It all started with me reaching out to dearest Wakaholic (Otobong Tom) via email sharing some ideas and recommendations with her and volunteering to plan the launch event. I have followed her for years on social media, I read her travel blog frequently, I watch her YouTube vlogs and we have had a couple of conversations on Instagram prior to then.
We deliberated over the order of program/program schedule and eventually settled for:
Programme
Which where printed out and each guest also got a Biro and jotter.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: Program schedule
We also deliberated on other decisions and we decided to:
. Make T shirts: for volunteers and the author which came in different sizes in both pink and white with the book design and were made by Deroyalkay studio.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers T shirt
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers T shirt
.Making of carrier bags.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers:Carrier bag, cake box
.Videography: The replays of the different sessions are available on her YouTube channel.Click here and Click here to watch them
.Decoration: various banners, flowers etc
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: banners
. World map gifts: for the first person to arrive and the person to launch with highest number of copies
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: world map
.Cake: with the book design etc.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers:cake
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers:cake
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers:cake
.She had already settled DJ and Master of Ceremony (MC) prior to me reaching out to her.
. The event held at Radisson Blu Anchorage Victoria Island, Lagos on 31st May 2025.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: Venue
. I and Ajalanene had read the book before the launch date and did a book review session on the launch day. Our review session looked into: general overview of the book, number of chapters, number of pages, some chapter titles, design of the book, colour combinations, the book being a faction book, ways we see ourselves in the character, mutual destinations with the character, destinations on our bucket list in the book, favourite phrases in the book, benefits of travelling according to the book, what stood out the most for us, off the beaten path destination, experiencing the kindness of a stranger on a trip, food explorations,historical tourism, personal story on best memories are often made with friends, cultural outfits etc.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: Book review session
The panel session consisted of three panelists who were: Okenna,Nnenna Fakoya Smith and Sewedor Balogun and a Moderator who was: Faith Abassah. The panel also constituted feedback and contributions from the audience. The panel session addressed questions like: solo travelling, if there are things we can do the improve the value of our green passport, racism etc.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: Panel session
The Keynote speaker was Mrs Lebari Ukpong who shared some insights into the book and reasons why we should read it and shared some of her personal experiences around travel.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: keynote session
The authors speech gave a general overview of the process of writing the book, book dedication etc.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: Authors Speech
There was an official unveiling of the book and a toast to the author. The author also did some book signing.
Girls Don’t Travel Just For Flowers: book signing
We were treated to yummy, delicious,sumptuous treats, the options included: samosa, spring rolls, crispy chicken, chicken wings,sandwiches, chicken roll,peppered gizzard,tea, orange juice, pineapple juice, apple juice, cake,water.
It was truly an amazing, awesome,splendid,well curated event.#gdjtff till the ends of the world.
I will love to hear from you. Have you already read the book? If you have not will you be ordering a copy? Looking forward to your feedback and review.
Hello everyone!!!. I have not written a new article since September 2023 (I have done some updates on a few existing articles). Your girl has been going through a lot!!! and is still going through a lot on a daily basis which some of us may know about. Since last year, my dear Gloria has been trying to encourage me to start writing again. Last week, she said, you know what, I want to write a guest article for you. I said okay, cool, maybe I also will get my own mojo to start writing again. This will be an interesting read, thank you Gloria.
INTRODUCTION:
Gloria Odigwe Okpara, better known as Kitanaa, which means living in the moment, is a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt and a Maritime Operations personnel. She is an avid reader, debater. She loves traveling, meeting people, telling stories and exploring adventures. She has been to 7 countries and aspires to add more to her list. She is the brain behind The Fulcrum234, a storytelling platform for the underdogs as well the curator of Moments with Kitanaa, a series of intimate, informal events where people connect and have conversations without judgement. She loves music, poetry, fiction and is a melancholic nostalgic at heart with a flair for the dramatic. But when she is not at work or connecting people or saving the world, you can always catch her on her bed, napping.
MAKING OUR LIVES MAGICAL BY ROMANTICIZING OUR EXPERIENCES:
GUEST ARTICLE BY GLORIA ODIGWE KITANAA
I assume you have heard this advice that has been floating around on social media since 2023, about how you should romanticize your life and all. On a face level, one can easily dismiss it as one of those well meaning, feel-good, empty quotes we see around, like the ones they post with expensive car models running in slow motion and a corny, “grind hard or be grinded hard,” quote written over it. “Romanticize your life,” actually sounds like it belongs in the category of adlibs like, “darling, I do not dream of labour,” like any other consumerist anthem out there, or simply just of those pretentious things people say to sound deep and smart but it is really not. Without giving it any serious thought, anyone’s first response after hearing it, would be like “what the hell does that even mean?” and that is actually fair. It was my first reaction. And that is why I am here.
