Hi again all, i cant believe our group keeps getting bigger and bigger its awesome.

Matt & i are keen to do the Moulin Rouge and as it will be my birthday we are going to do the gondola ride! The tuscany dinner also sounds really nice... Between Matt and i we have a very tight budget! but we are not very big eaters either. I cant believe that it is only around the corner...!!! It is so exciting.

How is everyone going with their suitcase on the 20kg limit? we are having trouble as we have to fit summer clothes in as well! and i want their to be enough room for shopping in Italy!

Also what medications are people taking? i have heard that cos we are all close to each other for so long on the bus if someone picks something up then the whole bus pretty much gets sick!! AND i really dont want to be sick on my holiday! Would love iteas thats for sure.

Cant wait- am counting down...


[www.myspace.com/mjnewell]

hey jemmah

Its going to be so much fun meeting the people we have been messaging on these boards in only a month!
As for luggage and the 20kg limit, as we have an around the world ticket we come back to australia via america and we are allowed 2 suitcases with 23kg per case, so that makes it easier in terms of buying another case and filling in once we have finished in europe! But we are leaving what we dont need in london at our mates place before th tour starts so thats lucky, if you have a friend in london you should leave your summer stuff there to make more room, or even just leave it in contiki storage that they have at the basement....

About medications..

I have packed a first aid kit already with things like bandaids, topical creams, cold and flu preperations, nasal spray a good nasal spray tp buy and use while Flying in the plane is found at a chemist and is called FESS, it is a normal saline spray that clears the nasal passage and will stop any bugs getting in!, I also packed things like vitamin tablets and if your not taking a multi vitamin now is the time to start before you go away and continue whilst travelling.
I also packed gastro stop/diarrhoa stop.. ekk nothing worse then getting that on a tour bus!!!!!!! just dont drink any water that is unsafe.... I hope this isnt to much information but I am a newly registered nurse and cant help but being prepared.
otherwise if you do take any regular medications bring your prescription, and maybe a letter from your GP stating why you are taking them, this can be helpful if anybody at customs querys you.
hope this helps.

Just over a month until the good times begin!!Wow! This website is such a good idea! I was temporarily worried that i was going to be on a tour as the only person travelling alone, but now i know it's all good!!
I just read over my other posts and realised that i haven't really introduced myself properly..... I'm 22 years old, living in melbs - still with my family, and studying a course called prosthetics and orthotics. Now who knows what that is???! always a good conversation starter!!

-Nicky, i just got back from a week in Perth (uni related), and absolutely loved it, gorgeous place!

Anyway, as it's all becoming such a reality now, I'm so excited, and can't wait to meet you all!

until next time,
Julia -xox-

Have I introduced myself? I'm 25, from Wollongong ... a coastal town just south from Sydney. In a couple of weeks, I will have just finished my Civil Engineering and Commerce degree. Don't worry, I'm not your typical boring engineer! I've been at uni for 7 long years, and I'm doing this contiki tour as part of a 10 week holiday between uni and starting full time work! It's going to be awesome!

Oh wow, Jem, your having your b'day while we are away! That will be awesome!
Jem, my suitcase is full! I haven't even put everything in yet. So I wrote a list of what I should take and I think I'm going to half it again! My sister lives in London, so I can hopefully dump some stuff with her and take minimum on tour, I really don't like having to carry a heavy suitcase! I've been told that they are generally quite strict with the 20kgs limit on the first day of the tour, but after that they don't weigh our bags. So you can still buy souviners! But it is still probably a good idea to leave your summer clothes in London.

Robin, it's good to know we'll have a nurse on tour too! Re: Medications, I'm taking Nurofen and Sudafed, and multi vits. Hopefully that's all I'll need! Damn it, to think that we are going to get the dreaded winter flus again! I had it twice this year already!

I spend most of my days in front of a computer, so I'll be regularly posting on here too! Hope you don't all get sick of me before the tour starts...!

Man... we are stuffed! we are finishing our tour in Amsterdam where we are partying on there for another 3 days before heading back to Australia for christmas... so the idea of leaving summer clothes in London does not work for us oh well, looks like i will be wearing the same clothes over and over again!

With all the medications, i am thinking i should consider what i really am going to take.. i might go buy some cold tablets or something i think. Thanks Robin. Oh yeah and thanks for reminding me about Nurofen Tracey- now that is a must!!! Its only 24 days before Matt and i head off on our journey (YAY) we are picking up our tickets from the travel agent either monday or tuesday so it is all exciting Cant wait to meet everyone also...

