Join me, Terri Reynolds, on a journey into the wonderful world of solo travel. In each episode of the Wanderlust Diaries Podcast, along with my guests, I share essential tips and insights to help first-time solo travellers transform their dream of traveling alone, into reality. I focus on building your confidence so you can learn how to navigate your adventures.
Find out what drives solo travellers to break free from their comfort zones and face their fears head-on. I provide practical advice and motivation to encourage you to take your first steps toward your own transformational solo travel experiences.
Whether you’re preparing for your very first solo trip or you're an experienced traveller looking to hear from others who share your passion, listen in to discover inspiring stories and expert advice that will enrich your solo journeys.
Ep 32 Tomas Coelho - Solo Travel, Culture Shock, and Building a Bali-Inspired Retreat
•Terri •Season 2
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Terri speaks with Tomas Coelho about moving from a small village near Lisbon to the UK at age 10, discovering solo travel, and how long-haul trips can change your confidence and outlook. They also explore the practical side of traveling alone, including how to manage anxiety, build flexibility into plans, and why recharging matters just as much as exploring. Tomas also shares what’s next for him: a travel business, a Bali-inspired luxury retreat in the outskirts of Lisbon, and a longer-term goal of living in Bali.
Key topics
Tomas’ background and why travel matters to him
He moved to the UK in 2012 and says he’s always been curious about what else is out there.
Working at a hotel gave him constant exposure to different people, cultures, and lifestyles.
He’s already visited over 17 countries in about two and a half years.
What culture shock really feels like
He didn’t find the UK transition hugely shocking because the cultural differences from Portugal weren’t massive.
He describes Bangkok as a much bigger shock, especially the sensory overload and cable-heavy streets.
Terri compares that to the intensity of places like India.
Why solo travel is scary at first, but usually worth it
Tomas says he was anxious before his first solo trips, but pushed through by telling himself it would be fine.
His view is simple: nothing bad usually happens, and people often come back wanting more.
Terri connects this with the confidence-building side of traveling alone.
Long-haul travel changes the experience
Tomas says short trips often feel like holidays, while longer trips feel more like living somewhere.
He says a month or more away from home is what helps him fully switch off.
Terri agrees that long stays create more meaningful immersion.
Solo travel is about freedom, not just being alone
Tomas loves being able to do what he wants, when he wants, on his own budget.
He also stresses that you can connect with people whenever you want, without pressure.
Terri adds that it’s healthy to mix social time with quiet time.
Why recharging matters
Tomas says he learned in Bali that constantly doing something can become exhausting.
He warns that rest days are not wasted days.
Terri shares that she sometimes books a single room in a hostel just to reset.
Practical tips for anxious solo travelers
Tomas recommends not booking an entire long trip in advance.
He suggests booking just a few places early on for peace of mind.
He also notes that online research can sometimes make you feel like you’ve already been somewhere before you arrive.
How to feel safer and less isolated while traveling
They talk about Facebook groups and meeting people already in the same place.
Tomas says solo travelers often bond fast because they know they’re all in the same situation.
He makes the point that it’s always fine to say you need time on your own.
Thomas’s new travel business and future plans
He has started working with IntelliTravel and can book flights, hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs.
He believes personal service still matters, even when people could book online themselves.
His goal is to build a clientele, work remotely, and eventually move back to Bali.
The retreat project near Lisbon
Tomas is building a Bali-inspired luxury villa in Portugal.
It will include transfers, yoga classes, and possibly sunset DJ events.
The idea is to give people a Bali-style experience in Europe without the long-haul flight.