I’ll tell you what it means. For free
Last weekend, my friend, Faith, her sister and I planned and executed a cooking date weekend. We were not celebrating anything and it was not a particularly special weekend for that matter, just that I was going to be braving the traffic from the island to the mainland on a Friday night and didn’t think it was befitting of the sacrifice I was making, to simply hang out and do the same old routine as other visits: rice and stew, gist and sleep.
So, on Thursday, I designed a cute schedule of what we would doing
Friendship cooking date
and in addition to making culinary magic, there was also going to be Karaoke, movie night, toasts and wine too. After work the next day, Friday, I hit the road to the mainland. For the movie night, I was supposed to pick up popcorn from Jaya House but when I got there, they had already run out of popcorn for the day. That threw a small wrench in my plan because I had not wanted to stop on my way but Faith begged me to, so how was I supposed to show up empty handed without the popcorn. She had hyped their other products to high heavens and wanted to try their new popcorn option.
I was sceptical that no popcorn could be all that and low key, I was also curious to find out what the hype was about but , getting there and they had none left, we would never find out that weekend. That is bad enough but now also having to deal with showing up without them, could raise suspicions that I never stopped in the first place. To vindicate myself, I took a picture of the entrance and the show glass for proof and sent to her.
She was so touched… Lol, I know I am a good person.
Thankfully, there wasn’t as much traffic as I had anticipated, meaning I got to her place a little before 6pm. It was the perfect time to arrive; I could not be guilt-tripped into any chores or errands. (By the side, if you are ever visiting anyone, make sure you arrive a few minutes before or after 6. It is the perfect time to be treated as a guest, especially if the person you’re visiting is a friend).
That evening, we made potato chips with blue cheese, onion sauce and scrambled eggs. I thought it was special and it is for the simple reason that I can count on no finger any day I have ever gone that length for my own meals. It was just not something I ever did.
That night, we also made popsicles, yoghurt and Oreo flavour. We estimated 6 hours for it to be thoroughly frozen but I think I checked on it twice every hour before the 6 hours was up. You can’t blame me; I have never tasted popsicles I made myself…It was new. Now I think I can give popsicles by hh a run for their money.
Somewhere past midnight, we were taking it out of the freezer and pulling it out of the mould. It was such a proper popsicle; I could wrap it to sell and nobody would suspect a thing. It was just yummy, I won’t lie. Though it was really late, we managed to squeeze in our movie night and true to my Lover girl core, I made them see To Every Boy I Loved Before. Right before everyone retired for the night, we prepared another batch of popsicles for the next day, obsessed people’s behaviour.
Next morning, was the main day and trust me, we cooked up a storm. We made a pancake tower,
and had it with yoghurt and Oreos pourings. Then, we made banana bread. (You can find interesting videos of this experience on Gloria’s social media pages, the links will be below).If I am being honest, I was skeptical about the outcome. The oven was out of service so we researched on improvising with the Air Fryer and I was not very confident about how it would turn out because I don’t trust most DIY videos on Tik Tok. I have been burned enough times that I now wear my wariness like an armor but 30 minutes later when our first two batch of banana bread came out looking like something out of a Gourmet Twist bakery, I had to concede. I had mine with coconut shavings and oh my God, “Banana bread never tasted better in the history of banana breads”.
Next, I made my mother’s signature pepper soup, whose recipe I will guard with my life. There’s something about my mom’s pepper soup that I can almost never replicate. As a kid, it was the only silver lining to falling sick. You could be shaking and throwing up and have no appetite but the moment she brought her special pepper soup; you will seat up and finish it. I can’t remember anyone in my house being too sick they were unable to eat my mother’s pepper soup. To avoid anyone finding out how we did it, I sent everyone out of the kitchen but tell me why it was that moment this girl chose to tell me they had run out of red pepper, and if I could manage their store-bought black pepper? My plan now ruined, I told them to get a couch in the kitchen if they wanted, because there was no way I was going to call whatever I was going to whip up with that black pepper, my mother’s recipe. It would be insulting and there was nothing to hide anymore, anyway.
