A broken bus in Lisbon taught me to pack a roll of duct tape

I was on a local bus heading to the Belem district when the strap on my backpack snapped. It was a cheap pack I'd bought just for the trip, and all my stuff was about to spill onto the floor. I had a moment of panic, stuck on a crowded bus with no stores in sight. Then I remembered the small roll of duct tape I'd thrown in my bag after fixing a leaky pipe at work. I wrapped a few strips around the strap and the main bag, and it held for the rest of my two-week trip. That little fix saved me from having to buy a new bag or carry everything in my arms. Now I always pack a mini roll, and it's come in handy for everything from a torn suitcase zipper to sealing a snack bag. What other small, weird items have saved a trip for you guys?

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.drew17d ago

I used to make fun of my dad for carrying a tiny sewing kit everywhere. It seemed like such an old man thing to do. Then I split the seam on my only pair of decent pants in an airport. That little kit and five minutes of clumsy stitching got me through a client dinner. Now it lives in my dopp kit right next to my own roll of duct tape.

jake_torres6817d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly my dad always had a tiny screwdriver on his keychain and I thought it was dumb. Then my glasses hinge came loose during a road trip and that thing saved me. Now I get why he carried all that random stuff.

sethhernandez12d ago

Ever try those tiny binder clips? I keep a couple in my bag and they've fixed a broken sandal strap and kept a hotel curtain shut in a bright room.