Europe - Backpack or Package Tour??

Hi,

can anyone advise how shld i travel from paris to spain(barcelona) then to italy (rome)? I m looking at this 3 plcs for my honeymoon but no idea how to travel from 1 plc to another..via train? or via plane? how much is de est cost?

appreciate if someone here can advise...thank u..
 


Hi june4,

You can take overnight train from Paris to Barcelona or fly there by Iberia Airline. It is cheaper than Air France. You can go to their website to check the price. www.iberia.com
 
hi grace,

i went to a shop at suntec and they selling thermal wear top+bottom abt $26-$30. is the price reasonable? i noe which shop at causeway pt but the stuff there quite ex leh....
anyway, do u noe if it's cheaper to buy winter stuff fr Hong Kong? my sis-in-law going there next wk, shld i get her to buy for me fr HK?
thks
 
hi freshpoison,
If the price is inclusive of both top and bottom I think it's quite good. The ones I saw in Robinsons were like $40-50 for just one piece! I wouldn't mind paying $20 for a good quality thermal but not $50!! BTW Thermal wear can be cotton or wool. Wool ones are very good for cold weather but very prickly if you try them on in Singapore! You won't feel the prickliness when it's very cold, it will just feel warm. Cotton is more comfortable if the weather is just cool not freezing.

About buying winter stuff in HK - I really can't advise. You'll have to know exactly what you want and the size etc if you want someone to buy clothes for you. Disadvantage is that she may get something you don't like or can't wear and it will be wasted.
Maybe you should just shop around but don't buy on impulse unless you find a very good deal. I got a very nice padded black jacket from Robinsons earlier this year for only $30 and used it for springtime in Paris. I have a good quality parka that I bought from Land's End some years ago and I use that for winter. You can check out their website for ideas on winter clothing even if you don't buy from them. I find that even with shipping it's cheaper and better quality than some stuff in Singapore.
 
hi grace,

thks for the advise, i will go check out Land's End and c wat they hav. with regards to HK, i'm also not very keen but my hubby wants his sis to take a look at the stuff there and give us a call cos he's hoping to get a better deal there. cant really blame him though since this yr end trip is gonna cos him a bomb.... because we will b travelling wif my mum, sis-in-law and mum-in-law. so muz conserve resources for shopping over in europe.
 
Hi jody,

thanks for de info! do u noe de which website to go if i wanna take a overnight train instead of by plane? coz it's v costly taking a plane. thanks again..
 
hi june4,
Here are some websites that were very helpful when I planned my Europe trip. The Deutsch Bahn train schedule website in particular is very useful. These websites have all the info you need to learn how to travel via rail in Europe.

How to read Train Schedules

Train Schedules Website - click on "Personal Timetable" to print out individual day's schedules that you can take with you.

Which Railpass to buy - interactive consultant

Other tips:
1) You can buy point-to-point tickets or purchase a railpass. Unfortunately the 3 countries you plan to visit are not neighbouring countries so you may need to buy point-to-point tickets.

2)Be aware that for certain trains(e.g. Thalys), a reservation several days ahead is required (i.e. you can't just turn up in the station and buy the ticket for the train that day)

3) Overnight trains are v expensive unless you book a couchette and share with other people (usually 6 to a compartment). Can be quite uncomfortable, also lack of sleep will make you too tired to enjoy the next day. Not very recommended if you are not used to this kind of travel.

Btw why did you pick 3 countries so far apart? Why not visit Belgium and Netherlands first and leave Spain and Italy for another holiday? Cut down on travel time, expenses etc. Are you flying in and out of Paris? Be prepared for transport strikes. I missed my flight back to Singapore because all the trains stopped running! Lucky I bought travel insurance!
 
Thanks Grace! will see how...hv nt really decided if we really wanna visit the 3 plcs...maybe just 2...prob spain n paris..is spain nearer to italy? if so, maybe i shld consider spain n italy then...
 
hi Grace

would like to check with you whether is it better to travel from London to Rome or London to Dublin. i only have 2 weeks holiday so limited places to go.

thanks
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Hi June3,

Go get yourself some travel guides - there are very good ones at Borders - I recommend Rick Steves' guidebooks, very worth the money. "Europe Through the Back Door" is a good one to get if you need some guidance in planning your trip on a budget and time limit.

Lonely Planet has too much info to digest - it's more like a directory and doesn't really help you make decisions where to go etc. You can try Frommers.com to find more info about the places you want to visit.

Spain and Italy are in the south part of Europe. France, Switzerland Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are all Northern Europe.

As you go further south, things (even train tickets) get cheaper, but there is a lot more crime (thieves, scams, pickpockets etc) so read up on how to protect yourself. If this is your first time to Europe, I suggest Belgium or Netherlands because they speak good English there and things are generally more well organized and accessible. Germany is also a very beautiful country. The Rhine valley is highly recommended!

