On the toilet paper tip! my experience has been that the further south in spain you travel the less the sewage system can cope with paper of any sort! Many places i have stayed in Andalucia have asked for used paper to be placed in a bag and not flushed at all!!! Even in some of the more classy restaurants i have seen toilets overflowing!!! If this kind of experience is tooo european for anyone, i would leave the charmin at home!!

Considering that you might experience digestive disorders due to the unusual food, you should at least take 20 rolls of your usual toilet paper with you. Infected backsides can be very sensitive to anything unusual.

There is another problem: due to the fact that your US residues might be unusual for the Spanish sewage system, you might consider taking appropriate packaging so that you can take your droppings back home. You might want to check with customs first, though.

Seriously: even if you find that the toilet paper in this or that restaurant or hostel does not suit your needs, you can find all sorts of paper in all sorts of color and types in every supermarket in Spain.

Is this the first time leaving home?

I am with Spanadian, they need to get rid those little wax napkins that tapa restaurants have. When I was taking students every summer, they would all ask me what they were for since they did not serve much use.

As far as TP goes, I stayed at the Complutense the first summer I went to Spain (1984). You can only imagine what the TP was like in that dorm. It almost had splinters coming out of it!!!! Thank goodness those days are over!!!

I've been to Spain and I never even thought to notice a difference so I guess its the same; but I say leave it anyway even if it were not as "cushiony". For me, packing light is an enjoyment in itself as I see other tourist hassling with five huge suitcases, I merely walk on by with my duffel. Obviously, the amount of "extras" you choose to bring along is your choice, but for me, travelling in Spain is such an experience, I'm not worried about such details. Your choice. Good luck and happy wiping!