But it turned out nice and yeah, I am as surprised as you are. I guess I am simply my mother’s pepper soup protege- black pepper or not. I had intended we have it with white rice but I was overruled 3 to 1 and we had it with Jollof rice. Does that not sound weird? Pepper soup and Jollof rice. Anyway, so long I did not die from eating it, I could write it off as a culinary adventure. We had it with fried plantain and corn pepper sauce, another delicious culinary adventure. We also toasted with wine in plastic cups.
Somehow, this turned into a late lunch/early dinner situation because we were too full to make anything else for the night.
Later, when we had our karaoke night, we just snacked on our banana bread, some cookies and soft drink, feeling soft and bougie. Our playlist included Taylor Swift, Lewis Capaldi, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Adele, the song from Frozen was a special number… We danced and whipped our hairs back and forth, letting the stress of adulthood, Nigerian politics and Senator’s Natasha Akpothi’s bullying fall away as we sang about how the cold never bothered us anyway.
Then we played charade till 2am.
We slept in, the next day, Sunday. Personally, I dragged myself out of bed by 11am. I did not have breakfast because we planned to eat out that afternoon on my way home. By 2pm, we were out of the house but we did a little sight seeing of the mainland. I visited Chinatown before we went to eat banga soup at Miss Pam’s kitchen, my first taste of the Urobho delicacy in 2 years. After, I was treated to Boba (Bubble) tea at Qjoy for being an amazing friend and fun guest.
And that was the end of my very fun weekend…
Now, if you are wondering why I described in so much detail, I want you to know what goes on behind the scenes of the things you admire people for. When you watch fun videos and people talk of fun things they do, this is how they do it, they build it, inch by inch; brick by brick. When I think about that weekend, I do not think of the different things I did, how I used black pepper instead of red Cameroun pepper for my pepper soup or how Jaya ran out of popcorn at the very moment I gave in and stopped to try it or how I used an air fryer to make the most delicious banana bread in history or how we built a wobbly pancake tower or how I dramatic I sang Frozen at the top of my voice. What I will remember will be how I felt like a kid again, how it felt like Christmas used to feel when I was kid, when my aunties and cousins would turn up for the holiday and the house would be bustling with energy and so many delicious smells coming from the kitchen and how I would tease my little cousins with stories I made up just for them. I will remember my giddiness when the popsicle turned out right and how proud I felt when we pulled out well formed banana bread from an air fryer. I will remember my friends laughing when I fell asleep halfway into the movie, I forced them all to watch, how they asked me if I was a Swiftie. I will remember the heated debates we had in the kitchen about men and love and marriage, how we traded the names of restaurants we had been and gave personal reviews to each other. I will remember the conversation, I will remember being accompanied to China Town because I was curious about it, how I was allowed to take a bite of everyone’s food. I will remember playing Anxiety by Doechii and making them do silly dance videos with me.
And this is not the first time I will be creating magic for myself. Last year, I organized brunch dates and dinner dates and people had the best time (side note: even Faith that was not at these events commended them when she saw the pictures and videos). In February this year, I had new people join me on a weekend at Takwa Bay, where we had the most amazing times. When we were kids, Christmas was magical for us, our birthdays were magical because our parents were responsible for the details. As adults, we create our own magic and that is what it means to romanticize your life.In a lot of ways, I have made a lot of beautiful, magical memories even from the seemingly mundane experiences of my life because I decided it would be so. I have made so many videos and some, I have compiled into reels on Instagram and Tik Tok.
Your life is memorable because you will make it so. You will have fun because you will step out of your house and meet up with friends, because you will try something new for the experience.
Don’t overthink it; for the experience.
Around us, are the ingredients to make memories out of the moments of our lives.
And that is something I have taken seriously in recent years. I hope you do too.
But until then, ciao and don’t forget, to it for the experience. Do it for the plot.
The conference was a 2 day conference that started on the 6th of September and ended on the 7th of September while the Awards ceremony held on 8th September. I attended Day 1 and Day 3 and I am glad I did…
All 3 days event held at Eko hotels and suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
The event was in collaboration with: NESG (Nigerian Economic Summit Group) and some other bodies.
The conference focused on the theme: Tourism in Africa: Catalyst for Accelerated Economic Empowerment. The topics discussed includes: Empowering women and youths through tourism, Future of tourism in Africa etc.
There was also a section where tourism brands got to pitch their innovative ideas (Tourism Hackathon 2.0).
There was also exhibition were various brands such as : Wakanow, Angel style travels and tours, Eko hotel and suites,Hospitality pro, Lagos continental etc. displayed their products and services.
