Travel Made Possible: Journey Angels Supports Woman to Visit Family Overseas
Pam Martin, in her seventies, has always loved travelling and has lived in six countries and travelled to 18 countries. She was born in Staffordshire, England, but now lives in Bendigo, Australia. However, as she has gotten older, she has found travelling alone increasingly difficult and finds navigating crowds, airports and driving abroad challenging. In the last decade, technology has replaced maps, physical tickets, and more, creating an additional barrier for some travellers.
Growing up, Pam visited and worked in dozens of countries, including Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, America, Mexico, South Africa and Australia. She held many jobs, from working at Lloyds Bank and bookkeeping, to working at a ski resort in Switzerland, selling antiques and renovating Victorian homes to save them from demolition.
In 1971, Pam moved to Australia with her husband, who she met in Canada while they were both travelling and living overseas. Fuelled by her passion for exploring, Pam set up a small tour-guiding business in the 1990s for tourists visiting Bendigo.
In 2024, Pam’s sister became unwell in Surrey, England. Wishing to visit her, but having hurt her back, Pam required assistance for the journey. She was also eager to catch up with family in France on her trip.
Pam received support from Janine Park, Managing Director and Founder of Journey Angels, an organisation for which Pam was the inspiration.
Journey Angels provides personalised assistance, support and friendly travel companionship to travellers who do not feel confident to travel alone.
From the inception to the conclusion of a trip, Journey Angels ensures a seamless and enjoyable experience. The company ensures that all staff undergo comprehensive background checks and vetting, including DBS certification. Each team member is equipped with the necessary experience, training and skills to deliver services of the highest professional standard.
Discussing her experience, Pam said:
“Janine assisted with every aspect of the travel arrangements, including the hire car, driving, and navigating – carefully watching all the road signs and endless roundabouts. She helped with most things; even lugging my case for me. Travelling is so much more difficult now because so many people are doing it! Queues are everywhere. Plus, I don’t think I could drive in the UK or France anymore.
“Janine is much more adept at using the iPhone and reading what’s on it. She was also by my side when navigating the airport, including finding food and locating the toilets.
“The help didn’t stop there. Janine ordered food and understood all my dietary requirements.
“She also helped to organise visits to sightseeing spots and tourist attractions.
“Janine was fantastic company, always considerate and attentive.”
Understanding that each holidaymaker’s needs are unique, Journey Angels adopts a client-centric approach. Services are tailored through detailed discussions via telephone or video calls, followed by email confirmations. Clients are matched with companions to ensure compatibility.
“Travelling now is so automated and because of the enormous number of people it can be overwhelming.”
“Some accommodations no longer have keys, just cards. Online booking can also be a minefield, exhausting, and frustrating. Planning is the biggest job, especially in other countries with different languages and cultures.”
Janine met Pam at London Gatwick and assisted her from there, later flying with her to France. The trip was seamless, and Janine’s thorough planning meant Pam had a stress-free experience.
Along with providing amiable and experienced travel companions, Journey Angels offers a spectrum of comprehensive services tailored to meet the diverse needs of its clientele. It crafts personalised holiday plans that align with individual preferences and requirements. Journey Angels also manages logistics, including airport check-ins, luggage handling, transportation and accommodation arrangements, to ensure a hassle-free journey.
For more information about Journey Angels, visit https://journeyangels.org/