eggs would be dead after a year in a sealed bag, but it seems likely.

You also put yourself at some risk when you're visually inspecting. You may miss something.

And then, keep in mind, if you travel more often, the bag may have bed bugs in it, and you may expose your home, vehicle, or the places you visit. So you can't really be sure you're not getting bed bugs in your home as you pack for next time. Or that you aren't bringing them to a friend's home when you travel.

A better option, if possible, might be a duffel or cloth hanging bag of some kind which can be dried on hot when you come home.

Another better option: putting a suitcase in a sealed bag with DDVP for a period of time may also work to decon just the bag. (It may be okay for some other non-washables, but not all.)

I am not qualified to give advice about the use of DDVP. Nor are most people on this forum. It's dangerous if misused and you must use it according to labeling instructions.

Jeff White of Bed Bug Central has some videos about it.

Here's one:

[+] Embed the video Get the Flash Videos

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Note, the summary of this episode here says,

Recent research indicates that belongings should be left for at least two weeks, and maybe more, to be effective against bed bugs and their eggs. Please be aware that research found that bed bugs survived in certain items even when you left them exposed to Nuvan Prostrips for more than two weeks.
bbsuck

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 1:31:08
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I am buying these for our trip:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stansport-Traveler-Duffle-Bag-18-x-36/10927613

I plan on throwing them in the wash/dryer as soon as we get in. Before we load them in the car for the trip home, I will put each in a XL ziplock bag. It's not a perfect plan since we probably won't strip down before we come inside (I doubt our two very young children will be up for all of that since the trip is so long) and I'm not sure what to do about shoes (like flip flops?)but I figure it's better than nothing.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 1:35:59
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Thanks for the review feedback. That thread is certainly on point.

Boiling water? (I ask because I've never seen that tip before; I may need to do that, since I'll be returning after dark.)

And I don't travel all that often, thank God. I just can't imagine doing this again and again and again. And I'll be staying at ANOTHER hotel in July, one that had a lot of bedbug check unfriendly features that I mentioned in another thread (very thick mattresses, huge headboard that's probably not removable, a bed frame that's got thigh-high "walls", no balcony or bathtub). Ugh...
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 1:39:06
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bbsuck - 7 minutes ago »
I am buying these for our trip:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stansport-Traveler-Duffle-Bag-18-x-36/10927613
I plan on throwing them in the wash/dryer as soon as we get in. Before we load them in the car for the trip home, I will put each in a XL ziplock bag. It's not a perfect plan since we probably won't strip down before we come inside (I doubt our two very young children will be up for all of that since the trip is so long) and I'm not sure what to do about shoes (like flip flops?)but I figure it's better than nothing.

I am not an expert but would wash flip-flops in very hot soapy water if they can take it. Pay special attention to any gaps. (Some have a hole which the upper thong part disappears into, which would be a sensitive spot.)
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 1:44:53
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LBP - 3 minutes ago »
Thanks for the review feedback. That thread is certainly on point.
Boiling water? (I ask because I've never seen that tip before; I may need to do that, since I'll be returning after dark.)
And I don't travel all that often, thank God. I just can't imagine doing this again and again and again. And I'll be staying at ANOTHER hotel in July, one that had a lot of bedbug check unfriendly features that I mentioned in another thread (very thick mattresses, huge headboard that's probably not removable, a bed frame that's got thigh-high "walls", no balcony or bathtub). Ugh...

I open books I buy used off Amazon over a white sink, so I can see anything that falls out of the package, and then I pour a kettle of boiling water around the sink and down the drain, just to be sure.

Inspecting stuff in your bathtub or sink is risky. The boiling water helps somewhat. It's not a foolproof plan. Any unpacking you do may allow something to crawl or drop off and move into your home.

If you're traveling again in a month, I would not rely on bagging your luggage. A month in a bag is unlikely to do the trick, in my understanding.

The dryable luggage or DDVP (used with caution!) options may give more peace of mind.

Also, please reread my post as I made a lot of last minute edits. (It's late, and I don't write well when I'm tired!)

If you had to travel often, then the Packtite would probably be a good investment and would make this a whole lot easier.

I do encourage people to travel. I was surprised to see we had two forum users find bed bugs in hotel rooms in the last few days (Cilecto found live ones and got a new room, and spideyjg found dead ones and didn't move).

That said, I've traveled a lot and have not found anything definitive. I know I will eventually, but it's not like every hotel room is infested.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 2:05:47
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Hrm. My only definite travels are home for Christmas once a year. The four times I have or will stay in a hotel in '10 and '11 is four more than I had, IIRC, for the four or so years before that.

