Tony P S
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.
sookie222
(Member)
'Tony wrote:

Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.

Hi Tony, I know exactly what you mean about losing your soulmate. My husband and I were practically glued together and when he died I felt like part of me had died too. Finding the strength to do things on my own was really difficult but I found this site and completed my first JY tour in April (Americas Golden West). I had booked the holiday in July 2012 and I can't tell you how many times I had waves of panic every time I thought about it and almost cancelled the holiday. I am SOOO glad that I didn't, my JY holiday was fantastic. I arrived at Heathrow so nervous about how things would work out but in no time at all people started approaching me (my turquoise JY luggage tag seemed to be an invitation!). Most of the people I spoke too initiatlly had never been on a JY holiday before either so we immediately had something to joke about (our sheer terrror :)). At least you don't have long to wait for your first holiday. Enjoy! Sue

sjm533
  • (Member)
(Member)
'Tony wrote:

Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.

Hi Tony,

I too know exactly how you feel, my husband died 15 months ago. We were described as bookends, if you got one then you got the other. Many on JY are first timers for one reason or another. I go on my first JY holiday, and my first ever holiday alone, to Albi & Carcassonne on 17 May. I agonised for ages before booking it, and have swung between excited and nervous in equal proportions. Read as many posts on here as you can, and you will find, as I have, a friendly bunch of people, only too ready to give support and advice. You will find all ages here, and age does not matter, you are as young, or as old as you feel.

Enjoy your holidays. I am sure you will not regret them.

Regards

Sylvia

PaulineGH
(Member)
'sookie222' wrote:

'Tony wrote:

Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.

Hi Tony

I was extremely nervous and apprehensive about going away, I went to Cilento Coast end April and did have a good time. It is not easy making the step but I'm sure you will have a good time, everyone was friendly and you will find people you are able to get along with.

Pauline

Hi Tony, I know exactly what you mean about losing your soulmate. My husband and I were practically glued together and when he died I felt like part of me had died too. Finding the strength to do things on my own was really difficult but I found this site and completed my first JY tour in April (Americas Golden West). I had booked the holiday in July 2012 and I can't tell you how many times I had waves of panic every time I thought about it and almost cancelled the holiday. I am SOOO glad that I didn't, my JY holiday was fantastic. I arrived at Heathrow so nervous about how things would work out but in no time at all people started approaching me (my turquoise JY luggage tag seemed to be an invitation!). Most of the people I spoke too initiatlly had never been on a JY holiday before either so we immediately had something to joke about (our sheer terrror :)). At least you don't have long to wait for your first holiday. Enjoy! Sue

marks
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Tony,

I am 26 and whilst i cannot personally relate to your circumstances i can assure you that you are not the only one who has used JY that has lost a partner. On each trip i have done, someone has been in this position. Whilst such a transition to be hard i think you have done a wise thing in booking the Bruges trip first. It is a relatively short period of time and it will give you a sense of what JY is about and will give you confidence for your Andalucia trip.

Thanks

ruthmcnerlan
(Member)
Hi Tony. I am also a first timer and have booked my first holiday to Andalucia in August. Is it the 29th departure you are going on? This will be my first time travelling alone and I am apprehensive but also really looking forward to it. I think the holiday sounds really good with lots of interesting daytrips planned.

Ruth

Mick W
  • (Member)
(Member)
Tony,

I lost my partner 4 years ago and decide to try a JY holiday almost a year after that, just done my 9th trip with my 10th planned. The first holiday wasn't easy but met a bunch of nice people and have never regretted that decision, helped me move forward.

Mick

Voni
  • (Member)
(Member)
'Tony wrote:

Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.

I lost my husband in September 2011 and went to Turkey with JY last October. I was very nervous too but found everyone very friendly.

Tony P S
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'ruthmcnerlan' wrote:

Hi Tony. I am also a first timer and have booked my first holiday to Andalucia in August. Is it the 29th departure you are going on? This will be my first time travelling alone and I am apprehensive but also really looking forward to it. I think the holiday sounds really good with lots of interesting daytrips planned.

Ruth

Hi Ruth. We are both first timers then. Yep its the 29th August departure. Im flying from east midlands. Where are you flying from? I agree the holiday sounds great. Ive booked most of the additional day trips too, so I get to see more of Andalucia. i dont know about you, but I think this just you community site is great. Just reading posts from people has started to calm me down abit. and recieving such positive posts in response to mine is very reassuring

Tony

Tony P S
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Thanks everyone for such positive comments to my post. Im already feeling calmer and more confident that I am doing the right thing by going on holiday with just you. No doubt I will be nervous making my way to the holiday departure, but im sure its going to worth it.