The award ceremony celebrated tourism and hospitality brands in Africa, congratulations to all the nominees and winners. The award categories include: Travel Agency of the year, airline of the year, hotel of the year, female trailblazer of the year, rising star of the year, best initiative to impact the African tourism and hospitality industries, restaurant of the year, chef of the year, travel vlogger of the year, tourism association of the year, African tourism destination of the year, African tourism board of the year etc.
We also had yummy buffet at the award ceremony.
See more on Pyne’s website, replay on their YouTube channel and Instagram page( link to website and YouTube channel on their Instagram bio:@thepyneawardsafrica)
I was nominated and I accepted to volunteer as the group leader for the Eagles (Covenant University graduates ) travel micro community group. So I thought to share some of the topics that have been discussed on the group with everyone. Most raised by me and some others by lovely people in the group.
Operation SSS(Shout out Saturday’s and Sunday’s): promoting our businesses/ giving a shout out to businesses of Eagles in the group we have patronised/ enjoyed content of content creators etc on Saturdays and Sundays.
Fun Fridays.
Picking a date for a daycation in Lagos.
Discussions on a possible International trip before the end of the year.
Possible collaborations of different travel professionals in the group.
The Seychelles ban of Nigerian Passport holders.
Is there anything we can do as Nigerian passport holders to Increase the value of our green passport?
Preferred place to stay on a trip (e.g. Hotel, Airbnb, couch surfing, with family and friends etc).
What do you travel more for? (Corporate work, Business, M.I.C.E, Vacation, Blesiure, relocation to different countries etc).
Favourite mode of transportation (Flight, Road, Rail, Water etc).
What to do to your phone on a flight (put on airplane mode, switch it off, leave it on).
How do you plan for your trips( use the services of a travel agent, tour operator, tour guide etc, read travel blogs, Read travel vlogs, research on social media platforms, ask questions from those that have been to the destination etc).
Adventurous activities (Paragliding, Bungee jumping, Hot air balloon ride, paint balling, bowling, kayaking, snorkeling, Dhow cruise, dune bashing, sky diving, visit a world wonder, hiking etc).
Will you rather (Have free flight ticket, have free accommodation, have visa free access to all countries).
Do you prefer solo trips or group trips?
What depicts luxury more (Business/first class ticket, 5 star Hotel accommodation).
IITA, Ibadan.
Discussions on various local and International Airlines e.g. Air peace, Green Africa, British Airways, Qatar etc.
Various leisure activities.
Inspiration for visiting a particular destination (people, culture, food, infrastructure, tourist attractions, language, weather, dressing etc.)
The leaders of the Nigerian Tourism Lovers group invited me to be the guest for the August 2023 One on One Gist, honoured, thank you NTL.
Here is the brief description of myself I gave :My name is Faith Adebimpe Oguntayo, fondly called: Faithooo. I am an accountant, a travel blogger and travel enthusiast(I write valuable travel articles on my website (www.faithooo.com.ng) , budding management consultant ,a volunteer, Convener:Worship Him now and always etc.
I have a dream to eventually visit every country in the world.
Thanks for inviting me NTL.
I attended: Building blocks Montessori: Nursery school, Salvation and Trinity International primary school (2 primary schools), Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, 1st degree in Accounting from Covenant University, almost completed MBA(Masters in Business Administration) from University of Lagos.
Some initiatives I have volunteered in travel include: NTL end of year hangout, Travel massive event, Eagles Travel Enthusiasts (CUALA) etc.
Other Initiatives I have volunteered outside travel include: volunteering at church, SDGS development Knowledge Facilitator, Project Good education general secretary, Regal set Team member for the book drive Initiative, previously served as team lead of Naza Agape Foundation(Lagos Chapter), Team member of the Value Adding woman initiative led by Mrs Kemi Oyedepo, Team member of the Going to Conceive conference by Mrs Adetoun Jegede etc.
I have worked in a few corporate organisations as an accountant,intern and also partnered with a few brands in the travel industry.
Below are the questions I was asked and the answers I gave:
– Firstly , what does tourism mean to you ?
Tourism means moving from where I am to explore an attraction, unwind, explore, relax,enjoy, recreate, engage in leisure activities etc.
It could be within the city I live, in another state or in another country.
Tourism is not limited to tourist attractions; it includes: accomodation, food, culture, language, dressing, medical Tourism, sports Tourism etc
– How can tourism contribute positively to a country’s economy
– Tourism creates Job opportunities for various travel professionals/enthusiasts including tour guides, tour operators, travel agents, destination marketers, travel bloggers, travel vloggers, travel photographers etc.
