Flying 30,000 feet up in the sky, I’m watching the changing terrains fly under me. The green, English countryside, the sparkling ocean, the dry, beige flatlands that suddenly rise into jagged mountains capped with snow, and miles and miles of clouds in between. I have my smartphone playing Gorillaz in one hand, my bright pink paper cup of red wine in another, and an entire row to stretch out. I am having the flight of my life. I also have no idea where I’m going.
I’m on WizzAir’s Let’s Get Lost trip – the airline’s cheeky campaign that takes travellers on an all-expenses-paid holiday to a mystery destination, itinerary sorted and all. When I first heard the concept, my heart skipped a beat. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, and apparently, I’m not alone.
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Mystery travel – the concept of travelling to an undisclosed destination – has been on the rise for the past couple of years now. Between choosing the destination, booking hotels, travel and transport, making a trip itinerary, budgeting, packing and the screentime it takes to book it all, planning a holiday is an overwhelming information overload. And that’s where this trip (and dozens of other different mystery packages) comes in – all the mental stress of planning is dissolved.
These mystery packages do all the dirty work. After you book, WizzAir sends over the flight details, weather forecasts and a list of packing essentials. What do I do? I pack, and I wait, like a clueless baby lamb being shepherded with the rest of her clueless flock. So far, I’ve used maybe two brain cells, and I’m loving every second of it.
Another aspect that I adore? I have no prejudices about the place I am visiting. How can I?
Planned trips, despite the best intentions, come with inevitable expectations or stereotypes. Mystery travel erases any possibility of this. You’re letting go, surrendering to the journey and hoping for the best. It’s exhilarating.
You’re letting go, surrendering to the journey and hoping for the best. It’s exhilarating
At the airport, departure screens, gate signs, announcements and even the physical tickets state ‘unknown’ under the destination. Even on the plane, the captain gives no hints, and the flight attendants – while being egged on by overcurious onboarders – don’t utter a clue. If snitches do get stitches, WizzAir’s team would go untouched.
About five hours after take-off, we finally start our descent and a flight attendant makes the announcement we’ve all been waiting for: ‘We’d like to welcome you to ….. Yerevan, Armenia!’ The crowd goes (mildly) wild.
Destination: Armenia
After getting through customs, we’re welcomed with a surprise (well, everything is a surprise) performance of traditional Armenian music and dancing at arrivals. It’s loud, upbeat and a sign of what’s to come.
The next three days feel like an Armenian fever dream. From the hotel (and a nice one, at that), we’re divided into groups and whisked away on coaches for all-day excursions. Walking tours of the city take us through the Old Yerevan neighbourhood and the colossal Cascade Complex. At night, there are impromptu late-night wanderings to the nearest cool cocktail bar, Merlin Magic Drinks Hub.
Then there were visits to Zvartnots Cathedral, the sacred Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery (fun fact: Armenia is the first country that adopted Christianity), and a chance to check out traditional Armenian rug-making at the Megerian Carpet Museum and Factory, where A-listers like the Clooneys and Conan O’Brian have paid a visit or two.
Best of all? An incomprehensible amount of Armenian food and wine – and since Armenia is one of the oldest wine producers in the world, I mean heavy on the wine.
Served family style (because Armenians really do treat you like kin), tables were packed with plates of Armenian kebabs and cheeses, dolma (grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat), bright vegetables, hummus dips and the traditional Armenian bread, lavash. Visit 7Qar after Garni Temple, and you might find traditional lavash bakers preparing fresh-baked sheets of dough before slapping them into the tonir – Armenia’s traditional underground oven.
And with each meal, comes dancing. Lots of it. It’s only natural after all the wine. Back in the city, at Tavern Yerevan Riverside, its entire two-floor, outdoor dining area transforms into an after-dinner audience for performers and musicians on the ground stage.
On the way back to the airport, we’re sleepy, sluggish and a little hungover – and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Out of all the trips that I’ve been fortunate to take, I feel most thankful for this one. This mysterious, marvellous trip opened my eyes to a new place and culture that I never thought of visiting. It’s not that I didn’t want to visit Armenia, but handing my holiday over to fate meant experiencing a real feeling of adventure – something you just don’t get when you plan every part of your trip yourself.
I hope that these mystery trips continue to put more underrated destinations into the spotlight. Maybe you’re just looking for a thrill, or for a chance to experience somewhere new without expectations, or simply want to let someone do the tedious trip-planning for you. Whatever the reason, I now firmly believe that mystery travel is the answer.
Daniela Toporek was a guest of WizzAir.
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