Hi,

I'm 24 year old girl from london and have just booked on the california highlights tour in May. Was just wondering if there was anyone else here who'd booked on this tour or who'd been already who could tell me what its like as am flying solo so it'd be cool to meet/speak to others beforehand!

Thanks
Jo

Hi,

I'm a 27 year old girl, travelling solo on this trip too! Think you may have got the date wrong though as it starts on the 16th may! This will be my first holiday with Contiki - in fact my first solo holiday anyway!
When are you flying into Las Vegas? And where are you staying in Vegas?

Sheryl

Hi Sheryl, sorry my mistake - I fly out to Vegas on the 15th and arrive at 2pm but yes the tour starts on the 16th! Not sure where Im staying yet as they said accomodation details arn't confirmed until about a month before departure - apparently the las vegas hotel's on the strip tho so thats cool. How about you, when are u flying into Vegas and where are you staying? What part of the UK are you from? Its cool to finally speak to someone who's going on the tour as well - like you, this is my first solo and contiki holiday too!
(btw this is still jo82 but there was something wrong with my original account so had to set up another one!)

Josephine

Hi Jo,

I'm flying into Vegas on the 14th - get in around 1:30pm so gives me more time to check Vegas out! I'm v excited about it as have heard lots of good stuff about the place!
I've booked a room thru Contiki at the hotel which they use and where the tour will depart from. It's America's Best Value which is just off the strip, but near to the MGM hotel, etc. Sounds ideal and the room rates are really reasonable, though I have to say, staying in one of the big OTT hotels on the Strip does sound more fun!
Are you flying home straight after the tour or are you going to stay in LA for a bit? I've booked to stay in LA for a couple of days afterwards which will be great.
I'm from Essex BTW, so not too far from London!
I'm counting down the days until I go - I must admit, I'm a tad nervous though! But more excited )
Sheryl

Hey Sheryl,

Yeah i think thats the hotel they said I'd be staying in, although I havnt recieved the vouchers yet, have you? I have a room booked somewhere anyway! Am really excited too - still cant believe have actually finally booked it! I'm staying in LA a couple extra days too - I leave late on Tuesday 22nd, arrive back in London on the 23rd. Are you flying with Virgin too?

Hi again,

No, I've not had any vouchers yet for the hotel...I haven't paid the balance off the holiday in full yet though so maybe I will once I've done that? I know we're supposed to get some stuff sent to us about 6 weeks before we go.
I'm flying with Virgin too - shame my flights are different to yours though as I'm a day ahead arriving in Vegas and leave a day later in LA as taking the late evening flight on wed 23rd, arriving in London the next day.
Are you staying in Anaheim? I've got a hotel in santa Monica - more central and sounded like a good safe base!

Hiya,

Yep my extra nights accomodation at the end is in anaheim, i think its the hotel the tour will have been staying at in LA not sure about all the exact details yet tho. Excited about my first night in Las Vegas - it'll be quite exciting having to find my own way etc - apparently the airport is really near the centre of everything so thats good! Apparently on the first night ther'll be a dinner for ppl on the tour so that'll be cool. Have you been to america before? have been to NYC but have always wanted to see california!

Hiya,

No, this will be my first trip to America - NYC is also on my list but California was at the top so I couldn't resist this tour - just sounds so perfect! Plus it will be great to socialise with people from all over the world, though I must admit, it's also nice to know that there will be at least one other Brit on the tour!
Even though I'm at work, I can't stop being sneaky and checking out websites on where we're going - including vegas, which like you, I'm very excited about! The airport looks really close to the center of Vegas so a taxi or shuttle bus (not sure which I'm going to use yet) should be really cheap.
I didn't realise about a group dinner in Vegas - sounds good! Shame it's such an early start for the tour though - 7am!!
So how did you find out about Contiki? Do you now anyone that's done a tour with them?

Hiya

I just googled tours to america and contiki was one of the ones that came up - I'd checked out others but they were either too older age group or too outdoor-sy or too expensive! this tour seemed to tick all boxes so after a-l-o-t of deliberation, i thought why not?! I know friends of friends who've done tours thru them and they've all said its good plus both contiki and sta travel are pretty reputable so couldnt really go wrong. Plus it always seems so much of an effort trying to get all your friends together to go on holiday - just seemed easier/ more adventourous to do it this way plus it'll be cool to meet new ppl. If i like this tour I reckon am gonna do another one to boston/seattle/canada kind of areas in the autumn - theyre definately next on my list!
I havnt yet started looking at websites properly, trying to hold off till nearer the time as I'll just get too excited! I did check out the Yosemite National Park website tho and it looks amazing! Plus have checked out a few of the hotels we'll be staying in and bass lake resort looks pretty cool! What websites have u checked out? Where else have you been on holiday before? And what part of essex are you from? I'm from east london.

