chasingadventuress

[chasingadventuress]

Taking the first step to #Solo Travelling

I have lost count of the number of times that I’ve been asked “How do you do it, How do you manage to travel by yourself?” and honestly each time I hardly ever had the right answers because each journey has come with a different experience; high-points as well as its challenges.

I have however, over the years picked up on a few pointers on how to better go about it and have decided on sharing the little that I have learned.

Yes, solo travelling is scary at first but once you get use to it, it becomes so much easier and will have you wondering what you were ever afraid of to begin with. 

At this point I tend to fear smaller insects more than I fear getting onto a plane headed towards unfamiliar ground.

So here it is, there is honestly no right way to actually do it because I guess every one experiences things differently. However, what I can advise, to help you get in the swing of things is;

First establish what type of travel experience you want and where you want to go to. I advise you start somewhere close, neighbouring countries to be more specific depending on where in the world you might find yourself. At a later stage when you learn to be more comfortable out in the world on your own, you can then take on more countries or even different continents.

Do as much research as possible, in this case Google and TripAdvisor are your best friends. Look into finding any and everything about your place of choice. This can range from how to get there, the currency they use, accommodation (Airbnb, hostels, BnB, hotels), safety, transport on the ground, activities, people’s way of life, among other things. In addition look for good travel deals and discounts. Alternatively if you are not big on planning trips on your own you could always consult travel agents to get the job done for you.

Then set a budget that suits you. Look at how much you are willing to spend, as it will help you determine what you can or cannot afford. However, one thing I would say is never wait till you have ‘MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY’ because that tends to hold a lot of people back as money really won’t ever be enough, honestly. So, try to stretch out what you have and travel unapologetically within your means. Go for the experience!

Draft up an itinerary as this will help you to not forget anything. Clearly jot down what you want to do during your stay in a specific place and allocate dates and times for each of the things you would like to experience. During this process, to make things easier for yourself also write down all contact information of services that you will need.

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Start saving up for your trip and all its costs, remember that every dollar counts. So if you have extra money laying around put it towards your travel fund. It goes a long way.

As you wait to go on your trip, in your free time if you are big on the usage of social media, search up all locations you plan on visiting, so that you will have an idea of what these places of interest look like. Cafe's, museums, local markets, wild life parks just to name a few are things you should consider. Figure out if they are fun experiences, can you learn any interesting facts from these places? Are they picture worthy? Among other things.

Last but not least build up the confidence you need. This will at least get you to a point where you can talk to one or two people while on your trip. Never be afraid because, believe you me the person who may seem like a stranger is just on a similar journey as you are. A journey to explore and see the world. Remember to always be open minded, however, within the same breath remember that you do not have to force yourself to talk to any other tourist if you are not comfortable at the start. As time passes it will get easier.

I’ll end this off with highlighting once again that Solo travelling is not as complicated as your mind makes it out to be, it’s really so very simple. It just requires a person who is willing and daring enough to take it on. I wish you all who plan on solo travelling the best. Always remember that you are able. Have fun! 

[chasingadventuress]

a grande cidade de Lubango

.....(The Great City of Lubango)

Nestled deeply in the Angolan province of Huila, surrounded by a range of mountains, forest of trees and natural rocks, lays a capital city called LUBANGO, which is home to more than 600 000 people.

Having found myself in search of an end year vacation spot, I boldly chose this city, specifically for an array of reasons but most importantly being that I personally felt it was under explored.

It is no secret that there is little to no information online with regards to traveling with in the Huila Province and it was there and then where I felt that something had to give. Thus, I deemed it necessary to share my experience.

NB!!! Take Note:

·         Before embarking on a journey to Lubango or anywhere in Angola make sure you get a yellow fever injection and that you carry your yellow fever card with you. You will not be allowed to enter the country without one.

·         Remember to carry along Malaria tablets, that you are required to take every day during your stay. Talk to your General Practitioner as they will best advice on which tablets to take.

·         Namibian citizens do not need a visa to enter Angola however citizens from other countries should check with their relevant Visa Headquarters.

·         Angola has a local currency called Angolan Kwanza (Kz), they however also accept USD but I would recommend you find a money changer and convert the USD to Kz. You get more value for it.

·         Do not consume tap water in Angola as it is high in chlorine. Always buy bottled water from any nearby convenient stores.

·         Refrain from eating street food in Angola. The country has over the past decade been known to have experienced several cases of cholera outbreaks. 

Now that we have gotten past the nitty-gritty below in a nutshell is how my planning process went:  

I set to go to Lubango for about ten days on an N$ 8000 budget (USD 565). Why N$ 8000? Well because I am very big on budget travelling. However, do not limit yourselves I do encourage anyone by all means, to make use of extra cash if they so prefer.

