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My Italian escapade awaits!

The best of #Florence of the week is @jackforin, congratulations! #visitflorence

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Hi everyone,

Happy hump-day! So I’m ridiculously excited that today is Wednesday because I am going on HOLIDAY tomorrow! Yippeeeeee! The bags are packed, the passports are ready and the euros have arrived. It only feels like yesterday that I got off the plane at Heathrow after my epic American adventure, but now it’s time for something oh so different…

 

 

I’m going back to what I do best – EUROPEAN CITY BREAKS! I really missed being in little cities during my time in the U S of A. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved exploring state after state and city after city over there, especially with the likes of Miami, Vegas and NYC on offer, but there was something so huge and so overwhelming about America that I just felt I couldn’t wait to get back to my little European cities and get my tourist discovery mode on again.

This time tomorrow I’m going to be in Venice. Yep, you heard me right – V E N I C E!! The most romantic city in the world – I am so excited! Me and my sister are going on a 9 day Italian escapade stopping at Venice, Florence and Rome along the way. We’ll be arriving by water taxi in Venice (of course) and inter-railing between the other two cities during our time in Italy.

 

Follow @italian_landscapes_and_cities Foto by @_enk

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We’re going to be visiting all the famous landmarks as well as checking out the best hidden gems for gelato, pizza and pasta – I have a feeling we’re going to be 2 stone heavier when we get back, but it’ll be soooo worth it for all the Italian food we’re going to devour! When in Rome, right?!

If any of you have any tips on what to see and do in either Venice, Florence or Rome please do send them my way – I’d love to hear your recommendations! As always, head over to my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages to follow our Italian escapade every step of the way, and I’ll also be doing a vlog for TransferTravel while I’m there -see you on the other side!

Love Jess x

 

Follow @italian_food_and_beverage Photo by @hccouture selezionata da @frensisgram

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Discover Dallas in a Day

#Dallas 🇺🇸🎉

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Hey Y’all!

Sorry, American accent again, but this is a Texan themed blog post so I figured it would be ok to speak accordingly! On my Contiki adventure this summer I was lucky enough to explore different areas of Texas, including Amarillo and Fortworth, but my favourite by far was beautiful Dallas. I only spent a day there but it was enough to make me fall in love with it! If you’ve only got a short time in Dallas this guide will help you make the most of your visit…

Get your Cowboy boots on

#Dallas… The only time I've ever been BIG! 🙋 #tbt #grandsouthern #noregrets #throwbackthursday

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When in Dallas you MUST get yourself a pair of cowboy boots and fit in with the local Texan crowds! There are tonnes of shops selling all sorts of leather goods, from belts to bags to jackets, but getting your cowboy boots on will help to embrace your inner Texan spirit and will let you make the most of your short time in Dallas. I got mine from Wild Bills Western Store in the downtown area of the city and got a real bargain – $50 for a pair of size 3 kids boots! Ok, so most of you normal people won’t be able to get quite a good a deal as that (I bet you don’t have freakishly small feet like me) but the store sells boots for fair prices and I guarantee that you’ll find the style you’re looking for at Bills!

 

See the exact spot where JFK was assassinated

 

This was really moving and one of the main reasons I wanted to visit Dallas. Starting at The Sixth Floor Museum, I learnt about the history of JFK, how he first rose to power as US President and then how he met his demise when he was assassinated on 22nd November 1963. The museum is so informative and really gives you an insight into the life of one of the world’s most famous men. After the museum tour is over, ride up to the sixth floor and look out of the window to see where JFK was assassinated. You’ll be able to locate the exact place where he was fatally killed, an X marks the spot, and you’ll feel as if you’ve taken a step back in time to that fateful November day.

 

Visit the AT&T Stadium

Located in Arlington, just outside of the city centre, The AT & T Stadium is home to one of the most famous football teams in the world, The Dallas Cowboys. The 80,000 seat stadium is also used as a concert arena and hosts other major sporting events throughout the year. Upon our stadium tour we were taken around the conference boxes, stands and private dressing rooms and even played a bit of football out on the field itself. If you’re not a sporting fan this tour might not appeal to you, but don’t do what I did and expect the Dallas Cowboys to be a rodeo show, instead of a football team – I can guarantee you’ll feel disappointed! (duuhhh Jess!)

