Travel diary

Addicted to passport stamps !

Bulgaria

Whilst in Bulgaria I came across the cutest Chinese garden full of peacocks , a pond full of exotic fish and so much more. Wasn’t much to do whilst I was in town but to wonder around and socialize with the locals whom were a little standoff-is but warmed up to me a few days into my visit and gave me some cool tips.

When I travel I try to capture as many photos as I can, but at the same time I love to just be in the moment and keep my phone in my pocket and take all the sights in.

When it came food….. hmmm being a vegetarian in a country that loves its poultry was tough. Legit my first night I ordered dominos pizza because their were many local options just non veggie friendly. When it finally came down to trying the food I was sadly disappointed, hardly any flavor. However on my last night I came across a Thai restaurant that was simply delicious! If you are an omnivore you will probably be in meaty heaven but for me I was a little disappointed but still happy that I was able to visit another country and understand more of their culture - thats what its really all about!

When it came to shopping - ehhhhhh the nike store was about all of the excitement. I left with a cute nike bag that I get compliments whenever I wear it, so thats cool lol.

Any who scroll down to see some of the images I captured in the beautiful Bulgaria …

Jamaica

As I sit here writing this blog about the best trip ever to Jamaica I am listing to the late great Bob Marley who’s sending me back to paradise reminiscing where my soul felt safe and at home. I finally know what it feels like to be loved in the country where they treat you so kind, and are very welcoming. If I could live there I totally would.

As I traveled to this beautiful place with my best girlfriends, as soon as we landed we were greeted with rum punches, ground transportation where our driver took absolute care of us. I mean we had a two hour journey to our resort but he made it such a lovely ride. From us stopping along the coast to take in such a beautiful site meeting some of the locals and them trying to sell us souvenirs and joints, then taking us to experience some good ole ackee fish, jerk chicken (my girls ravished that, me being a non meat eater but occasional fish eater I only had the ackee fish) we also had rice and peas, veggies and a bunch of other stuff that we all feasted on! You would’ve thought our eyes were bigger than our stomachs but you thought wrong, we ATE IT ALLL and still wanted more!!!!!

After such a long journey from the airport to our resort which was called “The Golden Eye” we finally arrived !! Boy oh Boy the beauty before my eyes left me in absolute AWE .

Whilst getting our tour of the resort from the lovely front desk agent! I couldn’t help but get emotional and just think how thankful I was to be there , looking out at the infinite ocean. At that moment in my life I was completely present!

After the tour we made it to our rooms. Which was a separate little bungalow that over looked the pool and water!

After settling in the first the we did was put on our swimsuits and hit the water!

Later that evening we enjoyed a private dinner on the water that included a dance show, fire show and had our own personal Dj . Of course Dancing the night away and mixing the finest champagne and rum punch one could taste! Which left me completely drunk but also satisfied my soul!

The next day I woke up extremely early to watch the sunrise out on the beach , chatted with some locals and had such a wonderful all you can eat breakfast.

After breakfast we took a road trip do to Portland , JA which was a 3hr ride away. During this time I saw so much of Jamaica the good and the bad. It really made appreciate everything that I have.

Finally reaching our destination from there we began our four hour rafting excursion on bamboo sticks. Drank more rum punch, champagne than I could count , and a full band following us along the way playing tunes that soothed the soul and made you just feel full of joy!

Making stops along the way to hop in the river, and feel the warmth of the water on our skins, dancing in the river whilst it rained and lastly making another stop where we had a private chef the top chef of Jamaica cater a meal for us that was UNBELIEVABLE!!! I’ll never forget you Belinda!

As the ride was coming to an end we were out there long enough to witness the most beautiful sunset at that moment I cried because I’d never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

As night hit us the fireflies came out and the stars shined brighter than ever. Such a special moment for my friends and I.

That trip was beyond precious and I’ll forever cherish those moments spent with my closest friends.

Tips:

Have a Private driver, they will show you so much of Jamaica and give you the best tour of their beautiful country and take you to some of the local spots to have the best food! Don’t forget to TIP your driver.
Get a Club Mobay Priority Pass! They will greet you at your gate take you to the front of the line to get through customs and they also have an lounge area where you can grub and drink for free if you’re hungry. Do this for arrival and departure!
Do not be afraid to leave the resort but also always be aware of you’re surroundings. If you know someone in JA like we did , let them be your tour guide.
Bring water shoes
Be ready to relax and have the time of your life!

Life is all about Love and compassion and experience.

There is where I really learned to love and appreciate all that is beautiful and even the parts that aren’t.

I felt at peace and I felt at home.

