5 Tips for Traveling Solo in Asia while Black!

I traveled to Shanghai China, Phuket & Bangkok Thailand and Malaysia. On my travels throughout Asia I realized just how much of a unicorn being Black really was!

Here are 5 tips I would give someone who wants to travel to Asia while Black!

Tip #3 Smile for Pictures! 

Mom Im finally a star! 🎬📸

You are definitely going to get approached for pictures and videos. I did not mind at all.  If you do mind, just politely say "No thank you".  I expected this in China but not in Malaysia since Malaysia is a

 multicultural, and diverse country whereas China is homogeneous in race. 

 In Malaysia I smiled for the pictures but I ask, Why? One group from the middle east said "Because we like you" One man in China got a little aggressive and approached me with his phone on Facetime and they were laughing so I just politely walked away. Overall, it was a great experience and I finally had paparazzi chasing me! 

Tip #2 Respect the Culture! 

When I arrived in Malaysia I couldn't figure out why I was getting so many stares. Some  people even had a disgusted look. Was it because of being black?  That's when I realized everyone was dressed in Islamic clothing and dressed very modest. I had on a tank top with my shoulders uncovered and shorts it was very humid and nearly (100 degrees).  I quickly went through my luggage and covered up! I wanted to respect the culture and blend in as much as possible. Please do your research of the cultures and traditions before arriving to prevent this happening to you! 

Tip #3 Be a positive Representation for Black people 

You may be the only Black person they  have encountered  in their life. Therefore, please make it a positive interaction.  I smiled alot, and was very pleasant when I was out and visiting landmark.  I respected the culture as mentioned earlier.  I was just very aware of being watched.  However, it did not affect my enjoyment of Asia.

Tip #4  When and if you see another Black person by All means Speak!

Hey we are unicorns there, so if you see another black person say hello or at least nod! I met a lady on the airplane traveling from Phuket to Malaysia and we hung out most of my trip. Now, I don't mean you should impose yourself on someone else's solo trip, but sometimes you can get lonely in a nonenglish speaking country and missing what's familiar and a nod or hello can feel great!( or maybe a nod or hello can make you feel as sense of belonging) While in Phuket sitting at a outdoor bar a group of black women walked by, I was so happy to see them but my enthusiasm quickly changed as I said "hello" they kept walking by without as much as a nod! SMH!

Tip #5 Watch out for being viewed as
               The Jezebel Stereotype!

Are Black women viewed as being seductive, alluring and promiscuous?

Sometimes being too friendly could be misinterpreted.
My tip is to stay safe at all times. If a man is buying you a drink just be upfront about not being interested in anything beyond that. The man pictured above was very nice, but his friend( not pictured )was very  disrespectful. I had to be clear about my intentions and what I would not allow or stand for!

Ladies have you ever been propositioned while overseas, or treated in a disrespectful way?

Do you get excited when encountering another black person while overseas?

Comments Below! Thanks for reading 

5 TIPS FOR BUDGET TRAVELERS

TIP#1. FLY MIDWEEK

You can grab the best deals if you fly midweek. FLY on Tuesday or Wednesday to snag the lowest fares. Book your flight on Tuesday or Wednesday and you'll find the lowest fares.

TIP#2 Lookupfare is a great way to find fares from multiple airlines.

TIP#3 STAY IN A BUDGET FRIENDLY HOTEL

Some of the best hotel I've stayed in were budget friendly hotels, especially because of just that, "Budget Friendly" One of my favorite picks for a budget bang is Laquinta Hotel, they offer free breakfast and WI-FI, can you say win-win.

TIP#4 Use Trivago to help with your hotel search because with this search engine you'll see prices form multiple sites such as booking.com, expedia etc.

Ok, so you booked your low flight using Lookupfare, you booked a budget friendly hotel at Laquinta Hotel where you can enjoy a delicious full breakfast and free WI-FI ,so now it time to save money while on

vacation.

TIP#4 TAKE CASH KEEP CREDIT BEHIND

Take only the amount of cash you have budgeted for that day, so that you won't go over budget just swiping a credit card.

TIP#5 FIND FREE ACTIVITIES

Scope out low cost or even free activities, such as beaches(my personal favorite) landmarks, festivals,architecture etc.

Thanks for Reading! 

Do you know of a tip that I may not have mentioned or have any of these tips ever worked or not worked for you? comments below.

