My name is Neil, I’m 23 and I’ve never traveled alone before. I’ve suffered with a lot of anxiety all my life especially when it comes to being in unfamiliar areas and socializing. I’ve been working hard on breaking through the latter barrier so I’m fine with meeting new people especially people with similar interests (like travelling) but the former is still something I would like to work on. I’d very much love to travel the world and see what life is like across the globe. I stumbled across JustYou and I really like the idea of travelling with like minded people, but I’d like to hear a little more about the service JustYou provides especially if people have used them before as it will help me break through that barrier and take on a trip.

I haven’t decided which break to go on yet, but would the JY rep meet us all at whichever British Train station or airport we use? It’d be more reassuring to know I am at the right place at the right time especially since I am inexperienced at all kinds of travel.

During the trip, how often will the guide be available to help? If I go exploring, I’d be afraid of not knowing where I am, have people had this issue on trips with JY before?

I would enjoy doing activities with the group, in people’s experience does the group stick together often or does everyone disperse after excursions?

I also noticed that some excursions are “optional” – I assume you pay for those if you want to do them, if so, do you pay there and then or do you pre-book them on the website?

Thanks to anyone who helps out with these questions! I’ve never done this kind of thing before but I’d really like to get into it and I’m very nervous about my first solo vacation. If there's any more nerve-settling advice anyone can give, I'd enjoy hearing it! Thanks again! :thumbup:

My name is Mark and i am 26. I first started using Just You when i was 23. I really wanted to go to Paris to practise my French and JY had a perfect holiday to Paris for 3 days. On JY holidays there is a huge mixture of people, normally the majority of people are older, 50's and above. I can sympathise with your position because to anyone that isn't 100% confident in travelling alone for whatever reason it can seem daunting however i can tell you that in the 3 trips i have been on, as long as you are friendly, you will enjoy yourself. Not to disparage my own age group, however i have found that others older than yourself tend to be warmer and on holidays tend to take people under their wing. When we go on holiday we all have the same purpose, which is to enjoy the destination, so you all immediately have something in common with each other. For example, when i went to Paris with JY, we had dinner at the hotel and we all had the opportunity to talk to each other. I happened to mention that i wanted to visit the Louvre and someone else said they wanted to as well so the next day we went there together. JY tend to do dinners on the first day of arrival for people so they can talk to each other and get to know their surroundings.

With regards to the guides, they can all speak English. They also tend to give their mobile phone number out in case of emergencies however i have never known anybody had to use it. The tour guides go on all the included and optional excursions so at the very least you will see he or she everyday. If your guide isn't local, then normally they stay in the same hotel, and so are available pretty much everyday.

With regards to optional excursions, sometimes you can pay for them when you pay for the holiday itself however normally you will get a letter 6 weeks before the holiday and you can phone up[ and pay but to be honest i normally see how i feel on the day and pay for it then.

Where are you thinking of going? I've been to Paris (twice), Croatia, Slovenia and in september Sicily.

Thanks

Mark

I have been on 4 Just You holidays and have enjoyed each one of them. At 56 I am a lot older in age than you, but at the end of the day age is just a number! With Just You holidays you are looked after from start to finish and there is no need to worry at all. Just choose a destination you would love to visit and book the holiday. You will have no regrets at all. Of course, most people are nervous when they take the first step (I too was quite nervous when I booked my first trip to Jordan), but you will soon find that there is no need to be nervous at all. Everyone is friendly and you are never on your own unless you choose to be.

Happy travelling.

Jaya

WOW what an adventure lies ahead for you, to travel and see the world or at least part of it.

Mark, so nice to see your post to Neil and for you to give you experience over to him.

Like Jaya I am an OLDER!! One at now 54, I have been using JY for the last 7 years and have my 9th tour booked.

I have loved all the holidays and for for different reasons, but they are great fun and I think well worth the money for what you get in the whole package, and to know someone is head counting you at the end of the day even better no chance of getting lost...

People do mix in really well, yes people link up sometimes in groups but that's fine, I find that I move around the group as not everyone wants to do the same thing, so like Mark said you might veer off one day with one person and another day with someone else, it's YOUR HOLIDAY, you do what you want to and with whom you want, or perhaps on your own it really is up to you, you might be lucky and get on with some one really well and make a holiday friend to travel with again some time..

This is a very safe way to travel...

There is a rep at the airport to see you through check in, and normally the tour manager flies out with you, if not they are there to meet you at the other end, ladies out number the men, and the old do mix in with the young, it really does work out so well for people. As a mum to two boys!!! Aged 23 and 25 I totally can relate to the younger ones..

I am sure you will be fine, and I hope you can give it a go...

Do you have your heart set on a certain tour? If so you could ask Ben on the editors page or ring the girls in the office and they could give you an idea on age range, how many people have booked,etc

Good Luck

Cindy

I've not decided on a specific trip/time just yet - there's too many to choose from. Ha! I've got my eyes on a few for the moment (One is to Germany, one to Spain and another to Lille but I'm still making up my mind and to be honest I'd happily look at all the options again and keep a few others in mind) but I'm just taking my time to make a decision. It's not that I would want one trip over the other, it's that I have to turn some down!

