When I started looking at trips to take I was thinking the more bang for my buck which meant the longer tours. Odds are that I won't get to do another trip like this in a long time if ever and so I might as well see what I can see for as long as I can afford. Well now my parents (I'm paying for the trip but their opinion still matters to me) are saying they think 46 days is a really really long time to be doing anything and that I will get sick of it and want to come home 30 days into it. What is some advice on the longer trips, does it start to drag in the middle? Do people get overly exhausted by the end and not enjoy the sights as much? I don't want to take anything for granted so I would rather not be worn out from traveling and miss out on how special the last sights I am visiting are. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks!

A lot of it will depend on you, your attitude and the group you end up with.

46 days is a really long time to be camping and on a bus - can you handle outdoor facilities for that length of time? Can you handle hand-washed clothes for that time? Are you happy to help with chores? Are you a fussy eater?

Personally, I know that by about week three I'm done and you might feel the same. However, having said that, if you get a really bad group you could want to go home after the first week and yet, if you get a group you might be happy to power on for another month!

You need to be prepared for a group that is really bad and really good. You need to understand that there will be people on the bus that you really like, get along with and don't like.

Are you younger/older? If you're say 30, would being on a bus with a bunch of rowdy 18-year olds who want to party all the time and drink a lot annoy you? I'm not saying that everyone who is 30 doesn't like to party or that everyone who is 18 only wants to party - I'm just throwing things out there for you to consider.

I do think you will be tired towards the end but I think that some smart travelling can help with that. Take the time to get a good night's sleep every 3-4 days so that you rest and recouperate. Take some vitamins with you. Drink lots of water. Wear comfortable shoes.

Biggest thing is go with an open mind! If people start annoying you just stay away from them. Don't let them dictate how the rest of your trip is going to go. Stick to those who you like, get along with and there for the same reasons as you. As you said, this is YOUR trip and you're paying bucket-loads for it. Make it the trip you want it to be.

hope this helps a bit, if you have more questions just ask!

i did 37 days and wished it was longer....we all got sick at some point in the tour but thats what happens when you are travelling non-stop! I don't think I would handle camping for 46 days...but I would definately do the concept tour that is that long...

I did 46 days and it was awesome!!! what you also may want to look at doing is the greek island cruise to break up the 46 days of camping too - something i wish i had done

I did three Contiki yours back to back in 2006 and was there for eight weeks. I figured it took a lot of time and money to get there, so I might as well take advantage of it.
I loved it! Having said that, I always came back to London between tours and did a Greek Island cruise as part of a tour. I also made sure that I did the things I wanted to do - even if that meant doing them myself, made some time for myself and got plenty of rest.

Have fun!

I did a 33 day tour in 2006. It was a good group, not a great group. I was sick for 30 of those days (and 2 weeks after). After 3 weeks I had a day where I was having a bit of a melt down, tired of being on tour, on a bus and of being around 2 really annoying people, one of those people got a piece of my mind. After that day though I was back to having a great time and didn't want the tour to end.

46 days can be long, but a lot of people do and have a great time. You have to remember to pace yourself though. You can't go out every night and get drunk and expect to enjoy the locations you're at for 46 days. But the longer tours are designed to be a little slower paced so that you don't get quite as run down.