Contiki Guides: Ultimate Packing List

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Recently I went on a 45 day Contiki trip around Europe. We had a luggage limit of 20kgs for the month and a half of travelling so packing the right stuff was very important. No one really nailed it and a lot of us ended up mailing clothes and items home, wishing we had packed certain things and regretting packing others. In the months leading up to my trip I researched as much as I could on Contiki and European backpacking in general, mainly looking for packing lists and advice. There were so many different opinions and tips but nothing specifically what I was looking for. It always depends on a lot of variations such as what time of year you travel, what countries you visit, how many days you go for, what kind of trip you book (camping, hotels, hostels, adventurer), if you're used to cold/hot weather, what you usually wear, etc. So I went ahead and wrote a very rough packing list of my own. Keep in mind that I am writing it based on my experience travelling Europe between April and August. Whilst this packing list is a part of my Contiki guides and is mainly aimed at Contiki trips, it CAN be applied to any general backpacking or travelling.

So, lets start with what bag you're going to take...
I discussed the pros and cons to suitcases and backpacks in my Ultimate Eurotrip Travel Tips blog post. Basically you should look for the following in a bag:
  • Easy to carry- There will be times you will need to carry your bag up numerous flights of steep stairs, through busy streets, along dirt/gravel roads, up steep hills, along crappy cobblestones and all sorts of other places, so make sure that you will be able to carry your bag with ease
  • Wheels- When you're not having to carry it you will have to be walking with it... quite often, so if it has wheels as well, it will be very handy (people on my Contiki that brought the big back packs got really sick of carrying their stuff on their back constantly and having no other option).
  • Spacious but not overly large- You want lots of room to fit important stuff but you don't want a huge over sized bag that is going to be a pain in the ass.
  • Tough- Make sure your bag of choice is tough because it will go through a lot of rough days being dragged, thrown and knocked around under the bus/on the plane.
A little tip when looking for the perfect bag- don't rush! Give yourself plenty of time, don't buy one at the last minute, do heaps of research and shop around for prices, different brands and make sure you've really found the perfect bag.

Now- the most important tip when packing for travelling which I've mentioned plenty of times is to - PACK LIGHT!

Before you even think about shopping for "outfits" or "winter wear" or a "European wardrobe" or even going through your clothes- write a list. A long, detailed list of anything and everything you want to bring and think you'll need. Do some research, search the web for packing lists and tips and jot down anything you think might help you along the way.

Next, review the list and try to split it into categories. Make a clothes list (2 x sweaters, 3 x singlets, 16 x undies, etc), a shoes list, a toiletries list (shampoo, body wash, makeup, etc) and a must-have list (passport, contiki pack, plane tickets, sleeping bag, etc). Lay out all your clothes and put together outfits. Make sure there are super "mix and match" able meaning you can almost pick any piece of clothing out and wear them together, colour coordinate and make it easy on yourself.

Finally, cull the crap out of it all. Half everything and then half it all again. Take out the stuff you don't need and know you won't need.

Let's Talk Clothes:

Clothes are the hardest part in my opinion because you never know what you're going to need or want to wear or what the weather will be like because it's always so unpredictable and subject to change. My best advice is layers. If you bring things you can layer then you don't have to lug around a huge heavy coat on a surprisingly hot day or regret not bringing a sweater on an unsuspected chilly night. You can peel layers off or slip layers on.

The other hardest part about giving a specific clothing list is that it will change depending on the length of time you travel for. In this case I'm just going to give a bit of a brief clothing's list that I think can be applied to most trips and hopefully it is super helpful!


