Travel

Holiday Flop

The past 3 years have been awful for me, but travel has always been a good band-aid or pick me up, not this time though. The first half of the year was very trying but at least the drama had a deadline, I knew by a certain day it would all be done and I’d be able to have a bit of a breather.

My cousin moved to Mauritius so I figured it made sense to go de-stress where I already had accommodation and my personal tour guide so I booked my ticket. So due to the aforementioned I did zero prep for this trip, mistake number 1.

The moment I landed in Mauritius things went wrong, my uterus turned on me then my luggage was delayed 🙄. Once I got my luggage I figured I was finally home free as I approached the doors towards the exit I was stopped by a security guard who asked to see my papers. I guess travelling solo as a black woman to a family holiday destination is suspicious 🤷🏾‍♀️. So I show her my papers, she calls another guy and I’m taken to another room where my luggage is searched. All of this in my first hour of being in that country. What a start to my long weekend break right?

Anyway I make it out and relay my ordeal to my cousin as we’re driving to her place. She informs me she has to come back home for a family emergency, so she’s leaving the next day but she’s leaving me in an apartment with food and a car with a full tank of petrol.

So I spent 4 days floating around Mauritius sometimes I’d forget to bring my tripod which is my favourite travel accessory. I took some pretty pictures though, Mauritius is looks like a living postcard even with its schizo weather.

I did do some touristy stuff, I went to the Caudan Waterfront to get a picture on the strip with all the umbrellas but they closed the umbrellas because it was too windy. I swear you cant make this stuff up. So went back on a less windy day.

I did lunch and sundowners and took strolls by the beach.

I will say the SSR Botanical Garden was my favourite part of Mauritius . So gorgeous, green and lush.

So its safe to say Mauritius needs a do over of some sort.

Where I stayed in Nice

I’ve been backing up my files and photos since I had an incident with my computer last year (spilled tea on my computer it couldn’t be repaired so I lost everything on my machine). I came across a lot of photos that are just sitting on my phone, unshared and unprinted so I figured might as well share them here. So here is a post with pics of the hotels I stayed in last year.

I stayed in 2 hotels in Nice last year as I had extended my stay, another spanner in the works I guess. “Spanner in the works” was the theme for my 2023.

The first half of my holiday I stayed at the Nice Excelsior which was located perfectly in Vieux Nice (Old Nice) so I was within walking distance from everything the beach,Place Massena & a 2 minute walk from the train station. I hit the jackpot with location of this hotel. Location location location. The hotel itself was cute with quirky decor and the staff were super friendly.

The backyard was also cute.

I extended my time in Nice so I needed to find another place to stay enter the Okko hotel which was not as central but it was a newer hotel and was right by the tram station so getting around was easy.

The Okko hotel has a more corporate feel with a huge common area that they refer to as “the club”. It’s really just a lounging/eating / bar area

Travel Spotlight: Malebo Fox

I’m back with another dope black girl feature for my Travel Spotlight. I started this feature to shine a light on black women who travel, I’m big on representation. And for the most part when we’re exposed to travel content creators they are flashy and promote luxury travel which makes travel as a whole seem unattainable. So with this feature I hope to do my part to show that travel is attainable. And that there is a sweet spot between slumming it and luxury travel.

And with that being said allow me to introduce the star of this edition of travel spotlight , ladies and gentlemen Malebo Fox.

Introduce yourself.

Hi there, I’m Malebo Fox, a 33-year-old adventurer who finds solace in the vibrant atmosphere of hostels. Born in Hillbrow and having lived in Soweto before settling in The Vaal. I worked as a fashion buyer until I decided to make the move to Canada. Before my relocation, I was living in the vibrant city of Cape Town. I’m an only child, which has shaped my sense of independence and curiosity. Currently, I’m pursuing a degree in public relations, a field that I’m deeply passionate about. And I’m fortunate to be married to my best friend, who shares in my love for travel and life’s adventures.

Tell us where you’ve been around the world and where you’re based now

I was born in South Africa, and I currently call Ottawa, the capital of Canada, my home. I’ve been fortunate to explore diverse corners of the world. My travels have taken me to six continents.

Africa- Mozambique, eSwatini, Lesotho

Asia- Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia

Europe- France, Netherlands, Belgium and Greece

North America- Mexico, Usa, Cuba, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama and Antigua and Barbuda

South America-Brazil Oceania_ Fiii, Vanuatu and New Zealand

What was your favourite destination?

