“I Came Nervous. I Left Changed.”
Real Voices From Our Gone International Iceland Trip
Will this be awkward?
What if I don’t fit in?
What if travelling with strangers just isn’t for me?
Many hadn’t travelled in years.
Some had never travelled in a group before.
Several were navigating big life changes - new countries, new chapters, new identities.
What happened instead surprised them all.
These are their words.
“Spending time with other women changed everything”
“The highlight for me was spending time with other women instead of always travelling solo. Getting to tick Iceland off my bucket list - and actually doing everything I was excited about - made it even better.”
— Dipti
Again and again, women spoke about how powerful it felt to be in female company - not as an ‘event’, but as a way of being together.
“I loved bonding with all of you. I hadn’t travelled since 2019, and this felt like the perfect way to come back to it.”
— Hanae
“It was so lovely to spend time with women. I didn’t realise how much I missed that. I really didn’t have it before.”
— Maricela
“I was nervous… but it exceeded everything I imagined”
For many, this was their first group trip ever.
“I didn’t know what to expect - and this exceeded all expectations. Everything was so well organised, the guides were amazing, and everyone was so funny and kind.”
— Sophie
“I’ve never done a group trip like this before. I thought it might not be for me but it was fantastic. We’re all in different places in life, yet somehow in very similar ones.”
— Danny
“I never imagined joining a tour group. This didn’t feel like that at all. It felt like travelling with friends, friends I’d just met.”
— Francesca
“There were no cliques. Just care.”
This came up repeatedly - and emotionally.
“There were no cliques. Everyone was open, friendly, and looking out for each other. That sense of care doesn’t usually exist in groups like this.”
— Suzanna
“Even though we didn’t know each other before, it felt like we’d known each other a long time. The caring energy - ‘are you okay?’, ‘eat this’, ‘watch your step’ - it mattered.”
— Maria João
For some, this sense of care landed very deeply.
“I moved countries six months ago and left all my friends behind. I hadn’t felt connected to anyone. And suddenly I realised, people genuinely cared. Not just about me, but about each other.”
— Julie
“Every day was more magical than the last”
Iceland did what Iceland does but always in combination with the group.
“Seeing the Northern Lights was a dream of mine forever. But sitting in the hot springs under a full moon - that moment was unforgettable. Truly magical.”
— Viktoria
“Every day surprised me more than the previous one. The ending of this trip felt perfect.”
— Aiman
“I didn’t even really know what to expect each day but suddenly it was - wow, a glacier. Wow, a crater. Wow again!”
— Danny
“I came anxious. I’m leaving calmer than when I arrived.”
This surprised many women the most.
“I usually need a week after travelling just to decompress. This time I’m leaving more relaxed than ever.”
— Anne (host reflection)
“I have travel anxiety. I was really nervous coming here. But now I don’t feel that anxiety anymore. Being around people who are excited for life changes something in you.”
— Nana
“I thought I’d get tired after two days. But the trip was so well designed. We did a lot, but there was space to relax every day.”
— Bismy
Yes, even the practicalities mattered.
“We had breaks. We didn’t have to rush. We didn’t even have to hold our pee haha!”
— Bismy
“This felt like a gift I gave myself”
Several women described the trip in the same way.
“This was a gift from myself to myself. It changed my mind. I need to do this more often.”
— Maricela
“You’ll always have work. You’ll always have responsibilities. This reminded me to prioritise myself and just take the chance.”
— Aiman
“Travelling alone isn’t as scary as I thought. People are kind. And it’s okay to let yourself be helped.”
— Iris
“We don’t need a special occasion to do this”
One reflection landed particularly strongly.
“The only time women usually travel together like this is for a honeymoon or a bachelorette. Why don’t we do this more, just because we can?”
— Carina
And maybe that’s the point.
This wasn’t just a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
It wasn’t just a ‘big milestone’ trip.
It was simply women choosing connection, curiosity, and care.
What stays with us
People didn’t just leave with photos.
They left with:
new confidence
friendships across countries
a reminder that community can exist anywhere
and permission to say yes to themselves again
“We’re already talking about joining other trips together.”
— Sophie
And that might be the real magic.
Thinking about joining a future Gone International trip?
If you’re feeling nervous…
If you’re not sure you’re a “group travel person”…
If it’s been a while since you travelled, or connected, or chose yourself…
You’d be in very good company.
Most of these women felt exactly the same.
And every single one of them would go again.