Timestamps
00:00 - Meet Tomas Coelho and why this travel conversation matters 00:48 - Moving from a small Portuguese village to the UK at age 10 01:16 - Hotel work, meeting travelers, and visiting 17 countries in 2.5 years 02:08 - Why the UK wasn’t a huge culture shock 03:15 - Learning English quickly as a child 04:15 - Bangkok as a real cultural shock 05:12 - Solo travel anxiety and why it usually fades fast 06:39 - Why long-haul solo travel feels more freeing than a short holiday 07:53 - Why some places feel like home, not just destinations 08:30 - Short breaks vs meaningful long trips 09:19 - Long-haul travel and actually switching off from work 10:24 - Travel vs staying in a resort all week 11:11 - How travel changes you and builds confidence over time 12:27 - Why you should not book an entire long trip too early 13:27 - The value of having a few base bookings in place 14:52 - Facebook groups and finding people in the same place 15:26 - Socializing without pressure and still choosing alone time 17:49 - Recharging, burnout, and the need for rest days 19:19 - Booking a private room inside a hostel for reset time 20:29 - Starting a travel company and what it can book 21:22 - Wanting to work remotely and eventually live in Bali 22:55 - Why staying at the hotel still helps Thomas network 23:25 - Why people still want a human travel agent 24:56 - People buy from people, not just websites 25:34 - Business cards, older travelelrs, and why physical contact still matters 27:12 - The message on Tomas’ card: travel well without being rich 28:27 - The Bali-inspired retreat project near Lisbon 29:24 - Yoga, sunset DJ parties, and a luxury group experience 30:34 - Making Bali-style travel possible without the long flight 31:32 - Budget flights, economy comfort, and aiming for a 2027 or 2028 move
Notable quotes
“The reality is nothing happens. You just actually come back with wanting more.”
“Don’t feel like just because you’re taking a day or two just to sit around next to a pool and not doing anything, that you’re wasting time.”
“You don’t need to be rich to travel well, you just need the right person booking.”
Welcome to this episode of Wonderless Diaries. And today I am joined by Thomas Coelo. And Thomas, I met quite a few months ago. Ironically, I was staying in a hotel and we just got chatting. He works there. And I told him about my podcast, and he thought it was a great idea, he'd love to come on. So Thomas is here today to talk about his um his travels, where he's been, and all the other things that we talk about travel on this on this podcast. So welcome Thomas.
SPEAKER_03
Thank you so much for joining me.
SPEAKER_01
I mean, this has taken a while, hasn't it, for us to get together. But we're here now. So yeah, over to you. Tell us a little bit um about you.
SPEAKER_00
So I first of all, my name's Thomas, but you already said that. Um so I moved over to the UK in 2012, and from the moment that I moved over from living in a very small village, I've always been really intrigued to see more, like to see what else is out there. I then studied here, got a job with my dad, didn't really like it too much. I then got a job at the hotel, which I love because you get to interact with so many different people every day, so many different people from different places, different cultures. So I've been there for five years now, and I like working there because it gives me the flexibility to travel quite a lot. They're quite flexible, so I take quite a lot of time off. So they kind of call me the part-timer there, even though I work full-time. I do work full-time, but um, they call me the part-timer there because I travel quite a lot. Um, yeah, I've done over 17 countries in the last two and a half years nearly. And I'm expecting to do a lot more. So I want to take that up. There's a lot more to see.
SPEAKER_01
Absolutely. I I love that though. I love the fact that you've got that relationship with the place that you work, your employers, that you can take that time and do and go wherever, wherever you want to. So, well, this sounds exciting then. So coming from a small village to the UK, was that a bit of a culture shock for you?
SPEAKER_00
It was. It was, but for some reason it wasn't at the same time, because I think I was so intrigued. And because the cultures aren't very they're different, but it's not like a massive.
SPEAKER_01
What country did you come from, Thomas? I mean, I know this, but for the listeners.
SPEAKER_00
Um I'm originally from just outskirts of Lisbon, so from Portland. But I didn't I didn't find that it was a very cultural uh like a very big cultural shock. The difference between the countries aren't massively huge. So to me, it was fine. I mean, apart from the language, because the only thing I need to knew how to say was hello. So I will definitely not be able to have this podcast with you. But no, I I didn't think there was a massive cultural shock compared to some countries that I have now in the last few years.
unknown
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
It was a bigger cultural shock than it was to move to England.
SPEAKER_01
How how old were you, Thomas, when you came over?
SPEAKER_00
I was 10.
SPEAKER_01
So right, so it's quite a young age, but quite you know, that that age, you're quite malleable. So picking up the language, did you find it quite easy then to pick up?
SPEAKER_00
I find it pretty easy. I learn English, I'll say I learn how to speak properly uh in two, three years.
SPEAKER_02
Bad.