Japan hands down. I loved everything from the food to the landscape and the people.

Do you prefer using travel apps or travel agents?

Apps hands down. I will spend hours on google. I prefer making my own bookings, it’s part of the thrill.

What are your favourite travel apps?

Hostel world for accommodation and community. Airalo for digital simcards, talk 360for making international calls. And the trusted google maps to navigate.

When did the travel bug bite?

The travel bug bit me the moment I landed in Cape Town for the first time. It happened when I was in my early twenties, making me a bit of a late bloomer in the world of travel. Up until that point, I had explored my home country, South Africa, but international travel was an entirely new frontier for me. Cape Town served as a catalyst, igniting my passion for exploration and broadening my horizons.

What is your take on solo travel?

Solo travel is a remarkable experience, and I absolutely love it. It offers a unique opportunity to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery while exploring the world. One of the most appealing aspects of solo travel, for me, is the freedom it provides. You get to set the pace of your adventure, deciding when to move on or linger a little longer in a place that captures your heart. There’s no need to compromise or adjust your plans based on someone else’s preferences, which allows for a more spontaneous and flexible. Another incredible aspect of solo travel is the people you meet along the way. When you’re on your own, you become more open to connecting with fellow travelers, locals, and fellow adventurers.

Do you have any tips for people considering doing solo trips?

Opt for minimal packing, maintain flexibility in your itineraries, conduct thorough research in advance, and embrace an open-minded approach to your travels.

What do you never travel without?

My phone and power bank

Do you have a favourite travel buddy? And why?

My husband. He is my best friend, and he gets me. He always looks up restaurants ahead of time and he is always down for a good time.

What is your dream destination?

Ibiza. I dream of partying to the best house music at a beach bar while sipping on cocktails, surrounded by gorgeous people.

Birthday Solo Trip pt2

The cool thing about visiting the South of France is there are so many little towns within driving or train distance you can have cute little day excursions all over the French Riviera. Nice is nice and central so for the most part you can hop on a train to a small town like Éze village to major attractions like Monanco. I mention these 2 places because they are the ones I visited because they were the shortest trips (I get motion sickeness).

My first day trip was to Ezé Village because it was a quick train ride (not more than 15minutes from Nice). Ezé is a beautiful medieval town perched on a hilltop, it was recommended for the pretty views of the Mediterranean Sea and the historic buildings. A quick tip from me though if you’re going to visit Ezé from Nice take the bus or drive, I learned that the hard way. I took the train and it was quick and all but the train station is all the way at the bottom of the doggone cliff/hill, then you have to take the shuttle to the top and those don’t come frequently. We waited at that bus stop for over an hour by the time it arrived there were so many of us we were like sardines in a tin can. Same thing coming back down and the road was small and windy my goodness. Btw being in overpopulated train-cars and shuttles was a big theme this trip.

My 2nd day trip was to Monaco and is one that requires a re-do and a lot more prep work, I disrespected this place with my go with flow attitude here, my bad. This trip was basically a walk through the city. The only way to describe Monaco is beautifully opulent.

The train was packed the whole way to Monaco, I was standing the whole time and I thought that was bad. The return trip was like a movie. There was a one and a half hour train delay so the platform was filled to the brim, there was damn near a stampede once a train finally arrived. I could’ve died ya’ll. No lie the people on the other platforms were taking pictures and videos. It was a little bit scary. So yeah after that I was like I’m going to stay put in Nice, no more trains for me for a bit.

Here’s something for the fashion girlies

Birthday Solo Trip pt1

This year my birthday was celebrated solo in the South of France, and I think I may have found one of my favourite holiday destinations. I visited the gorgeous Nice and it felt like walking into a postcard. It was unreal, so picturesque.

No exaggeration, as we were landing you could see the bluest water ever from the aeroplane and I had a window seat. What a beautiful landing.

I don’t really do any planning activity-wise when it comes to holidays I’m more of a go with the flow type of traveler. In my defense there really isn’t any activity planning required when you’re in a beach destination right. Besides lazing around is what being on holiday is about.

My first full day was spent at one of the beach clubs along the Promenade Des Anglais. I opted for the beach club as they supplied beach beds, umbrellas and food because those pebble beaches are uncomfortable to sit or lie on all day (I’m a sand beach type of gal). I mean you obviously pay to get in but its worth it for the comfort and convenience.

