From Oregon toEgypt: RicksStory

Meet Rick!

 

After retirement, Rick took up scuba diving—and somewhere between the dive sites and the foreign coastlines, that old appetite for travel came back with a vengeance. But he kept running into the same problem.

"Most trips were designed for couples travel. I'm a single person and found myself paying for lodging for two people most of the time."

Sound familiar? It's a frustration we hear time and again. So, when Rick found Solos online and read through reviews from real travellers, something clicked.

"The price for trips was much more budget friendly than so many other agencies for singles travel."

For his first trip, Rick chose our Adventure on the Nile tour in Egypt. A bold choice for a first outing—and, by his own admission, he knew exactly what was at stake.

"As the flights were going to be long, I knew I had better be impressed to book more trips."

And he was. From the moment his Solos driver met him at the airport in destination, Rick knew he'd made the right call. At the other end, the group waiting for him only confirmed it.

"Upon reaching the destination I was met by a completely friendly group of likeminded travellers. The group was a variety of travellers from many different countries. Despite the difference in backgrounds no one was left out. The group remained one big joyful group throughout the whole adventure."

At the heart of that group dynamic was Tour Leader Tam—and Rick is in no doubt about why it worked so well.

"This was largely due to the remarkable team leader Tam who met you on the first day and immediately made you feel comfortable and assure you that you were about to have an exciting everyday adventure."

Egyptian-born, encyclopaedic on the country's history, and exactly the kind of person who makes a group feel like family from day one, Tam is often praised for his guiding abilities.

"Tam was from Egypt and was an encyclopaedia wealth of information on the history of Egypt. By the end of that trip, you feel you have met lifelong friends."

Rick's second trip—Santorini Solos Exclusive in Greece—was a different pace entirely.

"I chose this trip as I wanted a relaxing mostly unscheduled everyday trip. The trip came with excursions that you could either go on, or relax back at the villa."

Arriving from the US, Rick was inevitably the last to land. But Solos had it covered.

"I was met at the airport about 9:00pm by a friendly driver and a nice travel bus all to myself. I was texted by a member of the group a few people would be waiting up for me. I was met at the bus by team leader Terry who was smiling and very pleasant in greeting."

And upstairs at the villa, the rest of the group had stayed up to welcome him in.

"Terry led me to the top of the villa where basically the rest of the group had waited up to greet me on arrival."

It's a small moment. But it's exactly the kind of thing that stays with you. That warmth didn't fade once the novelty of a new arrival wore off either.

"This lasted the whole seven days - they were there until they departed after their trip ended and a whole new group arrived.The villa, excursions, variety of restaurants and people was so amazing that your heart could not help but hurt when it was coming time to return home. To this day there is several of the group in a personal group chat we formed to stay in contact. Some have already scheduled future trips together."

Rick with fellow solo travelers in Santorini

For Rick, what made both trips work came down to the same thing—the people leading them.

"Team leaders Tam and Terry are definitely chosen for their outgoing personalities, friendliness and knowledge of their respective trips. I will definitely be taking many more trips with Solos travel."

We'll be ready when you are, Rick!