Arrrgh! It's so hard to decide! The duffel bag is a nice idea, good and easy to get, but as I said, I'll be arriving home late at night, so unpacking outside is just not feasible. (And to clarify, I have more than one bag, so if I did just Ziploc the one I take on the upcoming trip, I wouldn't be using it again in July.)

I don't know what to do... I used to love the idea of traveling before I discovered the upswing in bedbugs. Now I loathe and fear it. Funny - bugs I've never seen in person have robbed me of a (albeit minor) source of joy.
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 11:36:48
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Arrrgh! It's so hard to decide! The duffel bag is a nice idea, good and easy to get, but as I said, I'll be arriving home late at night, so unpacking outside is just not feasible.

If I were in that situation (which I often am--just ask me about my flight earlier this week that was supposed to leave Dallas at 9 pm that didn't even leave Dallas until almost 11 pm that got into LAX at 1:45 am), and I didn't have a Packtite, I would likely do what I already have to do when I travel with two bags. (Since I overpack, I can only Packtite one bag at a time. If I have more than one bag, which I always do . . . you see the problem.)

Put any bag you cannot immediately Packtite into a sealed plastic bag until you can deal with it.

If it's late, you can still quickly and easily put any bags you can't deal with right then into sealed plastic bags. If they're small enough, they will likely fit in XXXL size (if not XXL size) ziplocks. Many of the wheeled bags with telescoping handles (aka roll aboards) will fit in an XXXL size ziplock. All my other carry on sized bags will fit in an XXL size.

I do have a duffle bag (also nice, since it can be washed, as can my tote bag) that won't fit in either (whereas the tote will fit in an XXL) that won't fit. It can be placed in a garbage bag and then the garbage bag can be tightly tied shut.

Yes, you'll have to be careful when opening them, but it gives you the time to deal with the bags once it's light out.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 2 2011 20:25:44
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So you would suggest I unpack outside also if at all possible? I would most likely want to open the case just once to get my laptop... Bad idea?
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 3 2011 20:13:02
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In addition to my previous Q's, I think my decisions are starting to coalesce a little. I think I may just use a small carry-on (which I usually don't use to travel) and quarantine it after until I can get a spray or something. (I have two others, one of which I also don't normally use, so that's no big deal.)

I think I'll also get a hard-sided sleeve for my laptop, so I can protect from shock and just wipe down in the bathtub to get rid of anything that may be clinging (since with soft-sided, it may require more).

Still concerned about potential hitchhiking in the laptop itself, though, thus my earlier question. I may just bring it home packed in the big Ziploc, but not sure what I'll do while it's in the room... Of course, if I inspect, then maybe that's less of a concern.

Ugh... So much fear...
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 3 2011 23:05:45
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LBP - 2 hours ago »

Still concerned about potential hitchhiking in the laptop itself, though, thus my earlier question. I may just bring it home packed in the big Ziploc, but not sure what I'll do while it's in the room... Of course, if I inspect, then maybe that's less of a concern.
Ugh... So much fear...

Some people recommend putting the laptop in a Ziploc while it's in the room, when you're not using it. Does it entirely prevent you getting bed bugs in the laptop? No, but it may help. Luckily, computers don't seem to get infested as often as people think.

Part of the problem is that you can never be entirely certain you aren't bringing bed bugs home. Someone might take all these steps regarding a trip, but get them a week later from a cafe near his/her home that s/he never thought twice about visiting.

Keeping in mind that there's a limit to any prevention program, you might want to implement some passive monitors like BBAlert Passive, so you can have a monitoring program in place also. They're inexpensive and they're supposed to alert you early to an infestation. If you ever get bed bugs, you will be able to spring into action and get the problem dealt with quickly.

I hope that doesn't happen, of course, and I know how scary it sounds, but I guess what I am trying to say is that if you ever do get bed bugs, it can be much less of a big deal if it's caught early and addressed right away. And if you have a monitor in place and are checking it regularly, you'll be able to be more confident about not having them.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 4 2011 8:27:05
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Yeah... I've come to the conclusion that I at least want the passive monitors, if only for SOME peace of mind if nothing else. The Packtite just doesn't seem worth it right now with the amount of hotel staying I do (minimal to none, normally).

The computer is my major concern; it's the one thing I'm planning to take, and take out of my bag, that can't really practically quarantine for months on end. I'm hoping that if the room passes the bed inspection, then I can use it on a desk with at least a little safety.

BTW, what does one usually do with the clothes one is wearing after a trip like this, right when you get home?
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 4 2011 12:36:52
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The safest thing is to bag the clothes you're wearing at the door until they can be washed and dried on hot.

If you have to come home in your car, I would instead consider showering and changing into clothing which was clean and in a sealed bag while in the hotel -- right before you leave. You could then bag your luggage while it's in the car and would not need to change when you get home.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 4 2011 21:32:09
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Well, I'll have to come home in A car, maybe someone else's, after the plane ride home.

