One of our members recently posted in the forums that she's about to leave for an extended trip to Europe. Too bad she's so nice in real life, 'cuz we'd really like to hate her right now!

Her question was:

"I'm taking a summer course in Rome for a full month and then backpacking through Europe! I was wondering if anyone has any advice about backpacking through Europe? I know I need to pack light... but can anyone suggest some important things to pack?"

I have traveled quite a bit, although never as a backpacker. Still, based on my years living there and knowing loads of other people who have done this sort of trip, I offer the following packing list:

*1 pair of walking shoes (these should be sturdy enough if you hike on a mountain trail, yet clean enough that you won't feel embarrassed trekking through the streets of London)

*1 pair of cute flip-flops (easy to pack, but should have a little flair to wear with a dressier outfit)

*1 sarong (double-duty as beach wrap and a wrap skirt/dress)

*3-4 basic T-shirts/tank tops (don't pack white because of staining), plus one more to use as a pajama

*2 tops w/ long sleeves

*2 shorts

*1 pair capri pants

*1 pair jeans/long pants

*1-2 nice items in case you want to dress up (but they should not be bulky or prone to wrinkling, and only if you have space)

*5-day supply of underwear and socks

*2 bathing suits (in case one is wet from the day before)

*2 towels (1 for beach, 1 for bath if you stay at youth hostels)

*travel-sized toiletries (they are as easily available in Europe as here, so you can always stock back up)

*small supply of laundry soap, plus string to hang stuff up to dry

*rain slicker/collapsible umbrella

*light jacket

Note: Make sure everything you take can be worn in at least 3 combinations to maximize your wardrobe potential. Add a few accessories to jazz up an ordinary outfit for going out.

*Other: a few extra batteries for your iPod, watch, camera (most battery sizes are also available in Europe, too), a spare storage card for your digital camera (in case one is lost or you can't download regularly), 100-200€ (Euro) in cash, some traveler's cheques (don't rely too heavily on these; they can be very inconvenient to cash), credit cards (safest bet is MasterCard or Visa), photocopies of your documents (passport, credit cards, etc - so you can more easily report something missing).

*Don't bother with: electrical items (e.g. hairdryer, etc. - because you'll need a converter. If you have a power conversion on the unit, you'll still need a wall socket converter. These are available here or in Europe and cost less than $5), translation dictionaries (most Europeans can speak fair English, unless you can find a handy book that covers several common languages), cell phone (unless you have one that has European coverage - get a phone card from your residential provider that will get you better rates than a pay phone and you can use from most European countries)

Assuming you'll be staying at youth hostels, make sure everything you pack can be washed in a bathroom-sized sink. There are laundromats, but you never know when you'll be near one! Find out if you'll need to bring your own linen (in which case stick with a light sleeping bag. Bring a pillow case that you can stuff your clothes into for a makeshift pillow).

Stop by your governmental office(s) and pick up some small national paraphernalia to exchange with friends you'll meet on the road (example: flag pins, keychains, etc). You might even get some of that stuff for free.

Plan to travel by train; hitchhiking is not only dangerous, it is also illegal. Check out your rail options - depending on your plans, you may opt for a cheaper milk-route-type ticket. Decide now if you want to see as much as possible, or would rather concentrate on a few areas you'll explore more thoroughly so you can look into overnight accommodations ahead of time. It will be most convenient if you stick to countries that use the Euro, so you won't have to bother with conversion costs.

Be choosy when shopping for souvenirs, because you'll need to drag them around with you. Take a ton of pictures instead, and only buy truly unique and memorable keepsakes.

Has anyone else done a trip like this? Please leave your suggestions in the comments!

And Artist, have a fabulous time!