Hello beautiful! 🙂
I hope you are doing well.
Thought I’d share a couple of my favourite Instagram travel accounts with you today.
I find these girls so inspiring and I absolutely love their pictures. Such an adventurous bunch! 🙂
2. @leahliyah
3. @helloemilie
And of course not forgetting yours truly…
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
Travelling off the beaten path doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go out there in search of an island that nobody has ever heard of before. It’s simply choosing to explore beautiful places that usually don’t get as much hype as Paris and the likes.
Also, it’s very important to choose destinations not because they are popular, but because they have the kind of environment you’ve always wanted to be in.
Like if I was given the opportunity to visit either London or Cappadocia, I’d choose the latter because of how much I adore nature! 🙂
Here are a couple of reasons why you should consider travelling off the beaten path:
1. Less crowded.
Nobody likes crowds.
2. Way cheaper.
Mostly if it’s within your region.
3. Authentic experience.
These places have very few expats living there and therefore the experience you get is quite raw. From the cuisines, to the interactions you’ll have with the locals and everything else in between.
4. Everything is fresher.
The air. The food. More like a little bit of heaven.
5. Feels more like home.
Off-the-beaten-path destinations are usually calmer, quieter, peaceful and more private than popular tourist spots.
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
This post is in reference to the trips I took to Moscow and St. Petersburg sometime last year.
It was my first time organising a (any, actually) trip all by myself. And it was all last-minute.
It was a Monday, I remember. Woke up on the best side of the bed! 🙂 And decided that I wanted to go to Moscow the next day. So I went ahead and bought my ticket… right away in fact! I had no idea where I was gonna stay. Had no itinerary. Hadn’t packed. Nothing! All I knew was that I wanted to head to St. Petersburg as well after a short stay in Moscow. Ha! 🙂
I thought everything would magically fall into place within 24 hours. You know…
Let’s just say that the hours until my departure were an emotional turmoil.
There were times when I got frustrated because I wasn’t getting immediate email replies to confirm my accommodation. Teared up once or twice. Thought of cancelling the whole thing. But I’m so glad I didn’t.
Because it turned out to be the best time I’ve ever had! 🙂
So here are a couple of pointers to help you plan your next trip:
1. Destination.
First of all you need to determine which place(s) you want to visit. Town, City, Country. Find out if you need to apply for a visa if you’re planning to fly out of the country.
2. Date.
Then choose the precise dates for you trip. Because you need them for the step below.
3. Accommodation.
Now figure out where you’ll be staying. Hostel, hotel or home? For how long? Call or email them to make a reservation. ALWAYS make a reservation.
4. Transport.
Time to book your ticket. Plane, train or bus? You pick. 🙂
5. Itinerary.
And the fun part begins… planning your activities! Find out what amazing things the new town/country has to offer, list them down and schedule them for the number of days you’re going to be there. Make sure to spread them out evenly.
Any more tips you’d love to share? Please do write them in the comment section below. I’d love to hear your opinions. 🙂
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
Hey lovely ones! 🙂
I hope you are all well.
I thought I’d mix it up a bit today and share something else that’s very close to my heart…breakfast!
I love breakfast. It’s my favourite meal of the day. I, especially, love it during the weekends and holidays because I get to take my time in preparing, as well as indulging in the yumminess!
Here are pictures of a couple of my favourite breakfasts:
1. French Toast & Waffles.
2. Crêpes.
3. Croissant.
4. Cereal.
5. Sandwich.
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
I remember this trip like it was yesterday.
I’d never been to Thika before, so when I told my sister that I’d be taking a road trip there, she wasn’t really comfortable with the idea.
It had to be done though…
I’d taken solo bus trips to Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia a couple of weeks prior to this and they turned out super amazing!!! So adding the fact that I was home and that everyone around me spoke either Swahili or English (or both) made me feel quite comfortable.
It took me about one and a half hours to get to Thika from Nairobi’s CBD by bus. Then sat in a van (matatu) that drove along the Thika-Garissa road for another 20 minutes to get to the junction that led to Fourteen Falls.
Then I took my first ever motorbike ride! Ha! 😀
That was excitement and fear rolled up into one single “Ha! :D” up there.
That summed up my feelings for the next 10 minutes as we rode through a very, very dusty road.