Tony

Tony P S
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'ruthmcnerlan' wrote:

Hi Tony. I am also a first timer and have booked my first holiday to Andalucia in August. Is it the 29th departure you are going on? This will be my first time travelling alone and I am apprehensive but also really looking forward to it. I think the holiday sounds really good with lots of interesting daytrips planned.

Ruth

Hi Ruth. Im not sure if I have reply posted you correctly previously, as they are not on this thread. Im going 29th August from east midlands. What airport are you flying from? I have booked all the extra daytips to see more of andalucia. Have you?

Thanks Tony

ruthmcnerlan
(Member)
Hi Tony

I am travelling from Belfast to Gatwick then joining the Gatwick to Malaga flight. I look forward to meeting you and the others at the hotel.

So far I have booked the daytrip to Alhambra palace but haven't booked for Rock of Gibraltar yet but probably will once we get there as I've been reading up on it and it sounds like it would be a great experience!

Ruth

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Tony

Welcome to Just You community. Believe me your nerves will disappear as soon as you reach the airport and start meeting your fellow travellers. You will love Andalucia. I went there is September 2010 and had a great time. Travelling with Just You is fantastic and you will meet people of all ages and experiences.

Enjoy your holidays.

Regards

Jaya

JT newbie
(Member)
Hi Tony

I to have lost my husband and soulmate, but I have taken the plunge and booked Croatia in Oct. so I no exactly how you feel, people seem so friendly I hope once we get to the airport we will feel much more confident

Jenny T

Newdave
(Member)
'Tony wrote:

Hi everyone. I lost my wife 2.5 years ago and still feel like my right arm is missing.I know I need to push myself to experience life again, so after great recomendations I have jumped in with both feet. I have booked the Lille & Bruges weekend by rail in May. Plus I have booked Treasures of Andalucia in August. I am looking forward to both but if I let myself stop and think, I wonder if ive done the right thing as im very nervous about the whole thing. Gonna be such a mixture of emotions to do these things without my soulmate by my side. Hopefully you can put my mind at rest that im doing the right thing.

Hi Tony, I've just posted a report on the holiday I just returned from. I was in the same boat as you ( I lost my wife last August) have a look for it.

Dave

MargaretDL
(Member)
Hi, my name is Margaret and am just looking into a holiday with Just You as I have recently found myself alone again after an 8 year relationship. I am really nervous about going on holiday on my own but I love my holidays and am keen to make new friends. Would you recommend it?
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Tony, I've done 5 JY with 6th booked and at a rough guess, I'd say around half of those on the tours (if not a lot more) are widowed, so you will be in plenty of good company!

Jaya, I see you did Andalucia in Sept 2010 - just wondering was that the same tour I did? Claire Mellor was the TM (fantastic, so knowledgeable and organised - and she needed to be, as there was a 24 hour national strike the day we left and she had to organise new flights for us all and a bus to Madrid instead!)

All the best,

Bob

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Bob

I did Andalucia early September 2010 - flew out from Luton with Easyjet on 1 September. Were you in Andalucia then? There was a strike on the day we left, but we managed to fly back with Easyjet from Malaga. We left the hotel early morning - the flight departed Malaga at 10:25. Do let me know if you were on the same trip. Claire Mellor was fantastic. I did miss the trip to Rhonda as I was not feeling too good. I had to go and see my doctor the day before flying out as was feeling rotten and he prescribed me some antibiotics!! This was before I was first diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma. I had been going to see him since December 2009 when I first started feeling unwell and was only diagnosed late January 2011! I had booked the trip to Andalucia soon after returning from my first trip to Jordan in September 2010 and it was too late to cancel.

Regards

Jaya

Jaya

BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Jaya, I checked my diary and my Andalucia tour left on 22 Sept, so I must have been on the departure after yours! Terrible it took over a year to be diagnosed. Yes Claire really was brilliant - tough on her to have to rearrange flights on two consecutive tours! Ronda was a great trip, the town is in a wonderful location and was one of my favourite day trips on that tour, the other being Gibraltar. Seems so long ago now.

Take care,

Bob

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Bob

I will have to try and go back to Andalucia one day as I would love to see Ronda. I have heard so many nice things about it and was a bit disappointed to have missed it, but it was just one off those things. No point in struggling to go on the long trip when you are not feeling too good - it can spoil the enjoyment of your fellow travellers.

Jaya