SPEAKER_00
That's it. Like when you're younger and you move to another country or you're trying to learn a different language, you catch on a lot quicker.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
My older brother, he was 15 when he moved here, and he's his English is just not there.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01
Um, you know, talking about cultures and stuff, I mean, yeah, I've been to Portugal, I love Portugal, but I suppose a big culture shock is something like I went to India, that's the first place I went when I travelled around the world, and that was a big culture shock. Yeah, I mean totally different.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, to me, it was the same. So that when you ask our cultural shocks, to me, when I went to when I first landed in Bangkok uh in 2024, I was like, wow, this is very different.
SPEAKER_01
This is very senses, doesn't it? It does the senses.
SPEAKER_00
You don't know what to really feel, it's just a lot going on at the same time, especially with all the cables.
SPEAKER_02
Yes.
SPEAKER_00
That's something that I've never seen before.
SPEAKER_02
I know.
SPEAKER_00
We don't have that in Europe.
SPEAKER_01
No, no, it is it's just totally different. Can I ask as well, as because I work with women who want to go traveling and they're quite anxious, they've got the you know they're lacking in confidence and they need to get that confidence up to go solo, travel solo. How have you found it traveling solo, you know, especially for the first time? Were you a little bit anxious about doing that, or did you, or was it like a duck to water and you just went with it and it was fine?
SPEAKER_00
I was, but it's like the second thing that you said. I kind of just went with it, and I told myself, even in those moments that I was like, oh, but I'm gonna be by myself. I still told myself, like, it's gonna be fine. Like, yeah, what could happen?
SPEAKER_03
What could happen?
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, nothing's gonna happen. The reality is nothing happens, you just actually come back with wanting more.
SPEAKER_01
That's the only thing I'm so glad you said that, not me, because I say that all the time, you know.
SPEAKER_00
That's actually the only thing that happens is you want you come back and you're like, that wasn't enough. Yes, I want more. So, and I think everyone can relate to that. I think everyone can be on the same page on that.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I I absolutely agree, and it's such a great feeling, isn't it? It's like a fate accompli, you know, that's something that's so can be quite scary.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, 100%. I think anyone that's traveling for the first time, and especially if you're traveling for the first time and going somewhere like Asia, because it's very different, obviously, any anywhere in Europe, you're gonna have you're gonna have that anxiety, you're gonna you're gonna feel anxious because well, first of all, you're going really far away from home.
SPEAKER_02
Yes.
SPEAKER_00
I think that's one of the main reasons why people kind of worry. It's not that they're going there, it's because it's so far away. They always think, oh, if something happens, going back to if something happens, nothing happens, guys. If something happens, they're really far away from home, they can't just come home. But once you get there, I think you kind of just actually go at peace with yourself. One because you're set you're solo traveling, so you can do what you want when you want. You've got your own budget, so either you can have a luxury solo trip or a budget solo trip, but you're you're not you don't feel like you have to match other people's financial stability.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00
So I think that's one of the best things about solo traveling, to be honest, is doing what you want when you want. You can talk to people if you feel like you're bored and you want to like interact. I've met grey people, people that I still talk to, people that I have future plans to do long, long holidays with. And I I miss Asia. That's all I that's all I know. I miss Asia so much. Every day, it doesn't, every day it's just that it's still there.
SPEAKER_01
It's yeah, I know. It it kind of it kind of takes a little bit of your soul, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_00
You know, yeah, it does.
SPEAKER_01
You you you feel like you belong there. I I and that's exactly how I feel with India.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, yeah, and especially when you go for a long time. Because you know, if you go for a week or yeah, it does it doesn't it you don't get the same feeling because you're not really living there for like a long period. Yeah so I I think you need to go for a long time to kind of have that feeling. Yeah, yeah, or else it's just gonna feel like a holiday.
SPEAKER_01
Well, yes, you know, and that's not what traveling's about, is it? It's not just going fast.