– Increased patronage for businesses in a country: Inbound and Outbound tourists patronize locals. For Example: purchasing food, buying souvenir,using the transportation system, booking accomodation (AirBnb, hotels, hostels etc), buying flight tickets from various airlines, paying entrance fees at destinations, paying fees for act etc.
– Do you think tourism is currently contributing to Nigeria’s GDP
Yes, i think it is. It might not be a high percentage at the moment but I think it is.
I think it is only a part of the COVID 19 Era that tourism was not contributing at all to the GDP but right now, I think it is.
– With your broad knowledge of tourism in Nigeria and the current economic situation in Nigeria, would you advise a foreign investor to take the chances of investing wealth in Nigeria .
– If Yes/No to the above question, Why?
Yes, I will encourage an investor to invest but I will advice the investor to be strategic, do a lot of research and carry out due diligence.
For now, I will advise the investor to focus on states, areas,tourist attractions etc with fewer security issues and areas where people are generally more comfortable visiting (for now)
Things can actually work in this country, there are quite a number of examples, but let me share two:
1) Upbeat center is West Africa ‘s first trampoline Park and it is located in Lagos, Nigeria. This I consider to be very innovative, and a lot of people usually want to visit.
2) NRC service: From the times I have personally used the train service and also hearing from the experiences of others: The facilities are modern, it is clean,neat, the ride is smooth, it is organised. (For now, the only thing I will probably change is introducing an online ticket system).
So yes, there are many great investment opportunities in the tourism sector in Nigeria.
– Tourism is a discipline that cuts across every other discipline, kindly justify this statement
Tourism involves many other industries E.g Medical tourism involves medical sciences (hospitals,laboratories etc), food and beverage sector, sports tourism involves the sports sector, manufacturing Industry (goods, souvenir etc bought by tourists are produced/manufactured), Oil and Gas Industry (Gas is used to make food, fuel is used to power vehicles used for transport, corporate world(law firms, engineering companies, accounting firms etc) ,some companies book the services of tour operators to plan staff retreat, gateway etc, educational sector: schools organise excursion, exchange programmes etc for students. Etc.
– Kindly elaborate on ways in which money can be made through tourism even with the current state of tourism in Nigeria
Influencer marketing: Promote the products and services of brands you love and get their services complimentary and possibly monetary payments in addition. This could be achieved either through pitching or organic brand deals. P.s: is not all about the number of following, views etc. I have done some pitches to airlines that didn’t pull through. My main thought point (think out of the box)that Green Africa was going out to work out (which it did) last year, when I got the deal, they were still relative new and needed a lot of promotions etc which I believe gave me an edge. I am glad that through my promotions, they got some more patronage from my work, so it’s a win win.
-Travel vloggers are able to monetize and get paid for ads when they have a certain number of subscribers and watch hours on YouTube.
-Tour operators can focus on destinations that are relatively safe for now and sell their packages at a profit.
– Innovation and thinking of possible new products or services that can be a unique selling offer.
– Partnerships and collaboration over competition
An article about Theufoma on business insider, inspired me when I read it last week, so let me add that, keep at it, Don’t be discouraged even when challenges come. I read and I’m inspired by her journey a lot. From someone, that wasn’t monetizing travel for years to earning above. Our journeys are different, it might happen sooner for some,later for some. so let great success stories, inspire us that we can get there too. I hope this has inspired someone too
– What do we need to get right to make tourism in Nigeria work effectively
Be passionate about the industry like @Nnenaya Fakoya Smith will say.It will keep you going and you will be determined to want to see the industry succeed.
– Not relent on the efforts we are currently making and keeping doing more.
– Practice more of sustainable tourism in the environment.
– Keep promoting and marketing tourism in Nigeria.
– Research and Implement: For Instance, during the CUALA SOAR series, Mr Kola of Wayfare shared how they discovered,not many travel agencies were selling a service to assist those re applying for Schengen visas if they had been denied before(like they do for other visas: UK, US etc) and now it is kind of a unique selling point for them, since they now offer the service.
– Keep evolving and Innovate. We should not see technological advancement as a 100% threat to our roles but look at ways we can adapt.
– Prioritize the Tourism Industry like Empowering youths with requisite knowledge, skills for those who will love to go into tourism Full time or Part time.
– Let us continue to work together, there is space for everyone at the top, we all can soar. We should avoid rivalry and unhealthy competition. When we work together, we can achieve more.