Check out the museums

I miss you #Dallas 🇺🇸🇺🇸 @contiki @statravel #grandsouthern #contiki #USA #america #traveltuesday #texas

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There are no shortage of museums in Dallas, from the African American museum to the Art museum and the museum of Nature and Science, there’s something for everyone. Many of the museums are free and are open to the public all year round, but it’s advised to book your tickets online or arrive early to avoid queuing. You’ll also find exhibits and other points of interest scattered around the city, such as the Dallas County Courthouse and the JFK memorial square.

 

Explore the zoo and aquarium

 

As if there wasn’t enough to see and do already, Dallas also boasts a huge zoo and large aquarium, both of which are two of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Situated in the downtown area of the city, Dallas Zoo is set on over 100 acres of land and is home to over 8000 animals, whilst Dallas World Aquarium looks after thousands of different species of fish as well as sharks, mammals, birds and reptiles. Both the zoo and the aquarium are the largest in Texas and offer a fun day out for all the family!

 

Climb the Reunion Tower

Ummm how beautiful is this sky, y'all?! I'm obsessed with Texas sunsets! -The Ball 📷: @hellabrassica

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One of the biggest tourist attractions is the iconic Reunion Tower, allowing visitors to experience Dallas in all its glory from 560ft up in the air with 360 degree panoramic views across the city. The tower is home to a restaurant, café, observation deck and gift shop and is popular with tourists from all across the globe. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit the tower during my short time in Dallas, but its on my to-do list for my return visit!

So there we have it, your ultimate guide to discovering Dallas in a day! Have you ever been to Dallas before? Is there any where you think I’ve missed that should be on this guide? I’d love to hear your feedback!

Love Jess x

 

 

August Newsletter!

Hi everyone,

So August seems to have come and gone already and it’s passed us by oh so quickly! I’ve been busy for the most part of this month and have had plenty to keep me occupied; I’ve been  on a couple of little trips and have become a brand ambassador for an exciting new company! I’ve also totally rebranded my website and am working round the clock to launch my freelance social media consultancy business… Here’s how my August turned out…

I rebranded my website

 

I am sooo pleased that my brand new website is now LIVE! I’ve been working round the clock to improve my site, create proper menus and a new layout and am so pleased with the result. I feel that it looks much more professional and I’ve been receiving lots of compliments already – I’d love to know what you all think, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE!!

 

I spent a week in Liverpool

This is #Liverpool 🏙🇬🇧 #GB #UK #visitgreatbritain #traveltuesday

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I recently took a week out to spend some quality time with my family in Liverpool and I had the best week! I’d gone to the V Festival in Staffordshire and then spent the rest of the week staying with family and exploring my second home. Liverpool is such an amazing city with so much to see and do! We took a ferry ‘cross the Mersey, went inside the Town Hall and walked along the Pier Head past the iconic Liver Building. I had a lovely week off just relaxing and enjoying myself – big thanks to my lovely grandparents for having me to stay! <3

 

I’ve become a brand ambassador

**NEW BLOG POST!!** Read all about my special announcement!! Link in bio ⬆️⬆️ Go check it out! @transfertravel

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So my big August news was the announcement of my new role as a Brand Ambassador for Transfer Travel – I’ve been working with the guys there for a few weeks now and am LOVING every second! I’ve been creating video blogs (something totally new for me) and am sending over written content for the site too. Here’s to many more months as a brand ambassador!

 

I’m launching my brand new business

Now that I’m back from my American adventure I’m throwing myself into my blog whilst launching my freelance business at the same time. I’ve set myself up as a freelance writer and social media consultant and am absolutely loving working for myself! I have two social media clients and one writing client so far and I’ve only been freelancing for three weeks! I’m hoping to build on my portfolio and add more clients to my database which will enable me to take on more projects and keep up this job on a full time basis. If you’re looking for a freelance writer or social media consultant, or you’d like to hire me for a sponsored post or press trip, then please get in touch today to see how we could work together!

 

I collaborated with Cheerz.com

**NEW BLOG POST!** Collaboration with @cheerz – product review and discount code for you! #cheerz #Wordpress #blog #post #newpost

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August also saw me collaborate with fab photo printing website Cheerz – I was asked to review some of their products and I absolutely LOVED them! I now have some fancy fridge magnets and cute polaroid prints from my American adventure and I will 100% be using Cheerz again. If you want to place an order for yourself don’t forget to use the promo code JESS75 to receive a £4 discount!

So that’s pretty much it for August – September is coming up and looks set to be super busy with my Italian escape taking up the best part of two weeks and I am SO excited! How did your August go?

