A woman who started undertaking ‘extreme day trips’ to combat menopause-induced sleeplessness has now completed 70 such adventures in merely 12 months.

Jailza Gatehouse, 60, launched her inaugural EDT last October – a unique travel concept involving stays of no longer than 24 hours. The mother-of-two from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, confesses she had been watching others’ escapades in an online community for ages, never envisioning she would tackle one herself.

However, once she started, Jailza found herself completely addicted and has since completed 70 EDTs, visiting every European country except Russia and Ukraine. The Brazilian-born mum explains that restless nights caused by the menopause spurred her into action, convinced there had to be a more worthwhile way to spend her time than tossing and turning in bed.

Since launching these journeys, she claims to be sleeping peacefully, as the intensive travel leaves her completely shattered.

She said: “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 4 October last year, a short one-hour trip within the UK that cost just £17.99 each way. Initially, she was filled with anxiety due to her concerns about safety abroad, but these fears have since evaporated.

She shared: “I was in the group for a while but I just read the posts. I thought ‘that’s not me I could never go anywhere by myself.’ After I did my first one I just couldn’t stop. The EDTs brought me back to life. Because I don’t work I was bored, my life was boring. I needed to do something, I just didn’t know what.

“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 typically travels solo, lists Italy, Greece, Barcelona, and Budapest among her favourite destinations, attributing this to her love of architecture. The mum hasn’t returned to any destination twice, although certain cities such as Prague have won her over sufficiently to merit a second visit.

The intrepid explorer has even travelled to Transnistria, an unrecognised territory nestled between Moldova and Ukraine which features on the government’s ‘do not travel’ list, describing it as “amazing.”

Jailza hasn’t monitored her overall expenditure, but concedes she seldom finds deals as she reserves her trips at the last minute, stating “if I want to go then I go.”

Her travel recommendations include researching your destination thoroughly, steering clear of the front seat in taxis, and not being afraid to ask locals for guidance. Her packing must-haves comprise two power banks, an umbrella, spare socks, and an additional top in case of spills.

She added: “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 demonstrates no indication of slowing down, with a journey to Marseille in France planned for next week, and additional visits to Milan and Krakow already pencilled in. Looking forward, she’s eager to broaden her horizons to more distant locations, even if it means abandoning her 24-hour time limit.

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