Travel Story: Escape, explore – all within my budget

Jamie Gearside considers travel the best way to escape from the mundane and stresses of everyday life. This 40-year old Return-to-Work Specialist from Newcastle, Australia joined Expat Explore on a tour to Eastern USA and Canada. “Travelling helps me clear my head, all my troubles disappear and become insignificant when there is a new place to explore or experience to be had. Travelling is my first love, it’s always on my mind and something that I am constantly thinking about. Jamie took the time to share her Expat Explore travel experience with us – from embarking on her travels alone, to the perks of organised group travel.

Going solo? I loved it!

“I was initially worried about travelling solo as I thought I would be bored and lonely and just look plain sad. But after doing my recent Expat Explore tour solo, I now know that I have absolutely nothing to worry about. Travelling solo was the best decision I made!

I admit that deciding to travel with strangers does initially sound awkward but by the end of Day 1, those strangers soon become my travelling friends and a rare few eventually become like family. I have found that everyone has one thing in common, and that is a love of the country we have all set out to explore.”

Never traveled before? Nothing should stop you from booking, including money.

“You can book that dream trip now, even if you have to slowly pay it off before you go. But once its booked, you at least have it to look forward to. I guarantee that once you start, you will be addicted and will be thinking about booking your next one as soon as you are back.”

Why Expat Explore? I did my research and it was just the best fit for me.

“I had done a previous European trip with Expat Explore in 2014. I had enjoyed that trip so much, I had no hesitation in booking my 2nd trip with them. I had been researching areas of ‘New England’ and ‘Canada’ when I came across details of this new Eastern USA and Canada trip on the Expat Explore website. It was absolutely perfect and exactly what I wanted so I booked it immediately.

The variety of trips that Expat Explore has to offer and the value for money makes them a number one choice for me. And the fact that they guarantee every trip listed will leave makes them a very safe choice.”

Organized group travel? It let me experience more than expected.

“Without the expert advice and detailed history from my tour guide who has travelled to the East Coast of America and Canada on numerous occasions, I would not have gotten to see or learn about half of the things that I was able to see on this organized tour. I would have spent a lot of my time asking locals where to go and then trying to read a map and find these places. I would have had to negotiate the local transport on my own wasting valuable time.

An organized tour is invaluable if you are making a first time visit to any place or country.”