By building a few small-group trips with Intrepid into her long-term solo travel plans, writer Jess Heslop boosted her confidence and enriched her adventures.
Before I went to Mexico, I used to daydream about three things: eating my weight in tacos, learning how to salsa and swimming in a cenote.
On the Mexico Unplugged trip, there were indeed tacos aplenty and some very questionable dance moves. But my cenote experience was completely unexpected. Instead of following the crowds to the most popular spots, Intrepid leader Juan Carlos took me and my fellow travellers to a little village outside Playa del Carmen, to take a dip in the tree-shaded natural pool where he had learned to swim as a child.
We spent an hour at this special spot, taking it in turns to jump in from varying heights. It was idyllic. And I knew that I’d never have found this picture-perfect place alone.
This two-week trip sparked something in me. It gave me the confidence to go it alone and explore more of the world; it tipped the first domino in a series of events that resulted in a whole year of travel.
When I got back home to the UK, I quit my job and, after a little logistical planning, hopped right back to Mexico. From there I travelled solo through Central America, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji over the course of a year.
During those 12 months I also did two more Intrepid trips, learning what I already suspected to be true: small group travel can enhance long-term solo adventures. Here’s how.
1. It’s a softer landing
Kicking off my travels with an Intrepid trip meant my first solo adventure was, at least initially, less ‘solo’ than first anticipated – and that was a good thing. In fact, I’m not sure I would have taken the leap into long-term independent travel without the gentle nudge that first Intrepid trip gave me.
By the time the completely unguided parts of my trip started I felt eased into life on the road, totally ready to step away from the safety of a group and a leader. I felt confident, well prepared and intrigued to learn more.
2. There’s strength (and shared costs) in numbers
I’d wanted to go to New Zealand ever since watching The Lord of the Rings as a teenager. For a long time, it felt like a pipe dream, as it’s so far from the UK and pricier than other destinations.
Also, I can’t drive, so New Zealand’s iconic road trips felt out of reach. While I knew I could get from A to B using public transport, I didn’t want to spend my time worrying about bus timetables and travelling long distances alone. And even if I had my license, the costs of car hire would have been steep.
So, when I found a trip with Intrepid that hit a lot of the big LOTR filming locations and fell within my budget, I was ecstatic. We travelled from Auckland down to Wellington in a minivan with our exceptional local leader, Ollie, who kept the vibes high by letting us choose what music to play and even creating us a group playlist. It was the quintessential road-trip experience that I’d been craving.
3. The connections you make are deeper
As a solo backpacker I love the communal vibe of hostels, but with everyone coming and going on their own travel itineraries, it isn’t always possible to get to know people properly. And the typical surface-level conversation starters, recycled for every new face arriving in the dorm – ‘Where are you travelling to? How long for? Where have you been already?’ – can get repetitive.
After six weeks of solo travel, I was looking forward to joining a group in Hanoi for the Best of Vietnam and Cambodia trip. Yes, the first group meeting started with travel-related small talk, but over the 18-day adventure, deeper friendships formed. We shared stories and laughs over rice pancakes at KOTO restaurant, learning more about each other’s lives and home countries.
My roomie, Tanya, and I became fast friends, sharing headphones on long journeys in comfortable silence, pointing out looming mountains and distant farmers working the rice paddies as we travelled from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. Spending such a significant amount of time together and sharing memorable moments in new places bonds you in a way few other experiences can. We’ve since met up in her homeland of Australia, and again last year in Paris.
4. You get a take a break from planning ALL THE THINGS
I find a lot of satisfaction in making travel plans and relish the independence that self-organised trips give me. But dealing with the logistics and budgeting can take up a lot of time and leave me feeling stressed. Sometimes it’s nice to forget about bus schedules, language barriers and accommodation options by leaving the decisions in someone else’s capable hands.
Someone like Ollie in New Zealand, who effortlessly handled all the driving while answering our MANY questions. At our request, he rejigged the itinerary to allow for two trips to Hobbiton, handling the change of plans like a pro. I can’t thank him enough for making my Bilbo Baggins moment happen.
5. It’s an easy way to meet locals
While meeting local people is a perk of any kind of travel, it can be hard to strike up conversations with strangers when you’re alone. Plus, most of the people I met in hostels and train stations were not local at all.
On every Intrepid trip I took, I travelled alongside a leader who lived and breathed their home country and was keen to show us around. In Cambodia, our leader, Long, was very open and generous and took us to the pub he owns on the last night of the tour, which was a real highlight. I’ve shared a home-cooked meal at a leader’s house in Guatemala and celebrated a fellow traveller’s birthday with a cake made by the trip leader’s mum in the Galapagos. It’s these moments where I feel like I’m getting a glimpse local life. It’s these moments that stick with me the most.
There are so many memories that will stay with me from my year of solo travel. I met people from all over the globe and made friendships that I still treasure today.
Adding group trips to the mix not only enabled me to see places I would never have gone to alone and experience new things with like-minded people – it gave me the courage to embrace completely independent travel.
Since coming back to ‘real life’, moving to London and re-starting my career, those experiences have continued to inspire, enrich and enhance my travels – whether I’m staring at the stars in Wadi Rum on an Intrepid trip or flying solo on a weekend away in the Basque Country.
Jess travelled to Mexico, Vietnam, Cambodia and New Zealand with Intrepid. Enhance your solo travels with a small-group adventure.
