I'm sure we'll have a great time, booked on the European Contrasts tour which leaves on the 13th July as well, will have a spare day when I get to London before this tour kicks off and then a few days after the Contrasts tour finishes - my travel agent has organised one of those hop on hop off bus tours around London, have also organised to ride the London Eye and visit Madame Tassauds museum .. pretty fully on but want to see as much stuff as possible (even if it is really touristy!!)So excited as this will be my first big overseas trip ... How about you two? Where abouts are you from? Are you staying at the Royal National the night before as well?
My name is Danielle and I'm booked on this tour too! I'm from Sydney, Australia. It's so good to hear a few others have booked too. I'm flying solo too, I've never been to Europe or the UK before, and never travelled solo either. It's quite daunting and scary but and the same time I'm so excited. I'm doing the European Explorer leaving May 25th till 26th June then on this tour.
I'm sure we'll have a fantastic time, will be great to hear some of your European Explorer stories on tour My sister is in Sydney this weekend for Mardi Gras, my last visit was in December for Homebake, you are lucky to live in such a beautiful city I'm a little bit nervous as well travelling on my own but you are right, it is SO exciting and it's great to know there are other people out there travelling on their own as well .... what places are you really excited about seeing?
Yeah we will have a great time I'm sure, and it is great knowing I'm not the only one on this tour travelling solo. I've found some other people doing the Europe tour with me and we have been emailing for the last couple of months which is great, there's up to 10 of us now and most are travelling on their own. And it turns out we are all similar ages and all but one of us are Aussies which is surprising. How about you? I'm 25 and from Sydney which is a great place to live, even though I'm alittle biased. So I was so glad to see that you guys are on this tour cause I was starting to worry I was the only one!
I have to say I'm most looking forward to going to Ireland as far as our tour is concerned. In Europe I'm really looking forward to Paris, Italy and definately the Greek Islands. Although I'm looking forward to everything because it's all going to be exciting. How about you what are you most looking forward to?
I'm really looking forward to Ireland as well, I just love the Irish accent In Europe, I'm most looking forward to Italy, especially the food, yum!! I am 31 from Brisbane and can't believe I have left it so long to satisfy my wanderlust!! I read a fair bit and get most of my travel info from books so thought it was time I saw some of the world in person. I've only met one other person from my European tour online, really hope that there is more than two of us, looking forward to meeting some more maybe closer to the date of takeoff. It is great that we have this forum to say hi and meet some of our group before we go.
I have to agree with you, the forum is a great thing and I was lucky to stumble across it. I've done alittle travelling... I went to Thailand and Vietnam last year, and have done alittle more of Asia previously, and some of the Pacific Islands. But I've never been as far as Europe and definately never travelled solo before.
When do you leave for London? I'm heading off on the 19th May, and hoping to do some sightseeing around London till my Europe tour starts on the 25th May. I really just can't wait now!!! It's only 76 days to go for me (according to my facebook countdown) Have you thought about which optionals for the tour you would like to do?
The time will fly and it will be time to go before you know it, only two more months for you to go! I don't fly out until 22 June but I am doing this trip before my European tour. It sounds like you have already had some overseas adventures, would love to hear about your travels in Thailand and Vietnam and the Pacific Islands, was looking at an Intrepid tour in Vietnam for next year, either that or a Trek tour to Mexico. I'm not quite sure about the optionals, I will no doubt do as many as possible to get the full experience. I definitely want to see a caberet show in France and as far as our tour goes, wouldn't mind visiting the Guiness Brewery (don't drink the stuff myself but never mind). How about you? I just want to see and do as much as I can and as much as my budget allows. Can't wait to go
The time is flying I have to admit! I really can't wait now, I'm really ready to go! You only fly out alittle over a month after me so you'll be there before you know it too!
I've had some great times overseas, Jan '07 I went to Thailand and Vietnam and it was fantastic!! I loved the beaches, especially Phi Phi Island and cuddling a fully grown tiger in Thailand (scary but incredible). Vietnam was beautiful, quite untouched as far as tourism is concerned in most parts and the shopping was amazing (I unfortunately had to pay excess baggage coming home!), but well worth it. I would highly recommend Vietnam if you love experiencing an interesting new culture, the food was great and there's plenty of history too.
I think as far as the optionals are concerned, I feel the same as you... I want to experience the most I can while I'm there. I'd like to go the Guiness brewery too, more for fun (I'm not a beer drinker either but it will be good fun anyway).
Hope Easter treated you kind and you got lots of chocolate goodies from the easter bunny And the countdown is on, hopefully the time will fly, starting to get a little bit impatient and restless, can't wait to go! Danielle from what you say and what I've heard from others, Thailand or Vietnam sound right up my alley, so maybe next year ... although Mexico sounds good too, maybe I should just flip a coin? It's so hard to choose sometimes but I guess I'm lucky I've got the option of travelling .... wish it would hurry up though! Talk soon
I can't believe it's only just over 5 weeks till I leave for the UK, it's so exciting!!! I made my last payment on the trip last week and I'm finally feeling fairly organised, are you all set to go yet?
When I spoke to my travel agent last week she said that our tour is still not a guaranteed departure, and that she looked into it and the numbers are still very low, so I'm alittle concerned I may have to look at other options. Hopefully it will still go ahead!!
Hey Danielle, Great to hear from you. That's a bit of a concern about the low numbers, hopefully it all works out. The reason I picked that date was because it marries up well with the European Contrasts tour I'm booked on straight after, again that one's not a guaranteed departure either! Have got my fingers crossed that it all works out as I have been so excited for what seems sooo long about the trip. Wow, 5 weeks, that's not very far off. Mine is exactly 9 weeks, can't wait! I think I'm mostly organised, just can't wait to go already
Hey, Great news, I just found out from my travel agent that the tour is now a guaranteed departure!! Yeah!! I was so relieved, I'm sure you Europe tour will go ahead too.
My sister is in Sydney this weekend for Mardi Gras, my last visit was in December for Homebake, you are lucky to live in such a beautiful city 
