Ever wanted to go on an amazing holiday, the trip of a lifetime, but too busy with work and other commitments to put all the hours into planning it? I have loved organising my adventures so far, in fact this stage is what has built up the anticipation, excitement and, of course, the nerves. I have come to terms with the fact that I am not someone who can happily ‘wing it’, I feel safer and less anxious if I know my next move and every time a holiday goes smoothly I am thankful for all the time and effort I put into making it that way. So, what I’m about to say next is going to come as somewhat of a shock. I am throwing caution to the wind, for me anyway, and letting someone else plan my next jaunt. This November I will be turning the big 3-0! At first I was extremely keen to throw a party for all my friends and family, I even went as far as gathering some quotes for venues, but it soon became clear it was going to be a large cost for a few hours entertainment. One venue offered their space for free as long as I had a certain number of guests. If I was going to host a party I wanted to do it properly, providing all the food and drink. However, as I began to look down my list of the 60+ people I intended to invite, I realised I could count on two hands the number of people on that list who I had seen or spoken to in the previous 12 months. I decided paying out for these people to have a good time wasn’t something that I wanted to do.
Another reason for setting aside my party plans was due to some self preservation issues. It simply starts with, I’m not where I thought I’d be by the time I was 30. Not that I was ever the girl who dreamt of weddings, babies and happily-ever-after’s, I just always thought I would have progressed further in life in general. So, I began to feel a little blue about parading the big birthday around and it becoming a “big deal”.
Therefore the only logical solution was to treat myself by going on a vacation. I considered an American Road Trip, an African Safari and an Icelandic Cruise amongst many other destinations and themes, but I just couldn’t decide. I found myself unable to put my heart and soul into any of the ideas I’d had, even though I would love to do all those things, and I began to realise it may be because I just didn’t have the time. This year has been, and still is, a busy year for me. My position at work was on a temporary basis to cover maternity leave and it was uncertain whether this would become a permanent role. Luckily for me, in March it was confirmed that I would be staying on and all the worries of finding a new job and saving the pennies are no more. Also, I have the honour of being a bridesmaid for my best friend at her wedding in November, a job that seemed oh-so-exciting at the start but turns out is a lot harder work and more time consuming then I ever thought. I begrudge doing absolutely none of it to make her day perfect. Therefore, it is always at the forefront of my mind and I find it impossible to prioritise anything above it. Of course, with this also comes the planning of the hen do, something that wasn’t particularly easy when all 4 bridesmaids have completely different ideas and opinions on how to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. It has been a fairly long process, and even now the plan is in place there is still much organising to be done. The hen do is not the only commitment that comes with being a bridesmaid, there are dress viewings, shopping trips, invite making, centrepiece crafting and many many more tasks and duties.
Then one day I was simply scrolling through Facebook and came across an advert for a company that organise surprise trips for people. The first company I found only did short breaks to Europe and it was only possible to select 3 places that you didn’t want to visit. After 3 months travelling around Europe I decided the risk was too high that I would be sent somewhere I had already thoroughly investigated. Then began the search for a company that offered worldwide trips, and finally I found one. Jubel.
An American based company that had recently had a glowing write up in Forbes magazine. To get started all I needed to do was fill in a simple questionnaire about my holiday preferences, it covered style of the trip, duration, activities I would enjoy etc. A day or so later I received an email from a lady at Jubel, we spoke more freely than the questionnaire had allowed about what I require from a vacation, budgets and dos and dont’s. Two days after I had provided Jenny with all the information I was sent an email that contained a personalised proposal.
Mine was titled - A Wildlife Lover's Paradise. Firstly, it gave an overview of the country I will be visiting and my travel information. Scrolling further on down each secret destination has a name, beginning with Culture Hub, then Coastal Bliss and finally Otherworldly Adventures. Under each section there is some destination information, here it tells you the typical weather, accommodation type, travel logistics, scenery and possible activities in the area. There is a handy segment named 'Culture Shock', this gives a brief breakdown of the in-country risks such as, petty crime and stability of the local infrastructure. Lastly, it details everything included in the cost and the total price per person itself. After proceeding to the booking page, I paid my deposit and my surprise trip was secured. Now at this point I assumed I wouldn't hear from Jenny for a little while however she has kept in touch with me regularly since. More questions have been asked and swiftly answered, and so far I couldn't be happier with the service I have been provided with. Shortly before my departure I will receive multiple sealed and dated envelopes, each one will contain the information for the next part of the trip. I guess at this point it is my decision or amount of willpower as to whether I open them all at once or as I travel. At the moment I want it to be as much of a surprise as possible, but it might be a different story when all the answers lay in my hands.
Don't forget to stop by in late November to follow me on what is sure to be a very magical, mystery tour!