And if I took the quarantined clothes suggestion, would the bag have to be not opened the entire time? IE should I not make it the same bag I put my laptop in? (Obviously, worn clothes, especially night clothes, would go outside the bag, since it's already "exposed" to the environment anyway.)
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 4 2011 23:25:05
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If you're going home in a car, and bagging your luggage, keep your "clean change of clothing" in small ziploc (push the air out before sealing), inside the luggage while the hotel. Tip: 2 gallon ziplocs can be quite handy for packing one change of clothing.

It's sealed the whole time, so it won't get infested. You take it out and shower/change into it right before leaving the hotel.

When you're coming home, you can put the luggage into a bag and seal it in the trunk, and keep the laptop in a separate ziploc if you are going to be using it at home. If it's kept sealed in the hotel room (inspect carefully before bagging each time), the danger of infestation should be low.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 4 2011 23:28:14
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Hmm, geez... How many Ziplocs will I need for this one trip? One for the clean clothing (it'll have to be big, because will jeans really fit in a two gallon bag?), two for the laptop (one at the hotel and one afterward; the MBP is a 13" model, so will any size of bag under the XXL or whatever take it?), one for clothing while at the hotel, and one for the bag when I get home?

Am I miscounting?
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Sun Jun 5 2011 2:19:24
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That sounds about right.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sun Jun 5 2011 2:25:19
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Good God.

Well, then, as someone who has experience (not necessarily just you, of course), what size will fit my 13" Macbook Pro? Will a 2 gallon bag actually fit my jeans?

(Oh, and as I look at my list, is there a reason why the bag for the clothes at the hotel and the bag for the laptop at the hotel can't be the same, or should I not do that?)
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Jun 7 2011 3:28:25
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Well, regardless, I'll look around for the two gallon bags and see how big they are. Would still like answers to my questions above, though!

(Maybe this is an opportunity to get a new computer bag for use after, considering how old the one I have is, and how much adjustment I have to make to it to fit this laptop snugly inside.)

Related question: going to another hotel in early August. I mentioned it before; it's a VERY unfriendly room to bedbug check: very thick mattresses, huge headboard that's probably not removable, a bed frame that's got thigh-high "walls", no balcony or bathtub. Any tips on it?
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Jun 7 2011 15:54:17
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I am sorry I can't answer your questions about 2 gallon bags. It's hard for me to say if your stuff will fit. I did find they held quite a lot. They're much cheaper than XL ziplocs, so even if you need one for your jeans and one for the rest of the outfit, you might want to try them.

As for the tricky room, you can only do your best. I have said elsewhere on the forums that I don't remove headboards because I once did and could not get it back on the wall. Doing everything you can do is likely to give you a sense of whether the place has a serious bed bug problem (= being bitten a lot in the room, and high likelihood of taking bed bugs home) vs. either a small one or none -- and that's really the best you can do. You can't ever be sure on the "none".
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 11 2011 20:33:59
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The time grows nearer, and it just occurred to me: how careful should I be about using my laptop in the room (on the desk provided, obviously) assuming I checked the beds?
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Wed Jun 15 2011 23:35:27
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I'd love an answer to the above question, because (a) the time is growing nearer, and (b) I've become concerned about issues (including static electricity and condensation) involved in putting the laptop in a plastic bag, and I'm not sure I can, or want to, risk damaging the laptop that way.

Thanks!
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 16 2011 16:46:39
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LBP,

If you take a laptop (or anything else that can't be treated) to a hotel room, there is no way of 100% being sure you do not bring bed bugs home.

It seems like you can minimize this by carefully inspecting the room for bed bugs before settling in, and by not using it in the bed, nor letting it sit on an upholstered chair. The inspection should be of the entire room, not just of the bed. (Think about taking a flashlight and looking under chairs, under the desk, etc.)

If you do not see any bed bugs or signs after a careful inspection, then even if a few bed bugs are present, you will probably have greatly lessened chances of bringing them home.

Someone else may have a better answer, but this is the best I've got. If it's any comfort, I have traveled this way myself many times.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 16 2011 16:57:35
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I usually don't use my laptop on a bed, and I certainly wouldn't just let it sit out on anything upholstered, for security reasons if nothing else. I'd just use it on a desk at the minimum.

Still, this whole thing is making me reconsider taking it with me at all. It's a short trip, and it may be a better option than either worrying about bringing bugs home or running the risk of destroying the laptop by putting it in a plastic bag.

I got about 20 hours to think about it...
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 16 2011 17:04:19
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LBP,

Personally, I would take it with you. As I said, I have done this numerous times without incident.

