If I had a euro for every time I’ve heard “I don’t do deposits, but I’ll definitely see you when you land,” I could fund my own tours. Then nobody would ever need to send a deposit, and this blog about touring wouldn’t exist. Sadly, “I’ll definitely see you” is not a currency airlines accept. Neither is “message me when you’re here,” “No deposit, cash only!” or my personal favorite, “are you still coming?” sent the day of the date he never confirmed with a deposit lol.

So let me explain it the simplest way I know. Caveman style. You no deposit, Me no flight. Me no flight, me no hotel. Me no hotel, us no date. Us no date, no me. Me stay home. Me run bath. Me perfectly fine…

A deposit isn’t me doubting you. It’s the thing that turns “I’d love to see you” into a booked flight and a date that actually happens.
And as lovely as a short date duration is, it can’t carry a seven to ten hour flight on its own…

I’ve always been open about how I travel. Some tours have been incredible, the kind of trips that keep pulling me back to the same cities again and again, because the people there plan, book and show up. I’ve also had tours that completely flopped. Plenty of enthusiastic “can’t wait” messages, very few actual bookings, and me stranded alone in a hotel room in another time zone with a minibar and a very expensive lesson😅. I learned it once. I won’t be paying for it twice and won’t ever return unless I’m flown out.

When a city doesn’t make my calendar, I sometimes hear, “Oh, so nobody booked you?” No! It’s a logical financial mental health decision. Crossing continents means seven, sometimes ten or more hours of travel, plus the flight, the hotel, the time and the energy. I’m not flying all that way to sit in a hotel room and call it a holiday, because it isn’t one. And why would I force a tour in a city where nobody wants to plan ahead, while someone else is asking to see me in his city, or is already planning a beautiful evening and flying me to him? Make it make sense (deep sigh).

So here’s how it works. When I announce dates, the lover who deposit first get first choice of my time, and those deposits are what put me on the plane. Wait until I land, and you might find me no longer available to see you, get a higher rate because it’s too last minute, or find me somewhere else entirely, being spoiled by someone who planned ahead. I’m not hard to book. I just don’t fly on maybes.

Send your deposit, and I’ll see you soon Xx

(Thank you for coming to my TED Talk…)