My budget was inclusive of a return ticket from my home country Namibia, accommodation with in a nearby Province known as Benguela, transport on the ground and daily meals.

Flight

N$ 4000 (USD 283) was allocated to my return flight ticket which was also inclusive of travel insurance, this cost me an additional N$ 300 (USD23). I had my booking made through a travel agent from Blueberry with TAAG Angola Airlines.

Note that the pricing of the ticket can go lower if you book your ticket way before your travel date, as well as if you choose to leave out travel insurance and book directly from the TAAG Airlines website itself.

Accommodation

For the first five days that I spent in Lubango before I headed to the Benguela Province where a number of Angola’s most beautiful beaches are found, I had sourced for free accommodation which is definitely a bargain for a solo traveller, as I knew someone that lives in Lubango.

Whereas the other remaining days of my stay, I had booked a more private accommodation. Costing and details of the said accommodation are further down in the blog under “THE JOURNEY”.

However here’s a tip. If you find yourself looking to benefit from free accommodation, I would advise you sign up for Couchsurfing.

Couchsurfiing, is basically a service that connects members to a global community of travellers and allows one to find a place to stay or share their homes and details about their hometown with other travellers.

Best part about it is that you also end up building great friendships. This is where I met Mufana a lovely female, from the Huila Province who enjoys anything travel. She was such great help especially when it came to referring me to one of the best beaches in Angola.

However, if you are a more laid-back traveller then I would further advice you go onto Booking.com and search for a more private accommodation with in Lubango.

Transport on the ground

You definitely cannot go to Lubango and not make use of a motorcycle taxi, which is basically a bike that is used as a form of transport. It normally carries one to two passengers and usually cost about N$ 6 (USD 0.50) for a one-way transfer. Another mode of public transport that one can also make use off are the bus taxi’s which usually cost about N$ 5 (USD 0.50).

The Journey

Usually with all my travels, I always love to have a detailed plan on things however this time around I chose to allow the people of Lubango to show and teach me all that they deemed worthy of their city. Whether it was about places of interest, politics with in the country or just their culture in general.

As I pen down the highlights of my trip note that the below only touches on a selected range of highpoints, so here goes….

It took an hour thirty minutes by flight before I landed in Lubango at the Mukanka Airport which surprisingly was pretty empty but a big win if you ask me as this meant that getting through immigration was easy as pie.

My transfer had already been waiting for me and I vividly recall how chills of excitement ran down my spine as we left the airport.

The view from the car window is one that I can now only describe in a few words as Surpreendente (amazing), Verde (green), Ocupada (busy), different from the usual but this was and is a city that many Angolans call home.

Not leaving anything to chance, my transfer wanted to welcome me the best way they know how to in Angola and that was to have me drink a few of their local beers known as N’gola and Cuca. I personally only enjoyed N’gola and had the perfect view to complement it as my first tourist stop of the day was at the Cristo Rei

The Cristo Rei is a Catholic monument that is located on a hill which overlooks the city of Lubango. It is said to have been inspired by Christ the Redeemer statues found in Brazil and Portugal. The statue is visible throughout the day and lights up at night, so one can never miss it.

And just before night fell, my transfer and I then made our way to a nearby mall as I was advised that it would be best to purchase a smart card for easier communication between us as well as have internet access if ever I wanted to make use of google translate or any of my social media platforms. 

The only down side about internet in Lubango is that it is super slow in some areas, so patience is really a virtue.

I paid about N$ 300 (USD 23) for both the smart card as well as 8GB worth of data. Do note that in order to make use of the smart card it will require you the buyer to wait for about an hour plus for it to be activated.

 Night life In Lubango

My first night in Lubango was one that I’ll probably never forget. Boy oh Boy Angolans do not sleep and love to party up a storm. On almost every street corner you’d find a group of friends or family members seated outside their homes either barbecuing, conversing over beer and dancing till the early hours of the morning.

I met a number of people that night and every time I was greeted with a kiss on the cheek as it is usually done in Angola. This is their way of warmly welcoming visitors.

Fast-forward, as the days went on I got to visit more tourist attractions, another being the Tundavala Gap also known as Fenda da Tundavala. This is basically a viewpoint in the rim of the great escarpment called Serra da Leba. It is located some 20 km from the city of Lubango. It offers one of the best scenery’s there is, literally picture perfect. Unfortunately, I was not able to view the gap in its true beauty due to fog.

I then chose to make my way to the Benguela Province, to a town called Lobito located on the Atlantic Coast with Macon bus services and had paid about N$ 166 (USD 13) for a round trip, as I still had to return after a few days to catch my flight back to Namibia.

The bus ride was about 5 hours long but it allowed me see more of both Huila & Benguela Province’s in terms of what life really is like in all the little villages. Almost every second individual tries and makes a living either by selling food, craft or clothing along the roadside and although it was such a sad reality to witness, I learned to appreciate life more.

