Traveling when you’ve finished school can be one of the most exciting times of your life, yet it can also be daunting if you’re voyaging alone.
This past winter I found myself infected by the travel bug and the need for new away from the home-front experiences.
When I asked my friends to come along, I rapidly realised I was the only one with enough savings and time to head overseas.
I felt insecure about being by myself in a different country, but I was equally determined to go!
So I simply started moving the mouse around, and discovered, TrekAmerica Tours.
They boasted only small groups, no flashy adverts on the Trek Vans, exploring national parks, sleeping most nights under ‘canvas’ and the chance to meet other young people in my age and interest arena.
At my age exploring America on my own posed so serious challenges: I can’t rent a car or van to live out of. The costs of long bus or train trips, multiple inner-city hostels, treats and meals, when added to seemingly endless entry fees we lining up to be brutal on my budget.
Especially when I didn’t have a cookie-cutter-clue of just how much it was really going to cost me.
Booking a small-group tour with Trek America meant I didn’t have to go-it-alone, and, I had an itinerary framework set, plus the majority of the costs covered before I even left the front doorstep.
You pretty much know ‘before you go’ what it’s going to cost. It ticked all the boxes for me. And then some…
One of the Very Big Bonuses of my trip with Trek America is the way it got my parents off my back!
Parents worry – it is a nearly-impossible thing for them to turn off. Especially when I revealed the ‘affordable’ hostels I was considering, which boast 10 strangers to a bunk-bedded-room, located on the somewhat seedy-side of town.
Doing an organised tour, I didn’t have to research for hours on end, only to be left with stress. Everything was already booked and I didn’t have a worry.
*Note! IF your folks are severe worry-warts they can even log-into ‘Trek America Live’ to see en route updates of every Trek Tour and be happily reassured you’re livin’ it up, in good hands, and that you’re safe. And you don’t even need to be the one to tell them.
Don’t be turned off by the idea of what they call ‘Cadillac camping’ on Trek.
Its comfortable, easy, and allows you to get to know the other trekkers in a more natural, laid back environment. Even our camping ‘virgins’, – three of whom were guys, found it delightful. Our Trek Leader showed up the ropes and we were pros in minutes, with a few laughs tossed on top.
On Trek, even grocery shopping for meals was a blast, and we shared doing the camp-side cooking and clean-up as a team of new-found-friends.
American ‘supermarkets’ are jam-packed with outrageous goodies you’ve never seen. Don’t worry, this trip will most likely include a trip to majestic Wal-Mart. The food kitty will only set you back $75 per week, and you will be treated to ‘American-sized sandwiches’, Bountiful brekkies, bagels, burritos galore…and more. Don’t expect to loose weight on Trek.
Fresh food, bought supermarket-style is fresh and very, very good value.
The mode of transportation on Trek is by late-model Maxi-wagons with on-board internet, AC and other mod-cons.
The Trek Leader does all the driving and will navigate you through the infamous American deserts, lead team sing-along and will give you the nudge if you take a nap surrounded by Bison! (If you do ‘nap, it will be humorously well-documented and exploited by the other trekkers).
The Van also has a charging station for all the tech gizmos you tote along. Sometimes you just might have to wait your turn.
San Francisco
Our ‘Western Wonder’ Adventure was 9 days long and began in San Francisco.
Although your mum isn’t there to tell you- a bit of a tip in this town: bring a jacket-it can get cool, even in summer.
Our group melded together even as we were forgetting and muddling up names, we sauntered across the Golden Gate Bridge made famous among my friends by Mary-Kate and Ashley of TV series childhoods.
Don’t be embarrassed to take zillions of photos and selfies with your other trekkers. You will all regret not having captured any of the Trek antics along the way if you don’t.
Beside all your fellow trekkies will be doing it!
Hinting at all the Highlights
Highlights on this Trek were way to many to list but I’d have to put Yosemite National Parks’ Nevada Falls on the top of Mother Nature’s list.
And Las Vegas, let me tell ya… oh, sorry I can’t! ‘What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!’ But I can tell ya we stayed in a true-blue Las Vegas Hotel and yep! We toured the Las Vegas ‘strip’ by night in a stretch limo.
We did a lot of Jaw-dropping and photo taking at the Grand Canyon too.
But do save up and splurge on the optional Helicopter Ride. It IS, out of this world!
The whole trek was great fun, and we spent a good bit of our days is crystal clear waters at Lake Havasu, campfire cook-ups, enjoying great music and making real pals as we went along. The pace was, perfect.
Our Trek ended in Los Angeles with sad, Final Goodbyes
LA is the perfect spot for final photos with friends and we made the most of it.
We nailed-it in Beverly Hills, melted into the local mix on the famous Santa Monica Pier, savoured the ‘show offs’ along ‘Muscle Beach’ and strutted the star studded Hollywood ‘walk of fame’.
I’d do it all again!
A Tour for Non-Tourists!
Hayley Sheehan shares her experience with TrekAmerica Tours
The Trek trips, no matter which one you select, will allow you to see America in 2 ways.
As a wanderer exploring new places, sights and wilderness with wonderful people alongside, as well as a tourist indulging in the eccentricities that the USA holds.
Our Trek Leader says, ‘Like snowflakes, no two TrekAmerica tours are ever alike.”
He’s right.
No matter what trek you decide to embark upon, it is completely designed for you and the other 18-38 year olds to collectively create an unforgettable travel experience.
And tossed into the itinerary, you’ll inherit some new, lifelong friends.
