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We think some of the best souvenirs from a Just You holiday aren't things you can pack in a suitcase, they're the friends you bring home. In celebration of International Friendship Day, we're shining a light on three solo travellers: Rose, Sue and Kate, who met on our Flavours of Tuscany trip back in 2017 and haven't stopped travelling, laughing, and planning their next adventure together since.
Now 12 trips (and counting) into her Just You travels alone, Rose has explored Tuscany, Andalucia, Canada and everywhere in between, and along the way, gathered a whole circle of friends for life.
"I met Kate and Hazel on my first ever solo trip, Flavours of Tuscany, and we have remained friends ever since. I remember being terrified, the week before the holiday I was hoping Just You would call and cancel the trip, I was that anxious!
"I think it's those usual thoughts that run through your head: will I get on with people, will they like me, I need to get through the airport on my own. All these doubts creep in, but as soon as you complete your first trip, your confidence just skyrockets."
"When I arrived and started to get to know them both, those fears just disappeared, and the Holiday Director organised some quizzes and helped bring people together at mealtimes too, which helped us all gel well.
"Hazel, Kate and I meet up a few times a year for lunch in Birmingham, as it's roughly halfway, so it's more convenient for us and a great opportunity to catch up on how we are. Of course, we soon get around to discussing our upcoming holidays together or finish our catch up having booked another one!
“We like Just You as there’s a good variety of holiday options, we’ve always had great Holiday Directors, it’s always well organised and most importantly we can have our own rooms with no additional supplements to worry about.
“We all keep in touch via phone and video calls and will contact each other to let each other know what holidays we’ve booked in case anyone else is interested. It’s like our own little travel club open to new members on each and every trip, so if you’re ever on tour with us, be sure to come and say hello if we don’t beat you to it!”
Rose's top tip: Just You luggage labels are the best thing! Keep them on your hand luggage. I've found it useful when I'm sat in the airport or waiting at baggage reclaim, as you soon end up finding other members of the group from the very start. They're a great way to strike up conversation for the first time, they work so well.
"We have a nice blended friendship group, as my friend Sue also catches up with us in Birmingham, and we're always catching up on video calls and messaging each other.
"Sue and I were actually school friends but lost touch a little when new jobs and family came along. A few years ago, we got back in touch, and I told her all about Just You and invited her to come with me on Treasures of Andalucia, so she had company at such a difficult time, as she'd recently been widowed and it helps to have a friendly face at times like these.
"We had a wonderful time, and trip number two followed soon after with our An Italian Adventure trip in 2025. The chance to rekindle our friendship by exploring a new place together was a fantastic way to do it.
"For anyone reading this, I'd say: if there's that one friend you've been meaning to catch up with for a long time, and you're thinking about your next solo trip, why not tell them about it and ask them to join you? You never know, that yes might just turn into a new chapter for you both."
A running joke between Kate and I is the fact that my balcony in Tuscany was much bigger than their ones.
“Now if Kate ever gets a better room than me, she reminds me about the balcony. If I get a better room than her, guess what? She reminds me about that balcony!”
"Being a group tour, it's so important to make sure your everyone feels included and involved. Don't shut yourself off from others, as you're essentially closing yourself off from all the fun and the chance to meet new people and that's where the joy lies.
"Sue and I were still able to enjoy time together during our trips, but it was wonderful to have others included in our conversations too. And it's amazing when you discover that sliding-doors effect of finding people who were in the same places, or knew similar people to you, it's so bizarre!
"Flavours of Tuscany was the best thing that's happened to me, allowing me to meet Kate and Hazel, and enjoy more time with Sue. It also gave me the taste for solo travel. I've been to Borneo, Cambodia, South Africa, Canada, around Europe, and plenty of places in between, and I don't think I'd have done all this if it wasn't for Kate and Hazel being so welcoming. It's expanded my horizons, and I've never looked back.”
Rose and Sue have known each other since they became best friends at 13, proof that a Just You trip can bring old friendships back to life, as well as start new ones.
"Rose and I met at school and while we have always been in touch, we drifted apart when we married and had our families, before we reconnected during the pandemic.
"She told me about all these amazing places she had travelled to with Just You, and when she asked me to go with her, I couldn't say no. Before our trip to Andalucia I was a little nervous, but having Rose there made it a lot easier. My best memories are travelling around India, and An Italian Adventure in 2025, which we thoroughly enjoyed as we were able to fit all the major sights into one trip.
“Following our Italian trip we also decided we wanted to go back to Sicily, so a few of us are doing that in 2027, as well as a big trip to Japan to celebrate our 70th birthdays together.
"I love our Just You breaks and really look forward to them, as I know I'll be surrounded by people in similar positions, such as being widowed or perhaps separated, and everyone is really friendly and easy to get on with. I'm so grateful that I've not only had the chance to reconnect with Rose but gained more friends in the process too!"
Kate and Hazel spotted Rose outside the hotel on the very first day of Flavours of Tuscany and gave her a wave and invited her to join them. Nine years on, it’s amazing to think that it was that one wave that started it all.
"My husband and I used to love our holidays, and when he passed, I realised I had to carry on exploring, I couldn't just sit around at home and not do anything.
"I went on my very first solo trip in 2016, and that's when I met Hazel and we exchanged contact details. The following year we were looking for holidays, and that's when I discovered Just You. The Flavours of Tuscany trip stood out for us, so we decided to give it a go and book.
"We were sat out on the balcony on the first day, and that's when Hazel and I spotted Rose so we waved and asked if she would like to come and join us. Nine years later, and the rest, they say, is history!
"Rose and I are very similar in that, despite our years, we're young at heart and always have a laugh on our trips away, so we're very likeminded in that respect. I think the only difference is I’m a bit quieter than Rose but I’m sure she won’t agree with that. We enjoy life, and while we are fit and able, we will continue to explore the world.
"Tuscany was my second solo adventure, so I was a bit more accustomed to how they run and the great opportunity there is to meet other people. I'm so glad that from that one wave to Rose, and our invitation for her to join us, it marked the start of a long friendship, it's one of the best rewards of travelling solo in a group.
"On Flavours of Tuscany, the itinerary was great at allowing us to break the ice with activities like cookery demos, which gets you interacting with the rest of the group and having fun. We we were able to build good connections with others on this trip.
"We also have other Just You friends, including three ladies from Scotland, so it's an ever-increasing circle of friends, with our love of holidays the common denominator. And I dare say our group will only get bigger with each and every adventure!
"I'll be heading off on the Real Costa Rica tour with Rose in November, we're really looking forward to it. We seem to be the two in the group who go on most trips but why not? You only live once!”
Rose, Sue and Kate's story started with one wave from a hotel balcony. Yours could start just as easily on your first Just You holiday, sat beside someone who's about to become a lifelong friend. Ready to find out where it takes you?
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