Talk soon no doubt as i am also on the stupid computer all the time!!!

Jem

Wow Tracey, Your an engineer thats pretty exciting that you finish after 7 years. to tell you the truth we have something in common, I graduate from my nursing degree only 5 days before I leave for my around the world trip, its my reward for finishing and before starting real work full time!! I know some engineers at my uni they love to party, so I think you will be good value once this tour starts.
Jemmah! we have something in common as well, we are ending the tour in Amsterdam also! I have a dutch mum, and grandparents, whose family still live in holland so Ryan and I are staying longer to meet them all.. its going to be great holland is meant to be so beautiful and there plently of partying to still be done once the tour ends!!
As for the medications dont forget Pain relief!!! I cant believe I forgot to put Nurofen... we will need them no doubt especially after late nights out...
Anyway keep posting everyone Im having a ball chating to you all.
P.s nice to meet you Julia, Im 22 also so we are the same age which is cool!
take care all and happy packing

Wow, heaps of folks going, hey? And the more who post, the older I feel... I hope you young 'uns will be kind to us geriatrics!

One thing I've been wondering about (probably a little late, only a month to go!) is visas - there are no special ones Australians should need to visit these countries, yeah? I think they're all okay with Aussie tourists. At least, I hope so!

Cheers, and we hope to meet you all at the pre-tour meeting on the 24th! Our flat in Camden is just a short bus ride from the hotel, so we'll definitely be there!

Martin and Isabelle

hey
Im almosy 100% sure you only need a visa if you planning to live and work in the countries. Travelling you only need your passport!
hope that helps

Hi all,
just wondering if it is definatle the 'Moulin Rouge' that is on offer in Paris?? Does anyone know much about it cos my mum keeps telling me that it's insanely expensive and that you have to get really dressed up to go......but im thinking that they wouldnt offer it to us contiki bums if it was really really pricey! what do you all think??

Hi Julia,

It's definitely Moulin Rouge, but it's an optional excursion, as shown here:

http://www.contiki.com/en-GB/Tours/Europe/Winter.Wander...ional.Excursions.htm

Note the price. 130 euros. Eek!

Juilia how weird! i just got back from 2 weeks in melbourne!! hahaha
ok im actually getting so excited. my budget is highly limted. haha but thank god for my credit card!!!
what sort of things is everyone packing? is everyone taking a sleeping bag? apparently u need one?
alsooooo
THE MOULIN ROUGE!!!! that will be so amazing and definately doing that. the schnapps museum is spose to be fantastic too, and i love peach schnapps!

Hey Everyone! Its almost Nov. 1st the month of the trip! The anxiety to actually leave is torture...its going to be so surreal stepping onto the plane! Anyways I heard from a friend that has been to Moulin Rouge that it is a cant miss even though its expensive. You are getting a 3 or 4 course meal I believe with wine and champagne along with the show! So its not surprise that it would cost as much as it does. I took Nicky and looking forward to the Schnapps Museum! MMM....sounds good to me! The Tuscan Dinner in Florence, The Symphony in Vienna, and the candlit dinner cruise in Amsterdam all sound like GREAT optional excursions too! We are going to need really nice clothes for when we go to the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco.I heard they have a strict dress code. Why would we need a sleeping bag if we are staying in hotels? Im confused LoL. Hope everyones saving and pakcing is going well! See you all soon!

hey everyone,

I dont think we need a sleeping bag at all, we are in hotels the whole time.
After thinking about it all I think doing most of the optional extras might be ok, except for some of the dinners where something a little cheaper is a better option. But the moulin rouge is a must! did i already say that?
Ryan and I leave in 16 days now so my suitcase is already fully packed I just have to organise my back pack and im ready to travel~!!!!! im so excited!
anyway i have this feeling we are all going to be so cold... even melbournes weather today is chilly as and its spring time~~~
anyway happy packing guys~
rob

Oh dear... we may be the only ones not doing the Moulin Rouge, by the sounds of it. We'll definitely be in for most of the other optional excursions, mind you, but 130 euros each is just too much for our poor little London-living-ravaged bank accounts!

And yeah, you guys are gonna freeze. As are we, probably, after a heatwave in London last summer. Thermal underwear is definitely recommended.