Love Jess x

 

👯👯🎉🎉 #bankholiday

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Help! I have a serious case of post-travel blues…

Quite possibly the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen 🇺🇸😍 @contiki @statravel_uk #monumentvalley

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Hey everyone,

So I’m writing this post with a bit of a heavy heart. I have been feeling so so down lately, and a bit lost, and I just don’t know where to turn to or what to do about it really, other than write it all down a big long blog post and try to work out what the hell is wrong with me!

As most of you will know, I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime across America. I had the best time of my whole life and made friends with so many new people, most of whom are now lifelong friends. We have become so close and I miss them all dearly, every single day. They all live in Australia and New Zealand, which makes it even harder when you live the other side of the world in rainy old England! I talk to most of them as much as I can – thank god for FaceTime! – and we all keep in touch on our group Facebook, but it’s just not the same!

 

 

I’ve experienced travel blues before, I often feel a bit down when I’m back from a holiday or city break, I guess it’s only normal, but this is a whole different thing all together. I’m experiencing something I’ve never dealt with before, I’m sad all the time and I feel low even when I have other people around me, like my amazing family and my friends from home. I guess it’s the intensity of being with so many people for such a long time, living with them day in day out, sharing the same adventure and going on the same journey together which makes it such an intense experience – we all bonded and clicked, and maybe that’s why I’m finding it so hard to be without them all.

I think I’m also struggling because I haven’t had a ‘normal’ routine to go back to – I quit my job in order to travel and focus on my blog for the rest of this year, which I’m doing, and I’m so lucky to be in a position to be able to do so, but I’m finding it incredibly lonely and, at times, I’m struggling to adjust to my new life. So many people have said to me ‘oh you’re living the dream’ or ‘oh why are you moaning you don’t have work to get up for tomorrow’ and yeah, I get that, I see where they’re coming from, but at the same time I don’t have anyone around me during the days when I’m at my lowest point and I’m dwelling on the past. I don’t have anyone to have my lunch with, and I don’t have anyone to talk to if I’m feeling like things are getting on top of me.

 

 

Maybe I’m suffering from sort of mild depression, and I say that very very carefully, as I know depression is a terrible illness that affects so many people. I’ve dealt with a mild form of depression before; when I was 15 and I had eating problem and body issues, and then again when I was 21 and I dealt with my first heartbreak. At times I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, I went through darkness where I cried for hours every single day, for weeks on end, and it took months for me to get back to the real me, and to feel as I had done in happier times. So I’m not saying this on the same level, or in any way comparable to people who have suffered with and have been diagnosed with real depression, but it’s kind of the only thing that describes the way I’ve been feeling lately.

 

Even if it ain't all it seems, I've got a pocket full of dreams 🏙🇺🇸 #newyork #NYC #bigapple #tbt

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I’m trying to cure my travel blues by keeping busy, focusing on my blog and developing my freelance writing jobs and of course by keeping active. I take my dog out for a walk every single day, and she keeps me company by sitting at my feet whilst I type away furiously on my laptop! I also see my friends as much as I can and I’m constantly texting/FaceTiming people so that keeps me busy, I guess I just need to fill my time and plan things to look forward to until I feel content enough to just relax and enjoy life. Maybe I’m just a bit nervous at the moment, what with not having a full time job and I’m wondering how I’m going to make a proper living, but I think I just need to take a step back and stop WORRYING! I find that so hard though, I worry about everything, I just can’t help it.

 

So exactly a whole month ago today I returned from my American adventure. My mum took this photo of me just as I had come through arrivals at Heathrow airport. Seconds earlier I had collapsed into my mum and dads arms and burst into tears. I sobbed so much and they both hugged me so tight and, in those few seconds, I realised nothing was more important than love. I felt overwhelmed with exhaustion, with relief that I'd made it home safe, and with emotion because my amazing adventure was over. But in those few seconds I realised that nothing is more important than being with people you love. Travelling has made me realise that, no matter how far you go or how long you're away for, you'll always come home to where you belong, and you'll always be loved no matter where you are in the world. It's also made me want to be a better person, live each day as if it's my last, and to never be afraid to act how I feel and to follow my heart. Have courage and believe in yourself. If you like someone, tell them. If you love someone, show them. Don't let anyone tell you you're being stupid or you can't do something you've always wanted to, who are they to judge? I guess since I've been home I've appreciated things a lot more, I've learnt to be content with who I am as a person, and to never doubt myself. I've also learnt to stop living in the past and start looking forward to the future. Be spontaneous, do things and see the world. Don't put things off, do them today, not tomorrow. Don't leave things unsaid. A lot can change in a day. Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer, please go and explore our beautiful planet, before it's too late. ✈️🌍

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Sorry for the rant, it just helps sometimes for me to get things off my chest! Have any of you ever experienced post travel blues before, and have they ever been on this level? I’d be keen to know if such a thing actually exists, or if I’m just being plain stupid!

