3 weeks today I should have been flying to Uganda to meet my ‘closest relatives’.

As with all other current holidays abroad this has been cancelled.

I’m sure we are all keen and eager to get travelling again, but we are also aware there are quite a few obstacles to overcome before that can become a reality.

I have enjoyed, make that loved every minute of, 2 JY holidays in the last 20 months to South Africa and Canada. Both were filled with magical moments and experiences.

I was trying to pinpoint my ‘top 3’, but soon found that to be too tricky. All holidays come with great anticipation and here are my ‘top 3’ moments of anticipation ...

1) Driving into the Kruger National Park with its promised plethora of wildlife experiences.

2) Taking my seat on the Rocky Mountaineer ready for 2 days of awe inspiring train travel.

3) Climbing aboard a helicopter for a Niagara Falls fly over.

Needless to say the reality of each far exceeded the expectations.

I know a lot of folks have done multiple JY trips, so there must be some great ‘top 3’ Lists out there.

Unforgettable, exciting, awesome, funny, odd, tasty etc ..

Revive those memories ...  🙂 

Roger

What a great idea to list your top 3 experiences with Just You.  I have travelled with JY on a number of holidays and, as I write, I should have been on the tour of the National Parks, Mount Rushmore and Las Vegas.  I’ve re-booked that tour for 2021.

It’s hard to identify the top 3 in my list of JY moments.  Every holiday has been wonderful and memorable.....but here goes.

1. the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb in 2016.  Although this was not one of the optional excursions on the Amazing Australia tour, at that time, the memories of the climb and views across Sydney Harbour will never fade.  

2. The Iguaçu Falls on the tour of Chile, Argentina and Brazil.  The falls and the whole of the National Park are stunning.

3. The small plane flight to Mount Cook in New Zealand, where I had the honour to travel in the “co-pilot’s seat” throughout the whole flight.  I’m pleased that the pilot was fit and healthy; and that I didn’t have to take over the controls!  ?

and how can I forget all the wonderful places such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the USA (especially New York City).

I’m looking forward to more travels in the future.  Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait to long.

No doubt we’re all thinking about travel plans to some degree, but a little look back occasionally can be quite uplifting.

The RM was rather good wasn’t it ! ?

My favourite memories are;

I. Seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn

2. Standing on the Great Wall of China

3. Flying over the Grand Canyon.

Lesley

Microlight flight in Zambia

Masai Mara in Kenya - sorry to say this Roger, but Masai Mara beats Kruger in South Africa for wildlife

Sydney Bridge Climb

Kind regards

Jaya

Yes, I can quite believe Kruger isn’t necessarily the number one for safaris :-)

It just happened to be my first safari experience, however, and it’s given me a great desire to experience more. Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia, Uganda, Madagascar are all on the ‘to do list’ ... and then there’s Central and Southern America !!

A job to know where to start.

Australia bound in Feb (in theory), so Sydney Bridge a definite possible then.

All the best,

Roger

I've just rebooked the gorilla tour for next June, and hopefuuly still going to Austalia for Christmas where I certainly hope to be doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb

My top 3 are all wildlife based

Orangutans in Borneo

Tigers in India

and the wildlife in Kruger

Tim

Hope you are well. 

I have had lots of great moments on the JY trips. It's difficult to pick the top 3. 

My 'top 3' moments :

1) Watching the Northern lights in Norway ( was lucky got to see northern lights all the 4 nights)- it was magical.

2) Nepal .

3) Tigers in India .

It is not easy to choose top 3 as there have been so many beautiful memories made on all of my Just You tours.  But here are mine top 3 (I think):

Microlight flight in Zambia

Masai Mara in Kenya - sorry to say this Roger, but Masai Mara beats Kruger in South Africa for wildlife

Sydney Bridge Climb

Kind regards

Jaya

I've done the Sydney Bridge climb (as you can probably tell from my profile picture!), although not with JY. I'm not brilliant with heights, and as I was initially walking out across that decking above The Rocks, I was thinking what have I let myself in for here! But funnily enough, I was fine as soon as I got on the actual arch itself! Views were absolutely amazing and definitely worth it!

Small world story, the tour guide who accompanied my little group up was a British ex pat, who came from my home town of Northampton, had been down under about 20 years but I could still detect his accent!

Auschwitz ..from a historical point of view and to pay my respects

MIlford Sound in NZ ...so beautiful it moved me to tears?

Kenya...safari to see my beloved elephants in the wild took my breath away..

CIndy

The Northern Lights .. now there’s another top experience to be witnessed .. great shout !

Andy,

I shall ‘see’ your small world story and raise you mine .. I was boarding the plane in Costa Rica and got delayed by the person in front storing her bag and kitchen sink in the overhead locker when down to my right I heard a voice say ‘Roger, is that you ?’ It was the lady who had landscaped my back garden a couple of years previously ! She and her husband were celebrating a ‘special anniversary’ (I was very gallant and didn’t try to guess). It turned out they had flown out on the same flight as me too ! How crazy was that ?

Tim,

I’ll probably rebook Uganda soon as well. I have got an armful of Yellow Fever vaccine to make use of after all ..

