Would you go on holiday with a total stranger?
For many of us, taking a holiday with a complete stranger isn't an attractive idea, but that's exactly what two US residents did recently.
Therese Rocca, 32 from Iowa, initially planned a trip to Japan with a friend, but the country closed due to coronavirus.
The friend then decided they did not want to travel because of coronavirus, but Therese still wanted an overseas holiday.
She considered Croatia, but discounted it due to health checks. She then discovered that Turkey was open to Americans - so decided to go there.
There was only one hitch: she didn't want to go alone - and none of her friends wanted to travel.
And so Therese turned to Facebook group 10XTravel, where travellers discuss ways to reduce the cost of travel. After posting a message asking for a travel buddy, she got a reply from 36-year-old Josiah Burton of Denver.
They discussed their travel styles and suitable travel dates. It didn't take long for Therese to agree to Joshua's offer.
Therese had a few misgivings, but eventually decided travelling with Joshua would be a good idea.
Speaking to CNN, Therese said, "I knew I would be fine, especially during these times. In fact, it made me feel much more comfortable to have a travel companion versus going on this one alone because of what was going on."
They then booked tours, transport and of course travel insurance.
"We booked separate rooms, so we had our own space. If there were any issues, then we could just go off and do our own thing. I thought to myself, just go and enjoy it."
They met for the first time in Chicago airport and immediately hit it off.
"The vacation started there, it was fun from that point onwards."
Therese worried about the Covid-19 health checks in Turkey, but "everything was fine."
"The first thing we did after checking into the hotel was to take a ride on a hop-on, hop-off bus so we could see exactly where we wanted to go and where everything was.
They visited all the big draws of Istanbul: Taksim Square, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia. They also enjoyed a cruise on the Bosphorus.
How much did the trip cost?
Despite booking business class seats on Turkish Airways, the entire trip cost each about $1,000, including hotels and spending money.
The pair say they became friends on the trip, and even discussed starting a business together - focusing on helping people find travel buddies and great travel deals.
Travel in the age of Covid
The story is a great reminder that even during these challenging times, it's entirely possible to realise your travel dreams, with a little planning - and some out-of-the-box thinking!
Read the full story here: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/vacation-with-stranger/index.html
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