SPEAKER_00
And I think I've come to that agreement in the last couple months where I haven't really done long haul to tell anywhere lately, but I have travelled quite a bit in the last year or so just within Europe.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
It doesn't fill the gap, it no longer fills the gap, and it no longer fills the gap because you've gone to these places for such a long time. Yes, that what you're actually craving is not just a week away in France, you're craving like a month maybe four away really far away from home and just kind of like just a switch up and not it's because when you take a week off, straight away from the moment where you get there, you're like, Okay, I've got work in in a week's time on Tuesday around 5 p.m. You're already thinking your brain doesn't switch off. So I think when you do a long haul and you go far away, you tend to go for longer, so therefore you do switch off and you completely forget, and that's the best thing, you completely forget what's actually going on on the day-to-day.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, exactly, exactly. Yes, exactly. It it is that escapism when you go somewhere like that.
SPEAKER_03
100%.
SPEAKER_01
And you know, what when you you like I went for six weeks, I well, I went for a year, but I was six weeks in India and I moved on to like Singapore Bali, but I still felt six weeks wasn't long enough. I mean, I meant to go earlier, I was ill, I had to leave later, so the time in India was shorter than I wanted it to be. But it's all all of those things you said, it's about the culture, the different culture, the the experience of that country wherever you've gone. It's about meeting the locals, getting used to whatever it is that you know, and fitting in with them and not just being a tourist.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, exactly. We're not we're not just talking about going somewhere and just staying in the resort for a whole week or two weeks and you don't see anything. Because that's yeah, that's not traveling. No, that's just relaxing. Yes, yes, and doing that in Asia or doing that in America or doing that in Europe, that's the same. You can do that also in England if you're just gonna relax.
SPEAKER_01
Of course, and you know what, Thomas, there's nothing wrong with that. If that's what you're doing, then absolutely go for it.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, absolutely not, yeah. But I think the way I see it is if you're gonna be going somewhere really far away, I think it's always good for people to get involved in different cultures. But I also understand that's a lot of people that just want to relax, and that's also fine.
SPEAKER_01
Yes, yes, everyone is the same, so yeah, you know, absolutely, and um and and it's when you go somewhere like that and do something like that, and it's the transformation you come away with, you know, because you don't come back the same person, you just don't. Not after you've done something like that, and that's what I love about all of that, and that's why I I love trying to explain to women or anyone I I'd work with men as well, if they came to me. It's explaining that, you know, that when you go, believe and also something else I want to touch on a second is you know, when you plan to do something like that, whether it's for a month, three months, six months, you know, you have this plan and you have it all written out and you've got it from A to Z. But honestly, now it won't work out like that. It won't work perfectly from A to Z. Things will, and you will need to pivot a little bit. But let me tell you this much what will happen is that you'll be a bit like, oh my gosh, that's what I'm gonna do. You will sort it out, everything will be absolutely fine, and all that will happen from that is that you get more confident. And the next time it happens, you won't panic, you'll be like, oh no, something like this happened before, I'll be fine. You know, so those little things do happen on the way, but they're not enough to say, right, I'm going home now.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, no, not enough to go home. But I mean, one of my recommendations would be if you are planning on doing a longer uh trip to not book hotels for your entire trip, yes, or hostels or however you're you're traveling. It is it's not worth it. Most of the time you're gonna book something that you can't then redeem back as in you can't get a refund for.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
You've booked it on a uh no no cancellation.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
You end up meeting people, you go with their plans.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
I don't recommend it.
SPEAKER_02
They don't they?
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, I mean, this kind of goes back to what we were talking at the start, which is uh feeling anxious about you know trap going solo traveling. I think it's always good to have one or two, maybe three places booked if you're going for a lot because it gives you that that that peace of mind that you've got somewhere and you know where the location is.
SPEAKER_01
Especially if it's your first, you know, it's your first day, first couple of days, you want to know you've got a base to once you land, you know where you're going for the first couple of days.
SPEAKER_00
Yes, you know where you're going, but I think now that we've got access to everything and we can see exactly what's going on.
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
Um, because I remember the conversation that we had you and you were talking to me about how you used the a map. Uh and I was thinking, Terry, I've I can think of ever using a map, only Google Maps.
SPEAKER_03
Yes, I know exactly yes.
SPEAKER_00
I don't think I'll be able to get my way around, but that's just how privileged we are now. Yes, that we have these things that we can just easily access anything that we want.
SPEAKER_03
That's right.
