I just booked the Med Highlights tour starting in Madrid and ending in Rome - July 2 to 15th 2006. Sooooo excitied - traveling solo and would love to hear from my travel mates. My name is Daniela, 27 years old and from Toronto - this is my first contiki trip and don't know what to expect?

OK... freaky... I'm also Daniela - 27 -BUT from Melbourne, Australia (and i prefer to be called Dani). My Med Highlights tour, however, starts on the 3rd of July and ends the 15th....also doing Madrid to Rome. How can that be???

I'm also travelling alone, well just for this tour....and i've been on Contiki before...... fun fun funnnnn!!!!  Spain, France, Italy....watch out!

Actually the tour leaves Canada on the 2nd and Madrid on the 3rd of July - the same tour.

My friends actually call me dee or dan.  Can you tell me what to expect from Contiki...also are you getting a single room or letting contiki match you up regarding room-mates.

I'm soooooooo excitied and can't wait.

Dee

Hey Dee.... i've sent you a separate message, have you not received it?

Basically expect early starts, late nights (i.e. minimal sleep), great friends, great european sights and alot of fun.....(take alot of vitamins...haha). All typical cliches` i know, but the truth nonetheless.

Hi.  I will be going on the Med Highlights on July 2/3rd with a friend.  We are from around Toronto, Canada.   I can't wait, its my first Contiki tour and my first time to Europe!  From the reviews and messages I have been reading it sounds like its going to be some party!  Looking forward to meeting you all.

Greg

Danios,

I e-mailed the contiki tour "contact us" representatives and asked about the hotels and how to choose your own  roomate...

Their response was that we need provide the individual booking number .... if you are still interested in being roomates - I can forward along your booking # to Teresa Caputo (contiki representative).

How are you going to pack for the trip - i definetly do not want to overback and lug a suitcase back and forth from the bus to the hotels and vise versa....any suggestions since you have been on a contiki tour already?

Hope to hear from you soon!

Dee

Hi there.  My name is Andrea and I'm the friend who will be travelling with Greg (from the above message).  I've never been on a contiki tour, or any tour for that matter, and I'm really looking forward to it. I can't wait to meet everyone!

Now this is getting exciting..... more of us on board and gearing up for an awesome trip.....

Dee, i haven't got my tickets yet and booking number but i'll get in touch with my travel agent and try to get that number and we'll bunk up together.... all good!!

Regarding the packing situation..... last time i back packed it and was a typical girl and overpacked..... but once i realised that i didn't need certain things and didn't care about parting with them i started leave stuff behind....

This time round i'm trying the suitcase thing..... but limiting my load so shouldn't be that heavy to lug from hotel to hotel....

With the rest of you guys (G & A), can't wait to meet you both..... 

Dani......

Hello all,

My name is Josie and im from Sydney Australia.

Me and my friend Vicky are travelling on this tour! Its our first time to Europe also and are really looking forward to it!

I am trying to pack light, but being female thats next to impossible!

Cant wait to meet everyone!!!!

Only 6 weeks and one day until i leave Oz...(going to paris first)!

Ciao
Josie

Hey Everyone!

My name is Vicky - I'm Josie's partner in crime. Cant wait to meet you all. Sounds like we are part of a friendly bunch!

Can any of the seasoned travellers share thoughts on "essentials" to pack????

So who is doing some travel after the tour???? Anyone heading down the amalfi coast???? (Positani? Where the hell is Positani????? hehehehe line out of the movie "Only You" that Jos and I have killed) Cant half tell I am excited!

Looking forward to sharing some awesome times! 

Hi Josie & Vicky, welcome!  I look forward to meeting you. 

I wish I was a more seasoned packer, I myself am having trouble thinking about what I am going to bring and what size backpack to bring, so if you figure it out, let me know. 

To answer your other question, I am going home right after the trip...I wish I could stay longer but sadly I have to get back to work. 

Really looking forward to this trip! 

So...to spark some conversation I figured I would ask a question to everyone - Where have you travelled before? 

I have been all over Canada and to Florida & New Orleans in the USA and I have been to Jamaica.

Talk to you soon.

Hi guys! My name's Mary, I'm 27, from Texas, and this is my first Contiki tour. I was kind of nervous because I'm going by myself, but feel much better now that I have found this message board and can get to know some of you before our trip.

I was starting to make a list of things that I will need to bring last night, so I love hearing suggestions from everyone! One question that I have for those of you who have been on trips like this before: how hard is it to plan to wash clothes at some point? I'm trying to pack light, but am worried about feeling gross in dirty clothes.

I look forward to meeting all of you

Mary

Hey all......

And Mary.....you're NOT by yourself.....we're all gonna be one big family... haha.... i think i'm the nervous one being alone!!!!

you know i think i'm gonna have more toiletries than anything..... but anyway, re: washing...i remember last time i went, there was a lady in Nice who did a huge washing load (like dry cleaning service) for anyone interested....and it was quite cheap....i think she was affiliated with the hotel we stayed in though! Else we MAY get a few hours free to go to a laundry mat but do we wanna waste time doing that?  Maybe bring darker shaded light clothing and a few of them to get by the 13 days!

ciao for now
Dani!

Damn this is getting exciting! Everyone on the tour is going to know each other before we even get there!

Im with Dani about the toiletries, i have not been to Europe before but i need all my necessities! I go away for work sometimes for a night and practically take the whole bathroom!

Dont worry about washing, we will buy so much clothes throughout the tour we wont need to wash anything!

I think maybe underwear might need to be washed, so im going to take small sachets of washing detergent and just hand wash them if need be...

Better actually do work....

Ciao
Josie

Thanks Dani! and Josie! And Vicky, Contiki has a list of "what to bring":

http://www.contiki.com/en-US/Travel.Tools/What+to+Bring.htm

It lists bringing a beach towel and bathroom towel. That seems a bit much...any advice? I'm also trying to figure out how I'm going to be able to use the electrical outlets over there.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! See you all in the near future!

~Mary