5 Tips for Solo Travelers

TIP#1 Stay In a Hostel

Yes, I said Hostels, many aren't what you maybe thinking. Too many people associate the horror movie with every hostel. There are many great, safe, clean and affordable hostels. Many even offer either female or male only dormitory style rooms and shared restrooms. They also have private rooms and private restrooms, which I prefer. I love hostels for solo travelers because I have more of a chance to find people to hangout with. Unlike at a hotel or resort it may have more couples, who aren't likely to ask you to join them for dinner.

TIP#2 Check the Reviews on Trip Advisor

I always check the reviews for safety, customer service and cleanliness of my hostel and whatever excursions I'm planning. What's great about Trip Advisor is you can see real travelers photos and purchase excursions right on the site. Side note..take the reviews with a grain of salt as my grandma always said..remember some people are just haters, and can't be pleased at all.

TIP#3 Dress Appropriately 

I always wear loose fitting clothes not to attract the wrong kind of attention. Don't wear expensive jewelry or handbags. Try not to wear anything that will attract a thief. Be aware of your surroundings. Carry a fanny pack or a sling bag that can go under your clothes.

TIP#4 Don't Carry a lot of Cash In One Place

 Keep your cash separated so that you don't need to pull out a lot to attract a thief. I keep some cash on different parts of my body. Just in case I lose my purse. I will have cash in maybe my shoes, bra, fanny pack, and pockets, and I also leave some back at my hostel hidden.

TIP#5 Have Fun

Have fun and meet new people, try different foods, and experiences. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I've snorkel with sting rays in Jamaica, I've took a public bus in the Bahamas, I've partied and danced with golden girls on a cruise ship and had the time of my life.

Thanks for reading.

Are you planning a solo trip or have been on one? Comment below.

I Traveled Solo to Jamaica, and This Happened....

I've been dreaming about going to Jamaica or anywhere out the country for years, but in my dreams I was never alone. I could not fathom traveling out of the country alone...but I also could not fathom not ever experiencing Jamaica. I was tired of suggesting a trip to friends, family or even my boyfriend of 5 years and getting the same response." I don't have the time off, I don't have the finances, or I don't want to go to Jamaica it's not safe"

When I would suggest traveling alone to friends or family, they would say "It's not safe, you'll get robbed, kidnapped, or murdered.

One day I decided enough is enough, if I wanted to experience Jamaica I'd have to do it alone. I got on my laptop and booked my solo trip to Ocho Rios Jamaica. I didn't even tell my boyfriend until I got there and he was furious.  I decided not to tell him because I felt like he would do something to try and stop me and another year would go by of me not going. At that moment I decided to not let my travel dreams be contingent on anyones schedule, interest, finances or fears. I traveled solo to Jamaica and the only thing that happened to me was that I had the time of my life...I felt liberated.

Jamaica was so beautiful. When the plane was landing onto the island I nearly cried. I hadn't seen anyplace so beautiful before, and if I wasn't willing to travel alone I may not have ever seen it. I finally felt completely autonomous and that I had the courage to walk in my own purpose and passion. Once I got home my boyfriend blocked my calls and broke up with me. I was somewhat sad. But what I realized is that I love myself enough to not let anyone be in control over what brings me real joy, and that's traveling. For that point on I travel solo, and will never let anyone stop me again.

Do you think I did the right thing by not telling my boyfriend I was going to Jamaica?  Comments below.

 

How to Tour Hollywood in 48hours!

So you want to go to Hollywood and you only have a few days off work?
This is how I pulled off a 48 hour trip to Hollywood!

My flight was amazing, I booked a pretty much last minute flight from Lookupfare for $309 bucks. I diligently check the prices and it actually got down to $262 dollars, but I mistakenly let the price slip through my fingers. Ugh,...But what I like about Lookupfare is I can check multiple airlines on one site!
My flight left Philadelphia to San Francisco this  was a great flight because I got to see   some of the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and I think it may have been the Golden Gate Bridge.

DAY#1, I was fortunate enough to stay at The Roosevelt Hotel, very swanky. Everything was at my footsteps outside of the hotel. The walk of fame was o.k.....I mean I really didn't get much of a thrill. Although I must say kicking Trump's star was pretty cool.  Madame Toussaint was directly across the street and that was amazing.  The wax figures looked so real, I had to tap to verify it was indeed wax.