Thank you Jamaica for such a life changing experience that I will never forget.

london

I’ve been to London three times and each time is better than the last! The people , the vibes, the night life, the landmarks are all just wonderful!

London was my first place of travel outside of the country and they most certainly not disappoint!

Of course on my first day I did all of the touristy things such as sight seeing, taking the tube (Train) and eating at local pubs.

The food wasn’t as flavorful as i’d hope but still good. A few days into I came across some of the mom and pop shops and when I went further out into south London and they showed out with the food!

A few things to know about traveling to London is that…

First, you will have an amazing time!

Second, Collect all of your receipts when you are shopping and ask for a tax form. At the end of your trip you can stop at VAT refunds in the Heathrow airport to get the money back that you spent in tax. You must do this before you go through security because they do not have one past that point. You also have the option to mail it in.

Third, You must visit Sketch! It is a high tea place and kind of bougie lol but it is an awesome experience! Each room they have has a different feel to it and is SUPER photo worthy for the gram!

If you enjoy shopping just as much as I do I would recommend taking the Piccadilly down to Oxford Street , thats where you’ll find all of the best shopping stores from high end to Zara and top shop just to name a few!

Fourth, I highly recommend you visit London during the holidays starting Late November into December. Their holiday decorations are to die for and you will absolutely fall in love and will never want to leave. I know I didn’t ! lol

Check out some photos of my trips! You can also catch a glimpse of some cool videos on my insta-story

PARIS

My time in Paris was beyond amazing for so many reasons!!

First because I’ve always envisioned myself there after hearing my mom’s stories about her first time in Paris and how she couldn’t wait for me to create my own special memories there, and look there I was!

2nd because I was with the best girlfriends a gal could ask for and travel with! Although they woke me up at the crack of dawn to go sight seeing EVERY morning! Lol

If you’re traveling from London to Paris I recommend taking the euro star. It’s much cheaper than a flight, no hassles, no standing in security check lines , and is super easy.Also the view from London to Paris is breathtaking seeing the country side !

The public WiFi is a little spotty in places so if you’re traveling a lot in other countries I just recommend spending that extra money to have data anywhere you go without having to rely on wifi.

I recommend booking an air bnb. It’s easy and it’s way cheaper than paying for a hotel that you’ll hardly be in. When booking an air bnb do you research make sure you are booking one that isn’t too far out from the central location you want to do all of your site seeing in. Doing this will also help you better get a cultural experience staying locally and the touristy one!

However I did have a bad experience once using air bnb, it randomly cancelled my friend’s and I stay the night before our trip which was so scary. Thankfully we were going to London first and had 5 days to figure it out but boy was that a stressful moment. In this case I would stay on top of your bookings and confirm you are all good to go with your host!

I also found out that the best food in the city were the hidden little gems near our air bnb! So be open to trying new and exciting foods nearby, even if they look a little sketchy on the outside those are really the spots with the best cuisine and the inside of the place will shock you !

Keep in mind that a lot of places already add gratuity within the bill and don’t tell you so there can be a chance you will over tip which happened to me! Also keep in mind that in some central locations in Paris they will charge you a dine in fee after a certain time which makes no sense. It’s about 4 euro which is silly! So if you care i’d ask before being seated.

I definitely recommend going down to Pigalle it’s very hipster-ish neighborhood, great vibes , great food and the party scene is on point! Beware people are allowed to smoke pretty much every even inside of establishments so if you are sensitive to smoke or have asthma you might want to steer clear of the clubs.

Side note: The trains are super easy to use so do not be afraid to be a local! You’ll save so much money by not ubering everywhere. The way I see it thats more money that could go towards shopping !LOL

Obviously the must go to’s are :

The Eiffel Tower - day and night( the light show is simply breathtaking , I cried)
The Louvre Museum Mona Lisa is a beauty in person ! (Recommend buying your tickets in advance)
The Arc De Triomphe near by is a cute little park for pictures!
You must see a Burlesque show whilst being there! The experience is unforgettable (I went to Lido)
Notre-Dame De Paris absolutely stunning

If you are traveling during the months of February /March like I did , be prepared to be COLD!!! Pack some Uniqlo , double up on socks and pack scarves and gloves!

When your trip is over and all of your souvenirs are all packed I would weigh your bag when flying out of Charles de galle! They seriously trip on you if your bag weighs more than it should even when you’re checking a luggage. I didn’t know that and I had to remove things out of my bag just so I could take it home with me it was a struggle so don’t make the same mistake I did!

If you have any questions or want more tips don’t be afraid to contact me!