My main tip would be, that no matter how long you are travelling for, aim to pack enough clothes for ten days if you know there are going to be laundry facilities. On Contiki there will be laundry facilities so if you pack 10 days or even 2 weeks work of clothes they should definitely last you until laundry day once a fortnight. This way your suitcase/bag stays light and you can easily find stuff and you don't go overboard (awkward pun if you're travelling by boat...). Also don't forget to look up weather averages for each place you're visiting so you can pack accordingly.
  • 2 weeks worth of undies and socks: You have access to sinks to hand wash and lots of laundry facilities so two weeks worth should last you until laundry day. Obviously don't bring as many socks if you aren't planning on wearing closed in shoes very often or don't usually wear socks.
  • 2 pairs of swimwear - MAX 3: Whether it's bikinis, board shorts or onesie swimsuits- you do not need more than 2, even if you're spending 2 weeks on a beach, out of your 45 days you're not there to do a swimwear fashion show you can wear one and the spare pair is for if the other is wet from the day before- you need to be practical.
  • One comfy outfit you could wear on a bus for up to 12 hours: I'm talking yoga pants, comfy tee's, maybe even some fluffy socks- you will be doing a lot of travelling and at first you will want to impress your fellow Contiki bus riders by wearing all your best outfits but by like day 4 everyone will be in pyjamas, leaving makeup in their suitcase and not even bothering with a hairbrush- so chill and bring an outfit you would wear on a rainy movie day that you can consistently wear on the particularly long bus days.
  • A comfy hoody: Everyone needs a comfy and preferably warm hoodie either for bus days, cold casual nights, group campsite dinners, or anything in between, just for the low key, chilly, comfy days.
  • A rain jacket: There are heaps of plain coloured rain jackets out there that you can match with your outfit (I got a black one) or whatever and most importantly you won't get wet, so definitely look into getting one because it will most definitely rain on your trip and having a rain jacket to slide over your clothes is a lot easier than carrying an umbrella around. They are lighter and take up way less room. 
  • A coat: If you're travelling to places that are notoriously cold then it's a good idea to bring a coat. Personally being from Australia, I have never owned a coat but one really came in handy on my trip because there were cold nights and even days where a coat was very appreciated to be able to slip into. I will say however, it can be a huge pain to have to carry coats around if you get too hot in it and have to take them off.
  • Maximum two pairs of pyjamas: Just like everything else, having comfortable pjs is a must because you have to sleep in them and if you aren't comfortable you will hate life. I would recommended bringing one warm pair for the particularly cold nights and one pair that you wear all the time! If you sleep naked maybe just bring some pyjamas incase you scar your roommates for life. You will be having your own bed for the majority of the time so sleeping naked or semi naked is super possible and to be honest a week or so into the trip you feel like everyone is your family anyway and will soon be scarily comfortable in front of them. Again, you can always wash them and if you're one of those people who puts their pyjamas in the wash after one night of wear then you need to get help.
Outifts
Instead of listing particular clothing items you need like X amount of crop tops and this many skirts and this many pairs of jeans, etc, I'm going to just make a brief list of the outfits you'll need to take and how many I think you'll need. Hopefully it's just as helpful, if not more helpful. 
  • Casual Comfy Sightseeing: I feel like I've been over drilling the whole "comfy" thing in this blog post but I just cannot emphasise enough how important it is to be comfy!!! You will be sightseeing a lot and it may seem like a blissful, lovely activity prancing through Parisian streets and exploring old ruins with a smile on your face. However, if you have underwear that ride so far up your ass that you walk with a limp, if you wear tight chaffing-inducing pants or overly hot clothing on cool days you will not have fun or enjoy your days. You will also probably have to ask your roommate that night to apply anti-chafing cream and thats just awkward. So make sure you have some outfits lined up that ARE COMFORTABLE and you could walk around in all day and not feel like you want to rip them off yourself. For the two week period you will have to look at your itinerary and see how many sight seeing type of days you have but don't be afraid to be an outfit repeater because you are not walking a fashion show you are exploring cities- you will get hot and sweaty some days, other days you'll be freezing and some days you'll have to climb a bloody mountain, so be prepared for anything! Just make sure you pack at least seven good sightseeing outfits that are (AS I HAVE SAID AND WILL REPEAT) comfy and bearable.