So on to the hotel's movie pool party which was amazing, there were floating sofas, I mean floating sofas, need I say more.

DAY#2, The Chinese theater for pictures and off to  Griffin park to see the Hollywood sign. The view was amazing. I took a Uber and it cost around 10 bucks from Chinese theater.  Since I'm from the east coast I was really in awe of the mountainous views, it was actually breathe taking...

Tip Alert# My phone reception was terrible there, but they offered free Wi-Fi but you have to watch the short video to access it.


So off in another uber to Venice Beach...the beach had a lot of eccentric vendors of a diverse range of people. There was native American inspired jewelry. Some vegan stops to eat and of course a range of entertainment. There was actually a gentleman playing a piano...I would really like to know how he got the piano on the beach...hmmmm. o.k so the beach itself was o.k it had beautiful rock  formations..the water was warm...the ocean breeze felt so great..
Santa Monica beach was a few steps away and had a pier for more of a family feel or just an adult with a kid a heart.

The questions  everyone asks, did I see any celebrities...No but my sister saw Zendaya at Roscoe Chicken in Waffles, since I'm vegan I didn't go along😣😣😣 so I missed out..oh well.

The Roosevelt Hotel has a lot of history and Icons such as Marilyn Monroe as been known to stay there. The hotel also has been known to be haunted.. My sister and I went out to investigate the "so called haunting" and the verdict is Yes! We heard howling near room 213, which is known to be the most haunted👻. 

Have you ever took a short trip across the country ? Comment below. 

Thanks for reading!

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5 Easy Steps to a Minimalist Lifestyles.

Venice Beach 

A Minimalist Lifestyles looks different to each person whose embracing it. The basis of it is simply Living Big with Less. For me it's living with less material items to foster my need to travel and to be rich in experiences rather than stuff.  Here are 5 Easy Steps that helped me in my Journey to Living Big with Less.

Step 1.  Clear the Clutter, start by donating, and selling things you don't need. If you haven't used it in months you probably don't need it. A clean and clutter free home, helps clear you mind and also frees up your time to focus on what is really important to you. By clearing the clutter I wasn't spending A lot of time looking for things and cleaning.  I now have more time to walk my dog, meditate and simply relax.

Step 2.  Stop Spending, it's easy to become a slave to consumerism,  we are bombarded with advertising everywhere, from purchasing the latest IPhone to the newest car model. Do we have to purchase the latest technology when it comes out? I don't think so. Most of the time it's not significantly different from the last model.  I truly believe in spending less in order to be able to have money to spend on what brings you Real joy. I gave up a huge house to live in a small apartment. Most of my furniture was free or used. I buy clothes only if I need to replace another article of clothes.  I don't spend much money unless it's for traveling and having lasting memorable experiences.

Step 3.  Enjoy the Simple Things in Life, Because I'm not spending as much money trying to maintain a huge house, buying the latest phones, designer clothes  (only to impress people)  I now have more time to spend enjoying life. In the past I worked maybe 50 to 60 hours a week, working in order to pay bills and to have money to travel.  I was trying to have everything but ended up with nothing but stuff, and I was empty inside. The reality was because I was working so much I never had time to travel or spend with my son. Therefore, I replaced time with buying stuff for my myself and my son. Buying stuff did not bring me real joy.  Today, I realize what is truly important to me, which are moments we spend with the people we love, and the lasting memories we make together.  

Spending time with family 

Step 4.  Learn to be grateful for what you already have. This has helped me tremendously because I stopped comparing myself to people who have fancier cars, clothes and houses. I have learned that these things don't bring you real joy. I realize that finding gratitude in what I already have brings me peace. Peace is something that can't be bought

Step 5.  Embrace what brings you real Joy. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone and unfortunately no one has a expiration date stamped on them. I have to live my best life now, and as I stated earlier for me it's traveling. I recently took my first cruise to the Bahamas. Prior to booking I couldn't find anyone to go along with me, everyone I asked had financial contraists, couldn't get off of work, or was afraid of boats or the Ziki virus and I almost didn't go. But I did go, I took my teenage son and I had the best time of my life. I'm so glad that I decided to go to the Bahamas. So, whatever it is that make you truly happy embrace it.

Flying over Grand Canyon

What has been your greatest challenges or triumphs with Minimalism?

                      Thanks for reading.