WHAT TO PACK

Let's start with the essentials. First, before you begin to pack, you need a backpack to put all your belongings in right?  So how big should the bag be?  I ended up taking the 65-70 Litre bag fully equipped with all the padding needed.  It also had a day pack attached to it which came in handy later on.  If the bag you currently have doesn't have a day pack, I suggest you buy one as well because its great to have because you can put your travel guide, camera, water bottle ect. in.  For women, I suggest 55-60 litres.  The other advice I can give is when you buy a bag before your departure, fill it up to the top and walk around the house or the corner store, just to get a feel for the padding.  The backpack is one of the most essential items so don't hold back on spending for something of higher quality.  Believe me, you will pay for it in the end.  I purchased mine at Mountain Equipment co-op and recommend to those who have it in their neighborhood to check it out. Helpful Tip: Another helpful tip that I will pass along to you is this.  Before leaving, take what you think you need on the backpacking trip and put it on your bed.  Once you have done that, take away half of that and see what you have left.  Once that is done, take another half out and that is what you should be bringing to Europe.

THE LIST

The first thing I should let you know is that I was backpacking in the summertime.  This means that I didn't have to worry about Raincoats, heavy fleeces or warm clothes in general.  If you are planning to go sometime during the winter or fall, just replace the t-shirts with 1 sweatshirt and replace the shorts with another pair of pants (maybe even jogging pants) Here is the list I brought and recommend for you: Clothes: - 5-6 underwear - 5-6 socks - 1 pair of jeans (optional in the summer) - 1 pair of khakis - 1 pair of sleep clothes (I had shorts and a tank-top) - 2 t-shirts (you can buy more later) - 2 shorts - 2 tank-tops - 1 anorak (or a windbreaker) - 1 long sleeve (I brought a rugby type shirt and it lasted me) - 1 clubbing shirt (preferably collared) - 1 pair of dress shoes (optional; usesful only if you plan to go to clubs often and want to look nice) - 1 pair of runners - 1 pair of sandals Essentials: - First aid kit (include advil for hangovers) - Sleep sheet (take a queen size bedsheet and sew it together) - A deck of cards and mini chess board (make the train ride go by faster) - A walkman (optional) 3 tapes max - 1 book (for reading; doesn't include the guidebook) - 1 mini-clock with alarm - 1 swiss army knife (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) - A bag of laudry detergent - Small bottle of febreeze (optional) - 1 small flashlight - Calling cards - Photocopies of your passport, eurail ticket, travellers cheques and if you have glasses, your eye perscription - 1 travel journal - 5 large ziplock bags ( they come in handy later on) - 1 sink plug for laundry purposes ( I used an old tennis ball and cut it in half) - Money belt - Hostel card (optional) - 3 locks (include a bike lock) - Calculator - Camera and film - Only essential toiletries (ie: toothpaste, towel, soap, deodorant, and shaver, etc) Helpful Tip The logic behind this list is simple.  The most important clothing items is going to be your socks and underwear.  All the rest can be worn a lot longer than wearing dirty undewear.  I say 6 is good because it means you only have to do laundry once a week or more.  Bringing dark clothes is also a good idea as the dirt stains don't show as much.  Also keep in mind that bringing dress shoes is one of the heavier items so if you don't care too much about going to nice clubs in Europe, the pair of runners will do fine.  Also remember that when you finish a role of film, it would be a waste to develop it right away because it adds on alot of unnecessary weight to your backpack.  If you really can't wait, however, then I suggest you develop the role and send it home via mail so again you don't have to carry it.  I highly recommend the army knife because it comes in handy when you have picnics along the rivierra.