The thing is, you can't 100% eliminate every chance of taking bed bugs home from a hotel (or a cafe, an office, school, a friend's home, etc.). Unless you treat everything afterwards, it just isn't possible. And you aren't leaving your wallet at home or your shoes.

Moreover, your luggage will be exposed to possible infestations anywhere it goes (an airport luggage handling system, someone else's car). You can minimize this, but can't eliminate it.

I feel like you're looking for 100% assurance, but that just isn't realistic. Taking certain precautions makes it much more likely you'll get home bed bug-free, just like being alert and wearing a seatbelt makes driving that much safer.

Taking precautions and then implementing a cheap ongoing monitoring system at home -- so if you ever do get them, you will get an early warning and hopefully be able to deal with bed bugs with the least expense and trauma -- is, in my opinion, the best you can do.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jun 16 2011 17:08:21
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Well, I guess it's not so much 100% reassurance as much as seeing the laptop (if I can't safely sequester it in a plastic bag, which, as I said, I think risks damaging it) as a significant potential vector that I wanted to remove if at all possible. If that meant leaving it at home, so be it.

Still, if the owner of this site, who's seen and experienced so much, is encouraging me to take it, who am I to argue? It's not like it would make me inspect the room less (though the FAQs don't have much about inspecting non-bed related areas; I guess it's "just look" in those cases).

Oh, yeah, and in case you didn't see, I did get the passive monitors.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 17 2011 1:55:27
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OK, well, packing. Going to put a large Ziploc in the trunk of the car I'm taking to the airport, so I can just slap the whole suitcase inside when I return. Also planning to bag all "clean" clothes, including the ones I take for the plane ride home; it's not much, so it won't be a problem (although I plan to wear the same jeans over the first few days; not much I can do about that). And, of course, do a once-over of the room. Checked trip advisor and bedbug registry one last time; no new reports on either.

Going to take the laptop, thanks to the advice previous. Still feel it's too dangerous to bag, so I'm just going to have to take the risk - use it on hard wooden surfaces only, take it out of the suitcase when I get home and before I bag the rest.

Well, at least in 72 hours the worrying will be over. Hopefully this'll be okay! Thanks for the advice!
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 17 2011 2:42:24
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Good luck, LBP and have a good trip!
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 17 2011 20:06:17
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OK, I'm in the hotel room now. Took down the baseboards, looked at the piping of the mattresses, took a quick look at what I could see of the sheets, took as good a look at the bare top of the boxspring as I could, and examined the drawers in the bedside table as best I could. Didn't see any sign that I could recognize (fortunately, the mattresses were nice and white).

So at least a LITTLE more relaxed.
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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 18 2011 2:54:11
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Oh, yeah, I also examined the desk on which I am writing this post, so I THINK I was properly thorough.

The headboard bracket was shaped like a "D", kind of, creating grooves both above and below the part the headboard hangs on. I definitely looked at the top groove, but didn't so much on the bottom. OTOH, if I'd seen anything suspicious either on top or on the back of the headboard, I would've. But I didn't, so I didn't.

Thanks for all the advice!
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 18 2011 19:01:20
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Just to ask, y'know the advice above to shower and change clothes last thing? Well, we're going to have to check out before the end of the seminar we're attending, so if I did that first thing in the morning, then check out, then attend the seminar, does that defeat the purpose at all?
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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 18 2011 20:40:47
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Hi LBP,

Last thing before hanging out in your hotel room protects you from carrying out bed bugs in the hotel room.

If you're concerned about bed bugs in the conference rooms, then that's another story.
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Jun 18 2011 23:12:59
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Right. Well, I guess I might as well do it; better to risk it from just one place than two. I'm not sure how concerned I am, or should be, about the conference room.

I could still change when I get home, but there's still an hours long plane ride in between, so it's not like I'm unexposed between the two times.

So I'm not quite sure what to do, or what I'll end up doing. Probably just leaving the clothes I fly home in on, unless that's an unacceptably huge risk. Dunno.

Anyway, thanks for everything thus far.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Sun Jun 19 2011 0:22:51
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I think I would shower and get dressed, leave the room and fly home in the clothes. You could potentially be exposed anywhere, and you can't really minimize the risk of them being on a plane, in a cafe, etc. - though you it never hurts to give a chair a quick look, IMO. (Not the more detailed type of searching you'd do in a hotel, etc.)

Have a good trip!
LBP

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Jun 20 2011 3:12:11
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FINAL post: I'm home now. I neglected, unfortunately, to bag my suitcase when it was in my uncle's van, but then, we shared a room, and he didn't bag his suitcase either. I did bag it, while in the bathtub, when I got home, however (after some trouble getting it in).

Thanks for the patience and aid!
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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Jun 20 2011 3:37:07
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You're welcome!

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