Women Travelers - 3 weeks in Europe: critique my packing list

Here's my packing list for my upcoming three week trip in May:

- 3 - 4 dresses in various styles (simple wrap travel dresses from ex officio and cabela, and possibly one from Patagonia if they'll take my US order with a CAD cc)
- 1 pair pants
- 1 pair yoga pants
- 1 - 2 pairs of tights
- 1 skirt
- 2 - 3 light t-shirts
- 1 sweater/wrap
- PJs
- light rain jacket
- underwear/bras as appropriate
- two pairs of shoes (one for walking, one nicer pair for evenings)
- pashmina
- two colourful cheap scarves (I may ditch these and go with a "buy it and wear it" approach)
- small make up bag with multi use items (can't live without my benetint)
- brush, flat iron, hair elastics, though I'm leaving the hairdryer and styling stuff at home.
- iPad loaded with books/guides
- iPad charger, cable, and converter
- camera

Am I missing any major essentials? Packing too much? Not enough? All major clothing items are designed for travel and easy to wash/pack thankfully, and I picked up a light backpack from LL Bean for the trip which should fit everything I need.

I'll be doing carry-on only so I'll have to exist on mainly hotel toiletries, with the exception of a few must haves like my moisturizer, which is the main reason I'll be packing my flat iron. It's a light 1" version from iTools, and without it my hair will be an untamable mess.

Thoughts?

It would help to know what cities/countries you'll be visiting and what activities you'll be doing during days and nights.

I spent 2 weeks in Japan & Hong Kong last May-June and 2 weeks in Morocco earlier this month. My trips typically involve a lot of walking during the daytime. Evenings may or may not be dressier. Looking at your packing lists with my typical travel in mind, I'd say:
1. More pants, but that's a personal choice.
2. More layering options. For Morocco I knew I'd be dealing with temps ranging from 40s to high 80s (sometimes in the same day). I had two jackets--one suede, one lighter--and a couple cardigan sweaters. So I could layer t-shirt, sweater, jacket and then remove accordingly.
3. I'm horribly blister prone, so for a 3-week trip I'm inclined to bring 4 pairs of shoes. These would typically include 1 pair of running shoes (which I rarely wear while walking around), 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of close-toed shoes & 1 pair of dressy shoes. My Morocco trip was complicated by the fact that I broke my big toe about 4 days before departure.

FWIW, I keep an electronic packing list for all of my longer trips and post-trip I'll do a critique so I can improve my packing for future trips. (For future Morocco trips, fo example, I'll make notes to ditch the workout wear--as a woman, I don't feel comfortable running there--and the dryer/flat iron.)

Thanks for the tips :).

I'm definitely looking more at skirts/dresses as a personal choice. My hit list is:

Ireland
Scotland
Czech republic
Italy

All regions appear to hover around the same temperatures for my visit so I'm lucky there. I may pack a second wrap or sweater for options though, depending on what will fit in my backpack.

I was very cold in Ireland in late June until we got to Blarney woolen mills - bought warm wool sweaters, socks
suggest to be prepared for rainy, cold weather but also you might be lucky and have sunny days

Pack as much black as you can. It goes with everything and then you can accessorize with color on outerwear like the pashmina. It's also hard to clash. :p Also, bring 2 pairs of pants.

Do you really need a flat iron? You mentioned leaving "styling stuff" and the hairdryer at home. I'd leave the iron at home too. If it's rainy and humid, your hair will frizz out during the day anyway. Mine does at least. ;) I use the tiny frizz-ease hair serum before I blow dry. It works VERY well in keeping your hair in control.

I don't see gloves on your list. You might want a nice pair (dark leather) with a warm lining (cashmere or silk) for the evenings and rainy days.

Given that you will be going to Ireland and Scotland, I would bring sufficient clothes and shoes to allow for the possibility--no, certainty--that your shoes and pant legs are going to be soaking wet on some days and will likely need a day to dry out between wearings. Waterproof or quick-drying shoes/pants will be a godsend. Also, both of those countries can be quite chilly at any time of year, so make sure you have enough warm clothes to deal with that. Layering is key.

