It’s taken a while for me to post the second half of my mini Euro Summer which was another one of my favourite destinations Cote d’Azur, Nice to be specific. Honestly in a perfect world every one of my summers would be spent here. Nice is legit the perfect place, the people are friendly, the weather is great, the water’s so blue *in Beyonce’s voice* and you can hop on a train and be in an equally beautiful town or village. I would recommend it over and over again to anyone who will listen.
My first time in Nice was a solo trip and this time around I went with my bestie, so its safe to say it works great as a solo travel destination as well as a girls trip destination.
The sun sets were at 21h30 or so and I tried to capture the beauty.
Sunset
Nights at the beach were lovely.
I revisited Ezè village and Monaco.
I made it to Cannes this time around and the train ride was longer and hotter (you have been warned). Train ride aside Cannes is absolutely gorgeous and their beach has sand instead of pebble beaches in Nice. ( I do not care for the pebbles personally).
Checked out their walk of fame and walked up and down Les Marches du Palais(the red carpet stairs)
Even in my blogs I’m a maximalist here are a bunch of pics that I’m posting just for kicks.😉
I returned to Farago on the roof for Sunday brunch and the views were as lovely as I remembered (pictured above).
If you’ve glanced at my blog even once you will know that Paris is the love of my life. There’s nothing else left to say really as I’ve written many a love letter to this city. So this time I’m just sharing pics from this last trip to mon cœur.
Isn’t she lovely 😍
We also visited the gardens in Versailles, more loveliness.
No trip is complete without a visit to Gallaries Lafayette.
I still have a bunch of photos that I took on this trip, so this is more of a miscellaneous post to share more pictures. Lets treat this post like tumblr back in the day when we appreciated pretty pictures. And Florianapolis serves a beautiful backdrop. So guys here is more of what I saw and what I got up to in Brazil.
Yeah I know you’re all like “Geez Louise Ofentse how many more Florianapolis posts are there?”. Well I was there for a month and you all know how trigger happy I get with the shutter button on my camera, so I’ve got a bunch of pictures and where else can I share them if not here 🤷🏾♀️.
This post is about what I consider to be the highlights of the trip.
Favela da Mariquinha Street Art Tour:
This was a tour of the favelas and the artwork in and around the Favela da Mariquinha which could be considered one of the largest outdoor galleries.
A ARTE SALVA VIDAS which means ART SAVES LIVES
Our tour guide Alex was born and raised in Favela de Mariquinha and is a community leader and all round Mr Congeniality (He knew everybody in the neighbourhood and they all showed love) . He is involved in various projects aimed at increasing visibility and making a positive impact on his community through teaching kids about art, soccer, surfing & jujitsu . Alex knows the stories behind all the paintings and is passionate about sharing them. Here are a few of my favourite paintings:
And the view of the city from the favelas was absolutely gorgeous
This view
* Check out Favela de Mariquinha on instagram @roledamariquinha
The next highlight was our visit to the Olodum Sul which is like a centre for the kids from the favelas. They have all types activities and programmes for the kids to learn skills from dance, to music, art and general life skills. It really is a great place they even have psychologists at the school. My favourite part is how they instilling a sense of black pride in the sense they teach the kids about black history and black pride which is very important as the region they’re in Santa Catrina is a predominately white area (80% white population). Being black is a struggle worldwide so having a space like this really is amazing.
We did a mini tour of the centre, did some dancing and we did capoeira with the kids it was so much fun.
Below are images of historic black people all over the walls as well as their new podcast studio, it really is so cool how they are teaching the kids all of this.
20 November is Black ConsciousnessDay in Brazil.
An honourable mention to the list of highlights for me in Florianapolis was without a doubt sugarcane juice (I miss it so).
We were informed recently that the group that put together our trip (RemoteYear) has closed down which is very sad as I’ve been singing their praises in the last few posts and recommending it to everyone.
Here are some activities I got up to, most of which were organized by RemoteYear (RIP)
Conceicão Lagoon Hidden Gems Boat Tour
This experience included a boat tour which docked on a beach for us to swim and chill, (sidebar the water was hella cold). Then we went sandboarding (which because of the afore mentioned swimming I did with a wet costume 🩱🤦🏾♀️). I also took a few tumbles on the dunes but it was fun nonetheless. The next stop was a fishing island for lunch and a mini hike to a waterfall. And as I’m writing this little paragraph I realize I was hella active when I was in Brazil. Holiday Ofentse is very active.
Our ride for the day
Sandboarding
Lunch and waterfall hike
We also did a lot of walking tours. Walked through Santo Antonio de Lisboa which is a quaint neighbourhood with quirky stores and house on the coastline.
And like I mentioned earlier, I was hella active here are some shots from the walking tour of the city and we caught the sunset at Hercilio Luz Bridge.
Its safe to say most of us were today years old when we even heard of Florianapolis aka Floripa existed. For those who don’t know Florianapolis is the capital city of Santa Catarina in the south of Brazil and also where I spent the month of November. Here are a few things I got up to. I have no words and too many word simultaneously so I’m going to share a bunch of pictures with captions instead.
First up we have the Welcome Expirence at Itaguaçu where the beach(Praia de Itaguaçu) has boulders which legend has it were witches who have been turned to stone.