Arriving in Lobito

I had gone to Lobito for one reason and one reason only and that was to celebrate my birthday which was nothing short of amazing.

And had booked to stay at the Casa Rosa Residence Hotel. The hotel is located in one of the safest neighbourhoods called Restinga where most hotels with excellent ratings are built near the beach side.

I made my reservation with Andre, a staff from the hotel who was great help from the get go. I reached out to the hotel via their Facebook page and within minutes I had gotten feedback, so booking was not a hassle.

Having spent four days in Lobito I paid N$ 2064 (USD 146) for a standard room, which was inclusive of breakfast. An additional N$ 142 (USD 11) was charged for my transfer from the bus terminal to the hotel and vice versa.

The hotel itself was well kept and offered an a la carte menu. Food was very affordable, daily meals inclusive of a drink or two usually cost me about N$ 120 (USD 9) and I absolutely loved the staff as they were all very friendly and helpful.

I also got to visit a few beach bars which were all within walking distance. Two of my favourite that I truly enjoyed were Batuk Restaurant and  Zulu beach bar which were all pretty empty at the time when I got there, but I mean who doesn’t love to have an entire beach to themselves. 

After a few days of great relaxation and sun bathing on the beach, I then chose to end off my vacation with a day visit to one of the Local markets. NB!! Most markets in Angola are always fully packed, thus be advised to always be vigilant of your surroundings, keep your belongings secured and if possible try not to go with any flashy items.

There is so much I would further want to pen down but I would rather allow the pictures paint the story.

Would I recommend anyone visit both Lubango and Lobito? I definitely a million times would.

[chasingadventuress]

Why I started traveling….

I bet everyone has their own kind of euphoria that they enjoy, be it a significant other, a certain scent like that of a marker pen, places, collectables what have you and for me; my kind of high has to do with traveling.

I can’t specifically describe the feeling that it brings me but I believe it comes close to what pure and genuine happiness should feel like.

And who doesn’t dream of someday reaching that 10 out of 10 mark and beyond of being truly happy.

With traveling I have come to learn so much. In the sense that it has taught me that there is a much bigger world out there that deems me so valuable. A world that wants me to touch every part of it, a world filled with different people that dream of seeing my face and learning so much about me and where I am from. 

A world that shares with me, a world that makes me feel at home where ever I may find myself and ensures that my soul and heart is always well taken care off.

And in most cases on all the travel journeys that I have embarked on it has created that world for me. I still haven’t gotten out of my travel shell yet, as I am yet to discover so many place, but with every opportunity that comes my way best believe that I am going to grab it with both hands.

Traveling has healed me in so many ways because it has allowed me to see that not everything in life is all rosy but if you choose to make the best out of any situation you will always find yourself in a good and better space. Things that you deem so difficult in life tend to become easier because traveling teaches you the value of adapting to any situation.

I remember on one of my trips I had slept in a room and there where so many geckos and I was so freaked out but I had no choice because at the end of the day I had booked to stay in a tropical place and even if I had the gecko’s removed many more would still find their way into the room I was in.

So I just told myself that I was not going to panic, slowly moved my bed into the centre of the room and I eventually managed to doze off. And when I woke up in the morning I sat and questioned myself as to why I was ever scared in the first place, if I managed to get through the night and nothing had happened to me.

And I just apply this very same rule in my everyday life, if it’s not going to matter much or at all in the future I should not dwell on it and rather focus on how I can change the situation to make it favourable for myself in the present moment.

Same applies to having food as well, as much as I am not big on tasting everything. I do not mind tasting different foods or eating at local food stalls whenever I travel. Local cafés are my absolute favs though because they’re not like the usual eat out places that one would normally get here back home in Namibia.

I have been in the pits of local food stalls on my trips where there would be random stray cats, rats that just run by and truthfully I find that there is nothing wrong with that because I have become so accustomed to seeing it that it doesn’t even phase me anymore.

And that is how I also I tend to accept whatever comes my way in a very positive manner and view. Believe you me this has helped me become such a better person not only to myself but the next person as well.

The cherry on top of it all, is the people you meet when you travel, they make it all worthwhile. Ever sat or shared a room with a stranger and you guys just started talking about life and things that you guys have been through?

It’s almost as if it were your diary but just that in this case this diary speaks back to you and helps give solutions on how they would have or have handled the situation and vice versa. Which really helps a lot. It helps you make better decisions as well and along the conversation you just get to appreciate your life a little more.

Traveling has also gifted me the opportunity to write and share my experiences and feelings, be it on the go, be it months after a trip or just casually sitting next to a friend and just telling them about it which is therapeutic to say the least.

