VOYAGER SPOTLIGHT: JIHAN
Jihan, 18 COUNTRIES, 5 CONTINENTS & COUNTING!
Jihan dreamy in Dubai! 🙂
Meet Jihan. 🙂 Jihan is an entrepreneur and baker extraordinaire currently residing in NYC.
Home Country: Born in New York but raised in Trinidad & Tobago.
Where I’ve Been: Let’s break it down by region. In the US I’ve been to New York (of course), New Jersey, Virginia, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and Hawaii. In Canada, I’ve been to Toronto and Ajax. In Central America I’ve been to Cancun, Mexico. In Europe I’ve visited London, England, Paris and Versailles, France and Istanbul, Turkey. In Asia I’ve been to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. I’ve been to Cairo, Egypt in Africa and in the Caribbean I’ve visited Trinidad & Tobago (duh), St. Maarten & St. Martin, St Barth, Aruba, Barbados, Puerto Rico, St Vincent & Grenadines, Antigua, Bermuda and the Bahamas.
Unforgettable Travel Moment: My most awe inspiring experience was at the Palace du Versailles in France; I was in absolute awe at the grandeur of the palace. Stories of Marie Antoinette came to life before my eyes as I walked through her bedroom. Being an avid history buff I felt as though I was walking through history — talk about amazing! 🙂 But honestly, The Giza Pyramids has topped my experience at Versailles by far. As a kid, I wanted to be an Egyptologist; Egypt’s history fascinated me, mummies and pharaohs and the unexplainable architecture of the pyramids intrigued me and still do. So when I got to Cairo I felt like a kid again, a kid who made her wildest dreams come true! The pyramids are magnificent and I actually got to go inside of one! I walked the halls where Ramses II himself laid in a tomb!
#1 Bucket List Destination: Robben Island, South Africa. I plan on making a trip to South Africa soon (fingers crossed) but my trip to South Africa will not be complete until I visit the former cell of Nelson Mandela where he spent 27 years of his life. Mr. Mandela has done so much for, not only his country, but by bringing world awareness to his country’s fight against apartheid. He has made a global difference as well. As of right now, that is my #1 bucket list destination.
My Travel Essentials: A good Camera! Also neck pillow for those uncomfortable plane rides and a hat for chair hair! Ha! As far as packing, I usually go with one night time look, one pair of heels; I travel in a pair of jeans and sneakers and pack a million t-shirts…and don’t forget to pack toothpaste! Hotels never seem to have toothpaste. 🙂
What I have learnt while travelling: A smile and a good attitude will go a long way when you’re in a foreign country with a language barrier between you and everyone else.
The most difficult part of travelling is: The most difficult part of traveling for me are the layovers and wait times at the airport. They drain me terribly, it’s always best to walk with a good book and a charged iPad.
Travel tips for other Voyagers interested in budget world travel: Plan in advance! For those of us who don’t work in the travel industry, last minute vacations do not fit into our budget. I always plan at least 6 months in advance, and work with websites that offer package deals and payments in installations, like Friendly Planet and Trip Masters. This way, you aren’t footing a $1000 bill at once but can spread out your payments over a series of paychecks, the blow to your bank account feels a bit less that way.
To follow Jihan’s travels, connect with her at @gallianogirl on Instagram. 🙂
