Where should I start, it’s not for everyone but I quit my job to go traveling.
First stop Europe and England.
As i was going to be traveling alone I decided to use a tour company. The bonus to traveling with tour companies is that it is convenient (knowing all the planning is done for you, where you sleep and how to get to places) and safer being with others than traveling alone, and being a target to pick pocketers. The trips also produce some activities along the way, plus optioned at each city you stop in. Something for you to think about before going on tour, which you should find in the information pack is optionals provided on tour. Think very carefully about the different options because once your name is down for the optional, you can’t always get out of it. The leaders need to phone ahead and book the group in, sometimes three or four days in advance. Also consider, most payments are done to the leader in cash,consider taking cash with you to cover these optionals from home. Also know what currency you might need. You can always change cash in the country, but be aware of the percentage or fee for the exchange.
Trip 1
So the first trip is Europe, not just Europe but at winter time. Yes I'm crazy, but I'm also wanting to know what a winter christmas would be like, and what other way could you do it, If you have no friends or family in that part of the country. I had looked at a number of different options; loops, accommodation options (hostel vs hotel) and dates. So for christmas away meant a December start, the places I wanted meant a hotel and I found - Topdeck, Winter Expedition 28 days. (Paris, Swiss Alps, Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice, Austrian Alps, Munich, Ljubljana, Budapest, Krakow, Ćeský krumlov, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam). I would recommend reading the information packs once you get them, as I would of included things like a local guide, walking tour in Paris for example, as I don't feel like I really saw the city with the optional I did. However other places like Florence which was included in your package, was totally amazing. If you are booking things in and around your tour, make sure your dates are right, because depending on where you are going the time and date might differ to your home-town.
I really loved this trip because of the time of year, so if you want to see a white Christmas, this trip should be your first option. It was quite amazing to see how the other side of the world lived and worked with a cold Christmas. As they have half of christmas eve, christmas day and sometimes boxing day off work to spend time with their friends and family.
This made me really think about how we (Europeans) do things, Christmas holiday, hot and for some at the beach. After seeing both ways to celebrate christmas. I don’t think I could pick which is best as they are both good for different reasons. The other thing I liked about this trip which made me pick it, was the amount of time in each city. Having a whole day in a city, rather than arriving at three having a group dinner, night out and then back on the bus the next day, doesn't feel like you see the city, and it can look totally different in the day. This can be the difference between hotel and hostel tours sometimes, or the different company’s. Another option to consider is the big tours are sometimes little tours which join up. Whether the start is what you want and not the middle, and then join the end, express your likes and dislikes over with your agent to get the best tour for you, as a group tour for a month is not for everyone, plus you might not have that much time. For an example, I stopped in Amsterdam on this tour and made my own way back to London, exploring Brussels and Bruge before jumping on the euro star, back to London
TRIP 2
Swapping companies to Contiki to see more of the England while I was over this side of the world, as I didn’t know when or if I would be back over this way. Contiki, Great Britain & Ireland 17 days (Liverpool, York, Lake District, Edinburgh, Scottish Highlands, West Highlands, Glasgow, Dublin, Cork, Galway, Londonderry, Belfast, Dublin). This trip covered the distance and places that were on my bucket list, and in the time frame that worked best for me.
Yes you read right, Contiki. What stories have you heard about the two companies? Everyone has a different story or experience from the two different companies, but at the end of the day, it is what you make of the trip, and what you want to get out of it that counts. If you want to see the different city’s you explore and see them, if you want to see the night life then drink and be mary, both options are available to do, to make the trip one you won’t forget.
I found the optionals on this trip were all great, but in saying that most of the things I liked about this trip were included, like Blarney Castle in Ireland, or The Isle of Sky in Scotland. The days were never packed with so many optionals that you would miss out on, but you could also wonder the street for food, or do some shopping. I found the staff would take you to most of the activities, whether it was in the bus, or walking and sometimes with public transport. In some ways you didn’t have to feed yourself.
