black girl traveler

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.