– If you are to be the minister of tourism in Nigeria under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what will you do first ?
– Work towards more affordable rates of travel components and work towards fairer tax policies so that sectors can in turn sell at more affordable rates and ensuring better rates of other components involved like fuel, raw materials etc.
– Work towards good infrastructure and more Important, maintenance culture of these structures:( E.g good roads) by putting necessary checks and balances in place.
– Work with other ministers, special advisers etc in tackling insecurity issues.
– Checks and balances for tourism attractions and to ensure they are maintaining high standard.
– Ensure tourism is adequately budgeted for.
– More visa friendly policies to encourage more foreigners to visit and explore Nigeria etc.
SECTION B QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
–Tell us about a superstition you believed when you were younger?
They one I can remember now, I was super young, still a toddler I think, I used to think there was a way offering used to ascend to meet God in Heaven.
– About the untapped destination in Nigeria, if you have the chance to pick 1 and manage to make profit. Which will you pick and why ?
Before, I will have picked Ikogosi, and because I just love how the cold and warm water meet but it’s now getting a lot of attention so, I will go with: the Amalgamation house in Akwa Ibom and because I love the history and the 1914 story, I find interesting.
–3 destination you will love to explore in Nigeria this 2023 @Faithooo
1) Isaac Boro Park and other places in Port Harcourt
2) Amalgamation House and other places in Akwa Ibom
3) Mapo Hall and other places in Ibadan
It seems you so much love historical tourism .
@Faithooo A word or statement Daddy or Mummy always say to you that you can’t forget:
– Well-done Faithooo
– I will support you my dear daughter
Unto the last question for this section Going to waterfall or beach ?
Going to the beach
What are your thoughts? Do you have additional insights to the questions asked above? Lets discuss in the comments section.
Packing List for you trip: 60 Items you should consider;
Clothing: Underwear,socks, pyjamas, night wear,dress, skirt,shirt,top,trousers,blazer,sweatshirt, jacket,work out gear, beach bag, other bags, swimming costume, swimming trunk,hat etc.
Shoes: Sneakers, boots,flat shoes, heels(if needed), slippers, sandals etc.
Accessories: Wrist watch, earrings, necklace, bracelet, scarf, belt, sunshades etc.
Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, perfume, body spray, soap, bathing gel, shaving stick, facial wipes, hairbrush, comb, (should make up fall under this category? What do you think?), hair products, lip balm, lip loss, manicure set,sunscreen etc.
Electronics: phone, laptop, charger, universal adapter, camera etc.
Fuel your Wanderlust in the seasons you cannot travel.
We all might have some seasons where we will love to travel but due to one reason or the other we are unable to travel at that time. Here are some ways we can fuel our wanderlust in the seasons we cannot travel:
Read travel blogs (just like you are reading one now).
Watch travel vlogs on YouTube and other platforms.
Consume travel contents on social media platforms(Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, Telegram, Pinterest etc) through status, groups, posts, reels, stories, guides, Instagram and Facebook live sessions, Twitter space, tweet, thread etc.
Make a draft plan of some of the adventures you want to go on by researching( for flight, accommodation ,tours,restaurants, group trips you can join)etc, ask for the experiences of others, check reviews, check social media platforms.
Renew or get a new passport, yellow card and other documents that may be required, research on visa requirements for chosen destination.
Purchase travel merchandise.
Read travel books.
Reminisce on your previous travel moments.
Talk about travel with a fellow wanderluster.
Explore your city i.e the city you live in.
Visit restaurants that sell meals of some of the destinations you are itching to visit and try out their meals. For instance, if you are in Lagos: visit Thai Thai, Orchid Thai to have a taste of Thai food in Lagos before you are able to go to Thailand; visit Goodies, Wilsons café to have a taste of Lebanese food before you are able to go to Lebanon.
Play travel games like: This or that travel edition, travel card games etc.
Watch travel movies.
Purchase travel items you will need for your next trip.
Look through your previous travel photos and videos.
Listen to travel podcasts.
Cook meals of countries you want to visit.
Create a travel bucket list
Do you love this list? Kindly make some suggestions of other things to do to fuel wanderlust. Time to chat in the comment section.
Flight tickets: One way or return flight tickets to their destination of choice and their airline of choice
Pay for accomodation: at Hotel, AirBnb etc.
Passport Cover: In their favourite colour i.e I bought one in my favourite colour (purple)
Toilet bag: To keep their sponge, soap, toothbrush, tooth paste
Travelling Bag
Boxes: To store their luggage which could be carry on or checked in.
