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Contiki help......

Meathook

Juniors
Messages
8
Hiya guys, I'm popping my cherry post wise so bear with me, I’m thinking very hard about doing a contiki tour mid next year but because I’ve already been to Europe a couple of times so I’m going to do the Grand Southern tour of the US. Does anybody have any good or bad experiences that they can tell? Also I’m a pretty big guy (6ft3 120kgs) what are the comfort levels on the buses? Any suggestions whether yay or nay would be appreciated.
 

[furrycat]

Coach
Messages
18,827
Big Mick went on a contiki tour I'm sure. Maybe he can give ya his experiences (he had some good ones :lol:!)
 

tommytomlin

Bench
Messages
3,238
Meathook said:
Hiya guys, I'm popping my cherry post wise so bear with me, I’m thinking very hard about doing a contiki tour mid next year but because I’ve already been to Europe a couple of times so I’m going to do the Grand Southern tour of the US. Does anybody have any good or bad experiences that they can tell? Also I’m a pretty big guy (6ft3 120kgs) what are the comfort levels on the buses? Any suggestions whether yay or nay would be appreciated.


Hello. I did the Wild Western tour (Anaheim->San Diego->Phoenix->Grand Canyon->Vegas) with two of my mates in January, and it was fantastic. I could absolutely not say anything bad about the entire experience. The hotels were swank, the included meals were good, and the driver and tour guide were two of the best people I've ever met in my life. Could have been more hotties though, but as if people go on Contiki tours to score.

Oh.

Anyway, the Grand Southern sounds awesome. Visiting the Grand Canyon is pretty much the greatest thing you will ever do in your life.

I'm about 6"1 and I didn't have a prob with the comfort level. Of course, I don't weigh 120kg, so I don't really recall if my size was a problem. The seats are a tiny bit bigger than a regular coach, but there were some pretty big fellas on my tour and they didn't seem to have a prob.

Are you going by yourself?
 

Meathook

Juniors
Messages
8
cheers Tommy,yeah mate by my lonesome,was going to go with my brother but he is chickening out so that's his bad luck haha. I just hope my liver & kidneys will last the 24 days..........
 

tommytomlin

Bench
Messages
3,238
Yeah, only asked because sometimes people get all nervous about going solo, but it's really not an issue. There were quite a few solo ppl on our tour, and they had a great time. Mostly everyone on the tour will be like family by the seventh day, hehe.
 

Schillaci

Juniors
Messages
1,922
Looks like a good tour dude you get to goto new york too.

I lived in Utah few years ago it's simply stunning the winter ski fields are unbelievable and salt lake city is really cute... very safe too!. I didn't like Vegas much... but I was with my parents so didnt really cut loose.

Be prepared for endless security checks though flying domestically you'll get the pat down everytime as a foreigner even the coaches get checked crossing borders.
 
Messages
33,280
guy at work did a contiki tour, said it was the best time of his life, im going back to europe next year on a contiki tour, go to like 9 countries, but dont forget u gotta pay ur own air fare and sh*t, spending money too, and if u go to the US i hope ur over 21 so u can party!!
 

Dani

Immortal
Messages
33,719
My friends who moved to London did one that took them around Europe. From what they said, they had the time of their lives.
This is their blog they posted on their myspace if you're interested.

finally bak from our trip round europe and it was so so good, missin every1 that we met already. saw so much that i dnt really know where 2 start but i guess the begining is a good place...

went to london did all the touristy sights for a couple of days then met every1 on our trip and set off for france, left from the white cliffs of dover and headed across on the ferry.