  • Bar/Clubbing: Contiki is well known for its party culture and whether you’re a drinker or not I’m sure you won’t want to miss out on the party experience (a few people on my trip always came out even if they didn’t or couldn’t drink). Have a few outfits you would wear “out” at home but also have some that you can wear whilst it’s a chilly/warm night. The key to not go overboard on these outfits is to bring items that you can mix and match a lot and rewear with other clothing items to make them look like a whole new outfit. Try and colour coordinate so you can do this and avoid taking too many “statement” pieces that can only really be worn once. Again don’t be afraid to be an outfit repeater because when everyone has had 27 tequila shots (ACTUALLY me in Santorini…) no one will remember you wearing that skirt last week. 
  • Fancy/Formal: For my particular Contiki trip we had one or two nights where we “dressed to impress” and these were to go to the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco and for a fancy river cruise dinner in Budapest. Both were heaps of fun and dressing up can sometimes be a nice change and exciting. If you’re a guy I would suggest either bringing two nice shirts and maybe a plain coloured tie (so you’re able to wear it with any shirt) or a suit (A suit, not two). For the gals, imagine you’re going to a formal dinner not a wedding (don’t go that intensely formal). Maybe bring one nice dress and a top that can be dressed up or worn casually. Avoid bringing too many formal pieces because you won’t wear them and it’s a waste of space.
  • Hiking/Exercise: If you’re an exercise freak, you may be in luck. A few people on my trip made an effort to keep up morning runs and they got a group together that did it. Just don’t bring excessive exercise gear if you know that you’re not going to stick to regular exercise and if you know you just like the idea of doing it but won’t actually commit. Even if you won’t participate in extra, unnecessary exercise, you will need atleast two outfits you can get a bit sweaty in because there are some activities such as hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, lots of general walking and things along those lines. So bring some exercise pants (leggings, yoga pants, etc) and maybe a sports bra (maybe not the boys but I’m not here to make judgements..) but again, don’t go overboard. Bring some clothes you know might get muddy or wet or gross and you won’t be too sad about throwing out or leaving behind.
  • Beachy/Summery: When preparing for my trip, even though we went to the Greek Islands, I really underestimated how warm it was going to be in some parts and did not pack accordingly. If your trip is visiting “tropical” or “beachy” places then make sure you have some summery outfits. These are usually quite light because they are designed to be worn in hot weather. Aim to pack a few summer dresses or playsuits (the short ones), a few pairs of shorts that are comfy and some singlet’s or light tops (even crop tops, but don’t pack 7 like I did :|)
  • Themed Parties: Contiki also throw a few themed parties at their onsite accommodations. Quite often other Contiki groups will also be staying there and thus epic parties are thrown with extra new people to mingle with. The themed parties that were held on my trip include the following: A “P” themed party in a French Chateaux’s bomb shelter where everyone had to dress up as something starting with the letter P (we had Parisians, pimps, prostitutes, punks, pussy cats, and my friends and I went as the Pussy Cat Dolls with “popstar outfits” and buns on the top of our heads to look like cat ears), A Masquerade party in Venice (we all bought masks during our day into Venice), an I LOVE ROMA party in, you guessed it, Rome (where we all bought shirts that said I LOVE ROMA and everyone signed stuff on each others shirts as a little memoir), A toga party in Corfu, Greece (the togas were provided thankfully), a tight, white and bright party in Austria where everything white and fluro glowed (I’d recommended bringing an outfit for this, the best glowing colour was definitely white but maybe wear a fluro headband or something to mix it up) and a red and white party in Switzerland (which you can also just improvise with or chuck in something red and white).
Let's Talk Shoes:

Please for the love of easy travelling DO NOT bring more than 4 pairs of shoes, the less the best. You do not need 8 different pairs of sandals, 4 different coloured pairs of vans or a display of heels. Stick to the packing light rule and be practical. I recommend:
  • Thongs/Flip Flops: These can be worn at the beach, on casual bus days to easily slip on and off during service stops and sleeps, on general hot days and in gross looking showers for hygiene. Go for a neutral colour like black that can be worn with most outfits and won’t look odd. You don’t have to buy an expensive brand either, I bought a pair from Target (kind of like a Walmart or Primark) for ONE DOLLAR! And to be fair they did break but they did last at least a month of solid wearing! So maybe spend more than a dollar but don’t go crazy and feel like you have to buy the expensive brands.
  • Going Out Shoes: For guys pick one or MAX two pairs of shoes you would usually wear out (vans, converse, whatever the kids wear these days I ain’t no boy whispterer) or maybe even take a formal pair as well- BUT THAT’S IT. Girls if you want to bring some kind of heel, opt for wedges rather than the skinny heel because it can be next to impossible walking in heels around Europe due to heavily cobbled streets and lots of stairs. Also bring a pair of comfy (KEY WORD) sandals that you can casually wear during the day and can be worn out clubbing or partying.
  • Hiking/Exercise Shoes: If you’re going to participate in the exercise or any of the hiking, biking or fun physical activities then pack either a pair of comfy (again KEY WORD) sneakers/trainers/joggers or some hiking shoes that you can walk on dodgy terrains in and not feel like your feet are bleeding.
  • Closed in Comfy Walking Shoes: If your trainers/joggers/sneakers are comfy enough to sight see in and walk around in all day then forget this option, but if not, maybe look into some kind of shoes that you would comfortable wearing for hours sightseeing and exploring cities in. Don’t bring any shoes that give you blisters, sore feet or don’t support your feet properly, no matter how “in fashion” they are.
Toiletries/Cosmetics:
  • Shampoo/Conditioner: Usually people go for the mini bottles when travelling but if your trip goes for longer than a few weeks, I would recommend bringing normal sized bottles that will last you a while to save having to hunt the shops on your sight seeing days.
  • Soap/Body Wash: Whichever you use and again aim for a normal sized bottle/bar which will hopefully last you
  • Shower Hat: These can be handy to invest in if you want to avoid getting your hair wet in the shower when you’re not washing it. Aim for a decent one rather than the fragile and very thin plastic ones you get from hotels.
  • Deodorant: You'll need the because no one will sit next to you on the bus if you smell. Aim for a roll on or non-aerosol deodorant as its easier to apply quickly on the bus and on planes or any transport/on-the-go (in general), and sometimes it's not allowed or is just a bit inconsiderate to spray deodorant in an inclosed space (especially if someone follows with an asthma attack). 
  • Razor: Either buy a packet of disposable razors or take a good one from home, it's totally up to you. I brought my good one from home and left it in Greece which led to some scarily hairy days awaiting the mainland for a razor (especially not pretty on a beach). 
  • Make Up Wipes/Remover: Make up wipes are a saviour on drunk nights when you just want to crash and are super nice to have to freshen your face up whilst on the go. Also there might be a few places you are staying where sinks might not be super conveniently positioned, so having makeup wipes can just be a lot easier. If you usually wash your face another way then definitely bring that too but have some make up wipes as a back up.
  • Wet Wipes: Wet wipes are amazing for the days you have been on the bus for hours and feel gross and need to freshen up your body, as well as being beautifully soft and fresh on your bum :O (but seriously most of the hostels have the lowest most "sand-paper-like" toilet roll which just is not a good time).
  • Make Up: Aim for minimal make up because you don’t want to be hauling around an overload of it nor do you want to take expensive stuff you could either lose or that could be stolen. You want to be able to dress up on the fancy nights and party nights, but just try not to go overboard
  • First Aid Kit: See my whole blog post on the Ultimate First Aid Kit for travelling here.
  • Tooth brush + paste: Just grab a cheap two pack of the old school toothbrushes and a normal sized toothpaste so you have a back up/spare (I misplaced my tooth brush many times) and enough toothpaste to keep your teeth clean for the duration of your travels.
  • Hair brush or comb: Whatever it takes to keep the knots at bay.
  • Hair ties & bobby pins: They always come in handy and if you can't find a hair tie your life can get realllll difficult (especially when you have long hair).
  • Moisturizer: Just a handy tube, don't take any jars or tubs that will take up too much room.
  • Cotton Buds/Tips: If you use them for make up or ear cleaning or anything.
  • Travel Mirror (unbreakable): Totally optional, I managed without one of these but recently I did a four day Oktoberfest camping Contiki and it came in handy then because I could do my makeup in the tent rather than trek to the bathrooms and try to squeeze in front of the mirror amongst the 20 or so other girls. Most of the accommodations do have mirrors or attached bathrooms with a mirror and some come with great mirrors in your room. However, as you will probably be sharing with three other girls most of the time, the mirror sharing can be a bit of a pain and taking turns to get in there can make the process a whole lot longer than it has to be. Even if you just have a mirror in one of your makeup compacts or something, it can help.
  • Lip Balm: There will most likely be cold weather and for me that always leads to dry and cracked lips. My absolute favourite lip balm product is Paw Paw Cream I struggle to love any other products nearly as much. 

