'I spent too many years working - I'm making up for it on amazing solo holidays'
Gone are the days when Sheila Heppell worked a 9-5; now the intrepid explorer is giving her friends and family huge holiday envy with some absolutely incredible solo travels around the world.
While solo holidays can be daunting for some, she found booking tours with Just You was an easy way to enjoy a solo holiday without any of the hassle, as they plan everything for solo travellers who want to explore in a group environment.
Sheila explained: "Travel means so much to me, it’s about exploring lots of places of course, but also experiencing other cultures and being around like-minded people. At the end of the day, life’s too short to stay at home – I’ve spent too many years working, so now it’s all about travelling for me!
The curious traveller has ticked off heaps of bucket list experiences already whether that's exploring Italy's breathtaking Tuscany, posing by the Niagara Falls, and enjoying some epic train rides. With plans to travel around Croatia and a return to Canada for a ride on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train, she's already set to tick even more destinations off her bucket list.
Sheila has already booked two solo tour holidays and has plans for more (Sheila Heppell)She added: "I love the fact that with Just You, it’s an exclusively solo tour, your itinerary is all sorted with great hotels and features the best and safest places to go - it’s all taken care of for you."
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In April 2022 she joined the Highlights of Tuscany tour with an itinerary that spanned a farmhouse lunch, optional tours to Lucca and Sienna, a walk into Montecatini Terme to see the thermal waters. There she instantly bonded with her fellow group members, adding they "felt like family". She explained: "Our Holiday Director, Christina was so bubbly which was great, and on the first night she booked dinner for us and the whole group went, which was a great way to bond with each other."
She quickly booked a second epic trip, this time to Canada and New England. The jam-packed itinerary took her to some of Canada's best cities, but there was one real bucket-list-worthy moment for Sheila that she won't be forgetting any time soon.
Niagara Falls was a particular highlight (Sheila Heppell)She revealed: "The absolute stand-out for me was Niagara Falls – it was so impressive and just one of those attractions you must see in your lifetime. I visited Victoria Falls in the 1980s which was a similar feeling, but the sheer volume and intensity of Niagara was out of this world in comparison.
"The coach stopped at the upper viewing platform for some pictures, then headed down into the town where we had plenty of time to explore, get a bite to eat and back on the coach. It was well coordinated and nice to have a bit of guidance from our Holiday Director, Roberto, on where to go and what to see in the area."
Her next solo adventure will be with the Croatian Island Explorer, which includes a ship with just 20 people onboard. Although she'd originally planned to go with a friend, when the latter dropped out, Sheila decided to book the Just You tour as "the only way to go is for me to do it solo".
Sheila is having the time of her life exploring the world (Sheila Heppell)And for those who are tempted to follow in Sheila's footsteps, she had some simple advice: "Bite the bullet and just go - you won't regret it. You’ll meet lots of people, make new friends, see new places you wouldn’t ordinarily go to, so just go for it!"
She added: "I think it’s important to remember that Just You is solo travel, not single travel. You meet people from all walks of life, so each trip is different. Some of my friends thought it was expensive but once I broke it all down, they could see what great value it is and the quality of the hotels is fantastic.
"Plus you don’t miss out on the scenery versus if you had hired a car to drive it yourself; you can just leave it to the Holiday Director and the coach driver to sort it all out. I’ve made some wonderful friends and memories so just get out and do it, you don’t know what’s around the corner!"
You can find out more at justyou.co.uk.
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