went to paris 1st and went up the eiffel tower saw the arc de triamphe and went in the noter dame cathedral was so so pretty, saw the louvre (huge) but had no time 2 go in, then went out 2 dinner at sacre cour and saw the city at night oh and the moulin rouge. yay

went to the french wine region next and went 2 a winery and a chateau which was good coz i drink wine now {gess} and tasted all that they had 2 offer. haha

next day headed off 4 the french riviera and went 2 cannes nice and monoco which is way 2 wealthy ever1 drives a ferari and bets like 100000 dollars in one go at the casino, had a picnic lunch in nice at the top of a bit hill from which u could see italy, france and monaco, 3 countries from one spot, pretty cool. all the back streets were nice, went 2 where the film festival is held in cannes as well. saw monte carlo casino, cost a fortune just 2 get in tho so went 2 a smaller one and watched people lose money.

went to the leaning tower of pisa and then 2 florence that nite and went 2 space the local nightclub it was so good they free pour so the drinks r so strong, danced the night away with our new best friends. went round floence the next day did a walking tour and enjoyed the pizza and ice cream when we went 2 a little italian restaurant 4 dinner then 2 a pub the red garter. i { gess} went back 2 space again that night and had an awesome time!!!

went to a little village in tuscany (san ginniano or something similar!!!) on the way 2 rome which was really cute and had gelato from the most famous and best gelato place in italy. yum!!!!!

drove 2 rome and went 2 vatican city in the morning, saw sistine chapel, its so incredible. then went 2 the tombs at st peters, hit the coloseum with some of the people we met, then i (morgs) went 2 the spanish steps and into st peters bascillica (enormous). went to the bar 4 tight and bright nite, whoohoo, which turned into cross dressers from hell nite, but it was fun.

went to lake garter the next day, pretty touristy but gorgeous again, was just a little town on a huge lake, and it was a beautiful day.

then it was venice which was so cute just how we imagined it. went 2 a glass making demonstration which we thought would b boring but it was pretty impressive 2 c them make stuff by hand, and all the glassware was gorgeous but hell expensive. wandered round for a bit and then ate so much pizza cake dougnuts fruit then that afternoon went on a gondola ride so romantic pity we didnt av ne1 special there cept 4 each other awwww!!!! morgs went table top dancing that nite coz there was a bday that nite 4 disco dave all 50 ppl on our trip were very messy.

on the way 2 austria i (morgs) went white water rafting in the austrian alps whoohoo!!!! was the best experience eva, i loved it, cant wait 2 go again!!!!!!!!!! gess played volleyball 4 2 hrs while waiting 4 us, there was 10 girls in a raft all singing row row row ur boat hahaha. so so so much fun, and i looked hot in my astronaut looking outfit and helmet!

went to austria next but as soon as we arrived at the campsite it was pooring wit rain. not fun i was not a happy camper, i cried actually, gotta say i applaude morgy coz she looked after me so much, went out that nite 4 chinese {i no a bit odd} but then afterwoods we went 2 an aussie bar { i no we wernt really experencing the vienese culture} next day went sightseeing went for traditional coffee and cake and found a really beautiful church in a side street, went to a schnapps museum that arvo, taste tested yum!!!! gess tried absynthe, morgs scored 11 shots (yum yum yum) that night we went to a theme park yay!!!!!!! went on a bunch of rides including the bumper cars and the next morning we all woke up wit bruises.

went to salzburg, where the sound of music is set in. ohh do a deer a female deer, saw mozarts birthplace which was really cool 4 me and then went up 2 this castle and then went 2 av more coffee and cake and morgy went 2 the abbey where the REAL maria lived. then went on the steps where they sang the famous song. quiet nite one of the first in a while.

off to munich saw the glockenspiel and ate more {seriously gettin fat} morgy went out 4 a quiet dinner wit a bunch of other ppl and then went bak 2 the campsight and i went 2 the beerhalls!!!!!! food good drink good talent good, after that went 2 a nightclub after that yet again had the best time eva.

went through lichtenstein smallest country in europe on the way 2 switzerland, had the best bread there and guess what! not one person i spoke 2 (americans, brits, sth africans) knew who powderfinger were ( i wore my t shirt alot) but the woman who stamped my passport in freakin lichtenstein told me how much she loved them!!! what the!!!