Hi heart,
It's definitely better to do London and Dublin. Leave Rome for another tour, which can include other Italian cities like Verona and Venice. That way you also don't have to keep changing vocabularies! Can be very confusing! I went to France, Benelux (belgium,netherlands, luxembourg) and Germany on my honeymoon. Had to switch between French, English, German and then French again.
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hi grace,

how much did u spend in europe (not including shopping)? r the stuff there expensive? how much cash shld i change, r cards widely accepted there?
 
Our per-head cost was roughly $2000 for 2 weeks (not incl airfare). About $700 of this went to transport (Eurail pass, Seat reservations, Metro tickets, Tram tickets etc. etc.) Another $500-600 went to accomodation. The cheapest rooms we could find were abt 50 euro per night (dbl with bathrm).

The rest went mainly to food. Restaurant meals (2 to 3 course) in North European cities cost abt 30-50 euros per head in medium priced restaurants. If you want it much cheaper, you can buy stuff from the grocery and cook it yourself! Or buy sandwiches from the deli.

Mineral water can be very expensive in Europe. In Paris it costs as much as 7 euro per 25ml bottle (SGD $14)in restaurants, so beware of asking for water, it's not free! Wine is abt 3 euro per glass. In some places you can get tap water for free but you run the risk of getting diarrhea if the weather has been dry.

I didn't do much shopping partly because I was carrying only a 35 litre backpack and had no space for more than a few trinkets after I bought all those chocolate in Belgium. The other reason was I had decided not to spend money shopping for stuff I could already get in Singapore. Do your research first, as I told june3, you can find a lot of information in travel guides as what to buy in each different city. You didn't say where you are going so I can't really help there.

Cards are accepted in most major cities. Amex, VISA, Master etc.

If you are going on a package tour then most of the above information is not useful, since most of your expenses will be taken care of by the tour company. You only need cash for those days where you have to pay for your own meals, or for shopping. You probably can use your credit cards for those anyway. Some shops in small towns may not have credit facilities so you can bring cash for that.
 
hi grace,

thks for replying. yah, my package covers 2 meals daily so dun really worry abt makan. was juz wondering whether advisable to bring cash as i heard the crime rates there quite terrifying. since cards r widely accepted, will not change too much cash, juz enough for standby lor...
btw, do u noe anything abt air france cos will b travelling by that airline as they r having promotions currently.
 
Hi freshposion77

May I know which agency you book from? I interested in the Air France Promotion. For Air France, you have to transit in Paris.
 
Hi freshpoison77,
DOn't know much about package tours to Europe by Singapore operators. But I once went on a Korea winter package tour. Didn't bring much cash, so I had spent it all by the last day - to my shock, we were requested at the last minute to pay for trip photographs, tips for the tour guide and photographer etc.!!

Couldn't draw any cash from ATM because I didn't have Diners or Amex (Korea seems to be lousy for VISA or Mastercard). I had to make a dummy credit transaction at a tourist shop to get the cash. Really disgusted. Hope your travel company doesn't play these stupid things on you. Have heard so many horror stories about people being forced to go on optional tours etc. and pay extra. So you should always find out from the agency about these things before you go.

I went to Europe free and easy on a Quantas/BA promotion (NATAS fair in April), $980 to Paris inclusive 3 nites accomodation.
 
hi leo1,

i got my package wif chan brothers last wk and got quite a bit of discount. when i asked them where the discount came fr, they told me it's becos air france having promo. i dunno details, all i noe is my trip to europe is gonna cost me abt $700 less per pax and that's all that matters to me.

hi grace,

yah, i asked them wat are the optional tours and my package basically covers most stuff, there isn't much optional tours except for the one i will go for like the gondola serenade in venice. i usually prepare tips for tour guides/drivers in advance and if they not good then i reduce the amt prepared. anyway, thks for ur advice... $980 is quite cheap since i really like qantas/ba. i only hope air france wont decide to hold any strikes at yr end...
 
Hi freshpoison,

can you tell me more about your package?? for example how many days and how much you pay for? I'm also planning to book with chan brothers.
I'm planning to go in november, ideally london, switzerland and paris...

by the way , any comments about chan brothers europe tour???
 
hi euro,

my package is the 18 days european marvel traveling wif air france for year end. the package cost 3099 b4 taxes. it's the usual touch and go package typical of european tour packages i guess. u can only really see europe if u travel f&e which i dslike.
i've not been to europe before but i always travel wif chan bros when i go for hols cos too lazy to plan anything. so far, i've been quite pleased wif the guides, it's only the hotels that are abit lousy but i guess the hotels r aboutthe same for all tour agencies. hope this helps.
 
hi June 4,

like you, i also only have 15 days for my honeymoon. limited time, so we chose to cover Italy - Venice, Florence, Rome and Capri and Paris. we bought air tickets to Italy from Air France so that we get to stop over at Paris. So effectively, the air-ticket to Paris is "free". Initially we were also thinking of covering 3 places (the 3rd one being Switzerland) but after much consideration, thought it is not worthwhile paying so much to travel to Switzerland (be it by train or air) just to stay there for a few days and so we give it a miss. If it is free and easy and you have limited time to spend, my advice is not to cover too many countries, else it will be quite rush and you can't really enjoy. just my 2 cents worth.
 
hi ladies,

got a few qn for backpacking.

