02/11/2026
Back in 2004, I jumped on a Contiki coach and spent 18 days weaving my way around Europe.
I was travelling completely solo, but ended up with a friendship circle that stretched across the world. We’re still connected on Facebook today, all because of that one adventure over 20 years ago.
It was the kind of trip where you truly let your hair down. Where you laugh until you cry, come out of your shell, and say “yes” to things you would never normally do. We cycled in beautiful cities, saw all the major tourist attractions, battled it out at pub quizzes, watched lace being made, stayed in a French chateau, went mountain biking and even won some Euros in Monte-Carlo.
The rest of the world carried on and we were blissfully oblivious, completely caught up in the joy and day‑to‑day excitement of our journey.
Now I’m at the stage where my own children are in their final years of high school and starting to dream about their “what next”. And I keep coming back to this:
What greater gift could we give them than the gift of travel?
"Go and explore, my darling. The world is waiting for you..."
From 12 November to 4 December, Contiki are running some incredible Black Friday specials. If you’d love your teen or young adult to have this kind of life‑changing experience, get in touch and I’ll help you find the perfect trip for them.
