Should I bring something to cook with

[highlander]

going travelling around italy soon for 3 wks with my girlfriend and was wondering since we intend camping half the time(preferably in campsites but would be nice to crash out at a beach for a day or two) and staying in hostels the other half, would you recommend we take a camping stove or would it be too much hassle. Can you even take them onto a plane in your backpack

[omisan]

Highlander - check out this link:

http://www.outdoorclub.org/Stove_planes.html

First off, as someone who camps, I think having some cookware is important. I take a lightweight mess kit with me anytime I plan on camping, but I hope to upgrade to some non-stick stuff soon.

I think the best thing you can do is to get one of those burner-tops that can take multiple types of fuel, and then buy whatever's locally available. That way you don't run into transport hassles as outlined in the article above, and it's just that much more space in your backpack.

The MSR Dragonfly is awesome, but expensive ($100) - I'm sure there are other multi-fuel options out there...

Also, being that I get sick of Clif Bars after a while, I carry a few military MRE pouches (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) with me for times that I can't cook but would really like something resembling a meal. They're dirt cheap at surplus stores, take up hardly any room, and are super convenient when you can't start a stove/fire.