1. as this is my first round going backpack(as in with a backpack) thus would like to know if there are any recommendation for any shops in singapore that sells good backpacks at reasonable price? Also, what's the average capacity a lady carries?

2. Anyone here took B&B in UK? What's the price like?

3. Anyone drove on their F&E trip to UK? How's the rate of the rental?

I'm planning to travel in Oct to UK (England n Scottland) thus would really need some advise...

thanks
 
hi postpet2

I bought a 60 Liter Deuter backpack from Robinsons. Think it cost less than $150 (also comes w a day pack). It may be quite cold in OCt, so u may need more capacity to pack warmer gear. Try to just pack what u need...carrying heavy packs ard can be very tiring, depending on ure fitness lvl.

We stayed in a guest house in Edinburgh. It cost ard 29 pounds per nite w breakfast, attached bath, tv n coffee making facilities. U can find some cheaper ones depending on the season and location.

We travelled by rail all the time so can't comment on driving.
 
hi postpet2,
I used a 35 liter backpack (can't remember brand and model) from a backpack and camping gear shop at Causeway Pt, 5th floor. Cost abt $130. This was for 2 wks in Europe in Spring, traveling via rail.

My fitness level isn't great, so I packed very light, and was glad I did! (when researching on the internet use search terms "Packing light" for lots of tips) My bag fully packed was abt 8kgs.

I once stayed in a B&B in london near the Paddington Station. Cost 70 pounds per nite bec of the location! Room was tiny!

If you are driving, why would you need a backpack?
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Now i remember, my backpack is a Deuter Aircontact. Has padded hip belt, air-cooled padding for contact pads, internal frame, main compartment opens on top as well as below, can be separated into 2 compartments with internal zippered flap. Also has built in raincover.

My husband used a Tatonka with a zip-off daypack. His bag was easier than mine to pack cos it zipped open all the way to the bottom. It had an extra flap which zippered over the back to contain all the dangly straps when you want to use the backpack as carry-on luggage. Even had a handle on the side so it could be carried like a briefcase. I kind of liked his bag as it looked neater and didn't shout "tourist" as loudly.
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but already bought mine!

Btw, we both carried our backpacks as hand luggage on the plane to avoid having to wait for it at the luggage carousel. Also safer this way (no danger of someone at the airport stealing or slashing your bag to get at the contents before you collect it)
 
Hi ladies,

thanks for the info.

Had chose a backpack over normal luggage was becos as what Grace as said, we are doing it F&E. Not joining package, so when moving around, it would be much more convenient too.
besides, i wouldn't look like a 'tourist' kind of tourist. hoping to project a more rugged look of cos.

though we are driving, there will be times when we will return the car and take the train into Lon city esp. so backpack will be much more convenient lah...

it seems that you girls got your backpacks from dept stores...i got to hear from frens that there are some specialised shops in Shaw Centre(near raffles hotel) that sells nothing but backpacks. wonder if it will be cheaper..

think i should pop by to enquire...

alhana : you took a 60litre pack...i'm quite sure you are quite strong leh...me not very fit kind..wonder ok or not...hehehe
 
postpet,
correction: I did not buy my backpack at a dept store. The shop I mentioned in Causeway Point sells mainly backpacks only. It also has a limited range of other backpacker supplies like waterbottles, money belts, pouches etc. I won't say the service is fantastic so do your research first. Here's one reference:
Bugeurope: Types of Backpacks
 
Hi postpet,

Haha..I'm not that strong! I dumped all the heavier stuff in my hubby's pack :P He has a 70 liter bag. Anyway, we packed a little too much and it got tiring at times, hence my advice to just pack the bare necessities. It was still chilly when we went to the UK (in early June) and we packed warmer clothes, which added on to the wt. When in Paris, we had to climb four flights of stairs lugging our packs to our hotel room (its a 1 star hotel w no lift) n we almost died :P Good thing our bags had good shoulder pads and adjustable straps, which helped ease our 'pain' :P Next time we go, I'll know to pack lighter!

I bought ours from Robinsons as I have the Robinson card n they had sales then. I'm sure u can shop ard and find more brands which can be just as good, and cheaper.
 
