I've just got back from my first trip outside the UK, and first trip with Just You - if you're thinking of doing a trip with Just You, don't think, the world's your oyster - the only hard bit is saving the pennies, choosing your trip and, yea that's about it.  So, yes, 8 days ago I had never been on a plane, never been outside the UK and now I've visited 3 countries and navigate 3 Airports - Heathrow Inbound and Outbound - Prague Inbound and Budapest Outbound.  Now, before I went I was convinced a tour manager would have to take me through check in, security, boarding gate and actually put me on the plane - well, the tour rep at the terminal on departure day did say the tour manager would meet me at the boarding gate.  Unbeknown to me the tour manager didn't meet us until AFTER baggage claim in Prague.  I sense a bit of fight or flight creeping in here - what would I do?  Well, it turns out that it's all self explanatory, just follow the signs and staff are very helpful.

And so it began, my 8 day break in eastern Europe - and now I am back in the UK, how nice was the relaxing pace of Prague compared to my return to Bristol's mental traffic.

Coming back was even better, we left Budapest at 12.05 pm UK time and I was back home in Bristol by 6.50 pm - it ran like clockwork.  British Airways staff at Budapest Check In helpfully told me where I had to go next - again following signs really does help - that was quick, painless and no scares (I think there may have been some static on my cardigan going that triggered the alarms off going).  I was one of the first at the boarding gate - my upgrade tickets paid dividends and they told me the departure gate before it was announced on the screens - saves me queueing and I do try to avoid queuing if I can help it.  Then it was through Heathrow, I think it took me 49 minutes to get from the plane cabin to the central coach station - I may be wrong, my mind went blank exactly what time we did land (as we had to orbit due to air traffic control running out of space at the terminals).

The tour was fantastic, great food, and some great travel companions.  It was hard going at some points; I would like to have been more sociable but that's my issues to deal with.  The tour guides were good, helpful and friendly - although can I remember anything of what they told me to accompany my photos?  Umm, no, but then there was a lot to take in in 8 days.  I never got around to asking, how difficult is english to learn as a foreign language - because some of the tour guides seem, I don't know, nervous of talking to an english audience in english perhaps.  Generally I can't really fault them.  The tour manager, typical Aussie - in the nicest possible way (I'll remember him when I am watching The Ashes).

I repeat, if you're thinking of going with Just You - don't think, just do - the hardest part is saving up the pennies, and deciding where to go.  Just You will do just about everything for you, although the tour managers will be there as much or as little as you need them - as David Jones was on our tour.  The coach driver, well, now I am back in the UK and have experienced a National Express driver down the M4 from Heathrow to Bristol - our coach driver on the tour was a lot steadier, and like the places we visited, did his job at a more relaxed pace.  Thinking back, we arrived in Prague, and there were fewer sirens and a lot less traffic and it was just more relaxing, but coming back to Bristol today - what a culture shock my return was.  I didn't pay it any attention at the time.

The hotels were good, although the hotel in Vienna could try to not cater for so many for Breakfast if instilling a new system then actually apply it not create a situation that wouldn't have been out of place in Fawlty Towers.

I don't want to spoil the highlights of what we saw and did - you'll have to book the tour for that - but if you do go, ask your tour manager/coach driver if you can see Budapest by night - wow.  A pity it was a surprise after dinner as I had left my camera back in the hotel room.

So, from being too afraid to travel 8 days ago, too scared of navigating through airports, I am partially thinking of revisiting Prague, Vienna or Budapest on my own - only partially thinking about it.  If I can overcome my travel anxiety - so can you overcome our travel fears, it's a great world out there, why let fear bring us down.  Oh, and the pre-organised boat trip in Prague was disappointing, perhaps having TWO serveries on the boat to avoid a queue around one (I don't like to queue) and from what I saw the food look a tad disappointing so I enjoyed a liquid lunch.

I mentioned anxiety, I have a few other health problems which I didn't relay to the group, although obviously had to declare to Just You who said it was fine.  My advice to anyone else with anxiety, or any other health problem (and I'm thinking mental more than physical) - don't let your demons bring you down, you need to understand your condition, oh yes, and don't try quitting your medication just for your holiday - take a letter from your medical people if you're on medication just in case customs get a bit funny about medication going in and out of their country - as it was, they didn't.  I don't think I needed to declare it.

Out of 10 I'd rate the tour a 9.  It loses points on my shit that I couldn't socialise more; though it's unfair to blame Just You for this.  It loses points on the breakfast farce in Vienna, and it loses points for the fact that some of the tour guides gave too much information, crammed too much in, to too short a space of time - generally they were good, all of them, and credit to Michaela's singing in Vienna - she seemed so shy, or again could have just been shy talking english to an english audience.  So yes, a 9.

I can't think of anything more to say.  Thank you Just You you've helped me overcome my travel anxiety.  Though I am thinking of going on a solo holiday - no tour manager, rep or operator, I may do a few more with Just You in the coming months or next year because although I can breeze airports now, and enjoy the nice flight - although what happened to the in flight entertainment (and I'll pre-order a meal in future if you're going to run out of food, piffle - although in fairness, the duty to service and to BA rules and regulations from the air stewardess means I didn't want to complain in the air - nothing she could do about it, what would that have gained?  I may mention it to BA customer services because I did pay for on board food.

However, BA are generally brilliant - I'll have to put Virgin to the test next.  Just You can't do enough for you although they can let you go if required.  Credit to David, he put the whole group at ease with being in a foreign country, certainly me - I felt a lot more confident about being in a foreign country at the end of the tour than I did at the beginning.

Thanks Just You - super trip, I'll think of the next one soon.

Andrew.