went to lucerne had a look around but it was pissin it down wit rain so we tried to find shelter that afternoon we got to lauterbrunnen in switzerland so so pretty and romantic, we had a waterfall like 20meters away from our campsite. morgs was really sick so she had a couple of earlynights but we had 80s nite with like 3 other tours which equaled alot of other ppl went to trimmelbach falls the next day so so pretty i really wanna go bak

went to heidelburg had a look round was pretty oh and we went to rub this weird monkey which supposidly makes you fertile haha then early nite well i did but morgs went out drinking and tested the fertility monkey haha just kiddding u no the truth rossy!!!!

went 2 somewhere in germany on the way 2 amsterdam 2 c the worlds biggest cuckoo clock which is in the guiness book of records. can u say letdown? its not that good. also went 2 a beer stein place, did eiswine tasting at 10 in the morning, always a good start 2 the day!!, then, funnily enough, we went 2 a pub, but this time we just watched ppl eat coffee and cake!

headed off 4 amsterdam the next day, it rained so much, we went to anne franks house which i couldnt believe how big it was, also went 2 edam in the countryside 2 a cheese factory (eww) and a clog making factory (clogs r so hot right now- wait till u see the photos of us in the huge display ones). had our final dinner which was so sad and then afterwards i went out to a couple of clubs and had an awesome time.

well thats all folks, this is our trip as it stands 4 now, so much happened that we cant write it all and the ppl we met were absolutely amazing, and were so glad we got the chance 2 meet them all.
 

tommytomlin

Bench
Messages
3,238
Footballer said:
Be prepared for endless security checks though flying domestically you'll get the pat down everytime as a foreigner even the coaches get checked crossing borders.

I never got patted down flying domestically, and our coach only got checked when we crossed into Mexico to visit Tijuana.
 

Mr. Fahrenheit

Referee
Messages
22,132
Thanks for this thread guys i had NFI wat it was til the link, and then all the comments in this thread have ensured that it is on my to do list.
 

Schillaci

Juniors
Messages
1,922
tommytomlin said:
I never got patted down flying domestically, and our coach only got checked when we crossed into Mexico to visit Tijuana.
serious? maybe i just look like a terroist or druggo. Been there twice in the past couple of years and would of flown 8 or 9 times within the country and i got the full treatment every time even shoes and socks. they went through my luggage each flight as well, on arrival I'd always find a sticker on my bag saying they had checked it.
 

Meathook

Juniors
Messages
8
Cheers guys,that's been a great help. I did the sums last night and after the flights and the tour is paid for I'll still come out with about $5500 spending money,that should last me 10 mins in Vegas.........
 

Utey

Coach
Messages
19,328
I cant wait to go do this! A strcutured trip sounds a whole lot better than what I did last time around.
 

Samwise

Bench
Messages
3,687
I've done the California Highlights tour and had a ball.

Personally I wouldn't do the big European one's. I have no doubt I'd have a great time, but it's not really travelling. You see like 9 countries or something, but you don't really experience them. They do tend to spoon feed you on contiki, most of your group will be Aussies and you get bugger all time to do your own thing. For me, half the fun of travelling is experiencing other cultures, chatting with the locals, getting around on your wits and making mistakes along the way. When I was in Spain back in July, I was at this bar with a couple of mates and a chick we met earlier that day on a bike tour, when a contiki bus rocked up. Deadset there were 49 aussies, 2 french, 2 canadians and a kiwi. I chatted to a few of them for a bit, but had to leave in the end, it was doing my head in.

One tour I'd recommend for anyone going to Europe is a Paddywagon tour around Ireland. It's far less controlled than contiki which is a good thing. I honestly had the time of my life and met some awesome people.
 

newtownbluebags

Post Whore
Messages
55,606
Samwise said:
Personally I wouldn't do the big European one's. I have no doubt I'd have a great time, but it's not really travelling. You see like 9 countries or something, but you don't really experience them.

:lol: Reminds me of the movie - If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium ... :lol: :crazy:
 
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