6 Things I Learned After 4 Years Of Solo Travel
“Aren’t you scared travelling the world all alone?” “Don’t you have a husband to protect you?” “So, what is the worst that’s ever happened to you?” Yes. If you’ve travelled solo before (or merely had intentions to), I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. You’re a bold, kick-ass woman travelling the world on your own and that same world just doesn’t get it. Having been in the same boat myself, I feel you. It’s normal. People tend to focus on the thrill of negativity and bad news. It’s a way of legitimising their own comfort zone and alternative life choices; constructing an outer universe full of thieves, terrorists, and bogeymen,…
5 Outfit Staples For Travelling To Conservative Countries
If you plan to travel and visit conservative countries like Iran, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, it’s of the utmost importance to follow the local dress code and pick modest garments that are reverent of the local culture. When travelling to conservative countries, safety should be one of your top priorities, and part of staying safe is dressing to blend in, not to stand out. It’s quite simple to think that you’re not harming anyone by putting on some of your usual clothes like cutoff shorts and tank tops. However, when you wear such clothing in conservative countries, you’ll likely attract negativity, risk, and disgust. To avoid this, check…
Traveling during Ramadan? Here are 8 practical tips to make fasting easier for you
Most Muslims prefer to stay close to home during the holy month of Ramadan, because traveling can be physically and mentally exhausting even when you’re not fasting. But if for some reason or another you must travel during this time, here are some useful tips to help you prepare: 1. Time it right For short journeys, pick a flight that departs after iftar and lands before sahur so that you won’t need to travel while fasting. If that’s not possible, then try to time your departure and arrival so that you won’t have to have sahur or break fast mid-flight. 2. Know when to break fast While in transit,…
Why You Should Travel To Muslim Countries During Ramadan
Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims. It falls on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is a time when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset to understand the suffering of the less fortunate, detach from material desires and pleasures, and become more empathetic and charitable. Our regular routines are set aside as we wake up in the early hours of the day for suhur (the meal we have before dawn). When the sun rises, we begin fasting and pray fajr, the first prayer of the day. During Ramadan, we try be the best versions of ourselves. We get involved with charity work and behave more conservatively…
Top 5 destinations where you can volunteer ethically
It’s said that traveling the world will open your eyes, and indeed it does. However, sometimes that means looking beyond the shiny, touristy front and realizing that not everyone is as lucky as you are, particularly in developing countries. If you’re looking to give back to local communities as you travel, that’s fantastic! But you should also be aware of the risk of “voluntourism”, or overseas volunteer programs that are more focused on profit than actually improving the lives of those who need it. Here are the top 5 places where you can volunteer ethically: 1. Thailand Known as the ‘Land of Smiles’, Thailand may be one of the most…
6 easy hikes with awe-inspiring views that even couch potatoes can do
Hiking is all the rage these days, and with good reason: not only do you get a good workout, but it’s also a fantastic reason to get away from urban trappings and take in lush green forests and majestic peaks. However, if you spend most of your days sitting down – in a car, in an office or in front of the TV – the mere thought of scaling mountains might be far-fetched and intimidating. Me when I think about an arduous hike. Not to worry – we’ve got you covered with this list of totally doable hikes you can challenge yourself with during your next getaway. You can do…
Hotel Booking Scams: How To Spot Them And Avoid Being Duped
When booking a hotel stay, have you ever simply typed in the name of a hotel in the search bar and clicked on one of the top results? Careful – this method could easily swindle you out of money and a place to stay the night. In a study released last year by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), it was reported that 15 million hotel bookings made in the U.S. are affected by deceptive rogue affiliates annually, translating to about roughly US$1.3 billion going to fake bookings. The study also found that one in four American travelers have reported being duped in 2016, a dramatic rise from the just 6%…