Please tell me if it’s real, or if it’s all in my head…

Love Jess x

Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game ⚾️⚾️

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The ULTIMATE Contiki Q&A session! (Grand Southern Adventure)

 

Hey everyone,

So last week on social media I asked you to put your Contiki Grand Southern questions across to me and I promised to answer each and every one of them! I’ve been receiving tonnes of messages lately from people who have booked trips in the next 12 months asking what to pack, how much to budget for and other general queries so I thought it would be fun to do a Q & A session! This post is tailored to the Grand Southern Adventure I have just come back from (and many of you are booking the same trip by the sounds of it!) but some of the answers will be useful if you are planning a Contiki trip anywhere in the world.

I have to say I wasn’t expecting this amount of interaction and my inboxes have been absolutely FLOODED with messages from people on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook with loads of fab questions. So here are all my answers for you – if you’re thinking of going on a Contiki trip, or if you already have one booked, I hope this will help a little to ease your first time travel nerves or will help with your packing woes! Lets get this show on the road….

Question: How strict are Contiki on their luggage limits, and would you recommend a suitcase or a backpack?

Answer: According to the paperwork in the Contiki Welcome Pack, the standard luggage allowance per person is 1x 20kg bag in hold (under the bus) and 1x small day bag on board. The official Contiki size guide is 1x suitcase or bag measuring a max of 73cm x 50cm x 25cm although some of the people on our tour did have bigger cases! I guess it depends on your driver and how lenient they are, but this is the recommended size for all luggage. Oh and I would 1000% recommend a suitcase over a backpack ANYDAY of the week! Suitcases are sooo much more convenient in terms of wheeling them to and from the bus each day, and to and from each hotel!

One more sleep!!!!! 🇺🇸✈️🇺🇸✈️ @contiki #noregrets #USA

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Question: How often do you get chance to do laundry?

Answer: The choice of hotels on the Grand Southern is so good, most of them have free WIFI and laundry facilities and they’re all in great locations. Not every hotel had laundry, but I’d say about every 4th one did, so there was a chance to do some washing at least once a week. I pitched in with some of my tour mates and did washing together so we got usage out of the washing powder and saved some of our pennies!

Question: Did you need to buy a separate US sim card for your phone, or did you just use WIFI?

Answer: The States is notoriously expensive for non US residents so, naturally, I was a little worried about using my phone over there! Contiki actually provide you with a USA and Canada sim card which is pre activated and ready to use on your trip. You’ll get this in your little Welcome Pack which is posted out to you before you fly – cute! Most people bought sim cards from the nearest Walmart though and used these as I think it gave you a bit more value for money. I was fortunate enough to switch phone providers just before I flew out, so Three Network allowed me to use my phone in the same way I would if I was at home, and I was texting and phoning home normally without having to pay any extra – AMAZING!! If however you can’t take advantage of this, or you’re not keen on getting a sim card, then I’d just stick to the WIFI, there’s plenty of it in the restaurants, hotels, shops and bars at each of the Grand Southern destinations so you should be fine!

Ahhh my last day at home before my big American adventure tomorrow!! ✈️🇺🇸@contiki #noregrets

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Question: Is there anything you brought that you thought you’d need but didn’t end up using?

Answer: This is a GREAT question – I wish I’d asked someone this before I went on my trip! I took quite a few clothes that I thought I’d use but didn’t; I wore tops and shorts over and over again just cos it was easy and I was too lazy to root through my suitcase. I brought magazines in case I had some downtime and was bored – I didn’t read them, they were chucked out in Miami as they were weighing down my day bag (sorry OK mag). I also brought about 20 pairs of socks which I didn’t use AT ALL! I guess it depends what type of shoes you wear, but I was in flip flops and pumps most days so didn’t need them.

Question: Did you have the same roommate the whole tour?

