Bright future

A reader wrote that he and his wife travel with 100-watt lightbulbs to replace the 40-watt ones often provided in hotel rooms (July ’07, pg. 37). Well, we’re cautious about using our high-wattage American electronics (dryers, curlers, irons, etc.) while traveling abroad, since the power situation is different than what we have in America. Using a 100-watt bulb in a foreign country just might result in a problem.

While in Rome a few years ago, my friend plugged her battery charger for the videocamera into the adapter and blew all the fuses in the hotel room. That was quite a surprise for me, as I was in the shower at the time!

Perhaps the above-mentioned travelers could purchase one of those battery-powered reading lights from Brookstone, Magellan’s, etc., and not risk frying the power grid in a foreign country.

PATRICIA LEE SOLAR

New Orleans, LA

For a brighter light and no danger of a blown fuse, a 21-watt compact fluorescent bulb reportedly provides as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. The base is compatible with a standard light socket.