I'm the worst person for overthinking when it comes to meeting new people. So if you're unsure about booking this trek because of that sole reason then I urge you to book it right now. When I finally met everyone, I had missed out on weeks of conversation on Facebook and a few days wandering around New York but I never once felt like I wasn't accepted into the group.
Firstly I will say, don't forget that camping is the predominant form of accommodation. There will be spiders(harvestmen), there will be humidity and there will be a noticeable lack of beds. I for one enjoyed camping but for some it may get too much but it gets better after the first week and the Hotels more than make up for it.
The bulk of the tour itself will be the same for everyone but it's the little things in between and the people you share it with that make each one special and unforgettable. For instance on our first night in DC a huge thunderstorm crept over and trapped us all at the Lincoln Memorial. This was a highlight for myself since I've always wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial and I was hoping to see a proper American thunderstorm. (Since the British ones are crap in comparison).
A couple of days on the trek will be free to do what you want. Your Leader will give a briefing the night before on the local area and then it's all up to you. Naturally people have different ideas on what they want to do so it's no surprise that the group split up on these days, I was on my own once but that's because I wanted to see a film about the Grand Canyon. Totally worth it!
The first few days are mostly spent traveling across the country, it's amazing how far you will go without realising, but there are also some great places to go and mini hikes to do. It is on these days that you will gain an appreciation for 'Van Time' and it's where the people you are with that will make it special. Our Trek Song was discovered during this time and it's one that got sung nearly everyday thereafter. Van Time is also when you will catch up on hours of sleep, so invest in a pillow on the first Wall-Mart stop.
Optional activities are a big part of the trek. I budgeted for them 'all' and thoroughly enjoyed them all but a few I would insist you do are White Water Rafting, The Grand Canyon Helicopter Flight and Monument Valley. The latter is only for the whole group so go even if you're unsure, it became the favourite night of the tour for everyone in my group. It is simply amazing. Personal favourites were the Rafting, The Swamp Tour, Grand Canyon Helicopter, Monument Valley, Vegas Helicopter and Horse Riding at the Cowboy Camp.
It is possible that there may come a time on the trip where the group reaches an impasse. For us this happened in Zion National Park the night before we were heading to Vegas. There is an option to hike up to Angels Landing which 4 of the total 20 did but this meant heading out at 4am to return at around 10am, which also meant that the 16 who wanted to head straight to Vegas would be left hanging around for the other 4. The fact the World Cup would be on didn't make things any easier. There was a little tension in the air after a decision was made but despite all that, 14 headed out early the next day anyway (14 because 2 had to stay with the other 4 due to the number of van seats). No harm done.
All in all, this trip was the greatest experience of my life (so far) thanks not only to the USA for being awesome but to our Trek Leaders, Lilly for my group, Tim for the 2nd Group, for organising the optional stops/activities and surprise upgrades from tents to Cabins and also for just simply enjoying the Trek with us.
I think most importantly though, it was thanks to all the people I was privileged enough to share the Trek with. I couldn't have asked for a better group. Saying our goodbyes on the last day was more difficult than I'd imagined and I hope that we all continue to stay in touch. There is already talk of reunions, so I can't wait!