[chasingadventuress]

Road tripping - with a bunch of strangers

As exciting as it may sound when it comes to traveling going on any kind of trip with many people is something I dread so much, only because I strongly believe that when it comes to traveling one should be able to take in every single moment of the journey the way they want to without being limited. This time around I wanted to see how different it would be thus the reason why I was open to going on this said trip.

But Before going on a road trip with a number of people keep this in mind:

Trust me it gets difficult if you are with too many people and this I believe is only because no two people are alike, we all have our preferences. We all have certain things that we enjoy and certain things that may annoy us. So ask yourself if you will be able to adapt and understand the next person and if not then you should propabably not go.

With every trip there’s always some sort of planning that goes into it, if there is something that you really want to do, before the trip bring it up, you should be able to. Remember that nobody is going to say no to it and if anybody does then rather save your money for a trip where people will be open to listening to what you’d like to do as well.

When contributing to activity ideas try and go for activities that you or the others have not done. This is because when you all find yourselves doing things that are not familiar it creates an opportunity to get to know people better on a personal level.

Ask yourself if you’re open to doing more than what is just required from you. Its definitely nobody’s responsibility to clean up after someone else or do things for them but if you find yourself in a position where you are able to better help out then do so.

And remember to be your true self. If you’re loud then be loud, if your laidback then be laidback but don't change yourself because of the fear of what others may think of you.

So in a nutshell this is basically how the road trip I went on was like

 It all started off with a Hey, Tina. “Me and a group of friends from my church are planning on going on a road trip for the weekend, do you want to come with”?

And being the person that I am, that’s always open to experiencing, living and learning, I was like why not, I’ve never done it before and there’s never going to be a perfect time, so YES!!!

A few days later I was added to the ‘NO FOMO’ WhatsApp group and this is where we all basically kick started off talking, which I believe allowed us to create that comfortable safe space among one another.

We tried our outmost best to not fully plan out the trip as we generally just wanted to take the experience as it came.

Day 1

Fast forward to the day we had to leave, it was a Friday, we decided on a meeting point and that is where most of us met for the first time, hugged it out and we posed for a picture. We only ended up leaving just past 7pm which was like an hour after the agreed time.

But nonetheless before we left, we did pray via telephone seeing that we were all in three separate cars. Great thing is we made use of a digital tool that we constantly have in our hands 24/7 for a purpose that I assuming we all consider, worth it.

And off we were to the coastal city of Namibia, Swakopmund. The five hour drive was literally one of the best drives I’ve been on. I was with a friend whom I’ve known for seven years but only travelled with for the first time on this trip as well as another friend who I had just befriended two weeks before the trip.

We randomly just sang along to songs and joked around till we arrived. The great thing about the drive and getting there was that everyone just had a positive outlook for the trip.

As I sit here and write this I vividly still recall everyone’s excitement when we arrived and found the 8 bedroom house that we had booked to stay at. And because we were so thrilled we offloaded, got comfortable and we started a fire because I mean what's a trip without a barbeque.

In between the barbeque and the little chill session we had, a few of us found ourselves drinking and during the entire session I did not feel judged by anyone nor did I judge anyone. There were also a few conversations that came up, where we basically just spoke about our careers and an array of other topics.

And because the day had already been so long for many of us, we all eventually caved in and decided to go sleep just past 4am but agreed that we would also wake up by 6am to go to the beach just to breath in fresh air.

Day 2

Getting up really didn’t go as planned as some of us slept in. How eventually everyone did wake up , some went to the beach, some prepared breakfast and others got ready for the day.

We pretty much all left the house that morning by 11am as we were set to go to the Dead Sea.

Getting to the Dead Sea was another roller-coaster of a story. It started of all so great, we made several stops along the way , but then somewhat many of us seemed annoyed because as we kept driving, the further we went the further the Dead Sea seemed. However we eventually did find it.

So what and where is the Dead Sea?

Located north of Swakopmund, approximately a few kilometres before Mile 72, north of Fishermen’s Inn, after the Cape Cross sign.

The Deas Sea is an old worked out mine that is filled with underground water and due to the high presence of salt and minerals in it, it causes those who choose to swim in it to freely float. So basically no matter how hard you try to sink / push yourself down it will always push you right back up.

Only a couple of us swam because the rest including myself as I had mentioned earlier were annoyed from the long drive and there was not much will to get in. To be honest the Dead Sea is just one of those places that I believe one should tick of their bucket list but then probably won’t consider going back to, I for one know I wouldn’t.

Did I enjoy being there that much NO and this is because this is also where a few people from the group rubbed me off the wrong way. And I actually found myself wanting to go home because I felt like it was going to be very difficult to deal with the group going forward as I was upset.

The drive back from the Dead Sea too me was so much better as I was somewhat relieved that the route back seemed shorter and it meant I would get home sooner and just nap my anger away. And fast forward we finally got back to the apartment and I managed to sleep it off and actually felt better when I woke up. We all then had dinner, played a few games and called it a night

Day 3

This was basically our last day and getting up that day seemed easier as we had all gotten enough sleep and because we were set to drive back to Windhoek we still had some activities to do so we had to be up pretty early.