Alhana: har...i'm going in Oct leh...so i think wll begin to be qutie cool rite...
aiyah...then i better pack real light leh...

Grace : thanks for the info...will take a look at the link....actually me interested to do backpack(think will be quite interesting) but me also scared of fitnes..ahahah
 
hi postpet,

No need to worry too much. Me and my hubby are really extra unfit people (we NEVER exercise at all plus we are overweight) but had not much prob with the backpacks even when we had to walk several blocks to and fr the train station with them. If you plan well, these should be fairly short distances. It's not like you are hiking whole day in the mountains with them! (I did that once long ago at Mt Ophir with an army backpack weighing 10+kg and almost died)

As long as you don't book rooms on top floors of buildings with no elevator (Paris seems to have a lot of these types of budget hotel) or youth hostels in castles on top of the hill (like in Germany) you shd have an easy time since it's only when you are actually going from and to the hotel/train stations that you need to carry them.

If you travel by train, and wish to visit a city for just one or two hours, remember that you can always leave your packs in a locker at the station. Make sure you have lots of coins tho!
 
Hi postpet

europe's weather is quite freaked these days.. it'll be pretty chilly in Oct in Scotland esp. so best is to bring a good windbreaker and longjohns. minimise on wearing jeans - get woolen slacks or those track suit kinda gortex material bottom.. not oni can keep u warm, but also lighter and more comfy. don need bring so many tee shirts, can wash or buy there ma.. toiletries wise, go for mini sized ones.

my advise is, get the necessary reservations for car and hotel of your 1st stop done over internet. do lookout for insurance coverage and mileage limitation on car rental if you planning to self drive. also, abt cross border charges.. (not sure if applicable in UK).. and since Oct is not the peak season, you can easily get good walk in rates at B&B in your subsequent stops (but do that oni if you have a car at your disposal)

Have u booked your air tickets yet? there are some pretty good deals coming up i think..

We planning to go either france/spain or US West Coast for honeymoon in Nov.. pretty excited isn't it?
 
Hi Besse,

we are also thinking of going to spain..but it will be boring to go there and not other euro countries.

may i know if there are any packages that have spain and france/london. by the way are you going on package or f and easy.
 
Hi everyone,

Is it fine to f&e at paris? I thinking how many days are enough for paris and london? Any tips to provide. Thanks in advance.
 
hi ladies,

sure thanks a mil for all the good advise that has been coming along...
let's keep this discussion thread alive as i think backpacking is sure an experience i want to go thru while i still have the breath..

hehe...though i am not exactly overweight, but i had hardly exercise at all..
hehe...

the other day at the store while trying some backpacks for the first time. felt quite green and thot some of the bags are quite heavy without anything in them!!!hahahha...

for bnb, i had mixed response abt them on the pricing from frens n internet too..

there is this website that list the bnb in england...they are kinda ex leh...
sigh...wanna have sufficent budget lah...
becos no money that's y backpack lor...

anyone drove the manchester up to scottland then down to london route before? wonder is it easy to drive?
 
Hi postpet,

Honestly, things in UK are not cheap, simply becoz of the exchange rate. THings are almost triple the cost after converting to SGD. London is quite bad..even 1 star hotels w no frills can cost ard 20-30 pounds per person per nite. B&Bs aren't necessarily cheaper, as these are people's homes, and can sometimes be even more comfy than a budget hotel. Of coz, if comparing to a hotel of similar comfort lvl, they will be cheaper. However Oct shld not be a peak season right? The rates shld be lower then.

What I did was budget how much I cld afford for each nite's accomodation and searched the net extensively to find those w/in my means. They can be found..u'll just need to research more. I found quite a few affordable B&Bs n guest houses in Edinburgh after a long time on the net.

My colleague drove during her trip to UK. She said tt its quite easy to navigate ure way ard, esp if u stick to the freeways. As long as u have a good sense of direction, and are fairly good w maps, u guys shld be alright. Good thing abt UK..they drive on the same side of the road as us
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postpet2,

I also agree that backpacks can be quite heavy even empty! But it's worth it if well-designed because the shaping and padding will make it feel a lot more comfortable and the bag won't start bouncing around on your back if you are running for the train.
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The trick to packing light is to cut down on toiletries. You can buy those small cosmetic bottles from Value$ stores or Daiso for about $0.50 - $1.00 each. Also, if you share shampoo with your hubby that will decrease the no. of things you have to bring.

The other things that can be real heavy are books. If you have a guidebook that is too heavy you may want to tear out the relevant sections and just bring those. Feel guilty doing that? Don't! Most travel guides become out of date (and thus, worthless) very quickly so it's not really worth trying to keep them in mint condition!