Like topdeck, you had a bus song that was played first thing, on the days that you traveled, you would either love it or hate it by the end of the trip. But then when you hear the song after the trip, I would start to smile, dance or remember things that happened on the trip. Plus we get a day sheet, that would have time, places and any other information that we would need for that day and the next. It was really helpful, as you were given a history lesson, day information all at the same time on the bus, and it was a lot of information at once sometimes. So taking a pic was always wise, but it was also posted on the group facebook page too.
Scotland and Ireland reminded me a lot of home. Field of green grass, trees and animals along the different stretches of road. One lane roadways, and on the right side of the road compared to Europe. It’s also got water close, whether it’s surrounding the island of Ireland or down one side of Scotland, I never felt it was that far away. The people that I spoke to were all so lovely, wherever we went. I really feel like I could live there and work there and feel like I was at home. I would go back in a heartbeat!!!
Trip 3
I felt when booking this trip over the ditch I wanted to see as much as I could with the time I had, and that included Tasmania, but to do that on the budget I had it meant using a tour group company
again. That way I wouldn’t get tired with the driving, and long days seeing the sights. Christchurch - Sydney …
Sydney - Hobart - Tasmania here I come. Intrepid, Taste of Tasmania (Hobart, Great Lake, Queenstown, Tarkine,
Cradle Mountain, Launceston, Bay of Flies, Bicheno and Wineglass Bay). What I loved about this
trip was;
- a) it’s size, only 6 people and the guide, in a little mini-van (due to winter numbers). With only
six of us we just seem to get on with things and did things all together.
- b) staying in small little towns, with friendly local people. This made it more relaxed, with no stress. It was a nice feeling to have when you are going to a group travel.
- c) Walks through the national parks, seeing the native animals.
This can be the advantages and/or disadvantages of traveling in the winter season. Something I would investigate for next time in Tasmania are day trips from Hobart such as; MtWellington and Port Arthur. You could book a car for these optional activities to do before or after
the tour. Next on the trip of Aussie, I fly to Melbourne where I stay in an Air bnb, to explore the city before getting on the next bus.
Top deck, Ultimate Aussie Adventure (Melbourne, Great Ocean Road - Drive, Port Campbell, Gramplans National Park, Mt Gambier, Adelaide, Flinders Rangers, Coober Pedy, Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta, Uluru Alice Springs (loop one) Cairns, Magnetic Island, Airlie Beach, The Whitsundays – Sailing, Rockhampton, Myella Farm, Fraser Island,
Brisbane, Gold Coast – Drive, Byron Bay, Surf Camp crescent Head, Sydney). This can start in either Melbourne or Sydney and you can add in different loops, like up to Darwin, or
start in Alice Springs. Another thing to ask or look out for, is the trips are either part of one big trip like this Aussie adventure or broken into little trips, be aware of this as it can make the trip different for example; the group has already made friends.
The highlights from this trip would be; - Staying in an old Jail at Mt Gambier. The owners have made it a great friendly place. With
records and historical information of the building and how it once was. There knowledge and stories are amazing as well.
- Staying in an underground bunker at Coober Pedy, with the Opal miles just outside the door. - Swag night at Kings Canyon tenting under the star, with a campfire, Marshmallows and all
the stories you could tell. - Sailing on the boat to The Whitsundays Island. The Sunset with the night sky and the star,
sleeping on the boat and waking up to another beautiful morning, going onto the Island and spending the morning over there. Oh, and the food was amazing that the crew arranged. Just a very relaxing couple of days. - Myella Farm. If you love animals, you will not want to leave the farm. This is another great place where you can just relax. Home cooked food, all from the land. Milk from the cows, eggs from the chickens. After doing this trip around Australia, I feel I have done quite a bit and in one go. Friends I made on the first loop, went from Alice Springs to Darwin for another week. They really enjoyed Darwin and the places they explored were amazing they said. So, maybe Perth to Darwin would be my next adventure in this part of the world, and that would be a camping based trip with Intrepid tours.