Given that you will be going to Ireland and Scotland, I would bring sufficient clothes and shoes to allow for the possibility--no, certainty--that your shoes and pant legs are going to be soaking wet on some days and will likely need a day to dry out between wearings. Waterproof or quick-drying shoes/pants will be a godsend. Also, both of those countries can be quite chilly at any time of year, so make sure you have enough warm clothes to deal with that. Layering is key.
Agree with all of the above for Scotland, umbrella, gloves and rain coat were in daily use along with changing out shoes and socks due to being wet. It didn't rain all of the time but it did rain enough that you have to be constantly prepared. When on vacation I don't stay in because of rain, I just put on the rain gear and go.

Also regarding scarves, definitely take your favorite pashmina but you can leave behind the colorful scarves. You will find them everywhere in your travels and they will be something you wouldn't see in the stores here.

I take 4 pairs of shoes when I travel. I can't wear the same pair of "comfort/walking" shoes every day. I can't wear the same style shoe two days in a row or even all day if I am walking a lot. I take 2 pairs of walking shoes/clogs, 1 pair of walking sandals and 1 pair of cute (still comfortable) shoes. If the weather is too cold for sandals I take 3 pairs of walking shoes/clogs. I know some people can get by with one or two pairs for a long trip but I cannot, my feet just will not tolerate it. I change shoes frequently when walking a lot.

Also on the flat iron while in the UK I went to Boots and bought a really cheap one and left it behind after spending a month in the UK.

Thanks for the tips :).

I'm definitely looking more at skirts/dresses as a personal choice. My hit list is:

Ireland
Scotland
Czech republic
Italy

All regions appear to hover around the same temperatures for my visit so I'm lucky there. I may pack a second wrap or sweater for options though, depending on what will fit in my backpack.

You're kidding right? Italy and Ireland/Scotland will have totally different weather in May. Italy should be lovely and warm, Scotland/Ireland will be chillier and wetter.

I suggest you pack more sweaters/cardigans and also consider what you're going to do when your shoes get wet.

Have a fabulous trip.

I'd also add: I'm a curly girl and certain travels just force me to embrace my curly side. I don't know the iTools brand, but if it's not 220 volt, it probably won't work very well. (I tried to use 110 volt flat irons with a converter & found it was a headache.) If your hair really is a "hopeless mess" without a flat iron, a travel version with a converter will do little to fix it. I'd suggest you either ditch the flat iron entirely or buy one once you get to Europe.

(I have invested in 220-volt versions of my favorite hair dryer and flat iron, and it's been worth it, but I also travel to 220-volt countries with some regularity. If you really do have unmanageable hair, you know what a headache it can be to use less-than-ideal tools. In my case, I found my favorite hairdryer on Amazon UK and had it shipped to my hotel a day or two before arriving in London a few years ago.)

Also on the flat iron while in the UK I went to Boots and bought a really cheap one and left it behind after spending a month in the UK.

I wish I could do that, my hair eats cheap flat irons for lunch. I've bought several in the past and had to chuck them because they don't get hot enough to deal with my thick, coarse hair. Add in the fact that it's well past my waist and things do get tricky in the hair department!

I'm going to add a cardigan or two to my list, along with another couple of pairs of tights for layering (I'm really not big on pants), and I already have my light combo rain jacket, so that should work, along with my indispensable Coach leather gloves. A cheap umbrella can be picked up on site, I've done that before. I'll see if I can squeeze in an extra pair of walking shoes too, just in case one pair gets wet.

All dresses, in fact most of the clothes I'm bringing, are of the quick dry, wicking variety (bought from Patagonia, Cabela, Ex Officio, and other sites of that nature), so that will help.

I'd also add: I'm a curly girl and certain travels just force me to embrace my curly side. I don't know the iTools brand, but if it's not 220 volt, it probably won't work very well. (I tried to use 110 volt flat irons with a converter & found it was a headache.) If your hair really is a "hopeless mess" without a flat iron, a travel version with a converter will do little to fix it. I'd suggest you either ditch the flat iron entirely or buy one once you get to Europe.


Hell. I hadn't thought of that. I have the 1" version of this flat iron (http://www.amazon.com/Bio-Ionic-OnePass-Ceramic-Straightening/dp/B0016P4P4K) from Bio Ionic, and it was not cheap. I couldn't justify buying a second one for travel, especially given how much cash I've already spent on various items for this trip!

I'll have to rethink that particular piece of equipment. I'll double check the manual when I get home, but I doubt it's dual voltage.

One of my packing splurges is a pair of sweatshirt material yoga pants I got at Target. I love putting them on when I come in from a chilly place. I sleep in them. I wore them back on the plane from Japan on Monday. They don't look obviously sweatsuity. They are super comfortable (I put an elastic band in them, replacing a drawstring which I hate.) They can double as running pants when the weather is cold.

