Plugs, convertors, adaptors--a great question.

>From my experience--I use dual volatge appliances in travel. Some have dual volatage built in--like my immersion heater and some have a switch that has to be turned from 120 to 220/240, like on my hair dryer.

I ususally make sure the voltage is right for 220 and then I use the correct plug or adaptor for the wall plug. One thing to consider is--do not use the razor outlet in the bathrooms (so identified) as you will not get the correct amount of power for the appliance.

According to a catalog I have the same non grounded adaptor used in Great Britian may be used in her colonies and former cononies--India?? and then, there is another plug that is described as being used in the countries of the Indian Subcontinent, Hong Kong, former British colonies and this is a grounded plug.

Another thing to consider, is the changes I have noticed in some of the outlets in the world--when the outlet is set into a recessed area and a second adaptor is needed to get the plug into the outlet. I am not making myself clear here, but--in one country on Semester at Sea I could not use my immersion heater as the plug would not fit into the recess. (I think that was in China, but I cannot be sure as we had many early morning departures and thinking was not the greatest at 3:30 am) The same thing happeded in Amsterdam and I needed an additional adaptor plug for the adaptor plug to be inserted into the receptacle.

IMPORTANT--tell your girlfriends that the electrical systems in India may not handle three hair dryers at one time!

Friends of ours who were in Spain (Madrid, I am sure) several years ago shut down the hotel's whole electrical system by using more than one appliance at one time. :((

Hope this helps.

Gretchen from South Carolina