A lot of walking was done on this trip, my step counter must’ve thought it had been stolen by a very active person. Listen I walked up to the top of of Castel Hill to check out the panoramic view of Nice. The walk all the way to the top was not planned the elevator was closed when I got there (it closes at 17h00 and I got there after 18h00)

I did book an activity off of AirBnB experiences though, it was a photoshoot for my birthday. Antoine the photographer was very patient with me bless his heart, because I’m hella awkward when someone else is taking my picture (I’m absolutely fine with selfies as you can tell). But yeah the shoot was also like a walking tour of Nice so it was fun. Here are some of the shots he took 😉

Nice is so beautiful and the people were really nice too, I mean the cab driver from the airport to the hotel was a leo for crying out loud, it don’t get no better.

I took this from a moving vehicle (the leo driven taxi). I repeat picture perfect!!!!!

Here are more touristy snaps:

Chasing Summer: Part 3

This is the end of my summer holiday recap. Other than the luggage drama (documented in full detail in my previous post) Paris was an absolute dream as always. Correction this time was better because this was my first summer in Paris and listen this city in summer *chef’s kiss*.

Honestly there’s not much for me to say that I haven’t already said in my other Paris posts so I’m going to share a whole lot of pictures.

Galeries Lafayette views

The view of the city from the terrace at the Galeries Lafayette is quite a site to behold.

Places we ate

Touristy Shots

Sacré-Cœur

Cheesy Shots

Yes I do have a bit of an obsession with the Eiffel Tour

Chasing Summer: Storytime

We had a great time in Barcelona up until we got to the airport, can you say DRAMA. We got to the airport in Barcelona super excited about the second leg of trip, we were headed to Paris. Come check-in time we were informed that our flight was overbooked *cue dramatic music*

I also want to state for the record we arrived at the airport on time, overbooking happens according to the lady at the check-in desk as she checked our luggage in and handing us boarding passes with no gate number. Also may I just say the people who work at the Barcelona are very dismissive.

Anyway back to the our story, we were booked on an 11h30 flight so we could have a full-ish day in Paris. We finally make it to the correct boarding gate and the attendant there tries to shoo us away in spanish, at this point we’ve had it and our inner Karens come out so we start yelling. This prompts the attendant to find her English switch; she then informs us again that our flight is over booked and that we’ll be put on the next available flight. She asks us to take a seat next to 2 other passengers( a mother and daughter) who were also supposed to be on our flight. The attendant comes back with more info, new boarding passes and meal and snack vouchers as the flight we’ve been moved to is at 19h30. Please note the time when all this is happening is 11h00 ELEVEN O’ FRIGGIN CLOCK!!!!! We cannot leave the airport, we’re stuck there for 8hours that’s a full work day, at this point I’ve stopped listening.

The attendant switches between English & Spanish while talking to us, so thank goodness Maria the other passenger in the trenches with us speaks Spanish so she translates for us and her mother where needed. Sidenote Maria was the MVP during this ordeal. We are also told we’ll be landing at Orly airport so we’re like “our initial flight was to land at Charles De Gaulle” and that was the sticker placed on our luggage when we checked in *cue more dramatic music*. The attendant is like no problem there will be a taxi to take you to CDG to go collect your luggage just go to the Iberia counter someone will be there to help you.

So fast forward to us landing in Paris and wishful thinking has me heading to the luggage carousel hoping to find my suitcase and I guess Maria and her mom hoped the same cause that’s where we reunited. Nomsa on the other hand went to search for the Iberia counter. We join her after we’ve seen all luggage come out and ours isn’t there. There’s a queue and when we get to the front we have to fill in forms and the lady at the counter is like “Ok go to your hotel and your luggage will be delivered tonight or tomorrow morning” the time now is 22h15. This is where we all chime in “No you guys are supposed to get us a taxi that will take us to CDG and we can get our luggage ourselves tonight”. She says “Nope”. At this point I’m cursing the attendant in Barcelona again.

We decide to take an uber to CDG to go find our luggage. Yoooooo when I tell you the baggage terminal was a ghost town at that hour, we kept knocking at any door where we saw people. I kid you not at one point we were giving a cleaning lady our phone numbers and showing pictures of our luggage (once again Maria translated as she also spoke french). Desperate times guys.

