Hey all.

Just thought I'd make myself available to any questions anyone might have about the Escapade experience.

I had the best time of my life last year and am still in contact with many friends from the trip (going back to Oktoberfest this year with 5 of them!)

So with my experience (male), and a few of the girls I know. I should be able to answer anything you want to know.

Fire away!

Hey There!!

thanks so much for letting us ask you stuff..

ahhh ive got a couple...

with sleeping.. i am going mid Aug, Is a sleeping bad with silk side a good idea or will is still be to hot? also should i bring my own pillow as well?

i have also wanted to go 2 a concentration camp ive asked a few people they were allowed to go to one on there tour, was is the same with escapade as well? mormid i know but i wanted to ask..

Day bags... personal question i know, and asking a boy.. but did most people just take just a packback or hangbags i just think with a backpack its easier for people to steal withs with a handbag you can get a big one and keep it under your arm.

and the extras... what do you suggest i should do and miss out on? like any of the dinners not that great etc?

thanks SOO much!!!

Nicky!!!

Hey Nicky

Sleeping bags are pretty important. I had a -5 degree rated sleeping bag and was never cold. I even slept outside one night! Lost my voice for 3 days after that though so I dont recommend it hehe.

Pillows from memory were provided. Each place you slept in usually had sheets and pillow covers that you stripped the bed of the morning of your departure.

You can easily get away with a sleeping bag that caters for 0 degrees because most of the cabins/hostels are fairly warm anyway.

My sleeping bag had a zip off foot section which was awesome personally as I'm the kind of person that cant sleep with socks on.

As part of the tour you will probably go to the concentration camp Mauthausen. A very sombre and almost spookily quiet place.

Backpacks are a good idea. Most of the girls had handbags, but make sure they have a zipper on them. The only place people had stuff stolen was in Barcelona. It was very late at night and some girls were chatted up by some dudes, and some other guys (teamwork) stole a couple of cameras from their purses.

As for the extras. I did everything but the paragliding in Austria. I wish I did because Austria was absolutely gorgeous. Me and my friends are spending the bulk of our return trip this year in Austria.

All the dinners are great. All the evenings out are awesome. Even for the guys! The Flamenco evening sounds girly but its great fun. The Mozart quartet in Vienna was top stuff even if your not a fan of classical music.

The biggest surprise is the Swarovski Crystal Museum. Tell everyone who will listen to check it out. Guys will want to give it a miss. DONT!

Anyone else got questions?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Twisty,

Hey!

Just wondering... how much money did you actually spend? how much would you recommend including money for the optional extras? also whats is the weather like? haha im so stuck on what kind of clothes to take!! ohhh and lucky last question.. do you see snow!?

Hey Lyse

I spent roughly $4000AUD in total. That was over the 5 week period i was away. I went the cash card option so its basically like a ATM card but in the foreign currency and you convert it at a particular rate. Eg I convert $2000AUD at .50euro and get 1000euros. If the exchange rate drops to .48euro then i still have 1000euros. It makes it easy to know how much money you have.

As a guy I didn't end up doing much shopping. Maybe $Euro on souvenirs. Some girls on my tour were spending a few hundred Euro every place we stopped. I don't want to know what they spent over all.

Optional extras add up to about 400-500 euros. A definate must for them all!

Weather is relatively comfortable. England and France averaged about 20degrees when i was there. Spain was 30+ and Italy was high 20's.

Once you start going north of Italy it gets a little colder. The day we were in Vienna was the first cold day. If you didnt pack gloves or a beanie. Use this time to visit H&M. Its a department store with good prices on such things. Think Kmart or Big W.

The only really cold place is Switzerland.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps...59,0.363579&t=h&z=12

You stay in Lauterbrunnen and if you click that link you'll see a big red "A". Thats the mountain you go up. And yes, there is snow. It almost snowed. There was crystallised rain. But nothing snowflake like. This is the only time you'll really need snow gear. So dont pack thinking everywhere will be this cold. All I had was a tshirt, jeans, thick jacket, beanie and gloves while i was in the snow.

Germany, Austria, Lichtenstien, Netherlands are all coolish weather. Jumper weather. But you'll take it off when your walking around.

Good lightweight options are thermalwear. Especially for girls who feel the cold.

http://www.torpedo7.com.au/div.../title/Base%20Layers

Thats just an example of what to look for.

Girls can get away with 2-3 formal dresses. Most other places are fairly casual. Be sure to pack something weird as your guaranteed to have at least 1 dress up night. 80% of the time you'll be partying at contiki bars with your group anyway. So don't go overboard on the "nightclub" attire.

You'll be told when to dress up, and when to stay casual.

This is before we went to the Casino in Monaco.
(Im in the green)
Guys:
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/p...676_1295525_1990.jpg

Girls:
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/p...24_30046923_7588.jpg

Let me know if the images don't work