REAL Time Travlr

Flight Path: Round the World with Nailah Hayward!

Nailah is on her SECOND round the world trip! How did she do it? Where is she now? Check out our Flight Path interview with this globetrotter and Theres So Much To See blogger!

Enjoying the Beach in Lebanon 

LOGISTICS

Where are you going on your trip? How did you decide where to go?

My trip began in Asia (Japan and S. Korea), moved to Australia, then the Middle East (Qatar, Turkey, UAE and Lebanon) then wrapping up in Europe (Cyprus, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, the UK, plus a bunch of countries I’m still deciding on). Initially the trip began with me just spending two months living in Beirut. I visited for the first time in 2010 for two weeks and knew that I wanted to return for a more significant amount of time. Then I realized I could probably get a flight that stopped in Turkey so I added that to the list. From there the trip just started snowballing as I added more stops. I practice the Brazilian Martial Art called Capoeira, so I added some stops like Hungary and Australia so I could attend events related to that sport. There were friends I hadn’t seen in a while that I wanted to reconnect with (Switzerland, the Netherlands and Japan) plus I figured why not hit up the Olympics in London. People kept putting ideas in my head for places to visit and I just kept saying, “OK, let’s do it”!

What is your mode of travel? Would you recommend it to other travelers?

Most times I’m hopping on a plane because my destinations are quite spread out. But once I get to Europe, I am going to incorporate train travel as well. When compared to the European discount airlines, I’m not sure train travel is any cheaper, but at least you get to see more of the countryside from a train and you normally end up right in the middle of the city when you arrive rather than at a far flung airport. For my plane tickets I bought a Round The World ticket with Airtreks. I had a good experience working with them and would recommend them to anyone who’s planning a similar trip. Where are you staying? (Hotels, Hostels, etc). Would you recommend it to others? I am all over the place when it comes to accommodations. I’ve stayed in hostels, boutique hotels and luxury properties. I’ve tried AirBnB, CouchSurfing (unsuccessfully) and here in Beirut I’m renting rooms in apartments which I found via the ‘Apartments in Beirut’ Facebook group. When I go to cities where I have friends, I often stay with them. I personally haven’t had much luck with CouchSurfing, but I’ve heard from many people who swear by it. I liked the experience with Air BnB in Seoul and will try them again in other cities. Of course, if you can swing it, a 5-Star property is the way to go. And although I’m not a huge fan of big hostel dorm rooms, I’ve stayed in some decent ones (Jam Hostel in Kyoto and #bunk hostel in Istanbul come to mind) and they are always a great way to meet fellow travelers if you’re going solo.

INTEL

You’ve been on this epic trip, how did you make the decision to do it? What was the reaction of family and friends?

I am one of those people who is always planning my next trip. For the last few years, that trip has been limited to about 2 weeks due to work responsibilities, but last year I got the idea in my head that I needed more. Not just to have a longer vacation, but to make a big change. On a whim, I attended Chris Guillebeau’s World Domination Summit in Portland last summer. Being surrounded by so many people who have become successful NOT doing the standard 9-5 made me realize that I had a choice in life. I could stay at a job that I complained about daily or I could make a significant change to the way I was living. The original intent was to request a leave of absence from work for 6 months and then return if I didn’t find another path, but when that leave request was denied, I knew I had to take the risk, step off the cliff and follow my passion for travel and writing. I had to break out of that mold to find a new path and I am very glad that I did. I am blessed to be surrounded by very understanding and encouraging friends and family. Though I’m sure they may have had reservations about what I was doing, I didn’t have one person tell me not to follow my dreams. They all supported me 100% which ultimately helped me get where I am to day. Plus this is my second Round the World trip so they are kind of used to it!

Did you have to save long or are you working on the road? 

I did save but probably not as much as I should have. Really I just timed my departure (from work and from the US) to coincide with when I received my work bonus. That gave me a chunk of change to work with. Plus I did make more of an effort to save once I made up my mind what I was going to do. I also tried my best to cut my expenses while I was on the road (e.g. getting someone to sublet my apartment). I wish I could say I’m one of those diligent, thrifty savers who had savings for the next two years – but I’m just not that person. I also am not good at consistently doing the budget thing. I’m good for a few budget meals and a hostel stay or two, but then I need to balance that out with a nicer hotel or an excursion that will allow me to better experience wherever I’m staying. Basically for me, its all about balance.