Wow, can't believe you're already thinking about your next trip! I know what you mean though, I have a feeling that this trip will be so good that I'll be itching to book another!
I haven't really travelled too far before - furthest is Barbados plus a bit of Europe. But never travelled solo before, or done something that's so adventourous and tour like! Where else have you travelled?
I nearly booked a trip through another tour agency but thankfully I spotted Contiki at the last minute as this trip sounds so much more ideal for me!! The other involed camping! Not really very me - do prefer a bed!
The only other tour hotel I know we're staying at is the Pines Resort one (so checked out that website - does look fab!) but don't know the other hotels yet - do you? I have looked at websites for Las Vegas and for LA mostly - good to get an idea of where I want to go and what to see. There's some tours in LA which I might do too - I know we get one included with this holiday but another won't hurt!
I booked my holiday back in December so I've had a lot of time to build up excitement! Just think, in two months time we'll be starting the tour....!!
I live in Colchester but work in Chelmsford BTW. Which area of east london are you?

even less than two months now considering we both fly out early! have never been on a long haul flight on my own before either - thats an adventure in itself!
yeah the pines resort one's the one i checked out, the one in bass lake? looks really nice - theres a swimming pool and everything!
yeah same, alot of the other tour companies i researched before i found contiki were camping/cabin/out doors style which wernt really my scene - i prefer to see more of the city rather than the countryside altho am really looking forward to Yosemite
Barbados? cool, have heard its really beautiful there. Apart from NYC, have only really been around Europe - Milan, Paris, South of France, Austria, Dusseldorf and Edinburgh. Would really like to see barcelona, might be going there for a wknd break with some friends later on in the year.
My mum used to work in Chelmsford, so have been there a few times - only in the car tho, one of my friends from uni was from colchester too. I live near stoke newington in hackney but work in hammersmith, do you go out in London much? What do you do?

Yeah you're right - less than two months to go!! I'm probably annoying the hell out of my friends and family with my excitement! But do feel it's my turn for a holiday as not had a preoper break for a while! Plus a few friends went to Vegas last year and I was really envious at the time!
Barbados was fab - would love to go back. Maybe Contiki should do a tour of the Caribbean?!! You really should go to Barcelona as it's lovely! Such a cool city. You sound like me in so far as you're a city girl over countryside but you're right, Yosemite does look and sound wonderful. How many times can I say it but I can't wait!!
I'm afraid to say I hardly venture into London - not through choice though as it's a great city. But don't have any mates there anymore so tend to stick to this part of the country!
I work at the uni here. Not very exciting! How about you?
I really can't wait to get definate confirmation that the tour is on - then I can really start to think about stuff that I need to sort out....!! I wonder what the opitional stuff will be like?!

Yeah I know what you mean, once its definately confirmed then I can really start properly planning etc, I cant see why it wouldnt go ahead tho - maybe the delay is just a formality or smthg - hopefully! Dunno what the optional stuff includes but am glad the day were free to do what we want is in San Francisco - thats the place I want to see the most, I have friends who've been as has my brother and they've all said its beautiful. Its cool we land in vegas tho - that definately seems a good place to begin the tour as its so vibrant/buszzing plus I reckon the first night there's gonna be so much fun, altho like u said shame about the 7am start - i know for a fact I wont be able to sleep from excitement!
Anyway I work for a tourism organisation in hammersmith in the marketing dept - havnt been there long but so far so good. What do you do at the uni?

Hi Jo,

Apologies but I did try to send you a private message but I'm not sure how that works so thought it's best to stick to here!
It's 57 days to go now...that still kinda sounds like a lot though! But in a sad kind of way I've already started to think about what I need to do/organise/pack/buy beforehand! I guess it just helps to add the excitement of the trip!
I've heard San Francisco is great too and a trip to Alcatraz is apparently a must! I have to admit, I think I'm most excited about seeing Vegas and LA...but I know it will all be fab!
Think I'm goign to be totally knackered come the end of it though - I won't sleep beforehand because of the excitement (and a bit of nerves!) and I hate flying so won't sleep on the plane...and then it sounds like there's too much going on on the trip to get much sleep either!
It's funny to think about how it's snowing here today yet in under two months time we'll be in the sun!
Sounds interesting that you work in the tourism industry - I just try and advise students on financial matters! Or more so they see me when they've ran out of money!

Hey, hope you had a good wknd
Just checked out the private messenging bit and seen your message so will reply from there later on today! Didnt know you could do that, cool!

Jo