SPEAKER_00
I think a part of me kind of wishes that maybe I did grow up like a few years back just because the experience would have been different. Now you feel like when you go somewhere, you have to do so much research that you kind of feel like after doing all of that research that you have already kind of been there.
SPEAKER_01
Yes, I know, yes.
SPEAKER_00
Yes, I don't know if anyone's ever said that to you, but I I feel like that.
SPEAKER_01
Like sometimes I I feel like that sometimes because I'm one of these where if I know I'm going somewhere, I want to know a lot about the place.
SPEAKER_03
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01
And then I have to stop myself because I'm thinking, right, hold on now, you know. And another thing as well is when you're going to somewhere new, for those people who are really quite, you know, anxious, is we've got things like Facebook groups now as well. So wherever you're going, you can always join a group.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, you can always connect with people that are in the same location.
SPEAKER_01
Yes.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, exactly. So you never you're never gonna be alone. There's always gonna be loads of different people, and you know, you've got this if you're really scared, you've got these people's faces, so you're gonna be fine.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, no, exactly. Um and like you were talking about earlier on about the best part of you know, um, solo traveling, the joy of solo traveling is you can be with lots of people, but you can also just be on your own as well.
SPEAKER_00
When you need that like recharge time, yeah, because I feel I feel like when you travel, especially when you meet people and you you you know you gain connections with people, you kind of go through a phase where you're with people all the time because you don't know where you don't know where that where that break is. Yeah, because you feel like you now that you've just met these people, you feel like you have to always stay in touch and do things with them every day. But actually, everyone's on the same boat. And I I actually had a conversation with a friend that's heading off to to Asia for six months at the moment. Nice. And she was saying, Oh, but um what if I what if I come back to the to the hotel or to the hostel and I don't want to talk to these people? I just said you just you just simply don't talk to them, and there's and no one takes it to heart because everyone's in the same situation, everyone is in Asia is mostly solo traveling, yeah. And when you arrive, the groups that you see of people they don't actually know each other, like they didn't know each other previously. They've probably just met like 10 minutes ago and they look like they know each other for a long time. But that's right, that's right. You know, travelers have that thing where they just talk to anyone and they are happy just to connect and build a bond really quickly, yeah, just because they know that's like their safety place as well, like meeting other people.
SPEAKER_01
It absolutely is, and there's nothing wrong with saying, Oh, lovely to meet you, I just need to go and sort myself out a bit and get myself things.
SPEAKER_00
There's nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_01
There's nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_00
And I've had my fair share of telling people that when I was traveling, and I've also had a fair share of people saying, Oh, I'm just chilling today. And there's nothing wrong with that, and no one takes it to heart, and everyone's happier, regardless whether you go or don't go.
SPEAKER_01
No, they don't, they really don't. I remember when I was working in, I was staying in a hostel in Melbourne, um, but I was also working there as well. And I remember this one girl saying to me, because I thought I've been there for quite a few weeks, and she said to me, Should you're a bit of an enigma, she said, because sometimes you're right out there, you're in the thick of everything, and the next thing it's like you disappear, not physically disappear, you're just not in the thick of things. Yeah, and I'm like, Yes, that you know, and that's me, because I need to go recharge or whatever it is, and I'm just letting all of you do all of that, you know. So it's very, very much.
SPEAKER_00
Recharging is really important.
SPEAKER_01
Oh, yes.
SPEAKER_00
When you're solo when you're whether you're solo traveling or not, travel in general, recharging is really, really important because I remember I was in Bali for seven weeks, and I was like constantly every day doing something because I just wanted to make use of my time very well.
SPEAKER_01
You just experience everything, don't you? Yes, I know.
SPEAKER_00
But actually, don't feel like just because you're taking a day or two just to sit around next to a pool and not doing anything, that you're wasting time. You're not, you're still enjoying yourself, you're relaxing. That's what you're there for. It doesn't it so it doesn't actually matter. You don't have to be doing something every day. The recharging part that you said is really important because I remember by the seven weeks I was just like, this is intense now. I'm really tired. I felt really, really tired. I didn't like feeling in Thailand just because I I feel like it was the first place that I went solo traveling. So I not that I held myself back from uh meeting other people, but I definitely wasn't as open compared to when I went to Bali. And I feel like it's totally different anyway. I feel like uh Bali is more very sociable. They've got Yes, they've got running clubs, they've got Yes, they've got all of all of these different clubs to get people together, and so it's very sociable. So you feel like you have to be doing something every day, or else you're just wasting time. But you're not, it's you're not, no, it's really isn't.
