Flash Pack First-Timer: “My solo Italy trip was so empowering. I made friends for life”

Last October, I decided I wanted to get out there and have an adventure. I work as a recruiter for my day job, in my home city of Wenatchee, Washington – so I’m no stranger to striking up conversations with people I don’t know. I tend to make friends easily and try to find common ground with others. So, when testimonies from Flash Pack appeared on my Instagram feed, I felt like group travel would be a fun way to experience the world. 

I chose Italy as a destination, because I’ve always wanted to go there and the itinerary looked awesome. I’d never flown by myself across the world before, and it was my first time in Europe, too. I was super-excited but, of course, there were some nerves leading up to the trip.

I’d never flown by myself across the world before

I was reassured before the adventure had even begun, however. Once we were all introduced on WhatsApp, it was clear our group of solo travelers was going to get along really well. Everyone was so friendly and easy to chat with. 

I arrived early in Rome, so I had about a day and a half on my own exploring. The squares at night were bustling with people and I felt very safe. My first dinner was a pistachio gelato, obviously! Straight away, I noticed a different pace of life. In the US, everyone is in such a rush. But in Italy, it seems like everyone takes time to sit around a table, share stories and enjoy time together with friends – even if they’re brand new friends.

Speaking of which, our group met for the first time the following evening. The setting was incredible: we gathered at a rooftop bar at sunset, with 360-degree views of the city. It was straight out of a postcard, with church bells ringing and flocks of birds passing over the rooftops at dusk. Our Flash Pack guide, Giuly, did a great job of breaking the ice as we got to know one another, and we pretty much closed the place down that first night. 

My roommate, Kim, bonded from the get-go. It was the funniest thing: I arrived at our hotel first and I noticed that the beds were really close together. I thought, “Oh this is going to be a little awkward”. And then Kim came in and said, “Well, this is interesting!” We both had a good laugh about it.

We shared a similar mindset of wanting to connect and have fun

The rest of the group connected well, too. We all made the effort to get to know one another – rather than just being friends with one or two folks. Throughout the trip, we would all trade seats on the bus, or at mealtimes, in order to speak to different people. 

It helped that we shared a similar mindset. Most of us on the Italy trip were from different places in the States, and there were quite a few girl bosses in the mix. We’d all done fairly well for ourselves at a young age and came in wanting to connect and have fun. 

We were there for a good time, but we were also open about sharing the hard things we’d been through – from divorces to battles with breast cancer and more. Life has a way of throwing things at you. And even though it’s tough, it means that sometimes, you can connect more easily and pick each other up. That’s exactly what our group did as we became friends in Italy. 

There were so many highlights during our time together. Just traveling from A to B along the Amalfi Coast was incredible. You have these jaw-dropping views across the ocean from a series of winding coastal roads. It was like being in a movie. 

Traveling from A to B along the Amalfi Coast was like being in a movie

The limoncello tasting was another standout experience. We toured a small, family-run facility and had snacks and drinks before making our own little starter jar of the limoncello. I wore a yellow-lemon dress for the occasion. Everyone said it was the perfect outfit as we wandered through the lemon orchards together. 

Another of my favorite moments was when we were invited into a local woman’s home in the Puglian town of Fasano. Her family lived in a villa in the middle of an olive grove, and she’d arranged a four-course dinner for us on this beautiful long table set in her garden. We started out with aperitivo before making homemade pasta and other specialities together. We then got to sit down and eat what we’d prepared, while asking her stories about her life. 

In my life back home, I’m the organizer who arranges everything and makes decisions when I travel with friends. I also have a demanding, leadership-level career that I’ve struggled to detach from in the past. So I was really grateful to have the opportunity to let that go – and have all the logistics arranged for me – with Flash Pack. All I had to do was purchase the trip and the flights; everything else was arranged for me. It was wonderful to have that freedom. For the first time in a while, I could just relax and enjoy myself. 

Giuly, our guide, was central to the whole amazing experience. We loved and trusted her, and we wanted her along on everything we did. Even when we went beyond the official parts of the tour – for example, exploring a town, or having dinner together – we persuaded her to come with us. She got each of us a little gift on our last night together and we were so sad to leave. Things got emotional as she hugged us goodbye. 

For the first time in a while, I could just relax and enjoy myself

For anyone thinking of booking a group solo trip I’d say this: you’re going to get so much more out of it than you expect. Even if you’re nervous about it, you’ll learn and grow from putting yourself out there with new people, perspectives and cultural experiences.

Already, I’ve booked another Flash Pack adventure to Portugal, and one of my friends from the Italy trip, Mayra, is going to be my roommate. It goes to prove the Flash Pack tagline of “meet as strangers, leave as friends”. 

I had a photobook made from my week in Italy, and every time I look at it, I’m reminded of how carefree I felt. I was so open to enjoying every moment. It was empowering, too: I flew across the world for the first time alone, and it was even better than I could have hoped.

Above all, I met such a fun group – including several heart friends whom I hope to remain connected to for a long time. When you join together as strangers, you put yourself in quite a vulnerable place that means you’re open to others around you. The whole group embraced the feeling of, “We’re rocking things in life. Even though we’ve all been through hard times, we’re going to stand up and get through it. And we’re going to have a great time together.”

Errin Bratton is a senior HR generalist from Wenatchee, in the middle of Washington State. She traveled with Flash Pack to Italy. 

Images: Courtesy of Errin Bratton, Unsplash and iStock