Gadgets/Electronics:
  • Adapter: If you're heading to more than one country/continent and require more than one different plug, have a bit of a search on the good old internet for a multi adapter! They are usually a bit pricey but so worth it! It saves carrying around a few different adapters and it's literally just the push of a switch and you have any type of plug you may need. Otherwise if you go for a standard one be aware that you will need different plugs for Europe, the UK, Asia/Australia and the USA.
  • Multi-plug board/Power strip: On a similar topic, bringing a multi plug board/power strip will save you a whole lot of pain over arguing over power points, being able to charge your devices and having access to enough charging points. Most of the places we stayed at were limited to power points, sometimes we had one powerpoint for four of, sometimes we had one each and sometimes we didn't have one in the room at all. So it really varies and I would highly recommend bringing one of these so you can all share and you can charge more than one thing at once.
  • Portable Power Box: Another awesome gadget that I wish I had invested in (and still don't own) is a portable power box. These can be as small as your wallet/purse and basically they charge your devices like a power point would and you need to charge them as well but a lot less regularly. They are super handy for times when power points are really difficult to get to but you want to be able to use your phone/camera the next day. They can be lifesavers! Alternatively if you're only bringing your iPhone/Smart phone and only that will really need charging, definitely have a look into the self charging phone cases. It's basically a phone case and a power box in one, you can press a button on your case and it charges your phone and eventually you just charge the case (again a lot less often).
  • Smart Phone: Obviously smart phones are very common these days and they're also very handy for taking photos and videos, using for a torch, an alarm, a compass, maps and if you have access to internet then it allows you to do almost anything! Definitely very handy to have! I got a bit paranoid before I left for my trip because I had read quite a few reviews about thieves stealing smart phones from tourists and how they snatch them from you or look for them on you. Also before I left I dropped mine into a river when I was drunk and had to pay for a new one which made me question whether I could trust my drunk self to look after it around Europe. Fortunately, it stayed in one piece and served me well, however at least three people on my trip lost theirs. They were most devastated about the pictures they lost so MAKE SURE YOU BACK THEM UP! Whether its on a laptop (which i'll discuss below), through iCloud or drop box, make sure you back your photos and videos (and whatever else) up! Also possibly invest in what is known as a "life proof case" so if you do happen to drop it in a river or off the Eiffel Tower, hopefully it will be ok! 
  • Camera: If you're not a huge photography lover and don't have a fancy camera then maybe just stick to iPhone pictures. Otherwise as I mentioned in my Ultimate Eurotrip Travel Tips blog post, there are these digital cameras that are "tough" and can be taken under water and also take really good quality photos! The con to taking a big canon camera or large lenses is that they can be a real pain to carry around with you even though they obviously take amazing photos so you just have to weigh up the pros and cons yourself really. I took a GoPro on my trip and it was super easy to carry everywhere as it's tiny, I also took a stick for it (kind of like a selfie stick but with more dignity) and I literally filmed almost my entire trip with it so if you're into documenting stuff and videoing, I would 100% recommend investing in a GoPro!
  • Spare memory cards & camera batteries: If you do end up bringing a camera then DO NOT forget to stock up on extra memory cards and camera batteries and make sure you have your charging cords packed. If you are planning on only taking photos and have quite a big memory card then you should be fine! But remember that videos take up more memory space. I took a few 32GB memory cards with me and filmed over 3 hours worth of footage on my GoPro as well as more on my Canon. My friend's GoPro memory card filled up and she had quite a difficult time finding one to buy when travelling so be prepared.
  • Chargers for Everything: Obviously if you forget your chargers for your devices you won't be able to use them so triple check you have them all packed! My boyfriend had a little bag for all his cords, adapters and charging stuff and it was such a good idea because it keeps everything together so you can easily find it and if you wrap them properly they won't all get tangled.
  • Pros & Cons of Laptops: My laptop is my life. That sounds sad but without it I couldn't blog, I couldn't edit and make videos, I couldn't watch TV shows and I would definitely go insane if something happened to it. I also cannot afford to replace it/get a new one at the moment so if anything did happen to it I would be very devastated and without a laptop for a LONG time. Therefore, I did bring my laptop to England (because I was moving there for a year) but I didn't take it on my Contiki because I figured it might not be the safest, it could get very knocked around and I feel like it's quite sensitive and old as it is and I just didn't want to risk it. It would have been very heavy and annoying to lug around as well. My boyfriend took his and travels with it and his back pack is always SO heavy and I would not be able to deal with that. The pros of taking it are that you can put your photos straight on the laptop as a back up and you can use it to watch movies with everyone on nights in or on the bus, but to be honest, if you don't have a laptop, someone probably will and you can use theirs to watch stuff on! Also they usually play movies on the bus during sleepy/quieter days.
  • Headphones: If you love your music, don't forget to chuck your head phones into your carry on/back pack. 
  • Portable Luggage Scales: These come in handy for weighing your case on the go like if you have a plane trip booked after the Contiki and you need to be under a certain weight but may have overstocked on souvenirs... NOT a must-have, but if you are going to be travelling a lot and taking a lot of planes, then I would suggest bringing one. They are only small and don't take up too much room. 
  • Hair Straightners/Dryers: Honestly I would only bring either of these if you use them everyday or very often. In that case try to buy small travel ones and if you absolutely have to take a normal sized one then only bring one of the two (technically you can straighten your hair  with a hair dryer). Otherwise, they take up room and add weight- leave them at home.

