Would you have a look at my packing list?

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm making everything mix and match, and plan on accesorizing a lot. Also last night I didn't pack these extras, which I will be bringing: photos of my family and town, souvenirs from Buenos Aires (which is where I live), picnic set (RS), a small cup, sewing kit, cheap jewelery, light-weight towel (RS), and I think that's about it.

Why do women tell us they are packing "lace underwear"...it's not like underwear is so heavy that the modifier "lace" makes it ok...I guess I should just chalk it up as another of those inexplicable differences in the sexes....

Olga's packing checklist is one of the best I've ever seen (except the Men of the Helpline are requesting additional lace underwear). For those of you still unclear on the inherent genetic differences between men and women, here is the Guy's Packing Checklist for the same exact trip:aloha shirt, 1cargo shorts, 1shoes, white Nikes, 1underpants, 1 (ohhhh, ok, 2)"Go __" (insert football team of preference) t-shirt, 1"Go __" ball cap, 1socks, 1For entertainment on plane, load DVD player with complete set of US womens beach volleyball Olympic gamesRick Steves guidebooks, complete set, 26 booksIf all these items won't fit into carry-on because of the 26 RS books, lose the socksMen, you're done!Some may say this is inadequate for Moscow in November, but real men are impervious to the weather.

Kent,

LOL! Great packing list - I'll have to consider that for my next trip.

This lists sounds good, and if it all fits in your suitcase, fine. I might suggest omitting the 2 short sleeved T-shirts, the skin-colored pantyhose, only take one skirt, and not as many scarves, if you want to lighten your load a bit, and perhaps have some room for souveniers.

LOL Kent! I'll send my boyfriend your list, I have the feeling he will be swearing by it in no time!

Hehehe... I'll keep that in mind. Also, if he only brings one or two guides, he can carry on! LOL

Kent,

In your "Guy's Packing List" you forgot the pantless crotchies.

Just a friendly reminder. :)

B~

I would suggest leaving behind the sleeveless tops. In November, your destinations are going to range in temperature from chilly to cold. I would also leave behind the short-sleeve T-shirts, unless you are planning on using them for an extra layer of warmth or as a sleeping shirt. In their place, I would suggest a warmer shirt and maybe one or two extra pairs of socks. There's something about socks that they take quite a while to dry, so an extra pair or two could come in handy. I would also add an extra set of thermic underwear, to wear while the other set are drying.

I would go back and break it down by number of tops, number of bottoms, pairs of socks, pairs of shoes, # sweaters, etc.

Five tops total is plenty (as long as they mix and match and can do double duty). It looks like you have ten.

Four bottoms is plenty (again mix and match, serve multiple purposes). You have four in your pack and didn't say what you are wearing.

Shoes can be the heaviest item you pack. Do you really need treking boots? When you choose not to wear them, they will have to be carried. You may end up wearing them daily just so you don't have to pack them. Will they match with the clothes you plan to wear around during the days? A pair of waterproof walking shoes will work fine as your primary shoes, add an extra pair of flats and maybe some flip flops for bathroom/casual.

Two sweaters and a rain shell are good. Make sure the sweaters go with whatever you take and with each other so you can wear both if it gets really cold.

If you drop the boots, you can take one kind of sock. I bring three pairs of socks and underwear and wash a pair each evening by hand. You may want a little more than three pairs. I know my wife often wears more than one pair of underwear and socks in a day. As long as you wash regularly, you don't need too big of supply.

Finally, I avoid cotton for a number of reasons - wrinkles, stretches out of shape, loses insulation value when it's wet and it takes too long to launder. Look for washable wool, washable silk or better polyesters for travel.

For your boyfriend, here's my visual pack list:

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=1440268

Brad, thanks for the insight :). The thing with the trekking boots is that I will probably encounter ice in Moscow in November (or so my friends told me). I know they are heavy, but also extremely comfortable and warm, and most important, they don't slip on ice. Trust me, they came in very handy the first time I went to Moscow! Although I will think about it and see if I can find similar but lighter shoes. I'll drop the sleeveless but keef the short-sleeved, because they are for layering. :) I'll check out your list now...