We walked through the witch’s portal
The beach was really pretty even if it was a bit too cloudy to see a proper sunset.
I have been in a not so great mental space this year, and I needed a change of scenery . I went to the internet in search of an escape for a bit. My default destination is Paris as that is my happy place but Paris in November is freezing and I was already depressed I didn’t need to be cold too.
I came across a YouTube video by Nikki Vontaya and she is on a 12 month trip with a travel group called Remote Year and her trip looked great so I looked them up. I obviously wasn’t going to do a 12 countries in 12 months trip that is pure insanity. But I did look them up and they do have a 1 month and 4 month travel option. Anyway I selected 1 month in Brazil because you know summer and beaches. So I booked a flight to Florianopolis, a town I’d never heard of until October this year.
I went for the Remote Year option because the trip planning was done for me, accommodation was booked for me, activities and attractions were organized and suggested for me, win win. After all of the airport drama I made it to my home for the month a place called Bewiki and I met the people I would be spending the month of November with, my fellow travellers :
From left to right
The Caipirinha Pusher
The Disappearing Man
Me (The Grumpy one)
Our City Manager
The English Patient
The Hopeless Romantic
And The Light Packer
I will break down whole trip in future posts as 1 month is too long for one post. So lets say to be continued…..
I made it to the airport hotel, which was called the Monaco Hotel (I took this as a good sign as I love Monaco the country). The hotel didn’t live up to its namesake but it was clean and dinner was still being served so I was good.
My room at the Monaco Hotel
Here is something about me, for the past couple of months I have been actively looking on the bright side but after missing my flight and not knowing where my luggage was, I allowed myself 30min of woe is me time, then I went downstairs for dessert (there was none, so I just had fruit).
The next morning I woke up early freshened up and booked my taxi to airport even though my flight was at 13h00, I wasn’t taking any chances. Also since my last luggage incident I pack a 2nd outfit in my hand luggage (shoutout to Nomsa). I got to the airport at 10h00 even though the taxi driver was trying to convince me to stay in Sao Paulo longer cause he felt I hadn’t experienced the real Sao Paulo because it was raining 🤷🏾♀️
Anyway, I went straight to the the LATM counter but there was no gate info yet coz I was early so I had time for a sit down snack. Closer to the time I went back counter and I ran into a LATAM person on the way there and she gave me my boarding gate number. I still went to their counter and the consultants gave me 2 other gate numbers I thought I was going to explode with anger at the airport 😡. I checked out all three gates turns out the first lady was right. I camped out at the gate for the remainder of the time. All of the announcements were only in Portuguese according to the guy next to me it was because it was a domestic flight (he was my Google translate because I had no network).
A quick hour flight later I landed in Floripa airport where everyone was nice and either attempted to speak English or patiently conversed through Google translate (yep even my network was better here). I got to baggage claim and the only person there worked with another airline but he called someone to help me (A completely different experience to the Sao Paulo airport) . Within 20 minutes I had my luggage . Also the Floripa airport is pretty as far as airports go, its small but airy like I can actually breathe there.
I found my driver easily and I was on my way to my mini sabbatical.
My destination selection this time around was hella random. I saw a video on YouTube about a girl taking a gap year to travel, and she did it through a group called RemoteYear. I looked them up and looked into the countries they covered and I selected the option that didn’t need a visa because it was such short notice. So I choose Brazil.
Once again I had trouble at the airport (I’ve let the universe know that I refuse to be the airport drama girl, so that was the last time.)
Anyway….. I flew from Joburg to Sao Paulo where I was scheduled to have a 2hour layover before heading to my final destination which was Florianapolis aka Floripa. It took me like 40min to get through passport control which I didn’t mind too much because I still had an hour to find my gate right? WRONG!!! Turns out I had to go to baggage claim get my luggage and recheck it in. Navigating that airport was a nightmare plus no one spoke English MODIMO. So the clock is ticking I’m running around like a headless chicken, I finally find people from the airline I’m flying with, the women tells me to check in my luggage downstairs they send me back to her (which is where my luggage is SUPPOSED to be checked in to begin with). The clock is still ticking (and my flight is boarding). I check my luggage and search for my gate at this point they’re flashing final call for my flight 😭. I reach my gate and check with the other passengers that they’re also going to Floripa which they are 😮💨, but its a different airline 😭😭😭 my boarding gate had changed and I missed my flight.
*Sidebar Google Translate has been my best friend on this trip so far.
I found an airport worker willing to help me for a tip of course, anyway we get to the LATAM (the airline I flew) information desk. They informed me that there would be no more flights to Floripa that night (it was 11pm). The next available flight would be 13h00 the next day, they gave me a taxi and hotel voucher and sent me on my way. I asked about my luggage, homey’s like ” no your luggage is still here at belt 214″ spoiler alert it wasn’t and the baggage claim lady was not interested in my drama she’s like 🤷🏾♀️. A security guard guy helped me by calling someone (I dunno who) and he’s like “Your luggage is in Floripa you’ll get it when you land”. At this point its midnight I’m tired so I leave and everything else is tomorrow’s problem.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Ofentse’s Adventures Abroad.
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.
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