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A Tale of Two (Surprising) Cities

Posted in Antwerp| Belgium| City Guides| Europe| The Hague| The Netherlands
Oct 12

Paris. Rio de Janeiro. New York City. Tokyo. There are certain cities you just expect to love even before you’ve visited them. They are iconic of a certain lifestyle, a certain culture, a certain “vibe”. You’ve seen them in movies, read about them in glossy magazines and heard about them in song lyrics and you just know… Read more

Hello & Welcome!

My name is Nailah, which in Arabic means ‘to be successful’. Right now, success to me means finding a way to minimize my cubicle time, and maximize my travel time, all while spending enough time in my home city to keep my cat and my plants in good health. Oh, and finding that special someone to share it with...

Do what the tattoo says and “Journey on…” “Journey” has been my word since 2011 when I attended the first World Domination Summit put on by Chris Guillebeau (@193countries ) . In one of his workshop sessions, Chris gave us a black sharpie and asked us to write a word on our arm that spoke to us. Out of nowhere, the word “Journey” popped into my head so I wrote it down on my wrist. I kept glancing at the word throughout the day and it kept shifting slightly in meaning. The physical Journey of travel…the mental Journey of discovery…the Journey I had taken to this WDS Conference…the Journey I was about to embark on creating my travel blog/business. With all of these meanings and just the general feeling of optimism this word gave me, I decided I needed to make it into a permanent tattoo. I added the word “on” to Journey to give it a little more action (and so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a superfan of the band Journey) and the rest is part of my personal history. Do you have a special word that speaks to you? Tell me in the comments below…and if you feel like sharing, tell me why. #theressomuchtosee #journeyon #traveltattoo #wheretonext #blackgirlstraveltoo #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
All those buttons above my head are like the 1000 All those buttons above my head are like the 1000 thoughts I have swirling around in my head related to past travels, future travels and how I want to grow There’s So Much to see and spread the gospel of the #solotravelsplurge. But still smiling through it all because travel truly gives me life! What’s giving YOU life this week? [P.S. if you’re wondering what all those buttons are actually about, they are part of an installation of 8,000 hand pinned buttons supporting gender equality and women’s rights.] #theressomuchtosee #hotelzena #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravels #blacktravelmovement #lifewelltraveled #citizenfemme #blackgirlstraveltoo
What you see vs. what you don’t see. What you s What you see vs. what you don’t see. What you see is me sitting in a hotel lobby relaxing and having a spicy margarita. What you don’t see is the earbud in my right ear. I’m listening to an episode of the Profitable Travel Blogger podcast by @jessieonajourney while she interviews @christinelozada about how owning a drone can help grow your blog. So what you can’t see is I’m learning and getting inspired while also enjoying a cocktail. I love that learning no longer has to happen in a classroom and that work no longer has to happen in an office. I’ve been a proponent of work from anywhere for many years but glad I finally have a job that supports that. As a solo traveler with a work from home/anywhere job, the world is mine to explore. #theressomuchtosee #solotravelsplurge #workfromanywhere #blacktravelblogger #hotelbar #hotellobby #blackgirlstravel
Lucky to get a chance to spend Mother’s Day with Lucky to get a chance to spend Mother’s Day with the woman who gave me a love for travel and cultures and who taught me the importance of inner strength and kindness towards others. Who encouraged me to see the world while making sure I always knew how to find my way home. Love you, mom. #theressomuchtosee #travellifestyle #blackgirlstraveltoo #blackgirlstravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #washingtondc
Sunday Solo Travel Splurge: Hot Air Balloon editio Sunday Solo Travel Splurge: Hot Air Balloon edition. The first time I considered a hot air balloon ride as part of my travels was when I visited Tanzania many years ago. I heard about the hot air balloon rides over the safari parks and immediately made plans to sign up…but then I learned how much they cost and realized it was outside of my backpacker budget. But I’ve never lost interest in going and I’m determined to make it part of one of my upcoming trips. Has anyone been in a hot air balloon? If so, was it worth the splurge and where were you? #theressomuchtosee #solotravelsplurge #hotairballoons #luxurytravels #travelplans #solotravels #lifewelltraveled
Old Town Tallinn photo/video dump. [SAVE for your Old Town Tallinn photo/video dump. [SAVE for your Tallinn Trip]. [1] Colorful buildings and cobblestone streets at every turn. [2] Delicious midday “breakfast” (thanks to jet lag) of apple and cream pancakes at Kompressor Pub. Thanks for the spot-on suggestion @shegoeswithpurpose . [3] Make a whimsical stop at the Museum & Center for Puppetry Arts (@eestinoorsooteater ). [4] Despite the cold, you can always find fresh flowers. [5] There is strong support for Ukraine in front of the Russian Embassy. [6] Pop into @kohvikmaiasmokk , the oldest cafe in Estonia, for a hot cup of coffee and a sweet treat made of marzipan. [7] View of the Old Town rooftops from Toompea Hill. [8] Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. [9] Let’s take a short walk from my hotel. [10] There are tons of places to buy souvenirs in old Town, but you’ll get a better price for the same things if you stop in this shop on Viru tänav street. It’s in an alleyway instead of a proper shop so they can keep the prices lower. #theressomuchtosee #visittallinn #visitestonia #tallinn #tallinnoldtown #solotravels #estonia
#tbt 10 years ago this month I quit my job and st #tbt 10 years ago this month I quit my job and started my second round the world trip. First stop was Japan which was also the first foreign country I ever visited. On that first trip I went as a college student and had no idea what I was getting into (a travel obsessed life). I owed a huge debt of gratitude to my host parents (oka-san and oto-san) who welcomed this strange American into their home and showed me so much kindness. They helped me with my limited Japanese, cooked me meals every day, took me to my first Asian spa experience (what do you mean naked in public??) and helped me realize the world is filled with some amazing people. On this trip 10 years ago, I was able to reconnect with my host parents and enjoyed their hospitality once again. I totally didn’t expect to, but when I saw them again after all those years, I burst into tears of joy. As the quote from the Wizard of Oz goes “It’s not where you go, but who you meet along the way.” I know so many of us have similar stories of people who made travels so special. Please share some of your stories in the comments…and if that person is on IG, tag them here so they know you’re thinking of them! #theressomuchtosee #tokyotravel #solotravels #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #blacktravelfeed #blacktravelgram #thisistravel #whoyoumeetalongtheway #japantravels
Is there anything more decadent than cake and cham Is there anything more decadent than cake and champagne in bed? First night in Tallinn and after hours of flying, I grabbed a glass of bubbly from the hotel bar, donned one of the room’s fluffy robes and finally bit in to my cupcake (Yes! If you watched my stories…the one from the @sprinklescupcakes vending machine at LAX). Had to start this solo travel splurge off right with a sugar rush! #theressomuchtosee #solotravelsplurge #telegraafhotel #glassofbubbly #blackgirlstravel #solotravels #blacktravelblogger #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
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