By the way, if you intend to carry-on your luggage in the plane, remember that any kind of sharp object (nail clippers, tweezers, needles, scissors, and of cos knives) are not allowed on board. One option is to check in a single piece of luggage with your "objectionables" in it.

I opted to buy those things only if really needed, during the trip - ended up spending 3 euros on a nailclipper (i was wearing boots and my toenails grew too long and hurt like mad!) and another 3 euros on eyebrow tweezers (vain lah).

To save on bringing too many clothes, bring stuff that can be washed and dried easily. Here's a tip to dry washed socks: first roll them in towels to wring out the water, then pull them over the ends of inflatable clothes hangers and hang near the radiator or window. Very effective - can dry almost overnite! Even so, you need lots of socks (at least 7 pairs) for frequent changes and washes. Even in cold weather, feet can sweat and stink a lot!!
 
Hi Grace,

Haha..I remember my hubby being really irritable coz his nails grew too long, and like you, we didn't bring nailclippers. Planes & trains like the Eurostar can object to such items being carried on board..so to play safe, we tot it best to not bring such items. In the end, we had to hunt for a pharmacy to buy a real cheapo one..and after converting to SGD, they aren't tt cheap either :P
 
Hi,

I'm a newbie to this thread. I'm planning for my europe honeymooon next year, and after some consideration, we decide to go F&E. The guidebooks said it's not advisable to bring too much luggage especially those hard case type as it's rather inconvenient to drag these up and down stairs or slopes when we travel.

I'm thinking of backpacks, but my only worry is, am I able to carry it at all? my husband and I are considered very small-built, especially me who stands at only 1.52m and 42Kg. Hubby is taller and is 1.73m but barely 50kg which is very underweight. I wonder if we can carry those backpacks.

Even if I'm able to carry it, would it be enough for all my barangs? Guess that I have to cut down on many things, but I know that I would feel insecure to bring only a few pieces of clothes. From your experiences, what are the essentials to bring, and how much clothes and how many pairs of shoes to bring? Think cosmetics is a no-no right? how abt contact lens solutions etc? Or wear glasses to cut down on solutions?

We would be travelling in the 3rd week of June till end July, so I think should be summer and pretty warm and humid right? Please advise us on what backbacks to carry: capacity, total weight when full, brands, features etc and what to bring?
 
Fairymoss

Personally feel dat it is better dat u go free & easy instead of backpack since u r going on honeymoon. I mean lag luggage not backpack. @ least u dun have to worry abt carrying heavy things on your back.

U dun have to bring too many clothings. Bring soap powder. Wash your clothing when u stay for >1 day in a hotel.

Bring @ least 2 pairs of shoes. U gotta walk a lot in Europe.

If u wanna reduce the wt of your luggage, dun bring cosmetics n contact lens. MUST bring moisturizer n lip bum n skin care products. The weather in Europe is v v dry, not humid. Bring sun shade oso. The sun there is v glaring

I went 4 honeymoon in June. The weather there wz hotter than Singapore. My Dutch colleague told me dat weather in Europe is not dat hot. Europe is struck by an unusual heatwave tis yr. So it is hard to tell how is the weather like June next yr.

Take note dat June is a peak holiday season in Europe. There r many local n other European fm the neighbouring countries. So u wld expect q in most of the tourist area
 
Hi Fairymoss,

If u surf the net, u'll have many websites devoted to backpacking, which give u essential tips on packing. Late June to July can be warm. Which parts of Europe are u planning to go? I was in Uk & France for the first half of June and the weather fluctuated from cold and wet, to hot and sunny, all in a space of days. The latter half of June n July shld get really hot. If hot, u dun hafta pack heavy, thick clothing, which can lighten ure load. Like Shookg sez, bring detergent to wash ure clothes, esp socks n undies. That way, u dun hafta bring so much. Alt, u can pack disposable undies. Wear and throw. I wore my contacts, so I brought tiny sample bottles of the solution. They didn't really add much wt. I only brought toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, deodorant, lip balm n moisturizer. U can grab those small sample size thingies instead of lugging the big bottles tt we use at home. U know those contact lense cases u get when buying solution? They can double up to hold creams, lotion etc. Anyway if u run out, u can always buy toiletries there. I only brought 2 bottoms..the jeans I wore there, and a spare.

Just take note tt if u wanna shop alot in Europe, backpacking may not be ideal as u'll be bogged down by ure purchases.

Anyway, I enjoyed the experience (it was my first time) We got to do whatever we wanted (no need to follow any itinerary), it was easy to move ard w backpacks n we cld save money by taking buses n trains instead of cabs.
 
Hi Fairymoss,

I think you could use a 25-30 litre backpack or one that is built for shorter torso (e.g. kids or teens) as you are quite petite. For your hubby, he can try a 35-litre hiking backpack or a travel pack. Check this out:BUGEurope.com >Guide to packing

Bring less, wash more!

