Mum Jailza Gatehouse, 60, says ‘extreme day trips’ across Europe helped her manage menopause insomnia. She’s now been on 70 holidays in a year and is sleeping better than ever
A woman who began embarking on ‘extreme day trips’ to tackle menopause has now completed 70 holidays – within just 12 months.
Jailza Gatehouse, 60, embarked on her inaugural EDT(Extreme Day Trip) last October – a distinctive travel approach where you’re away for just 24 hours. It comes after a dad and daughter ditched London for a cheaper day out in sunny Spain.
The mother-of-two from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, reveals she’d been part of an online community for some time, admiring the adventures of others but never believing she could manage one herself.
Yet once she began, Jailza discovered she was hooked, and has since undertaken 70 EDTs, exploring every European nation except Russia and Ukraine.
The Brazilian-born mum explains that restless nights due to menopause prompted her to take the leap, thinking that there had to be better ways to spend her time than lying awake in bed.
Since beginning these journeys, she reports sleeping soundly, as all the travel leaves her completely exhausted. She explained: “With my menopause I could never sleep. I would wake up at one in the morning.
“Menopause used to take over my life. With EDTs, instead of waking up and doing nothing, I go to the airport. And because you walk so much and get so tired I sleep. Now when I am up I go and see the world.
“EDTs changed my life. Menopause was driving me mad. I am taking a short break now for Christmas and already I can’t sleep again. I had to book another one.”
Jailza embarked on her first journey to Dublin on October 4 last year, a mere hour away and with tickets costing just £17.99 each way.
She confessed that she was initially quite apprehensive, having always been concerned about her safety abroad. Jailza also noted that, as a black woman, she was nervous about travelling to some countries that are less diverse than the UK.
However, after her first solo trip abroad, Jailza got the taste of how safe, exciting and freeing it can be. She admitted that because she doesn’t have a job, her life tends to be “boring.”
But, it’s the complete opposite now.
Jaliza candidly shared: “In the past I have said to my husband that we should visit places, and he always said that they don’t like black people there. My mind was always like that, I couldn’t go anywhere because they wouldn’t like black people.
“When I was on my way to Dublin I remember panicking. I felt so paranoid. I wanted to cry. But when I got there it was nothing like I had thought. It brought my confidence back. EDTs are becoming my therapy.”
Jailza, who always travels alone, lists Italy, Greece, Barcelona, and Budapest among her favourite destinations due to her passion for architecture.
The mum hasn’t revisited any location yet, but there are certain cities, such as Prague, that she would love to explore again.
The adventure enthusiast has even ventured to Transnistria, an unrecognised territory nestled between Moldova and Ukraine that appears on the government’s ‘do not travel’ list, yet she described it as “amazing.”
Jailza hasn’t a clue about her total spendings so far, but admits she rarely gets bargains due to her spontaneous booking habits, declaring “if I want to go then I go.”
Her essential travel advice includes thoroughly researching your destination, avoiding the front seat in taxis, and having the confidence to approach locals for guidance.
She also recommends packing two power banks, a brolly, fresh socks, and a backup top in case of spillages as absolute must-haves.
She continued: “In the beginning people thought I was crazy. But now they have seen that I can do it, they are all starting to go too.
“Don’t hold yourself back. Just do it. I have had the best year of my life. After that first trip I have never been scared anywhere.”
Jailza shows no signs of slowing down with a Marseille getaway scheduled for next week, plus upcoming jaunts to Milan and Krakow already in her diary.
Looking ahead, she’s eager to extend her reach even further afield, potentially abandoning her 24-hour restriction altogether.
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