Category: travel tips

Where are you off to next?

On By RaShondaIn Domestic Travel, international travel, travel deals, travel tips, vacationLeave a comment

It seems like more and more this is the question I’m asked. I’ve always traveled with my family growing up but the last few years I’ve caught the travel bug and can’t seem to shake it.

People often ask me how do I decide on where to go. I have a list of 25 or so countries plus cities in the U.S. that are on my must travel list but let’s be honest I go where the deals are. In mid-2016, I bought a deal to go to Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day but as of then I didn’t have anything else planned for this year. It’s rare that I purposely book anything that far in advance, it’s usually what ever deal comes up that works with my travel dates and budget. Continue reading “Where are you off to next?” →

Advertisement

Arabian Nights…in Morocco (Pt 2)

On By RaShondaIn travel tips1 Comment

Following up from the previous post.

Clearly we survived the road trip, since I’m still here to write about it. After a long day we met up with a herder to take a camel ride to our campsite for the night. Since it was approaching sunset, we were able to get some amazing shots as the sun went down and enjoyed the solitude of just the three of us and our camels. Side note, after riding a camel in Egypt I said I wouldn’t do it again. It’s definitely an experience but two times was definitely enough.

The campsite, although not glamping by any means, was way better than I anticipated. We had tents the size of a small bedroom with electricity and outlets. The bathrooms were actual bathrooms, not latrines. I was a Girl Scout so I was prepared to rough it if need be.

The dining room was a beautiful tent that reminded me of being in an actual Moroccan restaurant with all of the brightly colored fabrics and Berber carpets lining the walls and floors. Best part, the meal was tasty. We ended the night being entertained by the guys who worked the campsite, 2 tour guides, and the camel herder who all sang and played random instruments. Continue reading “Arabian Nights…in Morocco (Pt 2)” →

Arabian Nights…in Morocco (Pt 1)

On By RaShondaIn Morocco, travel tips1 Comment

Recently, I was reminded I never posted about my trip to Morocco. So here we go…

From the time I was 10 years old and went to my first Moroccan restaurant in Washington, DC (RIP Marrakesh on New York Ave.), I was obsessed with the food and the culture. Okay, I can’t lie mainly the food.

Fast forward two decades, one of my girlfriends is Moroccan and from our very first conversation I told her I wanted to go to Morocco with her the next time she went. After a year of seeing “deals” comes and go and not finding any flights under $750, I figured I’d just put it off for a later time. Continue reading “Arabian Nights…in Morocco (Pt 1)” →

2016: A Year In Review

On By RaShondaIn travel tips1 Comment

This year has truly been the most epic as far as international travel is concerned. I still can’t believe I’ve been in 10 countries outside of the US (actually 11 if you count Portugal, but we didn’t have a chance to leave the airport.) This year I went on seven international trips, some with my husband and with my girlfriends, others solo and with my Aunt.

In January, I spent MLK weekend in Martinique. I went with my husband but ended up being there the same time as some friends from DC and a large group of my fellow Nomadness tribe members. We rented a catamaran with 40 of our new closest friends and spent the entire day sailing around the small French island. Continue reading “2016: A Year In Review” →

All About Milan: Tips & Tricks

On By RaShondaIn Europe, italy, travel tips3 Comments

Since this is my second visit to Milan, I’m qualified to be an expert on the city right? Well not quite, but I’ve had the chance to experience a lot that the fashion capital of Italy has to offer.

Where do I stay?
First of all, in my opinion, you should stay somewhere close to the Milano Centrale station. Not only is it easily accessible from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) but it’s a quick walk, metro, or tram ride across the city.