Brands of backpacks - Mine was a Deuter TransAlpine 90, a hiking/biking backpack. Loads from the top. My hubby's bag is a Tatonka travel pack (front loading) with zip-off daypack, which I think is no longer produced. I actually prefer the travel pack but could not find one in 35 litres.

Search the internet for tips on packing light.
Rick Steve's Graffiti Wall
Tips for Packing Light and traveling with just carry on luggage

Backpack weight:
To test yourself, fill up a backpack to abt 7-8 kg, carry it and go shopping for a few hours, and see how it feels. (Of cos, the better designed the bag, the more comfortable it will feel.) This should be the max weight of what you are bringing. For your hubby, try 10 kg max. Try to go even lighter if possible (yes it is!)

What to pack - basically, wear the bulkier or at least the heavier items, then pack the rest. E.g. if bringing hiking boots, wear them and stow your sandals inside the bag. Wear the heavy jeans and pack the dress pants, etc.

You can bring very basic makeup - one lipstick and eyeliner (double as eyebrow pencil), eyecolor, maybe some concealer. This will hardly take up any space and also v light. Forgo the foundation and brushes and other heavy stuff, because then you'd have to bring makeup remover extra cotton, etc - so bothersome!

As for cosmetics, I think it's fine to bring, just use the small bottles that you can get fr the $1 stores or Watsons, not the original big bottles. Restrict yourself to 3 items: cleanser, toner and moisturizer, leave the rest at home. Share combination bathgel/shampoo (Body Shop) with your hubby. Buy travel toothpaste, or use a almost-finished tube. Anything that is liquid is heavy!

Contact lens - I brought daily disposables but ended up wearing it on one day only. Was too exhausted and in a big hurry most days to care about putting them on!! If you want to look good in photos, just take off your specs and pretend.
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What I brought to Europe (2 weeks in spring):
5 tops, 1 sweater, 1 jacket
1 Blue jeans, 1 Black slacks
1 Black ankle-high leather boots
1 pair insoles, 7 pairs socks
2 silk scarves, some inexpensive accessories
Guide books, maps, notes
tickets, passport, credit cards, cash
Plastic ziplocs, Inflatable clothes hangers
money belt (MUST use at all times!)
small day pack, Waterbottle, Combination locks
water heating coil (used for cooking cheap meals)
Lightweight heatproof plastic jug(!!!)

You may need to modify the list for summer clothing!
 
hello fairymoss

u hv asked wat i wanted to ask...thanks ya...our wedding date is just 1 day apart n looks like we both hv europe in mind for our honeymoon..
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but i may nt go straight after my wedding..prob a few wks later...around mid/late july or maybe even early august....just dun wanna feel the rush to go travel straight after wedding...

can anyone here advise the weather in europe say for paris/barcelona/italy for late july to early august? will it still be summer? i wld prefer to visit europe when its a little cool...and oso, do we really need to carry backpacks instead of those cabin luggages? i'm afraid i m really nt fit to lug those backpacks around...haha!
 
Hello Happy2!!

Hey, nice to see u here! Wah..we really got same preferences leh. same hotel, almost same date, and going to same place too! I'm planning to go Italy, Switzerland and France for 3-4 weeks. May also go Czech Republic.

Like u, I've never thought of bringing a backpack. But we may not lug the backpack around. we may just leave it in the hotel when we go for day trips. Do u all do that? issit only when u move from hotel to hotel then u would bring the backpacks with you? If so, can we bring those luggage that can be wheeled around? But we may have problem, if we take those luggage on the trams or buses. Is Free and Easy equivalent to backpack? What's the diff? So what is ours?

Shookg,

Isn't it humid in summer? i read from lonely planet that italy can be very humid in summer. Would it be appropriate to bring more sleeveless and spaghetti-strapped tops and skirts? I think 1 jeans and 1 pants is good enough for me, although personnally I prefer wearing jeans, but these can be very heavy and bulky. I think Grace has got a good suggestion. The silk scarves can dress u up when need be! Then there's no need to bring extra dresses.
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Grace,
the jacket that u mentioned is which kind? please elaborate, thanks. What is insoles? Pardon me for my "suakuness" coz I've never backpack before, and for the holidays I've been so far, i've always over-packed with several pairs of shoes: track shoes, strappy heels, sports sandals and slippers. As such, i'm pretty worried that I would need a big luggage to go Europe. But after looking at your list, I'm more assured, and i think i probably won't need so much things.

