Feeling nervous about travelling solo for the first time? Don’t stress! These real life stories from Topdeckers will get you excited to hit the road. #MyTravelLoveStory
Unexpected friendships, bromance and squad goals: these Topdeckers prove that your next trip is worth taking ✈️Ready for the ultimate travel inspiration?
1. Met in Paris, became sisters by Barcelona
‘Meeting Davita was like meeting a sister I never knew I had. Our bond grew and grew as our European Pioneer trip around Europe continued.
‘The first day in Paris, I decided to join Davita and her friend to climb the Eiffel Tower and meet my friends later. However, I just ended up spending the whole day with them travelling around Paris. By the time we got to Barcelona we told everyone we were sisters!
📸 @perlita _fp @davitarobertson
‘As our trip went by, we constantly went out sightseeing and taking pictures in the beautiful countries we were in. In Nice, France, I remember swimming across the beach to a cliff and holding my phone above the water to video each other jumping off the rocks.
‘We worked as a team, making sure my phone wouldn’t get wet. We went to the extremes to get photos, yet we barely uploaded any because we were having too much fun. From partying in Mykonos to exploring in Prague and dressing up in glitter and tassels for Amsterdam Pride, we loved every single minute of our adventure.
‘Nearly a year later, we’re meeting up with 15 other members of our group in Sydney for our first reunion. I can’t wait to see my Topdeck family again!’
2. Solo adventurer + group travel = the perfect love story
‘I joined the Grand Kiwi trip as a solo traveller. I wasn’t really nervous as I’ve done Topdeck trips before. The thing I like about travelling in a group is that wherever you end up you can always have fun together, even if no one else is around the town!
‘For example, nothing much is happening on a Monday night in a small country town. So you create your own fun with the group! Whether that’s a dinner, a few drinks etc…
‘As for highlights of the trip, taking on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing was amazing! It’s not every day you get to walk over a volcano!
‘The group we had on the trip also made the whole 19 days so amazing. Whether that was the bus games we played between destinations, the outdoor activities or the group dinners/nights on the town. I’ll never forget my time on the Grand Kiwi.’
3. Four girls + trip to Russia = instant girl gang
‘My best memory from our trip was how quickly our squad came together. By the first night of our Big Red to Red Star trip, we had already clicked as friends and enjoyed every minute – from the four of us sharing a tiny cabin on an overnight train to partying in Moscow for New Year’s Eve.
📸 @bellamorphett @wander.liv @sannyhoskins @jesskategannon
‘We also all swapped jackets, hats and scarves to “do it for the gram” in -7° weather. A Russian family stumbled across us and were very perplexed as to why we were taking pictures without winter coats next to a frozen lake!’
4. Friends back home are nice, but bromance in Europe is forever
‘We’re two Kiwi mates who were strangers until our Summer Fun and Sailing trip last year. After some banter during a game on the coach, we soon realised we’ve lived a kilometre away from each other for our entire lives.
📸 @joe_backburger @matt.or.sanders
‘Our favourite travel memory has to be exploring ancient Rome and wearing togas to the bar that night. We also had a really fun night out in Dubrovnik, where the slippery marble street became a giant waterslide in the rain.
‘We slid down the streets bar-hopping and ended up at a nightclub in a five-hundred-year-old fortress!’
5. Work buddies who travel together, stay together
‘What happens when three Trip Leaders go on holiday in Lebanon? A loooot of sunsets, food and laughing. The funniest moment was in the taxi from the airport when Sarah was trying to ask the taxi driver where we could find the best hummus in Beirut. We even translated hummus which in Lebanese is… hummus. Turns out we just weren’t pronouncing it right.
‘We also really enjoyed how confused people were that a French Canadian, a Brit and an Aussie were travelling together. We had a lot of fun making everyone guess where we were from and almost every time they would guess the wrong nationality, from Lebanese to Russian. Too good!
📸 @sarahjasminelabib @jajamp @jemma_greenhalgh
‘Lebanon sits on the coast so we pretty much picked a different spot each day to watch the sunset with beers. We ate so much Lebanese food and kept going back to the same place with amazing halloumi (but also probably because we all fancied the hot waiter).
‘As for a reunion, we don’t have a plan yet as we are now in three different continents. But we’re kinda hoping it might be Spain this summer 
We love travelling together because we all travel very similarly. All of us are open minded and go with the flow. The best kind of travel buddies.’
6. The best trip ever calls for a Topdeck reunion
‘After we met in Europe on a Summer Fun and Sailing trip, our first big Topdeck reunion was New Year’s Eve in 2015. We planned an itinerary to show our friends around Perth, including golf, wine tours through the Swan Valley, a day trip to Rottnest Island (featuring the adorable smiling quokkas) and an adrenaline-filled theme park visit.
‘About five of us live in Perth and I see them all the time. But I still try to Skype the friends I have interstate or overseas to keep our long-distance friendships alive.
📸 ‘It’s spectacular to know that no matter what background you have, or the profession you’ve chosen (whether that be economist, real estate agent, accountant, vet, or nurse), on one serendipitous trip you can come together to form an incredible friendship.
‘You all know who you are, you insanely wonderful people!’
So there you have it, a glimpse into #Topdecker friendships to kick off #MyTravelLoveStory, a campaign all about sharing your life changing travel moments.
In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, we’ll be posting more stories from travellers who formed incredible friendships, travel memories and love stories on the road.
Want to share your adventure or make a shoutout to your travel buddies? Get in on the hashtag action #MyTravelLoveStory
Happy travels Topdeckers!
