Tips for First Time Group Adventurers

Visit any playground and it’s incredible to see the speed in which children connect with other kids. “Wanna be my friend?” is all it takes and suddenly they’re best mates for life. Damn if it isn’t a whole lot harder as an adult! But it doesn’t need to be, and a small group women’s adventure is an ideal ‘playground’ for the big kid in all of us to branch out and make new friends…

Every day at Patch, we chat with women in their 50-70’s who have never travelled with a group before, but through life’s twists and turns they’re thinking about joining one of our women’s only adventures. 

Here are just some of the reasons they’ve shared with us: 

• They want to travel to destinations they don’t have the confidence to do on their own
• They’d like to meet other like minded women that share the same interests and hobbies as them so they can have shared experiences such as participating in arts, crafts and cooking workshops
• They’re newly separated/divorced or have recently lost their husband/partner through illness and want to form new friendships of their own
• They’ve experienced domestic violence and feel more comfortable in the company of women
• They’re the primary carer for their partner/husband and need a break themselves
• Their partner/husband can’t travel any more, or doesn’t want to travel to the same destinations as them
• They’ve dedicated their lives to being a mum, and with children fully grown, they now have time to spend on themselves

Some of these are really BIG life altering events that can leave a person feeling nervous, vulnerable and downright unsure about stepping out into the world again. Which is exactly why joining a small group adventure with other like-minded women makes perfect sense!

It’s likely there will be a whole gamut of different personalities on your adventure; introverts, extroverts, experienced group travellers, friends or relatives traveling together, solo travelers and of course, other first timers too. It’s okay to be nervous!

And you know what?

They’re all nervous too! Letting people know that you’re a first-timer on a small group adventure usually only leads to people taking you under their wing and showing you the ropes. I’ll share some tips for breaking the ice in a minute, but first – here are some things to consider to help you choose the right trip for your first adventure…

Tips for choosing the right trip:

• Consider booking a private room for your first trip. It’s a great way to ease into group travel if you’ve never done it before, as you get the best of both worlds – the joy of social interaction with the group during the day, plus the space and solitude of your own room at night. It’s an ideal introduction to see how you think you might go in a twin-share on your next adventure. (You can read more about how to be a top-notch roomie here). Think about the destination itself.

• Choose a trip that isn’t going to WHAM you in the face with an onslaught of culture shock from the moment you step off the plane. Having all of your senses assaulted at once (we love you India, but you are next level!) AND getting your head around traveling with strangers can be a lot to deal with on your first trip.

• Consider the logistics of getting to your destination. Are you comfortable on your own navigating different airports with multiple plane changes just to get to the start of your adventure (e.g. a European based trip), or would you be happier experiencing a culture closer to home (e.g. South-East Asia) that gets you there and back directly on one flight?Consider the trip duration. Shorter trips of around 12-15 days are a great choice for finding your feet the first time and can be a building block to help you find the confidence to try a longer one the next time round. On the flipside, a longer trip offers more time for you to settle into the adventure and flow along with the support and ease of traveling in a group.

• Think about your fitness level and really consider the activities you’ll be participating in. Are you up for a Level 2 adventure that involves more strenuous hikes and/or lots of stairs and do you have the right fitness to do those activities confidently or, would a Level 1 adventure that focuses more on arts, crafts and cooking workshops be something that would make your heart happy first-time round?

• Give some thought to the climate/time of year at the destination you’re thinking of traveling to. Choosing a trip with a milder climate means you don’t need to be adjusting/coping with extreme hot or cold temperatures or wearing (and carrying!) layers upon layers of clothing.

• Think about the cuisine. Are you a vegetarian? Are you comfortable visiting a destination with a heavily meat-based culture? Do you like spicy food? Do you have allergies or intolerances? So much of your time on your adventure will involve eating (it’s a way to truly experience the heart of a country’s hospitality!) so it’s important to ask yourself just how adventurous you’re willing to be.

• These considerations will all help you feel confident in choosing the right adventure that best matches your interests, fitness level and travel preferences. And, now that you’ve chosen a trip, get excited because you’re about to meet a bunch of other women that are just as excited to meet you!
  

These considerations will all help you feel confident in choosing the right adventure that best matches your interests, fitness level and travel preferences. And, now that you’ve chosen a trip, get excited because you’re about to meet a bunch of other women that are just as excited to meet you!

Here’s a few things you can do to help ease you into meeting your fellow Patchies…

Tips for breaking the ice on your adventure:

1. Post a photo and a line or two introducing yourself in your trip’s Whatsapp chat. Sharing a couple of fun facts about yourself is a wonderful way for others to be able to get to know you even before your adventure has begun and provides touch points for other nervous or shy guests to raise in conversation when they get to meet you in person. Plus…. (secret tip) if you forget someone’s name in all the excitement of those first few days, it’s a SUPER handy way to save yourself the embarrassment of having to ask them, as you can simply scroll back to their pic for a reminder. #winning!

2. Share your flight details in your Whatsapp chat. Chances are someone else might also be on the same flight as you and you can meet up at the airport before your trip begins to kick start your adventure together. Or at the very least, grab a meal and a refreshing bevvie in the departure lounge!

3. Be the first to say ‘Hello!’ Trust me, this isn’t nearly as scary as it seems. Being the first to say ‘hello’ and introduce yourself when you meet your group for the first time really is the simplest icebreaker, as it opens the doorway to let others know you’d like to get to know them too!

4. Make an effort to sit next to a different person in the car/bus or at mealtimes in those first few days on your adventure. You’ll get to know everyone very quickly as you chat side by side watching the world go by or elbow to elbow bonding over delicious local cuisine, and it’s waaay less awkward or intimidating sharing things about yourself if you’ve something else to focus on.

5. Come prepared with a game in mind that everyone can play! Starting up a round of ‘I went to the bazaar and bought a….’ (for example) will have the whole group and your guide giggling like schoolgirls as you all try to remember the growing list of imaginary items everyone bought.

6. Or pull out a deck of cards and my bet is you’ll have a bunch of willing participants sneaking peeks and trading life stories with you in no time. Both are super social icebreakers that get conversations and friendships flowing.

See, no nervousness needed!

So, what do you think? Ready to dip your toes into your first small group adventure?

Let’s chat! You can book a time here with one of our incredibly knowledgeable BM’s and they’ll happily answer all your burning questions (to save you asking, 7 is the answer to how many pairs of underpants they recommend you bring – just as long as you’re happy to hand-wash them along the way!).

Already coming on an adventure with us and have a great tip for breaking the ice in a group social setting?

Send us an email and let us know. We’d love to hear your suggestions!