Marina Avenant is 60 years young and hails from sunny Cape Town, South Africa. Travelling is in Marina’s blood and this year she embarked on her third tour with Expat Explore! Marina and her husband, Paul, joined the Europe Escape tour on 17 April 2022.
We chatted to Marina about her love of group tours, travelling and new travel experiences!
Once you start travelling, you never look back!
Ever since Marina can remember, all she wanted to do was travel! “I must have some viking blood in my veins” she jokes, “I guess I received this wanderlust via breastmilk!” As a child, Marina and her family travelled around South Africa and neighbouring countries. She travelled to her first overseas destination as a teenager and became hooked! Marina had booked a few tours over 2020 and 2021, however, Covid-19 and other current events meant there had to be a few cancellations and changes. “Expat Explore handled all the necessary changes like a pro.” Marina says.
This time, Marina set off on a Europe trip of a lifetime! On the Europe Escape tour, she travelled to Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands! Marina loved experiencing the diversity of landscapes within this region. She notes, “in Europe you can experience different scenery in close proximity, from a city with hundreds of years of culture to the sea or the mountains and the countryside!”
Related: Here are 10 reasons why you should book a trip to Europe!
The many joys of group travel
“Group tours can be challenging,” Marina acknowledges, “but somehow, Expat Explore gets the recipe right!” Marina has been on quite a few group tours with various tour companies. However, she notes that with Expat Explore “you make friends so easily and keep in touch with many of them afterwards”. After three tours with Expat Explore, Marina now has friends that she can visit all over the world! “We will pick up right where we left each other the last time”, she says fondly. Marina also notes that the knowledgeable tour leaders play a huge role in making the trip memorable.
Marina is a people person and loves meeting new friends. She believes that “Expat Explore reaches out to like minded people. People who want to travel to explore and experience the world and different countries, cultures and travel experiences.” These individuals don’t need to be wealthy to enjoy travelling or to enjoy the travel experiences with a safe and reliable tour group, which Expat Explore always manages to offer.
Marina also notes that one of the benefits of group travel is meeting people of all ages, from all walks of life. “You learn a lot about other people, but you also learn a lot about yourself.” Marina says, “You may even be scared of certain people or places, but in the end we are very much the same. We all want the same things in life. We all want to live in a safe environment and want our families to be safe and content.” We’re not so different after all!
Escaping to Europe
On the Europe Escape tour, Marina made memories to last a lifetime! One experience that really stood out to Marina was the Jungfraujoch optional excursion. The train up to the highest train station in Europe reveals spectacular mountain views, year-round snow and magical glaciers! Marina loved visiting Switzerland, “I have to get back and spend at least a week or two there!” Marina says.
Another highlight of Marina’s trip was cruising down the Rhine River in Germany. The views from these waters are truly incredible as you sail past the highest concentration of castles in Europe! In Italy, Marina could not get enough of the delicious food, especially during the Taste of Tuscany optional which offers a true feast of local delights in Florence. “That pasta with the truffle oil, lip smacking delicious!” Of course, Marina also thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent museums, cathedrals and architecture that Europe has to offer.
Related: Discover German wine with a tasting experience in the Rhine Valley!
When it comes to travelling, Just Do It!
After travel was put on pause for so long, it is understandable that many are nervous about getting back to it. “Of course, everyone was a little concerned about Covid-19 but I got my vaccinations and decided, you can’t stop living life!”. Marina also notes that the health and safety measures were clearly explained before and throughout the tour.
If you have never travelled or have been reluctant to get back to travelling, Marina has some advice for you. “As Nike says – Just Do It! Travel is like a drug, once you have started, you can’t stop!”.
Marina certainly isn’t going to stop any time soon, in 2023 she and Paul will be travelling on Expat Explore’s Spain & Portugal Explorer. After that, she is hoping to spend another week or so in Switzerland. In the future, Marina would love to travel to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan!
Are you ready to just do it and book your next trip? Hop aboard the Europe Escape tour like Marina or have a look at our upcoming departures!