If you are a skirt/dress person, I'd consider a couple of skirts with t-shirts rather than dresses. You can mix and match a bit more. I pack the same amount of stuff for three weeks as for one and I can tell you, I get so tired of some of my clothes.

Socks. (Or tights if you are wearing dresses.) When you're doing a lot of walking, and may be dealing with wet feet/shoes, having a spare pair of socks can really help.

Does your camera use a special battery / memory card? You didn't list charger/spares. I take LOTS of pictures, so that's always high on my list.

I'll second the "it may be colder than you think" posters above. I've frozen in Venice in May - and the breeze off the water can be wicked cold! Of course two days later I was in Florence, the sun came out & I was in short-sleeves.

I also include sunglasses, passport, plane tickets, hotel reservations, and credit/ATM cards as "major essentials" on my packing list. ;)

Hell. I hadn't thought of that. I have the 1" version of this flat iron (http://www.amazon.com/Bio-Ionic-OnePass-Ceramic-Straightening/dp/B0016P4P4K) from Bio Ionic, and it was not cheap. I couldn't justify buying a second one for travel, especially given how much cash I've already spent on various items for this trip!

I'll have to rethink that particular piece of equipment. I'll double check the manual when I get home, but I doubt it's dual voltage.

You can always take a gamble, but my experience is that converters & appliances that produce heat don't play well with one another. I've burned out at least one hair dryer that way, and found that other appliances get too hot/not hot enough/start to make strange noises when used with converters.

You can always take a gamble, but my experience is that converters & appliances that produce heat don't play well with one another. I've burned out at least one hair dryer that way, and found that other appliances get too hot/not hot enough/start to make strange noises when used with converters.

Yeah, I definitely don't want to risk burning out this thing. It's been a holy grail for making my hair presentable.



Does your camera use a special battery / memory card? You didn't list charger/spares. I take LOTS of pictures, so that's always high on my list.

Nope, plain old AAs. I do have a small charger and rechargeable batteries, I'll have to add those to my list.

I'll second the "it may be colder than you think" posters above. I've frozen in Venice in May - and the breeze off the water can be wicked cold! Of course two days later I was in Florence, the sun came out & I was in short-sleeves.


I think I'm a freak from that perspective - it has to get down to ~mid 30s before I start to feel chilly in a light sweater. Probably comes from growing up in the far north. I'm bringing lots of layers that will work together though, so I think I'll be covered.

I also include sunglasses, passport, plane tickets, hotel reservations, and credit/ATM cards as "major essentials" on my packing list. ;)

Sunglasses I always lose or break. I always end up buying cheap ones as I go. I am keeping all hotel reservations/tickets/etc on my iPad for easy access and scanning. I'm a bit torn on whether to print off physical copies due to sheer bulk of paper. But I probably will, I'm too paranoid not to. I'll just have to smash them in somehow!

I wish I could do that, my hair eats cheap flat irons for lunch. I've bought several in the past and had to chuck them because they don't get hot enough to deal with my thick, coarse hair. Add in the fact that it's well past my waist and things do get tricky in the hair department!


I'll have to rethink that particular piece of equipment. I'll double check the manual when I get home, but I doubt it's dual voltage.
My friend traveled with her Sedu flat iron and convertor to the UK. Something happened and the flat iron overheated, basically burnt her bangs off and in the process ruined her expensive flat iron. She had little girl bangs for weeks and was quite upset over the loss of her expensive Sedu and hair! After that experience I only buy local electrical stuff if it is touching my head.

Also I don't get the people trying to guide you away from dresses, I travel in dresses mostly as well, personally, professionally, domestically and internationally. Dress, tights, walking shoes, clogs or boots, costume jewelry, jacket or sweater or wrap and a scarf/pashmina is pretty much my standard outfit these days. I find wearing dresses extremely comfortable for all kinds of travel and social situations. Now that being said if I am hiking or doing a physical activity I do dress quite differently.

We did Ireland in August. I packed a few pairs of crop pants, a couple UPF protectant golf shirts, a water resistant jacket, a few slightly girlier outfits (but no skirts as I hate them), all the toiletries I use each week, a converter, iPod and charger, lots of wet wipes and hand sanatizer (these are important as all bathroom doors open in and have no paper towels), lysol wipes in a 1 gal ziptop bag (I like to clean rooms before I get comfortable), and flip flops to shower in.