Anyway our efforts were fruitless so we went to our hotel luggage-less. We checked into our hotel at 00h30. I woke up the next morning hella optimistic because hey I woke up in Paris it doesn’t get better than that.

We decide to go get supplies while we wait for luggage to arrive alas most places are closed because its Sunday and the french don’t eff around when it comes to rest days. Anyway the local supermarche’ and H&M saved the day because they made it possible for us to continue holiday-ing without our stuff. Don’t get it twisted we were still tracking the luggage progress or lack thereof on the Vueling Airlines site. Sunday came and went and still nothing.

Monday morning even our concierge was on the case, we were recruiting people at this point and checking in with Maria as well. By midday we were losing hope and Maria had already received a call from the airline and we had nothing 😦

We went back to the hotel a bit defeated but then we were told the airline called while we were out and our luggage would arrive between 15h00-18h00. I went to go take a nap and Nomsa went shopping just in case . After my nap I also went shopping cause nothing had arrived and when we got back to the hotel the concierge had the biggest grin on his face because our luggage finally arrived. When I tell you I damn near hugged this man (I’m not a hugger).

Like shuuu hey, it took nearly two days but our Paris holiday could finally begin.

Real-life drama I tell you.

Chasing Summer : Part 2

We only had a few days in Barcelona and no real plan. The only things on my Barcelona to-do list were Moco Museum and riding the cable cars to get a view of the city. The rest of the time could be spent at the beach and would have been if it wasn’t for the rain. Which got us exploring the city more. Yeah I’m one of those “go with flow, anywhere the wind blows” type of traveler.

DAY 2:

We took a walk around the port on a cloudy day and we saw some really cool boats and enjoyed the city views. The good news is the sun came out to play half way through our exploration walk.

DAY 3

We took the scenic route to the cable cars. Our search included an uphill walk, some stairs and we braved a little drizzle but it was worth it for the views, all this is before we actually got on the cable car. Quick sidenote when we reached our destination we figured out what the guy at our hotel reception was trying to tell us : there was literally a train from the metro station right outside our hotel directly to the cable cars *insert eyeroll here*. But if we had taken that option we would have missed a bunch of photo ops and what I’m counting as exercise.

That evening we went for supper at Cremat Lounge where the staff was super friendly and the gave a list of parties to check at the gothic quarter. We ended up at a place called Jamboree where they had a hip hop open mic session downstairs and a dj whose playlist was on shuffle upstairs. Yep we danced to Ace of base and Beyonce in one night. Fun was had.

In between suggesting clubs the staff took our pictures

DAY 4

We finally made it to the beach on our last full day in Barcelona and boy did I soak up the sun. A lot of interesting things to be seen at Barceloneta beach:

A lot of vendors: Mojito & beer salesmen, masseuses, ladies who braid hair and guys renting out umbrellas.
A lot of topless tanning
The beach blanket vendors bury the inventory in the sand *true story bro*

The day ended with another touristy activity, we went to go check out the Sagrada Familia. Because we got there so late (21h00), we didn’t get to go inside but the outside is so beautiful.

Also can we take a moment to appreciate the late European sunsets in the summer, love love love them.

Sharing more content

So I’m the type of person who takes a bunch of pictures and videos which I do nothing with, my friend has nagged me into sharing more of it so here we go. Lets call this a continuation my last post.

Chasing Summer: Part 1

After a three year hiatus my passport finally left its corner of the drawer to get some sun and fresh air and I tagged along. All roads lead my passport, my friend Nomsa and me to Barcelona and Paris. We luckily escaped the cold front that hit SA and enjoyed a European summer for a little bit.

Travel has gone back to normal covid regulations-wise, just as long as you have your vaccination certificate and in Spain’s case you have to fill in a DCC form if your vaccination was done outside of Europe.

Anyway, the first leg of our trip was Barcelona, I had no real expectations of the place I just selected it because it gave me a beach and city holiday in one. Turns out I really like the place. Day one we took a walk around the neighbourhood where we were staying to get the lay of the land, then we took the bus to Barceloneta beach.

We had tickets booked to an art exhibition at Moco Museum which featured a few of my favourite artists. After the exhibit we went to dinner at a restaurant called Morelia where we scored a free dessert thanks to the friendly owner 🙂