Money to purchase travel items/for travelling expenses
Travel Affirmation cards
Neck Pillow: To help relieve and support tense muscles in the neck and shoulder.
Perfume atomiser refillable: To store smaller quantities of their perfume.
Travel Bottles: for ease of storing smaller quantities of items they need like cream, soap etc.
Packing cubes: To help keep clothes wrinkle free and compress them to save space in the box.
Shoe bag: To store their shoe(s)
Luggage scale: To help check the weight of the luggage.
Globe
Map
Travel journal: to document their travels.
Postcards
Pay part or fully for a tour package
Pay for one or more of the tours on the trip like: snorkelling, paragliding, parasailing Cooking classes etc.
Hiking Gear: such as backpack, first aid, compass,booths, thick clothes, rain coat
Tent for Camping and or Glamping
Branded travel items like on T shirts, phone case, stationeries, hat,shoe,sweatshirt,jacket, throw pillow etc
Travel images, picture of an airplane, a tour activity etc. on a birthday cake if its the persons birthday
Travel gears for a travel content creator such as: tripod, gimbal, ring light, camera, phone
Universal Travel Adapter:The advantage of a travel adapter is that you can use it to connect any electronic device with a plug to an outlet in another country.
Photo album of their travel memories
Noise cancelling headphones
Travel Games: travel board games, travel card games
Eye mask
Water bottle
Socks
Sponsor their visa fee
What gift(s) do you love the most? Are there travel gift (s) you love not on the list? and what are they if yes.
I had an Instagram live session with Amarachi Ekekwe, kindly: click here for the replay.
Amarachi has taken various kinds of adventures, her blog: travel with a pen(click here to read) is a wealth of resources where she shares a lot of valuable information including: applying for visas to various countries, her adventures, year in Review, solo adventures, adventures with her husband(who she met while travelling as well),group adventures, cost breakdown, places explored, food, accommodation options, travel Insurance and so much moreeeee.
The questions she answered during the Instagram Live session include:
1) How did you develop the confidence to try couchsurfing as a female solo traveler and conquer the fears of the risks involved?
2) How have you been able to have awesome solo trips and what is your advice for women who want to take solo trips but have some reservations?
3) What are the benefits of solo travel for Women?
4) From your experience so far, do you think racism while travelling is worse with women or with men and do you think there are reasons for this?
5) This year’s #IWD theme is #embraceequity, what are the ways women can achieve this while travelling, in their careers, home, businesses etc.
6) Are there things you did/ steps you took that helped you connect with a life partner that loves going on adventures like you do? And what advice do you have for a woman hoping for same, if yes.
7) It seems women travel more than men, do you think there are any reason(s) for this?
8) What are your best travel tips for women?
9) What advice will you give to a newbie female travel blogger?
10) What are your top safety tips for women who want to travel the world?
11) What are your top money tips for women who want to be able to afford to travel the world?
12) What and what has inspired your consistency in delivering aesthetically pleasing, valuable contents on travelwithapen and your social media platforms and what tools have helped you achieve this?
13) How do you navigate a hostile environment while on a solo trip?
Thanks so much Amarachi for being a SuperB! guest on this Instagram live session.
Hi everyone, I bring to you Part two of the travel Influencers to Consume their content blog post, I wrote part 1 in 2020, click here to read part one which featured 35 travel Influencers…
I will be starting with two Influencers that I intended to feature in part one but I was not able to include due to publishing the post before getting their consent.
Jessica Ufuoma: Is a travel blogger and founder of gojolley (previously known as: theufuomaexperiences). As at the time of writing this article, she has visited 50 countries across different continents in the world and has visited some countries more than once. She shares about her adventures on her blog, social media platforms, newsletters etc. She also creates contents on: benefits of solo travel, packing tips, flight hacks, making the most of the green passport, visa hassles, travel essentials, how to travel regularly while working a 9-5 full time job and other priorities and many more.
About travelafcon- Travelafcon is a full service tour company, curating custom travel experiences for groups, hosted groups and individual clients. They specialize in family travel, corporate incentive travel, honeymoon packages, individual reservations and offer services to a wide array of clients all across Africa
Travelwaka. com: Travelwaka.com is a leading travel company that offers a wide range of services like local and international tours, visa processing, flight and hotel reservation etc. From destination guides and travel tips, Travelwaka.com is the ultimate resource for anyone planning a trip. Travelwaka.com. has something for both seasoned travelers and new travelers. With a team of experienced professionals, Travelwaka.com is dedicated to providing accurate, up-to-date all round tourism experience.