Is June/July the peak season for Europe? Since it's the school holidays here, the price may go up and my colleagues advised that I go only in after the school holidays. What do u think?
 
halo fairymoss!

yayaya, we got exactly de same preferences eh? heehee! wah, u r planning for such a long trip eh? i can make it for 3wks but i think my FH cannot...we'll see how it goes..

let's wait for de ladies to reply on those questions u asked..i'm interested to noe too...
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hi fairymoss,

F&E just means that you dun follow a guided tourgroup. It doesn't necessarily equate to backpacking. U can go to nearby places F&E (eg M'sia, Thailand etc) but u dun necessarily backpack right? Pple who backpack usually are travelling on a budget..they stay in youth hostels or budget hotels. Bear in mind that in some European cities (even Paris), they still have cobblestone streets, which can make lugging ure wheeled luggage a huge bother. Depending on where you stay, some places can only be accessed by walking (eg the street I stayed on in Paris was closed to traffic) Actually it all depends on how mobile u guys wanna be. If u want to be able to move abt easily w/o worrying abt cumbersome luggage, then backpacking is easier. Plus like u said, u wun be backpacking every day unless ure gonna be moving between cities/different accomodation every 1-2 days. Hubby and I aren't v fit pple and we had no problems w our backpacks, which were actually overloaded (we carried too much). We stayed in each city for 3-4 days each, hence we didn't spend most of our trip lugging the packs. I think we wld have suffered more taking those cabin wheeled luggage along w us, esp since we relied alot on trains and buses.

July is the start of the European & American summer holidays. Some cities can be more expensive during this time. Dun just take into consideration our school holiday periods here..u'll also have to take note of the peak periods there. Summer in Europe is the peak season and hotel rates can go up quite high compared to winter.

The sun in Europe can be scorching. If u burn easily, its advisable to bring moistorizer w SPF.
 
Hi fairymoss,

The jacket i brought was a cheapo $30 lightly padded black jacket i bought from Robinsons. It had some elasticized contouring at the sides and double stitching, so it looked less like a garbage bag compared to some other cheap jackets. Almost brought my leather jacket but in the end decided to leave it at home because I thought it would be too tight for layering. Sigh!

I brought only one pair of shoes which I wore. No space in backpack for anything else! But I did bring a very cheap ($2) pair of bedroom slippers which I was thankful for- some of the b&b's have no carpeting and in spring the floor can be ice cold!! Esp after you step out from bed... Forget about strappy heels- comfortable boots are better for protecting your ankles on those cobbles, and sometimes loose gravel / dirt paths!

Re: F&E vs Backpacking
As Alhana said, it isn't necessarily the same thing. I have F&E'd for many years but this year's trip was our first time backpacking.

Reasons why people may want to backpack in Europe: you normally would want to visit more than one city while in Europe, and unless you want to fly, you'd travel on the train just like everyone else in Europe. Their system is fantastic, you can get anywhere by train, but very often you have to change trains several times.

Imagine to get to your destination, you have to change train at a particular station and only 5 mins to get from platform A to platform G. Missing the train means you have to wait another 3 hours.

Your train arrives there 2 mins late, so when you get off the train at platform A, you rush down the stairs, run down a crowded hallway looking for platform G, then sprint up the stairs again, just in time to see your connecting train pulling into the station. After 2 mins, the train pulls out of the station exactly at the scheduled time. If you had been late 2 mins, the train would have gone, (whether or not you have seat reservations). With backpacks, this is fairly easy to do. With heavy suitcases? Forget it.

Second scenario:
Your first train is really late into the station and you missed your connection. The next train to your destination is in 1.5 hours time. With backpacks, you simply head to the locker room, dump your stuff, insert coins into the locker and get a number, then head off to explore the town and do some shopping or eating(!)

If you have suitcases, you'll need to be lucky enough to be in a station which has a manned luggage keeping service, 'cos your big bag will not fit in a small locker. You may end up just sitting around the station for that 1+ hour!

Amount of time you spend carrying the backpack is actually very little. Example:
1) from plane to airport lobby to bus stop.
REST ON BUS
2) from bus stop to train station (a few steps)
REST ON TRAIN
3) from train station to hotel lobby (if lucky, a hundred metres away. If unlucky, 1 km away)
REST WHILE CHECKING IN
4) from hotel lobby to room (via lift if lucky, climb up 6 storeys if unlucky)
DUMP BAG IN HOTEL ROOM.

4 days later:
1) from hotel room to train station. (urgh, this is the worst part, because have to rush because took too much time over makeup and breakfast)
REST ON TRAIN
2) from train platform X to platform Y
REST ON TRAIN
3) from destination train station to tram stop (a few steps)
REST ON TRAM
4) from tram stop to B&B room (if lucky, a few steps. If unlucky, a steep walk uphill)
DUMP BAG IN B&B ROOM

...etc.etc.
Hope I gave you a gd idea what it's like traveling light and on a moderate budget - i.e. no taxis, just trains, buses, trams. No expensive hotels, just budget ones or B&Bs.
 