We booked to go quad biking, but before that one of the guys from the group brought it to the forefront that we had been doing so much but did not pray about it so we regrouped, held hands and prayed and then went quad biking. Which was a very nice and fun experience.

If you recall at the start of this I had mentioned that one should always bring up what they would like to do and there were a few things a quarter of us wanted to do and the rest didn't. Thus we all agreed that the best option would be splitting up for a few hours ad then linking up later again.

And so we did. Basically a few of us decided to go looking for the Salt Pans. Located just southwest of the Walvisbay lagoon is a salt-pan complex, which currently supplies over 90% of South Africa's salt. It's one of the three wetlands around Walvis Bay along with the lagoon and Bird Island, which together form Southern Africa's single most important coastal wetland for migratory birds.

The amazing thing about the salt pans is that the water there is pink. I wish I had a tour guide tell me why but I am guessing it has something to do with the salt that’s there hence the name.

Later that day we actually ended up driving back to Windhoek pretty late because we were obviously taken over by what seemed like a great idea at the time to park near the beach, eat and then hit the road but instead ended up soaked because who goes to the beach and does not get into the water.

So would I do this again?

In all honestly yes I would. I took away a few things and realised that getting along with everyone on the first go doesn’t happen overnight.

Would I have wanted to get to know some of the people better, yes I would have but I am hoping that it will someday happen on all the other trips we plan on taking because building genuine friendships I believe takes time.

Another thing that was also great to take note of is that teamwork all the way is important as well, everyone played their part especially when it came to cleaning up, preparing food, and everyone helped out despite how tired we all were at the end of the trip.

One thing I also learned was that people were open to praying out loud. It’s honestly not something that I know how to do yet other than when I am by myself but this just showed me that there is nothing to be afraid of and that there is no perfect way to pray or right words to say but just genuinely speaking from your heart.

My heading initially started off with a ‘Bunch of Strangers’ which I must say they aren’t anymore and that’s the beauty of life.

[chasingadventuress]

My Solo trip to Zanzibar, Tanzania

Jambo (a Swahili greeting when translated to English means) Hello!

It’s been well over a couple of days since I arrived home from my trip in Zanzibar. I’ve finally managed to pen down my experience and I hope it gets to help many of you, who have been asking me about it, carefully plan yours as well.

I embarked on my journey to Zanzibar on Christmas day, many would ask why but having lived in Malaysia, a Muslim country for the past four years, Christmas had become just another day that I had gotten accustomed to not celebrating. However Christmas greetings and hugs with my family were shared before I had to board my plane at 06h45. 

Thank you South African Airways and Precision Air my connecting flights to and from Windhoek to Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar and vice versa which were nothing short of amazing.  Although I had concerns about Precision Air with regards to flight delays and loss of luggage due to a few bad reviews that I had read on TripAdvisor prior to my trip.

So if you ever are flying from Dar es Salaam, or from any other domestic places within Tanzania such as Arusha perhaps you can try and source for another airline such as ZanAir or Coastal Aviation but I would still advise you read up various reviews on those airlines as well just to be sure.

 Why Zanzibar you may ask?

Well, from pictures, videos and a great conversation between a Tanzanian friend and I whom I had met during university I just knew that it was one of those places on my bucket list that I wanted to tick off.

To be honest when I kick started of planning my trip over a year ago, I had initially planned to go to London but then I remembered how horrible the weather was in December the last time I was there, so I opted to go somewhere warmer because you don’t get to explore much when it’s cold.

Mauritius was another island I had considered but taking into consideration all the admin work that needed to be done and recalling the not so great one night stay experience I had in the country two years ago, I decided that I was not going to put myself through that kind of stress again.

So Zanzibar it was, plus being a Namibian citizen meant that I did not need a visa to enter Tanzania as Namibian’s are exempted for about 90days.Tanzania and Zanzibar make use of the same visa so you don’t have to worry about being stopped by immigration at both Julius Nyerere International Airport and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

For any of you who do not hold a passport that offers visa exemption to Tanzania do make sure with your individual country visa requirements as to what procedures you should follow to obtain one. 

 So what and where is Zanzibar?

Zanzibar is a city located east of Africa and is found about 70 kilometres from the mainland of Tanzania. It is split into parts where one can find Stone Town which is UNESCO World Heritage. This part of Zanzibar is also where one would mostly find a lot of people conducting various businesses either through selling hand made goods, excursions or even operating hotels, stores etc.

Then there’s the island side of Zanzibar which I believe we have all seen through the media. There are a number of islands with two main big ones namely Unguja and Pemba Island. Do make sure too visit and stay in Stone Town for a few days before heading down to any island of your choice. 