SPEAKER_01
And what I would do as well, because obviously I I was gone for a year, I would occasionally um I would book a single room for myself in the hostel, you know, and just have a night on my just away from everybody, you know, my own bathroom, and you know, yeah, not just worry about anybody, you know, cueing and all of that.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, you're still with everyone, you're still in the same location. You don't feel like you're alone, but you are. So you you can relax.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, no, it absolutely is. So there are ways that you can work around, or there's a workaround for everything, isn't there? You know, there really is. And there's so many different ways to go solo traveling now as well. You've got all these groups where you will fly into a country on your own, but you will meet a group of other people that you've never met, and you'll go off and volunteer to clean the wash the elephants or whatever it is. You know, there's lots of different ways to do that now, which is which is fantastic. But what I want to know now is so you've done quite a lot of traveling, as you said, of the especially over the last couple of years. So, where is this leading to then for you? What would you what what does the future look like for you?
SPEAKER_00
So the future has just started. So I've just I've just started a travel company. So I I work on my own, but I'm with uh Intelli IntelliTravel American company. So I can book anything from economy to first class flights, from one star to five star hotel, hostels if you're looking for it, even though I must say they are really as cheap as possible. So I don't think I can get you a very good deal on those. But yeah, I can book anything, uh Airbnbs. So the idea is to continue with this and try and get as much, obviously, clientele as I can. And it's not really about knowing a lot of people, but making a good impression, and people will talk about what you have rather than having to put yourself out there. I mean, you have to put yourself out there to a certain extent, but it's about how good of something you give to someone, and then they'll pass their word on, and someone else will want to book. So hopefully, yeah, what I want to do with it is remotely work and and and travel.
SPEAKER_01
Yes, well, this is the ideal, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00
You know, being able to work, but whilst you're traveling around on the further home, let's say, because Portugal is first and then England second.
SPEAKER_01
So of course, yeah.
SPEAKER_00
To go back to Bali would be a dream to live in Bali and uh work from there and just have.
SPEAKER_01
I think that's where I would end up if I ever, you know, went somewhere else to kind of live. It wouldn't be Thailand, it would be Bali for me. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00
It it's different, it's a different Thailand and Bali are very they're very they very much different. And they're both as nice.
SPEAKER_01
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_00
It's more people.
SPEAKER_01
Yes, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00
There's just something the bit different about Bali that yeah, that's where I would it's amazing for networking, everyone's kind of on the same page, yeah. Yeah, everyone's really into their fitness, there's loads of new places opening, it just doesn't stop. No, even though I haven't been into years, I'm sure when I go back now, it's gonna be just like well.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, 100%. Yeah, I mean it's been god, it's been quite a few years since I was there last, so it will be a bit different, but yeah, fantastic. Now, when we were talking months ago, you talked about a retreat Yes, so that's what I was gonna come on to next.
SPEAKER_00
So yeah, great. So I wanna do I I'm now doing this. The reason I don't want to leave the hotel where I'm at is because it's great for me for networking.
SPEAKER_02
Yes.
SPEAKER_00
And if anything, I'll drop down to part time but just work weekends when it's busier and still be network and pass the word around and what I do.
SPEAKER_02
Amazing.
SPEAKER_00
Which I which works wonders because people really have a genuine interest. I think when I started at the start, I was holding back a little bit. I thought people can book anything online, why would they why would they come to me?
SPEAKER_03
Right now. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
Why would they come to me? But actually there's a really big market, especially in the UK market, there's a really big market for independent travel agents to get themselves out there. And people really are looking for that luxury feel of just having someone do it for them and not have personal text. Yeah, an email and say it's confirmed or just they just pay and it's it's done and dusted. They don't have to think about it and doing the research for some people people not everyone is capable to do that.