We bought a prepaid cell phone there (Vodaphone has excellent rates to the US so an unlocked phone could give you cheap way to communicate with the outside world in each country).

Shoes are probably the most important part of your luggage. We did a ton of walking. So be sure that you have some good shoes for walking.

The style there is to wear darker clothing. I'm a color kind of woman so I stuck out a bit. Other than looking like a foriegner I was very comfortable temperature-wise. But even in August we used light jackets in the evenings.

The one thing I wish I had packed was sunblock. I got quite a sunburn on Inis Mor (don't miss it if you haven't planned your local itinerary yet). I also wished I had bought a few more SD cards for my camera. We had to buy a 2 giger in Kilarney as I took hundreds of pics at Kilarney National Park (again don't miss this. The traditional farms are super cool).

While I was there I wished that I had bought myself some Waterford crystal when we toured the factory. If you have the time check out the tour. They let you touch just about everything and you can talk to the workers.

You are going to have a great time. Just remember nothing is undoable. If you forget something (like sunblock) you can always buy it there. They don't really have grocery stores like we have in the US. But there is a chain called Dunnes which is like a supermarket sized Walmart SuperCenter. You'll be able to find anything you forgot there. We saw them in every highly populus area. In smaller areas look for SPAR which is like a convenience store size grocer.

One other thing. You might want to find full service laundry facilities before you leave. We spent most of our time at B&Bs which didn't have laundry facilities. So we wish we had planned a little better. I'd have rather paid for two smaller loads than to stress when we were down to one day's worth of clothes. I also took some travel sized All to do my bras every couple of days.

Make sure any electrical items are dual voltage (it's usually on the item somewhere in small writing near the UL logo). Some cell phone chargers are not dual; most computer chargers are; flat iron issue has been addressed.

You may want to bring a couple of the UK and EU plug adaptors (both 220v, but the plug is different) with you, as they can be expensive to buy over here. You can buy one adaptor that can be used worldwide or a set that has the different ones - in the US they usuall cost $10-15 at Target.

+1 on buying a mobile phone here to call home if you want to stay connected. Rates are typically less than $0.10/minute if you get the right company in the UK. In the UK, O2, TalkMobile (harder to top up as no everwhere has plans), and some others have good deals. I do not recommend using cell phone from home here, it tends to be way too expensive.

My friend traveled with her Sedu flat iron and convertor to the UK. Something happened and the flat iron overheated, basically burnt her bangs off and in the process ruined her expensive flat iron. She had little girl bangs for weeks and was quite upset over the loss of her expensive Sedu and hair! After that experience I only buy local electrical stuff if it is touching my head.

Youch. I'd be annoyed if my bio ionic got ruined, and I did verify by reading the label last night that it's not dual voltage. It'll be staying at home, and I'll try and pick up a cheap one on the go. Even if it can't fully tame my hair, at least it can take out most of the curl.


Also I don't get the people trying to guide you away from dresses, I travel in dresses mostly as well, personally, professionally, domestically and internationally. Dress, tights, walking shoes, clogs or boots, costume jewelry, jacket or sweater or wrap and a scarf/pashmina is pretty much my standard outfit these days. I find wearing dresses extremely comfortable for all kinds of travel and social situations. Now that being said if I am hiking or doing a physical activity I do dress quite differently.

I do too. That's pretty much my standard travel wear unless I'm going through US customs (I wear pants for that because of how dumb they are), and I think the option of layering heavy tights, dress, cardigan, jacket, and pashmina make for a great variety of options, especially if you can add in a little jewelry.

I second the suggestion to pack an extra pair of walking shoes.

Silk long johns can be a saving grace if it's colder than you expect without taking up much packing space. In May in Turkey I ended up sleeping in them because the hotel was no longer heating. As an under layer, it saves packing an extra sweater in less space. I would wear a light weight sweater and carry on a light rain jacket with excellent pockets (mid thigh), and pack a warm fleece jacket or heavy cashmere sweater. Wear
one pair comfortable broken in loafers, pack one pair walking shoes and one pair dressier shoes that are still walkable. Basically, if you are strictly carry on, you just need to pack 3 changes of clothes. Plus you need something comfortable for your room like pajamas, just like you would at home.

Rarely any mention of packing something comfortable to change into in your hotel room but it is so vital to being comfortable on a trip. Does anybody else care about this enough to use up packing space for it?