Fairymoss

Be it lug luggage or backpack, u leave your belongings in the hotel when u go for day trips. U bring your belongings ard only when u move from hotel to hotel. I lugged luggage when I went for my honeymoon on the trams, buses, trains, domestic flight when we travel to another location. No problem @ at all.

Alhana described very well Free and Easy vs backpack. I wld say backpack is a subset of free n easy.

I m not sure if it is humid in italy. Switzerland n France r v dry. I brought n wore wat I wear in Singapore - sleeveless, 3/4 pants, jeans, regretted not bringing spaghetti. Personally feel dat it is better u access how's the weather like next yr b4 u decide wat u gonna bring. My European colleague told me dat it is unusually hot tis yr. Usually it is 20 over degree celsius during summer. Like Grace, I oso wore the heavier clothing (eg jeans instead of 3/4 pants) when I need to lug my luggage to another location.

If u r going to the alps, bring along winter clothing, gloves, long john, thick socks n sun shade. It is cold up in the alps even in summer.

Nitty gritty-gritty things to bring
- If u have Swiss knife, bring it along. Can come in handy. If u dun have, dun need to buy.
- Nail cutter (in your check-in luggage, not allowed in handcarry). The skin ard your nail may peel in dry weather.
- If u r bringing instant noodle, remember to bring along 2 pairs of chopsticks or plastic fork. Throw them away only on your last day. I brought 2 containers as I brought package instant noodles. Find them not so bulky compare to cup noodles. I bought a travel water boiler. Most hotels in Europe dun provide dat.
- Bring 3-1 cooling tea n luo han guo in cube form. My hubby n I drank a glass of it after we bathed. We feel warm n comfortable as it wz v cold after bathing. The cooling tea cooled our body as we tend to get heaty when we travel.
- Bring travel medical kit
 
Shook,
Wah! Salute you man. How did you manage to lug suitcases around... I think I wouldn't have managed, after seeing all the stairs we had to climb. Maybe, we were just travelling a lot more. Some journeys had up to 3 or 4 train changes!

Fairymoss
I agree with Shook that on day trips there is no need to carry all your luggage, since you can leave it in the hotel room. That said, make sure your bags in the room are locked but also don't leave anything valuable inside, just in case. Bring your camera, passport etc with you at all times.
 
Yeah Shook. I admire you for being able to travel on trams, buses, trains etc lugging suitcases! In Paris, I had to climb 4 floors to reach my hotel room..if I had a suitcase, wld just die. What's more, these budget hotels dun have such things as porters or bellhops. Ure on ure own!

Yup, its crucial that pple exercise caution w rgds to belongings. Some European cities like Paris have v high incidences of petty crimes, like pickpockets etc. I read some travellers' tales of them losing their luggage just after they disembarked the Eurostar. They'll be distracted by someone asking for directions etc, and they next min they turn ard, their luggages are gone. So be aware of where your things are at all times. Even carrying knapsacks may not be as safe as you think. My hubby's friend had her knapsack unzipped by this kid while it was still on her back in broad daylight! Luckily her friend saw and chased the kid off. That's how bold they can be. And dun imagine tt touristy places are safe....u'll see signs everywhere to be careful of pickpockets.
 
Grace, Alhana

Yeh, I climbed up the stairs in the hotel in Zurich (1 level) n Amsterdam (abt 4 levels). The one in Amsterdam is the worst coz a level of the stair is spiral kind.

Wat my hubby n I did wz we lugged our luggage when we walked up the stairs, step by step, slow tho but we dun feel the wt of the luggage. When we went dwn the stairs, I carried my hubby's luggage dwn 1st then helped my hubby to carry my luggage. My hubby carried the handle portion, I carried the bottom portion. My luggage is bigger so we stuffed the heavy things into my luggage
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We sent in our luggage to the train station for journey whereby we need to change a few trains. We collected the luggage when we reached the final destination. Of coz gotta check wat time the luggage arrive n wat time the baggage counter close. We missed the baggage collection in Geneva by abt 5 min. The counter staff ignored us n asked us to collect on the next day. My hubby wz v persistent. In the n, a kinder staff gave it n let us collect our luggage
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Hi foreverfriends,

Hehe..I seriously doubt my hubby & I will have ure patience! For us, it was nothing to just run w our backpacks to catch buses, trains etc. Sorta like taking part in the Amazing Race, when the teams had to catch their connections etc :P Also, travelling to places like Europe, I'd rather have my stuff w me at all times. Always hear tales of pple's luggage going missing (or like in ure case, missing the baggage collection time! Ure lucky to encounter a nice person who allowed u to collect them. Some of the pple we met in Europe were really rude..probably wldn't give us the time of day even. And it can be worse if they dun spk ure language.)
 
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