Wow Brad! I'm impressed! I'll make sure my boyfriend gets that! It's a pitty I'll be traveling alone now. I'd love to see him pack! hehehe... The look on his face... "This is IT?" That would be priceless!!
Oh, by the way, there is no cotton on my list either, except for the cotton blend socks.

I haven't been to Moscow and didn't think about ice in November.

A lightweight option I bought for my mom to walk to the mailbox and back in the snow are Snow Tracks (I'm pretty sure that was the name but there are more than one brand). They are made of rubber to stretch over your shoe and have small metal cleats on the bottom to keep you from slipping. They go on and off easily and I think weigh less than a pound.

Thanks for the AMAZING tip, Brad! It took a while to find some store which would ship those traction devices for shoes, but I found one, and actually purchased a few other items that don't exist in my country... Or they do, but they are A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE! So, the trekking boots stay. Just warm shoes and socks for me!

Oh, I just realised... Bill I think it was, that posted a reply wandering why I said "lace underware", when underware is not heavy, and I don't know what else... The thing is cotton takes forever to dry, while lace dries overnight (in less time too, just never checked how long). So that's the reason why I said "lace" underware, and not just underware. :)

Bill,
Lace underwear is definately a Girl Thing, BUT.....they do take up no space at all, weigh nothing and dry in a Nano-second. (and well, lace is just Nicer :)

Olga : Bienvenidos. Como estas ? I believe : all of those items that you mentioned did fit into your bags (carry - on size, and a Civita bag). And I guess that your "extras" : souvenirs from Buenos Aires, picnic set, small cup, towell : will fit in your bags. But, I guess that putting all of those items into your bags was not an easy task. When you will be in Germany and Austria and Russia, will the task of repacking your items into your bags before you travel be slow and frustrating ? And will there be any space in your bags for the souvenirs that you will acquire in Russia ? And remember : if you expand the size of the Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On bag, that bag will exceed the maximum allowable size of a bag that can be carried into the passenger compartment of a Lufthansa airplane. --- Auf Wiedersehen.

Hi Ron, Thank you very much for your comment, and your kind welcome. Actually, it was very easy to fit these things in my pack, and it took 20 minutes. I did it only once, but I'm sure it won't take more than that next time. And there was plenty of room left, believe it or not! The only reason I'm taking my Civita with thigs in it, in stead of inside the convertible, is because it will allow me to keep things handy, without having to open the "real bag"... I'll try it again, anyway, and let you know! Cheers!

I doubt you would wear any of the short sleeve or sleeveless shirts. Also, unless the fleece pants fit under regular pants or you will wear them just to sleep or lounge then leave them. (No one wears fleece pants "out" in Europe.) Also, leave one of the skirts and one pair of the pantyhose and the sharkskin jacket.) Finally, make sure to wear pants on the plane! ;)

Packing Tip For Women from RS/ETBD Tour Guide Joan Robinson: If you're not going to wear it more than 3 times, don't pack it!

Do you really want to take all that?

I suggest you take Rick's advice. Put all those things in your suitcase and go downtown with it. Carry it around for an hour.

Now, do you still want to take all that?

Are there any restrictions on Snow Tracks in carry-on luggage? The TSA website doesn't mention them, but prohibits any sharp objects in carry-ons.

Hi! I've packed it three times (before posting the list) and carried it around. I've changed it a lot since the first time, and only posted once I was comfortable carrying it around for a while. After that I changed it a bit taking into an account the advice I received, for example, the Snow Tracks. All of those things I will be wearing more than 3 times, and are all mix and match. I've dropped the sleevless, but not the short-sleeved since they are for layering.
About the TSA restrictions for Snow Tracks... that's a good question! I'll have to check with some friends who work at the airport here... because I'm not flying through USA; I'm from South America, so the regulations are a bit different. I'll let you know, though!