Thanks again for your replies Mark, Jaya & Cindy. I very much appreciate them! Again, it's certainly helped made me feel more confident in taking the plunge. Thanks!

I think you've managed to put into words everything I've been thinking and worrying about myself so you're not alone! I'm 28 and being shy myself, like you I'm very nervous when it comes to going to new places and meeting new people and I do worry about being left out and ending up on my own. Plus I have a really rubbish sense of direction so I'm terrified of getting lost somewhere, especially when I don't speak the language of the place.

The last time I went on holiday was 10 years ago with my parents and I was starting to think I'd never get to go anywhere since I don't think I'd ever be able to just go off completely on my own. But then I came across Just You last summer and I've been following the forums a bit and it seems so friendly. So I'm about to renew my passport and hopefully get my first holiday booked for this year. Am I terrified at the thought of going somewhere on my own? Yes but I just keep telling myself there's so many amazing and beautiful places in the world I want to see I just have to take the chance while I can. Plus I think things tend to be less scary once you're actually there, its the worrying before hand that's the worst part but from what I've read you seem to be well looked after :)

Although its going to be really hard deciding where to go, since I want to go just about everywhere! Having never been outside Europe before I'm tempted to just throw myself in the deep end and go somewhere far away and completely different.

I read your post and I can relate a lot! It took a long time to get the courage to decide to travel but I keep being inspired by just about any travel related article, photograph, website etc that I come across. I think I've decided to take the trip to Ahr Valley, Germany, though I haven't booked it yet. I've never even taken a train journey on my own before but I think even taking the train from my local station (New Street, B'ham) to Euston, right by the train station to Germany, will be an experience in itself. It looks like JY take care of you right from the moment you book your trip, so I think it'd be a great way for us newbies to begin our travels. I'd love to take some big trips at the deep end too, though I'll ease myself in.

Good luck with your travels! I hope this thread has helped you as much as it has helped me!

Its great to read your postings on here and I am so happy that you are going to give it a go, they are such great fun and life is an adventure and there are so many great things to see in this world and fantastic people to meet along the way..

Good Luck to you all

Cindy

I sincerely hope you find one holiday you want to go on and book it. You will have no regrets and will come back for more. Like Ariya, I too have no sense of directions at all so know the feeling! Do let us know what you have booked and post a review on your return.

Good luck with your travels.

Jaya

I'd just like to back up what the others have said. JY is a brilliant company, they look after their customers very well. I've done a fair bit of travelling now (did some when I was in my 20s, then very little for many years and am now wanting to see the world in my 40s!!). I've done 4 JY hols with two more booked. Even at this stage, I still get a bit nervous before a holiday begins, but now it's nervous excitement! Once I get to the airport and meet some of my fellow travellers, the nerves disappear and I've always had a great time.

For my first JY hol, I wasn't sure what to expect and hadn't been on a group holiday for a long time, so I chose Andalucia as it was an area of Spain I hadn't been to before and the places sounded interesting. I also figured, if it didn't work out, it was only for a week, it wasn't too expensive and I wasn't too far from home! I had such a great time, as soon as I got home I booked South Africa! I amazed myself by booking such an exotic holiday so far from home, but I ended up having the most wonderful holiday of my life. Since then, I've done India and last Sept I went on the Travelsphere (the parent company) tour of Chile, Argentina and Brazil. The travel bug has well and truly bitten and I have been dipping big time into my savings, but it's been worth it! I'm off to Vietnam and Cambodia next month and I can't wait! So you really have nothing to worry about, go for it! You are in safe hands and will have a wonderful time.

Take care,

Bob

I've been to Germany a few times, its a nice place, beautiful countryside and most people tend to speak english so that makes it a bit easier. If you're worried about getting the train by yourself (I used to get my mum to come up to London with me when I was getting the train back to uni, it gets easier with practice!) I would suggest looking up the platform numbers online and making sure you know what trains you're taking if you're using the tube. I always find it helps me to have everything planned out in advance. Also I use google street view to have a look at places before I go there. Been looking at whats round the hotels at the holidays I'm looking at etc, then when you get there it will be at least a little bit familiar and not as scary.

As for me, top of my bucket list is Egypt, always been interested in anything to do with ancient history and wanted to go there ever since primary school, although think I'll leave that for a couple of years till the troubles there have hopefully calmed down a bit. Really fancy somewhere warm with a couple of days reading my books on the beach but also some nice excursions. Would get too bored with a total beach holiday. Looking at Hawaii at the moment. Way over what I set my budget at but it does look amazing and I wouldn't have to worry about the language or not liking the food plus I never stick to budgets anyway.

I went on my first JY holiday to the Costa Brava for Christmas and New Year. Like you, I was very nervous before I went, but quickly found I had no need. Everyone was very friendly and as others have said, there was always someone to do things with if I chose to. You can join in as much or as little as you want so to me it was a perfect solution as a single traveller. Our tour manager met us at the airport in Spain and was fantastic. He really made sure everyone had a good time but without pushing you into anything. I am now looking through to decide on my next holiday. I would definitely say just go for it - from my experience, you will never look back - only forward to the next holiday.