Any Extra Bits & Bobs:
  • Sleeping Bag: Check if your Contiki requires a sleeping bag and if it does then keep in mind that although you will have to fit it in your suitcase for the plane over, the Contiki bus stores them separately and don't count it towards your overall 20KG bus weight limit. Aim for a light but warm one, and if you don't want to take one on the plane the Contiki basement (usually where you start) sells them for 20 pounds and they are REALLY warm! You usually will need sleeping bags so make sure you do have one by the time the bus leaves! The convenient thing is that the coach driver usually stores all the sleeping bags in a separate compartment under the bus to the bags so that when your trip stops at hostels or hotels where they aren't required, you don't need to get it off the bus!
  • Micro fibre Towel: Towels are usually required for most stops on this kind of trip as well, and I think I also discussed the micro fibre towel in my Ultimate Eurotrip Travel Tips blog post, but basically 100% buy one or two of these. Make sure they are full length towels and not hand sized ones because you won't be able to dry yourself properly! But they are super fast drying towels and very light so easy to carry and so much better to travel with because when you are on such a Go-Go-Go kind of trip, you don't really have time to properly air out normal towels and they can sometimes take ages to dry, especially if it's cold. 
  • A handy/hangable toiletries bag: My mum bought me this toiletries bag for christmas which had a hanger at the top and unfolded into these clear zipper display pocket things and it was life saving. It was so easy to shower with because you just took it in and hung it beside you like a portable shower shelf with everything easily accessed. It made showering in hostel and cabin showers so much easier.
  • Neck Pillow: I made the mistake of leaving my neck pillow at home in exchange for more space and I regret it so much. The difference in comfort is like 1000000%! It helps you sleep on the plane, on the bus and basically anywhere. It can be annoying to carry around if it doesn't fit in your bag, but I feel like it's so worth it for the comfort it brings. 
  • Passport: Pretty important! Make sure your passport is valid!
  • Important Documents & photocopies of them: Things like your boarding pass, any booking confirmations, photocopies of your passport, travel insurance, cards, etc, and keep them in a VERY safe place!
  • Travel Wallet: These are so handy to have for keeping all your travel documents in one place. Contiki actually send you a little welcome pack before you leave and I used their little pack as my travel wallet because it was a perfect size and had some little pockets.
  • Laundry Detergent: Grab a little travel washing detergent before you go so you're able to do washing on your trip- a definite MUST! A lot of the laundry costs vary but none of them (or none that I remember- except for hotels that took all your washing away and did it for you for a bit of a hefty price) provide the liquid/powder. You can then also hand wash stuff when there aren't laundries available. 
  • Universal Sink Stopper (literally $4): These are so cheap and easy and will not take up any room and they just allow you to block a sink and hand wash some things. My friends and I had so many emergency hand wash days for things like socks and underwear where we just lost track of clean pairs and didn't notice we were due for a wash load! They definitely come in handy because we had to use our socks to block the drain and I swear one of mine went down the sink.
  • Sunscreen & insect repellent: The mosquitos were the worst in Venice. It may just have been the time of year I went or maybe its like that all the time, but it definitely was worth having insect repellent. Sunscreen was mainly needed in Greece but also came in handy in some unexpected hot places. Stay sun smart everybody ;)
  • Journal and a few pens: Not everyone keeps a journal/diary or enjoys writing. I have always been someone who likes to document things so that I remember them and this trip was something I definitely didn't want to forget anything of. So even if you're not a huge writer, aim to bring a notebook and a few pens and jot down as many things about your trip as possible even if they're just dot points because you will not regret doing it in the future!
