Free & Easy Traveler

Sitting at my boring office job many months ago I stumbled upon the Free and Easy website, I was instantly amazed by the concept of the trip. Spending 40 days traveling a stunningly beautiful country that I knew nothing about with 20 other fun travelers, being taken to all the coolest spots in the country by amazing leaders... I couldn’t believe that such a vacation existed (and that I had never heard about it before.) I decided at that moment that I would make the trip a reality, and looking back at that day it was the best decision I ever made. My 40 day trip to Thailand was epic to say the very least. Spending 40 days in a country like Thailand which has a whole different style of life and a whole different type of 'people' has really changed me as a person, and expanded my perspective about the world. Getting a break from North American life and spending time with people who live with so much less than us but seem so much happier is really incredible. The friendly and genuine smiles of the Thai people are something that stays with you and something you long to see again once you return home. Thailand is a stunning country. The places you visit and the scenery you are exposed to is more beautiful than any picture can ever do justice. Everything in Thailand is so different and interesting, you really feel as if you’re in another world. A simple walk down the street can turn into an amazing story that you struggle to explain to your friends. A great thing about the trip is that its truly yours to have, it doesn’t have that stiff tour group feel. The leaders take the worry of planning your travels away but also give you the freedom to experience Thailand the way you want. If you like to relax you can spend your time lounging in your hammocks or sunbathing on the beach and if you’re an active person you will be happy to find that nearly every day you can go on some sort of adventure. Whether it’s a new cave to explore, a new hike to take, riding elephants through the jungle, visiting a monkey park, bungee jumping, a reggae concert, cliff diving, a fire show or a friendly game of volleyball there’s always something awesome to do. Whether you like to party your face off at the local dance floor or chill out and play some great tunes on the beach while checking out the stars, the trip offers a great variety of both. Perhaps the best part of the trip is the friends you make in your group along the way, having a group of people to share all the amazing experiences you encounter is something truly valuable. The trip leaders are also incredible people. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable about the Thailand and the trip, they are also incredibly fun people to hang around and really know how to ensure everyone has a great time. If you’re a positive spirited person, you'll enjoy every minute of this awesome trip. So if you were like me, looking at the website in wonder, thinking 'Is it really possible for this trip to be as amazing as it looks?' let me tell you that it will surpass every expectation you have. Your 40 day trip will be something you remember for the rest of your life.

Deciding to go to Thailand this past summer was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. If checking out the amazing pictures on Free and Easy's website (which still don't do Thailand justice) doesn't convince you to go, just talk to anyone who's traveled with Curtis. Free and Easy is the perfect balance for someone who's not quite confident to plan every aspect of their traveling on their own but doesn’t want to be babysat the entire time. The major factors that are the least fun to plan are taken care of for you.....the places you stay are booked, transportation is taken care of, and best of all, you've always got someone to help you out when those little unexpected issues pop up once you arrive. Thailand is an amazing country with a ton to offer no matter what kind of traveler you are. If you want 40 days of relaxation, the beaches are beautiful, the hammocks are comfortable, and the food is delicious and fantastically cheap! If you’re into partying, you can basically do that 24 hours a day for the entire trip.....and trust me, I've see it done! If you love taking in new cultures, there's cooking classes, massage classes, yoga lessons, temples, an opportunity to learn a new language, exotic food, and a bazillion people who live a lot differently than we do. If you're adventurous you can try scuba diving, snorkeling, rock climbing, bungee jumping, sea kayaking...its probably safe to say that some of the food could fall under this adventure category too!! My favorite aspect of my entire experience with Free and Easy was the people I've met. I had the opportunity to hang out with some absolutely phenomenal people in Thailand. The Thai people are fantastic, cordial, and generally love to help you get the complete Thailand experience. The Free and Easy guys are super knowledgeable, helpful, and a blessing to have around. Most importantly, I met 23 other people in my group who have become amazing friends....our little "Thailand reunions" seem to happen every other week!! If anyone wants to email me withny questions, you are more than welcome to.