It is not easy to choose top 3 as there have been so many beautiful memories made on all of my Just You tours.  But here are mine top 3 (I think):

Microlight flight in Zambia

Masai Mara in Kenya - sorry to say this Roger, but Masai Mara beats Kruger in South Africa for wildlife

Sydney Bridge Climb

Kind regards

Jaya

I've done the Sydney Bridge climb (as you can probably tell from my profile picture!), although not with JY. I'm not brilliant with heights, and as I was initially walking out across that decking above The Rocks, I was thinking what have I let myself in for here! But funnily enough, I was fine as soon as I got on the actual arch itself! Views were absolutely amazing and definitely worth it!

Small world story, the tour guide who accompanied my little group up was a British ex pat, who came from my home town of Northampton, had been down under about 20 years but I could still detect his accent!

Andy, I too am not very good with heights and nearly did not do the climb.  But I am so glad I did because it was a fantastic experience and worth every Australian $.  It truly was amazing and I was surprised that I had no fear at all.

Regards

Jaya

Angell,

The Northern Lights .. now there’s another top experience to be witnessed .. great shout !

Andy,

I shall ‘see’ your small world story and raise you mine .. I was boarding the plane in Costa Rica and got delayed by the person in front storing her bag and kitchen sink in the overhead locker when down to my right I heard a voice say ‘Roger, is that you ?’ It was the lady who had landscaped my back garden a couple of years previously ! She and her husband were celebrating a ‘special anniversary’ (I was very gallant and didn’t try to guess). It turned out they had flown out on the same flight as me too ! How crazy was that ?

Tim,

I’ll probably rebook Uganda soon as well. I have got an armful of Yellow Fever vaccine to make use of after all ..

RogerT, 

I would definitely recommend Norway.  That's where I saw the northern lights.  

I have to say Masai Mara is one of my top places but didn't mention earlier as I have been there independently and not with JY. Watching the migration was amazing.

Best wishes from

Jaya

So I changed tack - from a young child I loved all creatures (except perhaps big spiders and flappy moths!) so the chance to travel in later life introduced me to animals I thought I would only ever see in zoos or documentaries. Again I had the quandary of what to include and what to leave out, so with special apologies to all the big cats - returned from the ‘JY Tiger Trail’ (even spotted a leopard) just before lockdown, I eventually came up with a top three of the creatures that I have been privileged to see in their home settings during my ‘single’ travels - 

Bears - polar, brown, black, panda, sun, sloth

Elephants - African, Sri Lankan, Indian, Bornean, Thai, Cambodian

Orang Utan - Bornean 

Hope those alternative choices are OK with you Roger - totally with you on all your top three which I also experienced - (first ever helicopter flight, sat next to the lovely pilot who persuaded me that opening my eyes would be a good idea - it was!), and many of the other suggestions too. I do hope you get to visit the great apes one of these days.

“Hello” to all fellow travellers - recognise several on this thread - stay safe and, although I have nothing planned yet, I hope to catch up with you somewhere in the future.

1.   The Polar Bears in Canada, my first JY experience in 2007

2.   Swimming in the Blue Lagoon on New Years Day in a snowstorm

3.   The glorious Northern Lights also in I eland.

There have been many, many other highlights and JY have been a brilliant c9moany with whom to travel.  I’m going to be cheeky and say the highlight of every trip is meeting so many new friends.

The world is opening up again, let’s go travel

Yes it was so lovely to meet you.  Wasn't it freezing when we were having tea?  Even the cups and saucers were freezing.

I have got the Gorillas booked for June and Canada East to West in September next year.  Everything crossed that nothing stops the travel.  I am having withdrawal symptoms!  I was supposed to travel to Madagascar on 17 June .  You will have a lovely time in South Africa and Zambia.  I loved that trip very much.  Try and do the microlight in Zambia if you get a chance.  I also did Cheetah experience in Zambia - arranged it through the reception.  It was expensive but worth every penny as I always wanted to cuddle a cheetah.  I did it on the morning of the day we were flying back home.  You had to get up very early.  We could have done with an extra day in Zambia.  Are you planning to do the Livingstone Express?  Do it if it is on offer.

Kind regards

Jaya

I’ve had a word with the committee and can confirm your ‘alternative choices’ are ok ! Only joking !!

You clearly gave it quite some thought. Having done a few trips I can well believe a ‘top 3’ was a stiff ask .. I struggled with 2 trips. A great selection of majestic beasts in your list. I think the only bear your missing is Grylls ;-)

Like you getting to experience an abundance of wildlife in its natural habitat for me has been a game changer. With the continued frustrations of travel restrictions I find I’m now hooked on the online wildlife webcams as well as the fabulous new Sky Nature Channel.

I’ve still to rebook the Gorilla trip. Next June is a long way off, but I’m still very pessimistic on the travel front.

Australia in Feb is (in theory) next for me, but the idea of a 17 hour flight wearing a mask(s) is less than appealing.

Let’s hope things change for the better in the next few months.

Jaya, a great shame you missed out on Madagascar. What a brilliant and interesting place to visit even if a bit tricky to get around. Hopefully it’s just a pleasure deferred. My top 3 ‘must sees’ there would be Indri, Diademed Sifaka and Baobab trees ...

I really must stop daydreaming !