 NB take note of:

Currency used in Zanzibar is US Dollars or Tanzanian Shillings, they accept both but also note that they do not accept any USD made before the year 2007.

Departure tax, sometimes if this is not paid for in your flight ticket you will have to pay USD 50 when leaving Zanzibar airport.

 Zanzibar has a large population of Muslims, remember to dress decently as it is very important to respect other people’s way of life, when in Stone Town try and cover up as much as you can. However on the islands being in your swimsuits and trunks is not frowned upon.

Get a Yellow Fever injection from your doctor one month before you embark on your journey.

Your passport should have a six months validity.

Zanzibar has fairly humid weather, pack wisely.

Don’t forget to pack yourself mosquito repellent as you will need it.

Main languages spoken in Zanzibar are Swahili, Arabic and English

 How I planned?

Whenever I travel I always draft up an itinerary as this helps me a lot with calculations and anything that I might miss if not written down.

Savings - I made it a goal in the beginning of last year (2018) that each month I would save about N$ 3500 (USD 244) for my trip. These savings were to make sure I could purchase my flight ticket, buy a few items, pay for accommodation, food, activities and still have extra money just in case of any emergencies because with traveling one can never be too sure.

Flight – I had an agent from Blueberry Travel Namibia book my ticket for me. Other agents I had also considered were Trip Travel, Rennies Travel and Welwitschia Travel, but I opted to go with Blueberry because they were efficient and also gave me two flight options varying in price difference of about N$ 1800 (USD 125).

In addition depending on which agent you choose to go for please do make sure you request that your agent also provides you with travel insurance because this can save you a lot. I paid about N$ 350 (USD 26) for mine.

Accommodation – I made use of booking.com which is a worldwide site that helps one find accommodation depending on the price you want. The good thing about booking.com is that it comes with reviews, information on services that the place of accommodation offers, pictures of what it looks like, nearby tourist attractions as well as options that allow one to reserve a room and only pay on arrival. So if you change your mind on where you want to stay you won’t lose out on anything and you can easily cancel your reservation.

As I am not big on staying in 5 star hotels because I am more of an experience life on the edge kind of person in most cases I’d either stay at a guest house or a female dormitory backpacker’s hostel while taking safety and cleanliness into consideration.  These types of accommodations are great if you’re looking to interact with people, I sometimes feel that it should be a goal as a solo traveller to want to meet and talk to people and this is a great way to do it.

While in Stone Town I stayed at Ten to Ten Hostel for three days. I had paid N$ 750 (USD 54) with city tax included. In Jambiani which is the island I went to for another three days,I stayed at Vanilla House run by a Polish and Maasai couple. I paid N$ 630 (USD 45) city tax included as well and had slept in a mixed dorm room.

Do make sure that when booking your accommodation through any website that city tax has been included into the price to prevent any surprises of having to pay more than you had budgeted for when you arrive.

Food – I had a budget of about N$ 270 (USD 20). This was only for lunch, dinner and snacking food items in between as my breakfast was included in both my accommodation packages. Food is relatively affordable in Zanzibar, one would normally spend about USD 10 per meal. And there is an array of food choices.

Transport on the ground – Stone town is very small you can go anywhere within the area by foot as everything is close by. However you will have to pay for transport if you plan on going to any of the Zanzibar islands as they are quite far depending on where you go.

My accommodation provided shared transport to various islands. The total cost of the transfers are usually around USD 40 if you go by yourself but if you choose the sharing van option depending on the number of people in the van you might end up paying a quarter of the full price. I only paid USD 10 as opposed to USD 40 for the shared transfer I was in. Spesho the driver of the van was a ball of fun to drive with I highly recommend him you can WhatsApp him on +255715297037.

There is also another mode of transport called Dala dala, the cheapest mode of transport for about USD 3 you can take one towards the island of your choice but note that it takes much longer to reach ones destination. 

Activities – I did not spend much on this because exploring is basically free unless you opt to go for city tours. There a many local people who will approach you for tours but politely decline if you do not want one.

The only activity I paid for was a village tour as I am very into interacting with communities. This tour was offered by @colorsofzanzibar on Instagram for about USD 50 which included a tour to a sea weed village, local school, a woman who taught me how to make rope out of coconut fibre, a local traditional meal of choice, a visit to the local hospital and a tour around the village and its local homes which are called Kibandas. 

 My Trip

Starting off from Stone Town

If I could describe Zanzibar to someone it would be that it is not like what I have seen on TV or in magazines, it was is so much more than I expected it to be. Every little detail in Stone Town was beautiful. The name Stone Town says it all, it gets its name from the ornate houses built with local stone by Arab traders and slavers during the 19th Century.