Anywhoo, once I got to the gate, I paid about 2 USD as entry fee. The rates are a little higher for non-citizens. Also, my excitement was now over the roof because I could hear the sound of water gushing and splashing all over!
Finally, we’re here!!
The falls were gorgeous! And sorta polluted. 😦
But still…
I had a lovely guide showing me around. Thing is, when you get there, you are supposed to cross over to the other side of the river for prettier views. You can do so by foot right before the falls, or by boat right after the falls. The former seemed like a more interesting idea until I slipped and slit my heel a little on a rock just two steps in. Then I was all about the boat life! 🙂
I’ll let you enjoy the pictures now.
PS: All that time I was thinking, “I’m glad I came.”
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
Being frugal comes naturally when you’re a student. Especially if your income is limited yet you have dreams of seeing the whole freaking world.
So when you finally save up just enough cash to make that trip you’ve been planning for months, you need to be extra careful with how you spend each penny.
Here are a couple of ways to help you minimise your expenditure during your trip:
1. Live at the centre.
Saves you lots of time and money since you don’t need to commute as opposed to living at the outskirts of a town.
2. Walk.
It’s the best way to see new places and experience new things.
3. Picnic.
Buy yourself a bunch of fruits, water, some healthy packed food and head out to the park. That should cost you around $5. Plus views and fresh air.
4. Partner up.
For those deals and discounts. You know. 😉
5. Take the overnight bus.
It’s the cheapest way to travel between two cities and you also get a free “bed” for the night.
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
When it comes to road trips, my most favourite things are the views! 🙂
It’s almost as if you are going through countless mini-destinations before getting to THE ONE. You know, like the appetizer before the main course. A lil’ extra side dish, if you will. Okay, okay… Hahah! I’m gonna stop now. 🙂
Here are a couple of pointers to help you plan your next road trip:
1. Good company.
If you have a say in this, make sure you pick people who bring out the best in you and vice versa.
2. Comfort is key.
Go for loose-fitting, comfortable clothing. And remember to keep warm if it’s cold, especially during the morning and evening hours.
3. Cue the music.
Carry your favourite playlists along with you because you can’t always rely on the radio.
4. Stock the snacks.
Potato crisps, banana crisps, apples, grapes, passion fruits, groundnuts, water, juice… pretty much everything you can carry.
5. Camera…check.
Lastly, you’ll need to find a way to keep the memories of your trip. And what better way to do that than to take lots of pictures. So make sure your cameras and phones are fully charged and ready to go! 🙂
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
If you are a full-time student or have a full-time job, then you’ve at one time or the other felt like you need more vacation days. It’s so easy for you to feel like you are always working or studying since you only get a month or two or, if you’re lucky, three months off annually to kick back and relax.
Well, lemme help you make those couple of weeks seem more than just that:
1. Study or work abroad.
By abroad here, I mean any place that’s not your hometown or even home country. There’s always opportunities to take a course or go for a conference someplace new to you. Grab that. This automatically gives you a chance to explore a new environment either temporarily or long-term.
2. Travel to new destinations.
There are places that we’d love to visit over and over again. But then that restricts us from experiencing what other destinations have to offer. So as much as you love that sandy beach, or that rocky mountain, book yourself a ticket to a fresh new location every once in a while.
3. Maximize your weekends and public holidays.
Use these days to travel to places that are close to where you live and around your country hence saving your vacation days for further destinations.
4. Work from the center outwards.
Explore your hometown first. And the neighbourhood. Then work your way around your country and region because those will be way cheaper to travel to. And I’m pretty sure that there are a bunch of gems close to you that you take for granted. Find out what attracts tourists to the place you live and then go find out why. 🙂
5. Plan out each vacation day.
Having an itinerary helps you organise your time. Also, having a bucket list for each town/city prior to your visit enables you to make the most of your time there.
Always be kind.
Dee.
❤
I have quite a soft spot for nature and landscapes. There’s something really calming about waterfalls, mountains, the sea. And I’ve always dreamt of building a home so close to some of these features.
Today, I’m gonna share with you a couple of my favourite landscapes at the moment:
1. Naivasha, Kenya.
Read more about this here.
2. St. Petersburg, Russia.
Read more about this here.
3. Dombay, Russia.
Read more about this here.
4. Thika, Kenya.
5. Mombasa, Kenya.
Read more about this here.
Always be kind.
Dee .
❤
DR WANDERLUST 
