Why travel was a positive catalyst for change in my life

As a ‘small town girl’, I was busting to break out of the predictability of my hometown. There was a whole world out there to see. I had a bucket list and a dream to fulfil: to see and experience the world.

Before travelling with Contiki:

At the time, I viewed travel as a way to see iconic monuments, a way of breaking out of my routine but I soon learned that travel is so much more than seeing iconic monuments. Travel acts as a positive catalyst for change in people – both young and old. 

Having never travelled internationally before, I booked my trip with Contiki as they took care of all the accommodation and travel arrangements. This eased my anxiety about travelling. As someone with Autism, the idea of social travel terrified me. Speaking to new people and making friends has never been my strength – this was the aspect of Contiki that I was most nervous about. 

Despite being nervous about social travel, I chose to travel with Contiki as I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and meet new people. Along with the added factors of Contiki sorting out accommodation and travel arrangements, I felt that Contiki was the best choice for me. Travelling with Contiki also eased my parents’ worries as they knew that I would be safe travelling with a large group of young people.

During Contiki:

Once I had boarded the coach, I realised that I had nothing to be nervous about. Everyone was there for the same reason – to travel and to make friends. I found myself talking to these strangers like I had known them my entire life. I was surrounded by young people, in a foreign country who had all chosen to leave their comfort zones and travel – that is a really brave thing to do.

If I had never travelled with Contiki, I would never have unlocked new facets of my personality such as backpacking Petah, gluten-free-pizza-in-Italy-obsessed Petah or London-obsessed Petah. Immersing myself in cities and cultures that I had only ever read about assisted me in finding newfound confidence within myself. I was able to navigate unfamiliar cities on my own, try new foods and speak to strangers. If I hadn’t been pushed out of my comfort zone, my social skills would have never improved.

As a neurodivergent person, travelling solo and then going onto social travel was intimidating. Although I was concerned about travelling solo, I became content with being on my own timeline. 

I was able to visit places and watch shows that others may not have found interesting. I stayed in social but private hotels, where I had the choice to socialise, but also the choice to be alone. Social travel with Contiki also provided me with these choices. As scary as being on my own was, being far away from familiar places and processes allowed me to experience independence on a deeper level. 

It was up to me to check in at the airport, it was up to me order food and to navigate public transport. It was just me and an over-packed backpack. I switched up my routine, I tried new foods and everything turned out better than I expected. 

If I was at home, I don’t think that I would have taken the steps to try cultural dishes or to switch-up my familiar routines. I enjoyed being able to break-away from the predictable and immerse myself in new experiences. To my surprise, I enjoyed travelling on my own and with other young people. 

Returning home with a new perspective:

Travelling enabled me to switch up my own POV, to see the world from the perspective of another culture; the traditions they celebrate and value. Engrossing myself in the cuisine of other cultures introduced a newfound appreciation of the traditional recipes of Italy, something that I would never have valued as much if I had not fully experienced the Italian culture.

Travel is more than seeing iconic monuments and cultures. Travel is a transformative experience that promotes a deeper understanding of who you are and who you want to be. Travelling provides us with a different perspective on life, an understanding of other cultural groups and a greater appreciation of home. Travelling with Contiki goes beyond sightseeing, and sightseeing is more than observing famous monuments. Seeing the monument in real life rather than a photo enables you to feel the magic of the place and have a “pinch me” moment.

Switching up my POV and breaking out of my comfort zone created memories that will last a lifetime, memories I will tell my future children and grandchildren about, I will be able to show them the photos and they will be able to recreate them. 

I returned home with newfound confidence in all areas of life, a new appreciation of culture and authentic foods and a burning desire to travel more.