When I travel I always look to see if a place is able to make me feel at home and that’s exactly how I felt when I arrived. From the moment I landed people were very welcoming, everyone smiles and greets you with a jolly Karibu which means welcome and I knew then and there that I was going to have a great time.

The airport is rather very small so don’t be surprised, just adapt. There are also various airport transfers that can take you to your destination. I made use of Bennito who came highly recommended on all the research sites when I was planning my trip. Noting that I had arrived in the evening I wanted to make use of a reliable and safe transfer so Bennito it was, you can find him on Instagram @zanzibardestination or WhatsApp him on +255 743 072 597 and he charges USD 12 to Stone Town which is a 40 minute drive from the airport.

Just a heads up, there are no traffic lights or stops in Zanzibar so people drive like maniacs however don’t worry too much about the driving because they know their roads so trust that you will be okay.

When I arrived at my hostel, I noticed how filled the streets of Stone Town were with many tourists from all corners of the world as well as its residents walking around and socialising. As I mentioned earlier I stayed at Ten to Ten hostel which was very welcoming. Since it is somewhat of a newly built accommodation everything was really clean which I liked and it was centred basically in an area that was safe, surrounded by a number of places to eat and attractions.

My Highlights of Stone town.

I explored Stone Town by myself and whenever I got lost people were always willing to direct me the right way. I visited the Secret Garden at Emerson spice tea house where I had lunch and I was taken on a free tour of the hotel itself. It’s always good to ask if this can been done because you never know what you can score for free.

I also took a walk to Forodhani Garden which was a minute away from my accommodation. Basically this is a food market near a waterfront and every day just before sunset young teenage boys gather at the water front and jump off into the water to cool themselves.

I then also went to Darajani Market and the local fish market which was a free activity as welll. Along the way I stumbled upon Jaws corner, which is a corner where men usually meet every day to drink a cup of spice tea while discussing various life topics.

In addition I also went to a traditional spa called Mrembo Spa, where I chose a head, neck and back massage. This spa also helps Swahili females who are in the process of getting married prepare their bodies by clearing their skin to make it smoother before the big day. It also offers workshops where one can learn how to make incense sticks among other things. Mrembo spa can be found on Instagram @mrembospa or visit their website at www.mrembospa.com for their contact details.

Another discovery I came across was the House of Spices, which is a restaurant that till this day maintains its Arabic atmosphere and touring around the space was free. 

All these places that I had gone too were located really near my hostel. It would take me about 7 minutes to get to each which was very convenient. And then off I was to the island of Jambiani.

Ending off in Jambiani

About sixty kilometres, southwest of Stone Town was where my island of choice Jambiani was situated. Why Jambiani, well I wanted to truly experience and live the Tanzania local life that is away from all the touristy stuff.

Jambiani is a very big village, it’s so big that it has been split into two parts and has two local chiefs that run each side of the village. The village is home to Muslims, Christians and Buddhists

Since it is a seaweed village local fisher men are usually seen in the early hours of the morning pushing out their boats for fishing as most of the residents from the village survive on sea food. They also make their income from this. In addition local women from the village assisted by their children also make a living from seaweed farming which is very common.

Arriving at my accommodation, Vanilla House I was welcomed with smiles and a fresh glass of mango juice before they had taken me to where I would sleep. On the very same day I found myself amidst a small intimate beach wedding that my place of accommodation was hosting where a polish couple eloped. This was amazing because it was my first time experiencing a beach wedding and now I am definitely left wanting to someday have a beach wedding of my own. 

On the very same day which was a Friday, I also got the chance to attend another wedding but this one was much bigger. It was a local Muslim wedding and I had been informed Muslims usually celebrate their weddings on Fridays. Most of the people from the community gathered around in a circle and had a joyous dance off. Jambiani was truly just amazing.

During my time there I also awoke to the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen while overlooking the soothing sound of the oceans waves. 

Throughout the three days I spent on Jambiani I explored the beach this too was a free activity. I also took a bike ride that was offered by my accommodation for US 5 along the beach.

I as well had the opportunity to get on the local boats of Zanzibar called Dhow boats with a young man called Harry and is father. Although language was somewhat of a barrier Harry and I communicated pretty well as he knew a little bit of English.

All the meals I had throughout my stay were freshly prepared depending on whatever I wanted to eat and many restaurant on the beach were affordable as well.      

There is so much I can say about both Stone Town and Jambiani but I would want you to experience it for yourself to see exactly what I mean by it is nothing short of amazing. I hope that this write up will help you plan your trip or any other trip in general that you might want to take.

[chasingadventuress]

Snorkelling in Redang - Malaysia

This was the first ever trip I took by myself, scary but it had to be done as I believe it was the only way I’d grow interns of experiencing life. 

