Hi im Haley doing the vista 11 june 2006. Anyone out there? Im 25 yr old from Invercargill New Zealand going by myself, my ditched me at the last minute. Give me a holla!!!!!

Hi Haley!   Are you leaving from London or New Zealand on June 11th?   A friend and I just booked the Vista yesterday and are leaving from London on June 11th.  It would be great if that were the one you were going on!   We are 24 and 25 years old and from the United States.  I have never been to Europe, so this can't come soon enough.  I'm so excited!    Let me know if we'll be on the same trip.   Hopefully others will reply as well!

Sara

Hi Sara
Im leaving London on the 11th June. I arrive in London I think on the 9th June. I haven`t been to Europe either and cant wait too. Just noticed my spelling error ( my friend ditched me at the last minute) Oops!!!!!
Haley

Great!   Sounds like we will meet up on the tour!   Right now the plan is to save money like crazy.  These next couple of months better fly by.   So keep in touch before June.   I may be consulting you later about packing and things like that!  

Sara

Hi!

I am 21 and i'll be on this tour with 2 friends (22, 22). All girls, all Australian.

We are all Contiki virgins, and first timers to Europe. At the moment i am trying realy hard not to get too excited as it seems still so far away.

I have another friend that wants to come on our tour but has been told that it is booked out. Which is bad news for her but great news!

Goodluck with the saving....

Ange

Welcome aboard Ange!  

Thanks!

Its now less than 3 months till departure! yay!

So I have been pretty busy organising stuff for before/during and post contiki... I cant believe how much I have to do! 

I think it is just excitment but I have a sort of list of things that I HAVE to take, and it just keeps growing! Every new person I speak to about Contiki and overseas travel tells me another "must take with you".

How is everyone else going with the planning of it all? Do you guys have any "must haves" to add to my ever growing list?

Ange,

Haven't thought too much about packing yet.  I'm generally an over-packer, but I have to do some serious condensing this time, so it'll be a struggle.  I just bought a huge memory card for my camera so I can take plenty of pictures.   As far as the 'must haves', I'm probably not the one to be giving ideas.   I need a list to be given to me before I pack.   How are you dealing with money?   I was told by my travel agent to get a special VISA card that allows you to get money in any currency from any ATM.  She says it's much easier than dealing with traveller's checks.  

We just paid our final payment and are waiting for our 'final documents' to arrive.  Can't wait until they come so I can look at something besides the website and my brochure!  

My roommate and I made a countdown until the trip...77 days!  

As you think of important things to take, keep up informed!

Sara

Hey again,

Wow... good countdown. I started one from not the tour date but the day i leave Aust. I have 70 days to go! I am so anxious I cant help but think about packing. I have a friend who went on Contiki last year and she was telling me all these things to take, like bring like a small clothes line to hang washing. Also when we stay in Swizerland you can't take your suitcase up to the hotel so you need to have a smaller bag to put stuff in to last 2 nights. Muli-Vitamins are a must cause on the bus one person gets sick, everyone gets sick.

I have got my huge memory card for my digi camera too, and an international youth card for cheaper bus/train fares, it was only $18 (AUD) but should be worth in the long run.

As for the money situation everyone I have spoken to has said that travellers cheques are a hassle, and hard to find places to cash them.
I have a mastercard that I am going to take as well as my normal ATM card. I have made sure it is accepted internationally and can just get euro/pounds out of the cash machine. But I do get charged an exchange fee and it could get costly if  you were to do regularly. Apparelty the exchange rates at airports are really crap, banks are the best. But I plan on changing a bit before I leave Aust.

Still havent got any official documents either... But I want a Contiki wallet!
I have a few things for my post contiki trip. Are you planning on doing any independent travelling? 

Talk soon....

Ange
 

Hey guys
Just wondering are taking backpacks or suitcases? Im a little person and cant really carry my pack but Im still deciding which to take.
Where are you guys staying in London? Im staying at the Hotel where we meet for the tour. We should try to met up beforehand and have a beer or coffee?
Haley

Hey there,

I'm taking a suitcase. It a hardshell one. I have heard they can be troublesome as some hotels dont have lifts and carrying a heavy bag up 15 flights of stairs is not fun. But I dont really care.... I'm big and strong!

I'm staying with some friends in London for a week but in the night before the tour I'm staying at the Royal National. Contiki leaves from there, so it shoud be a bit easier. I think it would be cool to meet up. Definately have to organise something. 

One of my friends has pulled out of the tour now, so three becomes two. We are a bit undecided wether to changed our bookng from triple share to twin share. But we'll figure it out eventually!

Talk soon,

Ange

Hi Ange and Haley,

About the luggage...I'm definitely taking a big hardshell suitcase as well.  I don't have a backpack big enough to fit everything!   I'm already going to be pushing it to fit everything into the hardshell.   Does anyone know about laundry?   Will we ever be able to do it on the trip?  

About London,  we are staying with a friend who lives in the city for the 3 or 4 days before the trip.  We're planning on seeing the sights, taking in a show, etc.   It would be great to meet up though for a beer or coffee beforehand.    

65 days until we leave!   All of this talk is making me super excited! 

Chat later...

Sara

Howdy!

I didn't expect anyone to have posted anything for the June 11th Vista tour yet, so this is great! My name's Larissa and I'll be on the tour too! Can't wait! I'm 22, but turning 23 on the 12th of June (the 2nd day of our tour). My friend Mel (Also from Adelaide, Australia) will be on the tour too, so I'll have to tell her about this message thing so she can introduce herself as well!

I am having bag dilemmas too! I have settled on a mid-range sized backpack because as I see it - the bigger the bag = the more stuff you can pack = heavier! 

Anyway, I don't have many tips to share I'm sorry - I haven't spoken to anyone who has done this, so it's all a bit of an adventure, but that's the whole point right?

Looking forward to meeting you all.

=)
Larissa (Riss)

Hi Larissa!

Glad to hear that you are onboard!   Hopefully the list keeps growing!   Anyone know when we should be getting our final documents????   I can't hardly take the wait anymore!   My friend Heather (who is going on the trip also) and I are both school teachers and are so excited that we can't help but talk even to our students about the trip!    We are leaving the day after school lets out for summer.   Talk about a crazy next couple of months!    

Awesome to hear about you celebrating your birthday as well.   Heather will be turning 25 on June 15 (in the French Riviera).   Sounds like we'll need to party hard!   

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Sara  

Hey Everyone and welcome Riss, 

My travel agent told me that we should be getting our documents in the next few weeks. Yay!  My friend Maryann and I are leaving Australia on the 3rd June, so not too long for us to wait now.

Maryann and I are from Canberra, and both work at a Television Station.  Maryann (Mez) is 22 and I am 21, but I too will be having a birthday on the trip. My bday is June 29...which should work out to be in Amsterdam! I have friends from London coming over to Amsterdam to meet up and celebrate too. So that will be another big night in what I assume to be many big nights!

Talk to you all soon,

A.