Hello all, I've been looking at this site since our Road to Rome, Aug28 tour has been booked and confirmed. We are newbies at tours, and now starting to think about what to bring. Is there such a thing as a "packing checklist"? I'm sure that the seasoned travellers likely have some type of list. Appreciate any help with this, as we still have some time to shop if required.
thanks,

1st Trip

I'm setting off on my 5th O/S trip on the 30th July , which is a 3 month trip through Spain , Portugal , Morroco , England , Scotland , Wales , Ireland , Holland , France , Belgium , Ukraine , Turkey , South Africa , Zimbabwe , Zambia & Botswana. Involving 17 seperate fights.
So I think I can give some advice to your question. The general rule is lay out everything you think you will need , then put half of it back. But I remember meeting a lady in Europe once and the airline lost her baggage in Rome. She said it was the best thing that every happened because then she had to buy all these great new clothes in Rome and said that if she every travelled again she would only take a empty bag.
Keep in mind that you will always pick up T-shirts and stuff along the way and there is always valet services. So pack sparingly.

Hi first trip and welcome to the Bulletin Board.

Packing is very much an individual thing and some people take very little and others want to take everything bar the kitchen sink.

The best advice is to take as little as possible with just a few changes of "wash and wear" clothes that you can wash out in the sink or the bath in your hotel rooms and leave to dry overnight. Where your tour has 2 night stops these are the best times to do your washing as it gives longer for them to dry if you wash on the first night.

Yes there are packing list out there but they are lists to help you choose from and NOT necessarily to try and take everything on the list.

2 packing list examples can be found at:

Infotrack's Packing List

and

Rick Steves Packing List

Have a great trip.

quote:

Originally posted by Ratmo:
Keep in mind that you will always pick up T-shirts and stuff along the way and there is always valet services. So pack sparingly.

Packing sparingly is, of course, excellent advice, but be very wary of hotel laundry services - they are almost always quite ludicrously expensive. Most experienced travellers would advise you to "hand wash" during 2-night stays.

We just returned from our first Insight trip and I agree with the comment on "pack and then remove 1/2 of it." We made a concentrated effort to not take as much stuff as we usually do and found that we got along just fine.

Be realistic and don't take things you "might need". Everyone else is in the same boat you're in.

Be prepared, but don't go overboard. If you worry too much about tomorrow you won't enjoy the pleasures of today.

Happy Travels.

thanks everyone, some very good advice. I especially like Ratmo's attitude, about putting half back. I will officially stop shopping now! My money will likely be better spent while on tour, rather than at the end of summer sales at the mall. I did check out the a few of the packing lists on the Rick Steve's site, good stuff there too. I have a hundred things running through my mind in preparation for the trip - so I'll forget about the packing (for the time being anyway).

I've just started to pack a few things and as I've discovered the most difficult thing to fit in are all the cables for the notebook , video camera , phone , power adaptors .etc.
Clothes take no room at all.

Hi
A few essentials all travelers need to pack;

Brains
Manners
Sense of Humor
An Open Mind
Twice the money you thought you would need
Half the clothes you thought you would need.

Happy Touring!!

Great advice Alkotula3!!!

Especially about the money!

And Ratmo - techology, as much as it is fantastic, has taken over our suitcases and our priorities!! I too found all the cables and chargers took up such a lot of room and weight. I didn't take a laptop, but I did take two cameras, a mobile phone and an iPod. Plus my hairdryer and hair iron. I also had to pack the adaptors and convertors so I could use these items in England and Europe.

Twice the money?
Half the clothes?
Maybe I need another credit card ... Or maybe I could sell off some clothes