It's NOT a Holiday! The A-Z Guide to Group Travel

by Kirsty McGregor

The definitive guide to adventurous group travel...

Fun and informative, It's NOT a Holiday!, will help you understand what group tours involve - the types of tour available, what happens on tour as well as offering advice to help you make the most of your time away. It introduces twenty stereotypical characters you will inevitably find on your own tour and how they cope with the delays, breakdowns, border closures and other hiccups that commonly occur on overland trips.

The book highlights the A-Z of group travel through real stories and humorous anecdotes from the authors' experience as professional tour leaders. It's NOT a Holiday! should be the first item you pack as you prepare for that organised tour of a lifetime.

'Overland and adventure travel has been a way of life for Andy and Kirsty for over ten years. If there are lessons to be learned about joining a group tour they've learnt them, usually the hard way. In one handy A to Z guide they manage to cover almost every problem and pitfall (and a lot of the delights) that joining an adventurous group can throw at you.' Review by Tony Wheeler, Co-Founder of Lonely Planet

Genres: Travel

339 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2013

About the author

Kirsty grew up in Queensland, Australia and has a Bachelor Degree in Marketing and International Business.

Kirsty worked as an organisational pyschology consultant in her professional career then traded it all in for a life on the road.

Travelling independently in the Middle East, Kirsty stumbled on the concept of 'overlanding' and has never looked back.

For the best part of a decade Kirsty has worked as an Overland Expedition Leader, Driver, Mechanic and Cook throughout Africa, Europe, Central & South East Asia, Central & South America and Australia.

When not travelling or writing, Kirsty enjoys beach camping, photography, scuba diving, an occasional glass of wine and supporting Australia in any sport.

Follow Kirsty on Twitter @kirsty_oz

Reviews

[David Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to have Andy as my expedition leader on a 7 month overland trip from Istanbul to Bangkok and remember him using every break in his official duties to write – in between consuming red meat and beer obviously! So when I heard he and Kirsty were writing a guidebook I was a bit puzzled – what about recounting all those stories, observations and experiences, fantastic and otherwise?

Well I needn’t have been as this book works on every level. I laughed a lot and grimaced occasionally at the anecdotes from the authors many years of group travel and the memories of my own overland trips came flooding back. But this book isn’t just for experienced travellers and tour crew to relive the past; Andy & Kirsty have managed to create an essential guide for anyone considering group travel. It’s no-nonsense, no-BS, fun, informative and fascinating. Travel can, and probably should, change your life; and this book will genuinely help.

But don’t let the title alarm you; of COURSE it’s a holiday!...just not as you know it.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It's Not a Holiday", is a brilliant book all about going on an organised tour with a group of people. It is full of humour and I laughed out loud whilst reading it. Gap years are no longer just for students and taking a tour to far away places has become very popular. The authors of this book have been tour guides and or drivers on such overland tours and are very experienced as shown by the content. If you have ever considered a tour to places like Africa, Asia and South America where you want to see the real people and experience the local sights by driving across the land and eating, living and embracing these cultures then this book is a must. It tells you what to expect and what is expected of you, don't be surprised if it shocks you, forewarned is always forearmed and this way you're more likely to have fun and enjoy the trip.