SPEAKER_01
And that's why they haven't got the time either. You know they've got the time or the inclinations like me, you know, I'll start doing something. And then the friend luckily a friend of mine she used to work for a travel agent a few years ago. So she's all over it you know and she just goes into all this she she does it within like you know hardly any time whereas I'm like my gosh you know this is just taking um taking me off on tangents that's what happened. Takes me off on tangents.
unknown
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01
And then before I know it you know three days later I'm I still haven't booked a hotel. But no so people do need people like you and they do they do and it's smile is like because my business I'm I'm a business strategist. Yeah as well. So when I hear people say oh why why would they want to use why would they come to me I'm like oh you have no idea you know so you're absolutely right people like people people love people and I think if you're really a people's person people will even if they see the same price online there's a very big chance they'll come to you just because it's you yes and I feel like I I don't know why I don't know why I've been given it but I definitely have that impact on people and it's all down to personality it's all down to personal brand and that's what it's all about lately now this last year two years it's all about a personal brand not about half of the times not even about what you can do for people it's about you you know they know that they it's all the about the know like and trust elements so if they know you they like you and they trust you they're just gonna keep coming back as well so yeah and I've um I've just um I ordered a few a few days ago some some business cards to give out people just because I feel like anyone that's older is going to want to see something physical.
SPEAKER_00
Not everyone is on social media not everyone is true you know on Facebook. So people do want to see something physical and I have in the past I was I was thinking of not ordering them but then I thought a QR code is just not going to do it because not everyone is going to not everyone's techno with that you know no they're not there's so many people and actually it's probably the the older generation is actually the people I have the most interest for me what I found is they actually prefer someone to look into that into that because people younger people you know anyone like ours is going to just we're so used to just just doing going online and we just search and we book it and it's done and dusted.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah exactly these people talk about my mother you know there's no way she could she doesn't know she wouldn't have a clue my mother you know how to do any of this stuff so she always wants to speak to a person you know to book it with so I'm saying that not all not all old people are the same.
SPEAKER_00
No they're not no they're definitely not all the same not the same because my grandma in the other case I mean she is turned 84 this year and she's my biggest fan on Instagram she's got a private story she posts on a story she knows how to work it. Now my granddad on the other side he's just got a little Nokia and yeah that's my mother and he's had 15 years and it's never gonna go and he's never gonna get anyone and it was 499 and it's still working after target. But yeah so I've ordered these these cards and it just has my um my details on the front yeah and then on the back it just says uh from the Maldives to Europe you don't need to be rich to travel well you just need the right person booking it.
SPEAKER_01
Yes I love that and you really need the right person booking it you need someone that's well traveled and experienced somebody who's got some experience of doing it you know doing the thing that hasn't got experience I know it's like me I know I couldn't do this without if I hadn't been you know traveling around the world and stuff there's no way I could do something like this like I wouldn't be able to speak to it you know about something that you you don't 100% I'd just be talking about holiday you know um pretty much pretty much all inclusive holidays don't talk about all inclusive I don't like them but you know yeah I'm not a fan I'm not a fan they have their place I I appreciate they have their place especially if you have children and all they want they want what all the time so they do have their place and I appreciate that but that's just not me like you know yeah that's that's not that's never been me either yeah that's never been me either yeah but so let's talk about the retreat now how where are you with setting this up and where will it be?