  • Day bag/Back pack: As well as your suitcase and maybe a small handbag, bring a day bag that you can take sight seeing. My friends on the trip had these really cool little backpacks that you could lock and unlock really easily and were knife proof, theft proof and also looked really cute and I thought they were so practical and great to have! They were also a really good size and able to fit enough stuff in without being too heavy. Would definitely go back in time and get one of those instead of what I ended up with (some huge, heavy, unspacious backpack that cost quite a bit). Find their bag here.
  • Hat: Bring a casual sun hat or cap for all the hot sight seeing days where you're constantly in the sun. Also very handy for the Greece end or anywhere you go that is a beachy place. 
  • Beanie/Gloves/A good scarf: Unless you're travelling in winter or going to very cold places or the snow, you probably won't need any of these. A good scarf is definitely handy to chuck over things and make you warmer. I was so glad for mine that my mum knitted me before I left and have worn it so much, I love it!
  • Sunglasses (you may lose a few pairs…): Don't take a really expensive pair of sunglasses because you  are most likely going to lose them. I've gone through so many pairs, one was when I was jumping off a boat with them on my face and I didn't realised that when I surfaced, they didn't. I only realised thats where I lost them when I watched my GoPro footage back! They will break in your bag/case, they could blow away, you could leave them somewhere. So maybe just opt for a normal priced pair and try to look after them.
  • Garbage + Zip lock bags: These always come in handy for things like washing, wet or muddy items, containing things, protecting things from water (like money in a zip lock bag when you're on the beach or something) and all sorts of things. Stuff a few in a suitcase pocket for sure.
  • A pillow case: A lot of hostels actually provided bedding but I took a pillow case just so that if there wasn't a pillow somewhere, I could just stuff some clothes in my pillow case and have a little makeshift pillow (which came in super handy for my camping contiki!).
  • Saftey Pins: These are always good to have whether its to hold up your toga or fix a rip/hole, chuck a few in your case.
  • Padlocks: A definite must pack, make sure you have enough padlocks for your main bag, backpack (if needed) and a spare one that you can use to lock away your valuables. A lot of hostel rooms come with lockers that can store your valuable things but usually you have to pay to rent a padlock so if you bring your own then you are in the clear!
  • Ear Plugs/Eye mask: If you have trouble sleeping with lights in the room or snorers or loud city noises then make sure to pack some of these because you won't get much sleep. We had quite a few hostels/hotels that were noisy and a lot of the boys snored and there was mostly always a bit of light in the room.
  • Bottle Opener: A handy little tool that I never really thought about but really would have come in handy. In Europe they haven't seemed to adopt the "screw top lid" fad, so we had some issues with bottles we couldn't open. Luckily other people had one we could borrow but try and pack one!


I will wrap it all up on that last little boozy note! I didn't want to make this post too long and I tried to keep the list small so as to not contradict my PACK LIGHT tip whilst also wanting to be as detailed as possible and literally make an ULTIMATE packing list. I'm also going to very lastly emphasise again the importance of comfortable clothes and shoes and being able to pack light so you can carry all your things. I know I've probably over repeated myself in this post but it's important and will help you so much on your travels! I hope as always that this post was helpful and that you enjoyed it! If you have any other questions about whether or not you should or shouldn't take something, or about any of the things I mentioned feel free to leave a comment or post on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/foreverwanderlost/timeline 

Also, if you haven't already, check out my video montage of all my Contiki Eurotrip footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0vTtnwvyII 

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