Leke Adelaja : Founder of Travelwaka is a digital entrepreneur and a travel consultant with many years of experience in the hospitality industry. He has passion for travel and adventure, and he saw the potential for using technology to enhance the tourism experience. With a background in digital marketing and a keen understanding of the ever-evolving digital landscape, Leke is committed to revolutionizing the way people do business online and also how people plan and book tours and travel packages. Through his companies he uses cutting-edge technology to offer personalized, curated trip planning and booking services, making it easier for customers to plan and book the trip of their dreams. When he’s not busy growing his company, Leke is always exploring new places and cultures, and he’s always looking for the next big adventure.
Ehindero Damilola Ruth: is a known tour organizer and hospitality professional. She bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and tourism from the prestigious Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta FUNAAB.
She is a lover of nature and has been to a lot of destinations in Nigeria.
A great entrepreneur. Her passion for tourism promotion in Nigeria led to the birth of TourersNigeria, a tour firm that organizes private and/or group trips, offers tour guiding services for destinations and to destinations in Nigeria.
She desires to showcase the beautiful Nigeria to Nigerians and the world at large.
She’s a brilliant writer, as she has her own way of documenting her experience on various trips on a blog post, and she also shares useful tips and tricks to make navigating better in Nigeria.
Ehindero Damilola is presently the Travel director of TourersNigeria.
She’s set to be on a mission to tour the whole 36 States in Nigeria.
Wemimo Kolade: is a Nigerian traveller, adventure lover & experience curator. She has a passion for helping people explore better, showcase the beauty of the motherland and improve their mental health through maintaining a better work-life balance by curating fun experiences & tour packages, sharing her travel stories via social media & writings.
Also, she’s the founder of “The Fika Experience” a tourism brand with a thriving community of professionals, creatives, students etc of different age groups with the aims of fulfilling their travel dreams & adventures with Budget friendly packages across Africa & Nigeria.
She is present on Instagram as @im_wehmie
Ipinmi: is a travel blogger & content creator. Her biggest passion is travelling and exploring new destinations, experiencing new cultures and sharing how travel can be done without breaking the bank.
Through her content, she hopes to inspire us to embark on our own adventures. The world is there to be seen and explored. Her travel blog is called: Ferinajo which means lover of travel.
Tambollo Africa :Sikemi Ifederu is the Founder and CEO of TAMBOLLO Africa They are a travel company that creates authentic and life changing experiences through personalized private trips, group trips, retreats. They have a philanthropic aspect to them; they make a positive impact and support local communities that they visit. They are all about travelling with a purpose!
Odenike Oresanya :Has a travel brand known as Hey Nikeh. She is a lover of travel, adventure and beauty. She shares her stories through pictures and videos to inspire people to live their best life and discover the beauty of God’s Green Earth! She is an advocate for Nigerian Tourism and she showcases unknown and known locations through her videos while changing the negative narrative surrounding the country. She has visited 20 states so far and the plan is to visit the remaining 17. She is a certified Travel and Tours Management Practitioner with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Benin, Edo State.
Hannah Ajala: Ajala is a travelpreneur and storyteller with experience of over 50 countries, 15 of them being African countries. She is also a journalist with a passion of challenging stereotypes especially about the African continent. This passion also led her to start Ajala Travels Tours, where she brings travelers from around the world to safely enjoy the beauty of the African continent and beyond.
Veronica-Frank Ukafia: popularly known as Vera Frank is a traveler and travel content creator on a mission to see the world, let people see it through her eyes, and also inspire them to want to see it too, starting with her country Nigeria.
She does this by sharing amazing photos, videos, stories, and facts about the places she visits on Instagram:click here
This she does to help people who intend to visit these places have proper information prior to embarking on their journey. She also preaches “Start with where you are.” as most people often forget that if they’re on a budget, they could explore places within their home, prior to visiting other destinations outside their home country.
Apart from showing the beautiful places that exist in Nigeria, she recently started showing people other beautiful places on the African continent and hopes to expand to the rest of the world soon.
A big thank you to these amazing travel influencers for their feedback.
Do you already follow some of these awesome travel influencers? Are there travel influencers you will love to see added to this post?
before we went to eat banga soup at Miss Pam’s kitchen, my first taste of the Urobho delicacy in 2 years. After, I was treated to Boba (Bubble) tea at Qjoy for being an amazing friend and fun guest.
and thinking of possible new products or services that can be a unique selling offer.
classes etc.
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