Answer: Yes I did have the same roomie the whole tour, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way! My roomie Poppy was so amazing, she was like me in the sense that she likes to party but doesn’t want to roll home with a random stranger at 5 o clock in the morning! We got on really well the entire trip and I was so lucky to have her as my roomie – miss you Pop!! <3 Some people did switch roomies midway through the Grand Southern, as those who left/joined in New Orleans affected the pairings. If you’re reeaaally unhappy with your roomie you could always ask your Tour Manager if you can switch with someone, it messes up the hotel names but other than that it doesn’t really matter.

I miss my #Contiki roomie too much 😭😭 @poppy_sparrow #noregrets #roomies #girls #love 💖💖

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Question: How strict are Contiki with their age policy and can someone over 35 travel if they are with someone under 35?

Answer: I actually contacted Contiki for the answer to this as I wanted to get it 100% correct! Here’s their official statement: “We are proud to be the best in class and like to uphold our promises to our travelers, one being our 18-35 year policy. We would not be able to accommodate anyone over 35 travelling with us.” I think that’s pretty clear!

Question: Did you bring a beach towel with you and did you need to use it?

Answer: Yes, I brought one with me. No, I didn’t use it! I did want to use it on the beaches we stopped at in Florida, but we were able to take the hotel ones which I guess made it easier as I didn’t have to wash my towel before we left etc. If I were doing another trip I wouldn’t bring a beach towel with me. Don’t forget your swim stuff though, there’s plenty of opportunities for pool parties whilst on Contiki!

Pool party 👙💦 #Dallas

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Question: How many outfits did you bring?

Answer: TOO MANY is the answer to that! I’m a typical over packer anyway, I once went to Spain for a week and took 8 bikinis :O What can I say, I like to have a bit of choice!! You really don’t need to take too many clothes though, especially as you can do laundry every few days and you can reuse lots of things. The Grand Southern lasts for 27 days so I took 5-6 pairs of shorts, 12 tops (vests & t-shirts), a couple of skirts, a few day dresses and 2 evening dresses. Oh and don’t forget your essentials like pants etc (I literally took about 30 pairs of knickers!) and footwear, like I said before I was mainly in flip flops and pumps but you can wear whatever you’re comfy in.

Question: How many ‘going out’ clothes do you need? ie for clubbing etc

Answer: I actually only bought two going out dresses, one for Vegas and one for Miami, but I forgot that we had two nights in each (duuhh Jess) so I went and bought a few other dressy outfits at various shops and outlet centres so I could wear them to go clubbing! The big cities we stopped at on the Grand Southern are pretty laid back when it comes to night time attire, especially for the ladies, but for boys it’s a bit stricter – think shirts, trousers and shoes, not vests, shorts and sandals! The only thing I WISH I took more than anything was one pair of heels! Clubbing in Vegas & Miami without my heels on just didn’t feel right – who’s with me girls?!

Miami rooftops 🎉🇺🇸 #saturdaynight

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Question: Are there any mobile device charging points on the bus?

Answer: I think it depends which bus you get; our first one had just a handful of charging points at the rear of the bus only, but we swapped buses towards the end and there were chargers on every seat!

Question: Does the bus have free WIFI?

Answer: Yes and no, again it depends on which bus you get. Our first one did have WIFI but it was very limited, and my phone would never connect to it! The second bus had no WIFI at all. The bus is a place to chill and relax though (and sleep, like I did constantly) and it’s fun to join in with group games instead of being on the internet all the time!

Question: Do the hotels have free WIFI?

Answer: Yes, most of the ones on the Grand Southern had some sort of free WIFI, either in the rooms or downstairs in the reception area. There were often computers in the lobby to if you wanted to make use of them. I actually used one of the PC’s in our Washington hotel to write a blog post for all you lovely lot! 🙂

Question: What optional extras would you do, and what ones would you skip? (Grand Southern only)

Answer: If you can, do them ALL!! I did pretty much all of them bar a few, just because of money etc. I made sure I took enough spends with me though so I could enjoy myself and be fully immersed in the Contiki spirit! Must do’s (in my opinion) are the Cirque Du Soleil in Vegas, the Grand Canyon helicopter, white water rafting in Durango, speed-boating in Miami, baseball games in Memphis & Washington, swamp boating in New Orleans, Universal/Disney in Orlando & parasailing on Daytona Beach. I also saw the hot air ballooning in Albuquerque was pretty special, although I didn’t take part in this. Make sure you take part in the group surprise and the group photos too, such lovely memories of your time together! If I was to skip any I’d say the Dallas Cowboy stadium tour is the least exciting – especially as I thought I was going to see a Dallas RODEO show instead of some football stadium! #oops – but yeah, if you’re into American sports then it’s cool but otherwise it’s a bit boring.