SPEAKER_00
So it's been a longer wait than I was expecting just because uh some of the land that I'm building on was um under someone else's name so I had to change those things over to me and so those things are being sorted in the next week or two and hopefully signed off and I can just start I've got some contractors coming in the next week or two as well to kind of give me in a a quote and and see roughly how much it would be to um to get it all started. So this always goes back to Bali really because it's it's a Bali inspired a luxury uh villa it's in the outskirts of Lisbon so outskirts a bit of a stretch but it's an hour from Lisbon let's just say yeah yeah and it's gonna it's it's gonna have a lot so it's a very like it's gonna be a very uh luxury feeling from the moment where that you get to the airport you're gonna have a transfer so you're not gonna have to you know you book with us or you book with me and you will be able just to have everything included so I'll be doing uh yoga classes if yes if it's not booked out during uh during a week or two uh for individuals for their own pleasure I will host yoga classes I'm even thinking about doing sunset DJ parties it'll have a yeah all every everyone would like that yeah um so it's it's barley it's uh it's a barley in inspired architecture sounds wonderful yeah so the outdoor the outdoor area is gonna be barley inspired my fantastic great grandparents my parents used to own a lot of uh rice fields around the area so the view to the view from the the patio that will be uh once it's built is going to be out looking to the to the sounds amazing sounds amazing yeah if you can't afford to go to Bali let me know maybe you can come and stay with me exactly yes listen there's you know you know to contact Thomas yeah listen I not everyone has uh not everyone has six six hundred to a thousand pounds to spend on a flight to go all the way to Bali yes it might be cheap when you get there but you still have to take that a thousand pounds yes yes it's a big action it is an expense that not everyone has so so my idea is to be able to give people that experience without leaving Europe basically without the long haul flight as well so many people and I was even talking to a customer yesterday at work and they were saying they were really interested in booking something with me but he just said for Tom please don't book anything that's longer than a four hour flight and I get it never people don't like flying for a long time and I get it and also not everyone can afford first uh first class business where you're gonna be comfortable that's true buying long haul on economy it can be really uncomfortable I've had my fair share I know I've been there I'd recommend it for the for the budgeting but I don't recommend it for the comfort for the comfort no so yeah that's where I want to take it I wanna I wanna have that hopefully up and running by no later than next year's summer European summer so hopefully May that'd be fantastic that would yeah in the meantime I'm also building my clientele for of course my travel uh business and between two I will hopefully move to Bali by 2028 hopefully by 2028 I'll um I'll move to Bali it's just I want a slower life I think everyone wants a slower life just something that you're more content with and yeah we just want more of a life that we want to live exactly a travel life yeah yeah yeah a travel life I mean this is this all sounds absolutely wonderful of course we chatted about this a while ago and it's great to see where you are with it now as well you know where where you're coming up with it a bit quicker but you know paperwork and things like that it never does unfortunately so yeah yeah you just have to stick with it and believe that it will work and it will you don't then it's definitely not going to go anywhere.
SPEAKER_01
So if you just commit to it and you just keep looking into the and as we talked about earlier about travel plans you know it's never a straight A to Z. It never is you know with anything really yeah it'll always be curves along the way that you have to navigate and that's what's exactly the same with something like this. Yeah figure out how to work around it but it'll all work it all works out in the it will yeah it will it'll be it sounds wonderful and I can't wait to come and visit it. It'll be wonderful. It'll be very fun so that's I mean that's so exciting what you've got coming up now and look just thank you so much for coming on the podcast I really appreciate really appreciate that we'll want to I'm sure the listeners will as well we'll all want to keep in touch and make sure we you know we can follow your your progress so where can people find you Thomas?
SPEAKER_00
So I've got Instagram so it's uh t-o-m-s dot co um so that's my Instagram and then my uh Facebook is Thomas so my name's Thomas without a h and then my name uh on Facebook is uh C O E L H O and if you want to book anything let me know on Instagram and I'll be able to pass on some uh more details from you like email and um whatsapp and we can just go from there.
SPEAKER_01
Absolutely so what I'll do Thomas is I'll put all of your details in the show notes okay when this gets published so that for anybody who wants to contact you the links will already be there and they can just click on a link and they can and that'll take take them to you. So fantastic yes so thank you so much um I hope you've all enjoyed today's podcast and it's a really good listen listen and I think that for um for my podcast you know I would like some more men to come on as well please yeah guys come on don't be don't be don't be scared I must admit I did I did go back a little bit at the start but then I rescheduled because I thought I have to give it a go the chat that we had at the hotel when we met was great.
SPEAKER_00
We have to give it a go.
SPEAKER_01
See it's just a chat that's all scared of it's just a chat and that's what we're here for just to chat absolutely and it's just to help others who are listening as well who haven't travelled before so we all have you know similar anxieties or might be worried about something and we all go through it you know but we all do it and it's a transformation afterwards once we've done once you've done it and you come back we just want to go again.
SPEAKER_00
Exactly conversation with Terry and at the same time you help you I I recommend okay thanks thanks for listening everybody and we'll see you next time on Wonderless Diaries
