Traveling always makes me nervous.
I missed out on a bachelorette party for one of my best friends, missed a weekend out with friends, and missed countless work opportunities because I was anxious about traveling to Spain — all because traveling created anxiety in me.
Hating about how anxious I was about a trip that everyone else was looking forward to, I vowed last year to overcome my travel anxiety. I worked hard, consulting with therapists and a life coach, and my efforts paid off when I booked a fitness retreat at Vedema Resort in Santorini last month.
Get out of your comfort zone
I boarded a plane alone to Greece, pushing myself far beyond my comfort zone to spend five days with strangers, sharing meals and experiences at a luxury retreat. Taber Gems.
What I discovered was that retreats are the perfect getaway for nervous travelers. From the moment I booked my trip, I was in contact with the Travelgems team: there were Zoom calls so I knew what to expect, and regular check-ins via email and WhatsApp to make sure I was ready for my adventure.
Anyone who suffers from any form of anxiety will know that uncertainty is a big deal, but Travelgems’ kind response helped ease this anxiety.
To be taken care of
Prior to the retreat I was introduced to Fay from Travelgems who would be traveling with the group and she sent me my itinerary prior to the trip (2 exercise sessions each day, breathing exercises, boat tours, wine tastings, hikes – sounds like a dream!) as well as meal times, locations and a packing list.
Even though Faye gave us a clear itinerary, she still messaged us on WhatsApp 10 minutes before each activity to remind us where we would be and what we should bring. Having someone holding our hand like this made me and my fellow retreatants feel at ease. It was as if a parent was there, organizing everything for us, allowing us to truly relax and enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics.
Being completely cared for is a very rare experience as an adult, and to be completely cared for, embraced and comforted for five days felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Travelgems went out of their way to make sure we were well looked after, and on our amazing boat trip around Santorini, Faye sat beside an unwell retreatant, reassuring and caring for us. As anxious travellers, I have never felt more reassured knowing someone was looking out for us.
read: I attended an intensive mental health retreat to overcome fatigue – here’s what happened
My Retreat Friend
A fear that has plagued me my whole life is of not knowing anyone and feeling lonely while traveling. On the Travelgems retreat, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Retreat participants can travel with a friend or partner, or book alone like me. Some participants chose to share a room with strangers to save on costs, and were introduced via email before the trip so we could get to know each other.
Despite traveling alone, I never felt lonely: On the first day, my retreat companions invited me to explore the island with them, and we were rarely apart after that, swimming in the ocean together, going out into town, and eating long, multi-course breakfasts.
Everyone who attended the retreat had their own reasons for attending – some women were getting through difficult divorces, others overcoming heartbreak and loss – but we all shared a passion for health and wellness and quickly became friends, despite coming from different parts of the world.
I was nervous about who I would share this experience with, but as we tasted wine and sailed the ocean together, friendships developed and I now feel connected to each of them for life.
Why withdraw?
Coming out of my stay in Santorini, I’m not sure if “retreat” is the right word to describe my experience. To me, “retreat” has a negative connotation, like hiding from something. Rather than “retreat,” I think this trip was more about recovery, resurrection, rejuvenation, reconnection.
This particular trip was organised by fitness professional Amoira Cesar and my companion is a big fan of him and his training style, which you can try out on the Bodi app.
He coached us through daily workouts (HIIT, primitive movement, mobility, etc.), accompanied us on day trips, and had dinner with us every night.
“He made time for everyone on the trip and valued everyone’s personal stories. We saw Amoira take a vulnerable woman’s hand and lead her outside, especially during the emotional breathing session, which left many in tears. Every detail was taken care of at a Travel Gems retreat and I felt reassured that I was in safe hands again.”
Amoira made time to journal with all of us, helped us work through our objectives and what we wanted to get out of the trip, and made sure we were all supported.
Don’t get me wrong, he pushed us hard fitness-wise to get the most out of our training, but he also made sure we were supported and never overstretched.
Breathwork Session
As mentioned above, the retreat incorporated breathing exercises and fitness as a holistic approach to health.
The itinerary only included one breathing exercise session, but we loved it so much that a second was added, proving that Travelgems and Amoila listened to our feedback and took our suggestions into account.
That said, one participant found the breathing exercises too intense and chose to skip the second session, which was not an issue at all, to my relief.
Our breathwork session was hosted by Andrea Sommer, and it was a testament to her personality and skill that she managed to create a space where we all felt safe and relaxed in a room full of strangers only three days before.
Waiting for change
I don’t want to get too deep into it, but I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for that wake-up call you see in movies and romance novels. I always imagined I’d have a lightbulb moment and my life would change forever. And while I haven’t felt any dramatic change, I do feel changed after my trips. And that’s exactly what Travelgems founder Niki Smirni hopes people get out of her retreats.
She told me that she wanted the trip to have a lasting impact on the participants, something that we could take home and use in the future. I feel exactly the same way and plan to incorporate some of the habits I learned on the retreat into my daily life.
Not only am I trying out new Amoila-approved workout routines, but I’ve also created a WhatsApp group with my fellow retreatants to keep each other accountable, check in with each other to make sure we’ve completed our daily workouts, and encourage each other when we’re feeling unmotivated.
It is no exaggeration to say that the retreat experience changed my life and I can’t wait for the next one.
If you want a sneak peek into our retreat, check out the video below…
Travel Gems’ next retreat with Amoira will be in Portugal in May 2025. Wine & Philosophy Retreat It takes place in the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece.