 

Question: Do I need a US VISA for a Contiki trip?

Answer: Yes, you will need a US VISA for the Grand Southern, or any other US & Canada trip if you are not a US resident. I think this costs around £25 and your travel agent can sort this for you, or you can do it yourself online.

Question: How many nights pre/post tour would you recommend to stay?

Answer: I would definitely stay for at least 3 nights pre trip and 3 nights post trip, if you can afford it! I literally landed in LA the night before the tour started so unfortunately didn’t have chance to see ANYTHING of La La Land which I was pretty gutted about. If you’re an avid reader of my blog you’ll know that I paid a lot of money to change my flights and stay an extra night in New York at the end of the trip, but that’s because it was 4th July and I wanted to celebrate with my new Contiki family! If I were to go again I’d 100% stay a couple of nights extra at either end of the trip so you can make the most of your time in both LA and NYC as you don’t get any included time at these destinations on the Grand Southern.

 

L.A L.A L.A ✈️🇺🇸✈️🇺🇸

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Last day on tour 🇺🇸🎉 #NYC #timessquare #america #USA @contiki @statravel_uk #contiki #noregrets

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Question: Did you meet anyone from your trip online before you went? How do the Contiki MeetUps work?

Answer: Yep, I found the online MeetUps fairly easily via the Contiki website, and more and more people started to join in the run up to the trip starting. We also then made a group Facebook page and added everyone to it as it was a much easier way of keeping in touch with everyone. I found that this group really helped us to bond, I spoke to quite a few people quite a lot before the trip started so it felt as if I knew them before we even met on that first night in LA!

Question: Did you get to stop off much on long drive days?

Answer: You’re driving on average around 8 hours a day on the Grand Southern, sometimes a little longer, sometimes a little shorter, and there were plenty of opportunities to stop. We’d stop at Walmarts, or large retail parks, to do some shopping and to grab some proper lunch and stock up on snacks etc. The stops were interesting and varied, one was Monument Valley, Utah (INSANE!), one was Seligman, Arizona- an official Route 66 stop, and one was Little Rock High School, Arkansas; a museum/exhibiton about the desegregation of public schools in the US. We also made longer stops at Santa Fe (New Mexico), Charleston (South Carolina) & Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) where we had plenty of free-time to explore. The stops really help to break up the driving days and allow you to visit lots of new states before you reach your destinations.

🇺🇸🇺🇸

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Question: How much do you recommend to tip your tour manager/driver?

Answer: The recommended suggestion from Contiki is $3 per day for driver and for your TM, or more if you think they’ve gone above and beyond. I tipped both John, our TM and Ray, our driver, $100 each for the full 27 days as I thought they were truly amazing and they looked after me during my time on tour. It really depends how generous you’re feeling, but they do a dam good job and I felt they really earned their tips so I was happy to pay a little extra! Miss you guys! X

Missing #NYC and my @contiki team John & Ray-Ray! 🎉 @jnavarro467 #tbt #contiki #noregrets

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So there we have it! I feel EXHAUSTED but not in a bad way, in a good way. Like a really, really good way and hopefully this may have helped those of you who are going on Contiki in the not too distant future. Dammm I wish I had seen this blog post before I did my first Contiki trip 😉 Just kidding, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

So you should now be ready to jump on to your first Contiki bus fully armed with knowledge and able to survive your trips! Please tell me where you are going as I’d love to hear all your fab itineraries (and cry myself to sleep because I won’t be joining you) – tell me your travel plans! Oh and if you think I’ve missed aaaaanything at all (I bloody hope not!) then just shout, I’m honestly here to help!

Love Jess x

So after 28 amazing days the time has come for me to leave the US of A and travel home from my first solo adventure! I've white water rafted in Durango, helicoptered over the Grand Canyon, parasailed on Daytona Beach, been speed boating in Miami and celebrated Independence Day in New York! I've had the time of my life with the most amazing people making 52 new friends as well as hundreds of new memories that will last a lifetime! Honestly the best thing I've ever done and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Now it's time for me to fly home from NYC in my contiki top and cowboy boots in true tourist style! Til next time America… Mum I'm coming homeeee 🇺🇸🎉💖 #noregrets @contiki @statravel_uk @travelstarwarsjoe

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