Dear Contiki,
Several years ago you changed my life. Even though we don’t talk anymore, it’s time I told you my side of the story.
I was working in Alberta a few years ago and was facing some pretty big questions about my future as my contract was coming to a close and like any other 23 years old, I was pretty confused. What am I doing next? Do I move back home? Go somewhere new?
It was a dilemma to say the least. So to try and cure the worry, I was looking around on trusty Pinterest and clicked on my favourite section: Travel. This is where we’d meet for the first time.
I always wanted to go to Europe, I wanted to discover the world and meet new people from different places. After a quick Google search and a chat with my parents – I had booked a last minute 32-day camping tour with you in Europe, departing in just one month. What I hadn’t really told my parents is that I had decided to give myself a couple weeks extra to travel on my own — they wouldn’t care, right?
I’ll be honest, panic ensued. What was I thinking going solo on a tour let alone the weeks after, I still need to GPS everywhere even in my hometown. What made me think I could prance my way around Europe successfully? Why would you encourage this kind of outlandish behaviour, Contiki?
Quickly, I realized that travelling with you at the beginning was the perfect idea. Every feeling of nervousness and confusion left when I stepped off the plane at Heathrow airport. It just felt right. The five days in London were incredible and the places you took me inspired a life of travel. You made it easy to connect with travellers who were also arriving in our starting city early and we were able to discover London, England together before we even met you.
What was great was that you were in it for the long haul and you were into different things than me. They say opposites attract for a reason..places I hadn’t ever considered travelling to, like Liechtenstein, turned out to be highlights of the trip. You also made sure I was comfortable, getting me used to travelling before heading out on my own.
I was one of two Canadians travelling with you, and I loved it. Thanks to you I now have friends all over Australia, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand who have each played a part in who I am today. On top of this, despite what I had heard after booking, you were no stage 5 clinger. You gave me the free time to do what I wanted and our tour guide, Matt, couldn’t have been better. He had great suggestions on where to go and what to do– I truly don’t know what I would have done without him.
It was after you and I parted ways that I realized how much you had really affected me. I continued travelling (and even extended my trip by a few weeks) with a couple hilarious Australians I met on the same tour. We made our way around Croatia, Dublin, Belfast and even Gothenburg for a weekend to visit one of our friends we had also met because of you.
The camping trip was the beginning of my love for travel. You gave me the confidence to keep discovering the world on my own…so much so that just over a year after returning home I jetted off with a friend to discover South America for three months.
Making the choice to run away with you was the best decision I’ve ever made. It opened me up to the world, reaffirmed my love for travel and made me feel more confident in nearly all aspects of my life.
Thank you, Contiki. You’re all epic and because of you, I will always have no regrets.
Love,
Katie
Watch Katie’s Contiki Story
Katie travelled on a camping trip around Europe in 2013 with Contiki.