I’m a SPG girl so I’m all about staying in Starwood properties whenever possible, there are plenty in Milan to choose from. We’ve stayed in the Four Points by Sheraton three times now. The first two times last April and the first part of our trip this September we stayed in newly remodeled spacious rooms on an SPG designated floor. The last stay was booked under my Aunt, who does not have SPG status and we stayed on a lower floor that was straight out of the 60/70s. Continue reading “All About Milan: Tips & Tricks” →

Summer, Summer, Summer time

On By RaShondaIn travel tipsLeave a comment

This summer has seriously flown by. After Cuba, I thought I’d be fine not doing anything else until my next trip to Italy/Hungary with my Aunt in September but hey things change.

As a child, I spent each birthday in a different part of the country attending annual attorney conventions with my parents that always fell around my birthday. Since I’ve been an adult for some reason I’ve remained close to home and usually just do an intimate dinner with friends to celebrate. This year I’ve decided to spend my birthday with my amazing husband on the island of Saint Maarten. We’re going for 5 days/4 nights and I couldn’t be more excited.

Typically, I like to plan every last detail on trips because I have a serious fear of missing out, but this time I’m going to do what normal people do and actually vacation. Of course, being who I am I couldn’t have absolutely no plans so I booked a catamaran day trip to the island of Anguilla and a couples massage for my birthday. Other than that, we’ve booked a car and I’m looking forward to exploring the French and Dutch sides of the island at our leisure. Nine days and counting…

st-maarten
Photo from Carnival’s website

Viva Cuba

On By RaShondaIn travel tips1 Comment

Today’s my last day in Mexico after a much awaited trip to Cuba. Planning for our trip began last December.

After reading countless reviews, we decided that flying to Cuba from Mexico would make the most sense and would definitely be more economical than taking a chartered flight from Miami or New York. From what I heard those flights tend to cost $700-1000, plus you’d have to find a way to get to Miami or NY.

We first got a great deal from Baltimore to Cancun. In January, we purchased the second leg our flight from Cancun to Havana on Aeromexico. All together we paid about $440 for both flights, it would have been $100 cheaper but we paid to have a carry-on and assigned seats on Spirit. Yes, we flew Spirit and it actually wasn’t bad. Continue reading “Viva Cuba” →

A Weekend in Cartagena

On By RaShondaIn travel tips1 Comment
So after booking the trip to Medellin, Colombia, I kept hearing people talk about another city that wasn’t too far called Cartagena. Cartagena is a city to the north of Medellin with lots of history. The Walled City and the large fortress that protected the old city are still very prominent. When I found a flight on VivaColombia for only $49 roundtrip, I knew it would have to be added to my itinerary.

Prior to going, I’d received a lot of tips and everyone I talked to recommended we contact Alex Rocha if we wanted to truly get an authentic tour experience. We ended up doing two tours and a Chivas party bus with Alex. (Find him on Facebook)

Continue reading “A Weekend in Cartagena” →

An Unexpected Solo Trip

On By RaShondaIn travel tips1 Comment

Last fall, I booked a flight for my husband and I to go to Medellin, Colombia (yeah, yeah I know its history, but that was a long time ago) because Delta Airlines was having an amazing sale only $275 round trip. I’d been intrigued by Colombia for sometime and when the opportunity arose I pounced on it.

Fast forward to last week, my hubby tells me he’s no longer joining mOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAe on this long awaited journey due to unforeseen circumstances. At first I began to panic that all of this anticipation would be the biggest let down of my life. Okay I’m being a little dramatic but I’ve literally been looking forward to this trip for over 6 months so not going would have crushed my spirit.

Anyway, I had a decision to make, either cancel a trip I’ve been looking forward to for months or go on my own. Continue reading “An Unexpected Solo Trip” →

When Did Traveling Become Elitist?

On By RaShondaIn travel tipsLeave a comment

Over the past few years, I’ve notice a number of people making comments, mostly on social media, stating that people who travel are only doing so to show off.

The debates often go back and forth with many condemning those who enjoy being frequent travelers. What’s so wrong with taking full advantage of your vacation time? Americans are known for a lot of things and not using all of their vacation time is one of them.
Continue reading “When Did Traveling Become Elitist?” →