Thrift stores for toys and clothing?

Yes, there are thrift shops along the way but hardly ever in city center/tourist meccas with the exception of those charity shops in London which I don't recall the name of right now. I've packed for 4 month + trips two different ways. Three times I've taken a 3/4 length jacket with removable liner. I spread out the liner in the bottom of my suitcase and planned to get it out mid-way through the trip and zip it into my jacket that I wore on the plane over and wore from day one. I was surprised when I had to pull it out much sooner than expected. I also took thin silk long underwear and other things that I could layer so that I stayed warm from August right up to the Christmas markets. Another time I took a heavier coat that I didn't need any more for SoCal and donated it the day we flew back in December. I really prefer the first method but sometimes it is hard to find a nice city looking coat, not a ski parka look, with a zip out liner. Your method may work alright too but I think it may be a little tricky to find thrift shops with things to your taste/size if the weather suddenly turns cooler. Take lots of thin, mix and match layers no matter what decision you make. How old is your son? Some forum members may want to comment on things they've done to amuse kids/teens over a several month period while traveling.

My son is 5, but his taste in toys, is ahem, unusual. We live in Pittsburgh, a thriving robotics hotspot, and he has caught the bug. He takes stuff apart all day long. Broken electronics feed his imagination and keep him occupied for hours! But I am not flying with broken DVD players and screwdrivers and pliers!! I am sure we can find junk--literally old electronic junk and cheap tool sets, right? Oh, and legos. but i know that there is no such thing as cheap legos!!

Lots of thrift stores and 2nd hand stores in the big cities of Germany. You can also look for Oxfam stores, they often have good quality clothing choices. Flea markets are also an option, and they are everywhere. Find out the words for flea markets in the language of the countries you are visiting and google that for each city. Do the same thing with 2nd hand stores. This is the easiest way to find locations and dates for flea markets. Lots of times there will be smaller ones in churches or kindergartens. For Germany, the word for flea market is "Flohmarkt".

One question to ask yourself is what are you going to do with all the stuff you pick up along the way? Are you planning on bringing/buying extra suitcases to put this stuff in? If packing light is truly your goal, then you might want to attempt to bring all the clothing for your trip at the outset. Plus, it could save you a lot of time trying to find re-sale shops/flea markets, etc. Not to mention finding something in your size that you're comfortable wearing! One caveat on the "toys" for your son: We had the most fantastic thrift store in Ohio that sold things for cheap. I have yet to find something equivalent here in Europe. You might find "thrift" stores, but the prices are still expensive by US thrift store standards. Still, I imagine it would be better than carting all that stuff with you.

I recommend taking a high quality multi-purpose coat with you when you start. A 'system' like Columbia sportswear, with a fleece liner and a waterproof (not just resistant) shell that can zip together to form a good winter coat. Separated you will get good use of both pieces for the whole time you're here. There are thrift-type stores along the way. Many small towns have them, too. You should ask at the places you're staying along the way where an antique or thrift shop is in their area. We've been in snow in Oberammergau the first week in October before. We've also seen it so hot on Halloween we were in short sleeves. You just never know. Have fun!

In 2008, I left for Eastern Europe in September and returned in early Dec.. I did manage with just my 22" RS wheeled case. I packed for layering. The most important (and lightweight!) piece that made ALL the difference was a silk long-sleeved undershirt sold by Lands End. The silk has amazing thermal properties! It was easy to hand wash & dried quickly. The other two items that helped were also both from Lands End: a thermal fleece vest and a Thermacheck 100 zip-up hoodie. I wore a lightweight Columbia wind-proof jacket for the outer layer. By December, I was quite fine wearing all the layers. Starting in early October, I often wore three of the 4 extra layers, depending on the day. I picked up a scarf and gloves when I finally needed them. The stuff from Lands End was not expensive and was worth getting ahead of the trip. It helped to keep to a simple basic color scheme; so that my two pairs of pants and four tops were coordinated well with the outer layers. BTW, LE has great stuff in kids' sizes too!

If you arrive the 31st of August and leave to return on the 3rd of December you will be over the 90 limit in the Schengen Countries. There is a law that you can not be in the Schengen Countries for more then 90 days, once you hit 90 days you must by law leave the country and stay out for 90 days before returning. If you do stay over the 90 limit and get caught, you will have a high fine and also the possibilty of being banned from the countries for several years.

I have a microfiber coat from Travelsmith that is light in weight, LONG, and travels like a dream. It is rain-resistant enough for the Pacific NW, and warm enough for most days in this climate. When we go to Italy in December this year, I will also take the zip-in liner. I have practice packed and I can get it into my RS Convertible backpack with my other clothes and gear and not exceed 22 lbs. The coat, with liner, a merino wool sweater and a fleece (Lands End makes great fleece tops!) should be enough for most situations.