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).
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.
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.
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.
Waiting on the shuttle
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.
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.
Window Seat View
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 😉
Catching the photographer in action
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!!!!!
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
One thing that the lockdown travel restrictions brought about by Covid19 is we have been given the opportunity to explore our country and find some gems. We found one such gem in the Western Cape in the form of a fishing town called Paternoster 2 hours outside of Cape Town. A town made up of gorgeous beaches and white houses.
We stayed at Gonana Guest House in a sea facing room where we could walk from our bed right onto the beach. They serve breakfast and have the friendliest most helpful staff, big shoutout to Sis Thandi for taking such great care of us and all your recommendations.
Quick room tour
For 2 overworked girls from the city this beach holiday was just what the doctor order 🙂 . There are quite a few activities offered at Paternoster but to be honest with you the beach was the only thing on our itinerary. The water is cold but you can go in, here’s a quick tip if you prefer a private beach vibe visit Paternoster during the week because we had the beach to ourselves. When the weekend comes the whole town hits the beach, which makes sense because the weather called for it, it was nice and hot.
Obligatory arrival shot
Our guesthouse house had the best view of the sunset and on a good day you can see dolphins in the water, I caught a sneak peek of the dolphins when we checked in and on our beach buggy tour, but nothing caught on camera.
View of the sunset
We took a beach buggy tour on Saturday morning with Deon a longtime resident of Paternoster who legit knows everyone in town.
POV from the beach buggy
Here is a shot of me staking out the dolphins after breakfast and a few balcony shots.
We have finally made it to the end of 2020 and so I rewarded myself with a little getaway but not too far from home I’m still quite cautious about Covid 19 and all. So I checked in to the the Cradle Boutique hotel which is about 40 minutes from Sandton. I enjoyed the fresh air, the animals (excluding the monkeys and baboons that pop up anywhere) and feeling like I was far away from home.
We went on safari in the morning, we didn’t see any predators but we saw a bunch of other animals and birds, sidenote I didn’t photograph the monkeys and baboons because those things freak me out so I just sat still and waited for the vehicle to keep moving.
I enjoyed the peace and quiet I would highly recommend the Cradle Boutique for a quick weekend away. A quick tip though the deck/balcony is the best place to chill the pool area is legit directly under the sun your feet will burn taking a few steps to get into the pool. Our balcony was my favourite place to just chill, if for nothing else but the view (we saw Zebras from our deck when we arrived). Bring a book and plenty of snacks and take it all all in.
I love social media because you come across really cool people, case in point the person featured in this edition of Travel spotlight Nyaki Tshabangu who appeared on my instagram explore page. I’m a natural hair enthusiast and she’s in the natural hair business. I’ll let her speak for herself .
Tell us who you are and what you do?
I am a founder at Natural Hair Co. A business in the business of making Natural hair Normal by creating spaces for entrepreneurs in the hair space the opportunity to market and retail their brands.
We love your travel content, tell us the places you’ve been around the world
I’ve been all over, I recently completed a trip that meant I’d been to all the continents (except Antarctica) .
What was your favourite destination?
I don’t really have a favorite destination, each destination holds a really special place in my heart because of who I went with, or the occasion of my travel.
Do you use travel agents or are you a DIY traveller using apps?
I’m a diY through and through. I use momondo to book flights, and depending on what apps they use in the country for commuting. I use Pinterest to find as much information as a i can before booking.
When did the travel bug bite?
When I spent 3 weeks in Brazil over Christmas and nye with friends.
Do you have any hints and tips for solo travellers or first time travellers?
Do as much research as you can, and that safety is only a concern in South Africa. If you can survive being alone here, the rest of the world is easy to navigate.
What do you never travel without?
I want to say my husband, but it’s my phone.
Money is no object, where in the world would you go?
Welcome to another edition of black girls’ travel brought to you by the lockdown. Meet Thenjiwe Mabope another insta find.
Introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
Hi! I’m Thenji. I have a travel insta page turned YouTube called Guluvaz Travel and I’m a 30 year old marketing exec from Johannesburg
Is your blog name inspired by Gulliver’s travels with a kasi twist?
The name as you can tell is a play on Gulliver’s Travels which I was enthralled with as a child. Anything that had the promise of adventure and new and faraway lands was always my jam.
Tell us where you’ve been around the world?
I have been fortunate enough to have gone to 24 countries so far.
What was your favourite destination?
So far with my favourites being probably Italy, Ghana, Mozambique and Holland. It’s always difficult to choose just one destination as a favourite because every place is so different and has a context on how I was feeling or what I connected to at the time. I love Mozambique because of the food and peacefulness, I love Italy because I’m an epicurean and loved the cheese and wine in Tuscany; I love Ghana because the men there are so fine and ambitious; I love Holland because it’s vibrant cool kid epicentre. Every new place I go to has the potential to be the new favourite!
When did the travel bug bite?
I fell in love with travel before I ever saw the inside of the airport or even knew how it would be possible to get to faraway places. I used to watch Top Billing as a little girl and imagined myself as Ursula walking the streets of Paris. I used to jump over tables and pretend I was Sydney Fox on adventures in Relic Hunter. Relic Hunter was a show about an explorer who solved mysteries around the world. Or imagine myself as Lemuel Gulliver himself. I travelled through these characters using it to escape deep into my imagination where I’d create weird and wonderful worlds where anything was possible. Then that manifested into becoming this woman who is curious about the world around her and spends all her money travel. It’s become my passion, some women like bags and clothes or painting or beauty, mine is getting on a plane to find new and interesting experiences.
Which do you prefer travel agents or to do it yourself?
Booking your own travel can be daunting especially if you have never done it before so I always suggest first timers lean on travel agencies. I always suggest using travel agencies that allow you to pay through lay-bys and give discounts for people under 30 like STATravel, Flight Centre etc. to get value for money deals then once you feel comfortable with travelling you can start looking into booking your own travel. The trick also when making your own bookings is to ask tons questions, ask people how have gone to the destination before you, cross reference on travel sites and compare prices and read reviews. It’s lots of effort but it’s worth it because you get to know exactly what you’re paying for and what to expect when you get there.
What are your favourite travel apps?
My go-to travel apps are Skyscanner so I can find the cheapest flights. Google Maps because it gives you local mode of transport and walking directions whichever country I’m in. Agoda so I can compare accommodation types and prices on one platform. And also good old Excel because this is what I use to plan my trips so I know what I can afford and what I can’t before hand.
We love your travel on a budget tips, what inspired this?
I have a few of tips on how to travel on a budget decided to share on YouTube. Go to my page to get tips for either first time travel or hacks and you might learn something new that will get you a step closer to that trip you’ve always wanted to take. Often because of a lack of exposure people believe travel is unattainable because we’re constantly bombarded by the nouveau riche social media glitzy influencers who only seem to show business class boarding passes and champagne glasses, that’s not all that travel is about. I have travelled more than most with the means that I have because I go out of my way to find the most affordable way of getting to where I want to be and I want others to know that they can too. Travel is for everyone and if I can share tips on how to do it within your budget then I’ve done a something good for the day.
What do you never travel without?
I never travel without my earphones and face masks. I am a solo traveller meaning there can be a lot of time to kill on the plane or waiting on layovers so my earphones ensure I always have music to keep my company. The face masks a life line because flying is brutally dehydrating for my skin so I make sure that I put on hydrating masks to replenish the hours of air-con so I at least still look cute when I land.
Money is no object, where in the world would you go?
Money is no object you would find me in the Caribbean Island hopping making my way from Trinidad through Dominica all the way to Jamaica through all the islands in that channel by boat.
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