Hey all! After traveling through Thailand with Curtis and ˜Free and Easy Traveler”, and having a GREAT time-of-my-life experience, I thought the least I could do to thank Curtis was to take a second of my time and try and encourage all of you perspective Thailand travelers to just go for it, and sign up for this amazing trip! It took me a while to decide to go. I wasn’t sure if it would work to travel in a group as a couple with my girlfriend, if the age and personality differences in the group would work, and whether I wanted to do the tour thing v. doing it all myself. Curtis quickly worked through each of my concerns and, in hindsight, everything he told me in our initial correspondence was absolutely accurate and credible, something you can always count on with Curtis... My girlfriend and I had plenty of time together but at the same time had the joy of mixing with the group any time we wanted. There were couples, pairs, groups, and individuals; great people from ages 18 to 29; all of whom were tons of fun and totally open to new friendships and experiences. Lets face it, the type of young person that takes the plunge and goes half the way around the world is probably cooler, more open, and more interesting then joe-schmo sitting at home watching 'American Idol', right? On one hand you were travelling with a group large enough to make a bar or club come alive without anyone else there but small enough that you could spend an intimate evening in a restaurant or an afternoon laying on an otherwise empty beach. You always had a scuba, Frisbee, or shopping buddy yet at the same time could (thanks to the cool places Curtis has you staying) get to know the locals and interact as though you were all alone. Best of all though, our group is still getting together regularly and I can honestly say I NEVER would have thought I would meet, all at once at that, a group of such all-around awesome, quality people... Essentially it all boils down to understanding Curtis’ amazing “Free and Easy” travel concept. The idea here is that you are NOT signing up for a scripted guided tour of Thailand, nor are you being left to fend for yourself in a strange (yet wonderful) country. Curtis basically becomes your logistics guy. He gets you from place to place (by train, bus, van, truck, tuk-tuk, boat, ferry, car, elephant...), makes sure you are staying in really cool places, and makes sure you experience the must-see sights guided by the locals who really know what they are talking about. YET he leaves you TONS AND TONS of time to see whatever you want to see, go wherever you want to go, and talk to who ever you want to talk to! He is in love with Thailand and honestly wants to let you discover it on your own terms, through your own eyes. This is certainly NO Contiki nightmare (no offence) where you spend all day on buses and have people banging on your door at 6AM every morning. You are ˜free” and yet it is still “easy”, the very best of both worlds! You get to spend prolonged periods of time exploring one of the coolest places on earth...as simple as that! Let me finish by saying, GO TALK TO CURTIS! (Or Rob, or Matt, or Chris) He is so friendly, so nice, and will NOT pressure you in ANY way. He only wants people on his trip who really, really want to be there. He will enthusiastically and patiently answer each and every question you have and I assure you that you are not making a mistake if you take the plunge and take this trip with Curtis and “Free and Easy Traveler”. As others have said, the best investment is in yourself, and in this case it is worth ever single penny and then some... PLEASE feel free to email me with any questions or concerns you have in regards to Curtis, his company, or Thailand in general! (claeren@shaw.ca)

Traveling to Thailand this past summer with Free and Easy was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Thailand is such an amazing country with the most genuine locals you will ever meet. Being with the Free and Easy group made my experience so much more than I could ever have imagined. When you travel with Free and Easy, you start to feel like your group is your family because everyone is so welcoming and friendly. Before you even meet anyone in your group you already know that you will have at least one thing in common with everyone, and that is traveling. My experience in Thailand with Free and Easy is one that I will never forget and it definitely was life-altering in the most positive way possible. My group leaders were Jonas Liw and Jay Fafard and they were unreal. They made the trip run so smoothly and we had a blast with them! Traveling to Thailand with Free and Easy was such a great experience and I have now met many people who I know I will stay friends with for a long time back in Canada. I would recommend Free and Easy to anyone who plans on traveling to Thailand (or any of the other destinations Free and Easy will come up with); you will have an amazing time and meet so many amazing people along the way!