On what was an eight hour bus ride to Kuala Terengganu (KT) one of Malaysia smallest states situated northeast of Kuala Lumpur the country’s capital. I vividly recall arriving in the early hours of the morning in KT at what I can only describe as the scariest bus stop ever. 

Although I had found myself on unfamiliar ground, I remained optimistic about everything because I also knew that adapting to the environment would come easy to me as all the good reviews I had read online prior to my trip pointed out.

As I waited for almost two hours for a bus transfer, I finally managed to get one and off I was to the island of Redang. Driving along the roads of KT headed towards the fairy station where I had to get a boat which took me to the island itself as there were no direct roads to it, I was in disbelief by what I saw because I never really thought Malaysia had areas that depict poverty. 

If you’ve been to Malaysia you’ll know that the country finds its self firmly among the upper-middle income countries. So seeing that side of it was shocking but it was interesting to take note off.

Fast forward, I got to the fairy station, boarded a boat with various other tourists and residents on a boat ride of about forty-five minutes, in all honestly I felt as if the boat would flip over. Might I remind you again this was my first time finding myself deep within the ocean.

As I sat quietly trying to calm myself down nothing felt as liberating as when I finally saw the island that was surrounded by clear blue coral water.

The beach hotel at which I stayed, Redang Bay was so welcoming from its boat port, they offered me a drink and one of the workers helped me carry my luggage to my reserved room.  Because I only had planned to stay for three days, I wanted to fit in all that had to tick off on my bucket list.

So I immediately got changed and went snorkelling. This was something I had never done before, it was scary but the trained diver I was with assured me that everything would be fine.

All I needed to worry about was relaxing and enjoying myself but I swear I probably gulped a lot of the ocean that day, which I must say tasted like shit not that I know what shit tastes like but I really don’t know how sea animals survive in such crappy water.

But as much as I kept drinking the salt water the more I wanted to stay in the ocean. The diver somewhat also made the experience more thrilling as he revealed that there were sharks but they wouldn’t hurt me.

The following day I wanted to snorkel again, I actually snorkelled for all three days and every day the guide would take me and group of other tourists to different areas of the ocean.

On the Second day the guide threw me in the ocean, he told me to take of my life jacket and to swim and have fun he would come get me and I remember thinking to myself that this was it, the end was near.

Funny enough I actually did what he said and I ended up having a blast. This is how I literally learned how to be comfortable when swimming in the ocean.

All in all Redang was beautiful met amazing people and actually got to touch and be up close with a lot of sea creatures. The only down side is that I would have preferred to had stayed a lot longer but seeing that it was my first time it was understandable.

Redang is one of the islands in Malaysia I would definitely recommend you visit at least once in your life.

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[chasingadventuress]

The First Time I Realised That Exploring Alone Was Stress-Free!!

A few years ago I believe on one of the few trips that I have taken so far a travel bug must have bit me, only thing that can explain my craving to constantly explore. 

I found that it was much easier to get from place to place when I was basically by myself. This realisation hit me when I was in the United Kingdom (UK) during a street art excursion two years ago. 

The tour which lasted for about 2 hours in a city called Bristol located southwest of England with a prosperous maritime history show cased a bunch of street art work done by an anonymous England-based graffiti artist known to many around the world as Banksy. 

I remember it being cold and rainy, standing in front of College Green the advised meeting point which was this humongous amazing brown building that was surrounded by a large portion of green grass, I guess that is where it got its name from. 

As I stood there in my big black rain coat jacket which was a life saver every time I went out, white jeans and colourful sneakers that where filled with loads of socks that prevented by toes from freezing I thought to myself that if you were with any other person they would have definitely complained about how nasty the weather was set up that day and wouldn’t have gone out. However as alone as it may sound I was happy that there was no one at the tip of my shoulder constantly saying ‘Tina lets go home I don’t see why you would walk in such weather or what is so fascinating about this tour’. 

So a bunch of solo travellers and I  walked the streets of Bristol with a friendly tour guide who told us a bit about the street art in and around the city.

Fast forward to the end of the tour I basically sat down for about 40 minutes processing the whole experience plus all I wanted was to stay outside longer looking for more street art, to think about it now I actually find it funny that I forgot it was cold that day, but because I had so much fun that didn’t even matter at the time. 

I learned that the best experiences tend to happen when you are alone, because you get to socialise with different people whom you never thought a day in your life you would talk too and no one would think you mad crazy. Secondly you could basically just get up pack your bag for a day tour or even longer without worrying about if plans would ever fit in a second party’s schedule. 

Thirdly you could go anywhere and everywhere by yourself and you wouldn’t even have to be worried about one or two or even more people not enjoying sightseeing places you may find to be fascinating. 

Trust me exploring with a bunch of people who are not open to trying and adapting to new things will only bring your exploring mood down, as people can sometimes prove to be difficult. However if you’re like me and can easily learn to gel with weirdness have a BOMBASS time!!