What Great Ideas have you come across on your travels?

Products, brands, gadgets, anything that is used in daily life that seems so normal in one country but a big 'wow' idea to foreigners who discover it for the first time. Also included is a section on brands bought elsewhere that you feel you just can't live without.

Best Ideas

Julie from the USA liked Germany's Laufrad (bicycle without pedals), allows small children to learn balance as a first step to riding a bike. By age 3 many kids can ride a bike without support wheels.

Bridget from Australia likes the boiling hot water tap in many US kitchens.

Best Products

Michelle from RSA loves magic eraser sponges she first found in Germany and now continues to use in the US. Make tough things really easy to clean.

Best Brands

Ipanema flip-flops from Brazil are hits with Michelle from RSA and Thao from USA for their comfort, durability and price. Thao bought hers in Egypt and Michelle found hers in RSA.

The hot or warming tray is a popular household item in South Africa to pre-warm dinner plates and keep food warm until served.

We loved Chinese couriers. The business seemed to be outsourced to anyone who had a motorcycle and goods were delivered quickly and efficiently at low cost. Delivery time was as good as in the USA or Germany except the couriers were just not wearing uniforms.