We call them room clothes, but mine are really pajamas. Loose fitting, comfortable pajama pants and shirt, plus a tee shirt or two. If it might be hot without AC, then a sleeveless tee; for cold then a long sleeve tee. In Spain, for instance, it can be 90s in April but it is not legal for hotels to turn on the AC until May. On the same trip, it could be very cold at night where central heat is often lacking. A change of tee shirt makes all the difference.

Changing into room clothes keep your day clothes fresher, too.

Rarely any mention of packing something comfortable to change into in your hotel room but it is so vital to being comfortable on a trip. Does anybody else care about this enough to use up packing space for it?I do, for sure. I bring my BA First pajamas on every trip (the good trips are when I get an upgrade to F and get a fresh pair on the first leg!) They are my loungewear/sleepwear.

One suggestion: long sleeves. I learned about Icebreaker on the thread in this forum about favorite pieces of clothing, and I've since become a devotee. I took 3 of the lightest weight T's on my RTW last fall. I wish I'd had a long sleeve one or two, and just one short sleeve. (The situation has since been rectified, lol.) I did have a merino zip top. They are truly comfy in all climates (merino wool), don't smell even after repeated wearings, and wash easily in a sink.

I'm a pants person, so a little more versatility mixing pieces--are your dresses going to be long or short sleeved? Can you put a T under them? Of all the could-haves, should-haves from my trip, this is the one issue that stands out as being significant. Although I never give it a thought at home and knock around in short sleeve T's and shirts all the time, I just wasn't as comfortable while traveling unless I was more covered up.

Agree with your plan to pick up scarves, an umbrella on the road. My umbrella from the botanical garden in Singapore where I was caught in a shower is one of my favorte souveniers.

Rarely any mention of packing something comfortable to change into in your hotel room but it is so vital to being comfortable on a trip. Does anybody else care about this enough to use up packing space for it?

If I'm checking bags and have more space, I'll bring cotton knit pants and an extra t-shirt (I have slippers for the plane anyway) If space is tight, I'll use my exercise capris & exercise wicking tshirt as lounge clothing - I (terribly, I know) don't exercise every day so I can alternate use as lounge clothing/exercise clothing for the same outfit and wash/dry in my room.

socks
another pair of walking shoes
capri's
more t-shirts including long sleeved

Rarely any mention of packing something comfortable to change into in your hotel room but it is so vital to being comfortable on a trip. Does anybody else care about this enough to use up packing space for it?


I do the same thing for the same reasons you mentioned. My "room clothes" also include a pair of soft, ballet flat slippers that fold up. As soon as I get back to my room after a long day of walking, I kick off my regular shoes and ease my feet into my oh- so- soft -and- comfortable slippers. Ahhhh.

Rarely any mention of packing something comfortable to change into in your hotel room but it is so vital to being comfortable on a trip. Does anybody else care about this enough to use up packing space for it?

Oh hell yeah. That's my dual-purpose PJs. I always pack a pair of very comfortable pajamas for hotel wear, though I may substitute a pair of lululemon full length yoga pants and a t-shirt.

I just received this dress in black (http://www.zappos.com/the-north-face-womens-natalya-wrap-dress), and I love it. I think it's going to become one of my go-to items for work and travel! Easily dressed up and down, and scrunches into a tiny, wrinkle-proof ball for packing. I'm tempted to pick it up in the avocado green too!

I always love to have a pair of full-length leggings handy for layering or a quick "fix" if the weather starts to get cold and I need to cover my legs. If you are at a higher quality hotel, then the hotel can provide a transformer for your flat iron to convert the power for your appliance and not have it blow out. I cannot live without a flat iron when I travel and I actually picked up a low priced one at TJ Maxx which I use with my own small transformer. The adapter plug for the UK is bulky and usually heavy. There is a fantastic tiny and lightweight set of two adapter plugs available at The Container Store; these plugs have nothing to do with transforming the current and just enable you to plug an appliance, camera charger, or phone charger into the foreign outlet. Each plug weighs a couple of ounces, can be shifted around to fit into any type of outlet, and is invaluable! I find that even at a good hotel that has multiple outlets for the different plugs and currents of the world, my appliance never wants to fit into the 110 Volt "American style" outlet. So, you may want to buy your own set of adapter plugs and not rely on the hotel to provide them, especially with a number of things to charge up.