 Travelling in Cappadocia, Turkey 

What have been your favorite stops and why?

I found Cappadocia in Turkey to be very interesting and unique in terms of landscape. Its just a visually stunning place to go. Going back to Japan after 18 years was both amazing and emotional. I think I cried at least 4 or 5 times as I reunited with people and places I hadn’t visited in far too long. And having the chance to just “be” in Beirut is a treasure to me. Something about this city really speaks to me and I’m glad I have the two months to soak it all up and explore at my own pace.

Have you had any moments where you are looking for other Black travelers or female travelers to bond with? 

I think I always look for a friendly Black face when I’m on the road. I was a little disappointed in Seoul where I saw many black faces, but none of them would ever nod or smile in my direction. I was surprised to be completely ignored by nearly each person I smiled at. In Beirut, you see plenty of Africans, but they are almost exclusively there as domestic workers or cleaning staff. It is something I definitely have to get used to. There is definitely a tone of racism here that makes me uncomfortable. Its only the Blacks that I’ve met from the US that are here as tourists, students or professionals. As for Female travelers, I feel like they are everywhere so I never really feel like I have to seek them out. In fact I wouldn’t mind meeting more (single, eligible) male travelers!

How has it been interacting with locals on some of your stops?

For the most part it has been extremely positive. People tend to be helpful, welcoming and interested to learn more about me as a single, Black, American traveler. Of course there are exceptions and people I’ve met who have been poor examples of their country’s hospitality, but luckily they are the exception rather than the norm.

What do you miss most about home?

I have to say there’s not a lot I miss on a regular basis. There are so many new things to try and new places to see and new friends to meet. But all that being said, there are definitely times when I miss seeing my friends and family and being around people who know me and “get me”. I miss my Capoeira academy back in LA which is where I spend a good part of my free time…and I miss Crystal Light Lemonade, pretzels and a good quality margarita! OK – I guess I do miss some things!

Back to Japan, Kyoto

What have you learned about yourself on this journey?

So far I have learned that even though I am shy by nature, I can be outgoing when I need to be – and when you travel alone, you need to be outgoing on a regular basis. I learned that while I’m getting better, I still have some confidence issues that I need to work on – and no place like “on the road” to work on them. And just last night I learned that when I have absolutely no other option, I can get a half dead mega cockroach out of my room instead of fleeing the premises like I truly wanted to do (hopefully I won’t have to learn THAT lesson ever again).

Flight Path… Ghana Study Abroad with Seve Chambers.

LOGISTICS:

Where did you trip start? End? 
 From New York we landed in the city of Accra in Ghana. Then we went up north to the city Kumasi, and also spent some time in a small village outside of it called Besease. Then we went back down to the coastline to the city of Cape Coast, and headed back to Accra to fly back to New York.

Which airline?

Delta.

Rating from 1-10:

8. Got a direct flight, no problems with carry on, fed twice on ten hour flight, movie and music on board, and pillows and blankets provided. No internet access though.

Where are you staying? 

Stayed in multiple hotels, student and teacher dorms, and a guest house in a village.

Rating from 1-10:

Hmm. The hotels we stayed at like Treasure Land were actually pretty good. Since one of our dollars equals about 1.50 of theirs and it’s still rather inexpensive to live there, you can stay at a decent hotel for a good price. Just be prepared to sometimes not have the things we take for granted like TVs and internet access. Both of them rate like a 7 overall.

For students, the dorms will probably be minimal if you go to study there. Nothing fancy, which may be what you’re used to already or it could be humbling. If you choose to stay in someone’s house, be prepared as you may not even have things like a shower or a bathroom for that matter.

 



INTEL: 

 

Did you have any misconceptions about how things would be? Did anything surprise you?

Personally I tried my best to go there with an open mind. I did not have any silly notions of the country being severely impoverished or undeveloped like a Tarzan movie. But I also had accepted before, based on the experiences of others, that even though there is a very likely chance that my ancestry could be traced back to that western Africa region, that I would probably not be embraced as a lost son of the continent as is often romanticized. I didn’t detach myself to the point where it became a anthropological study of sorts, which is another mistake people make. I came there pretty much as a curious visitor, enjoying each experience while staying on top of my college and journalism duties.  

Many things on the trip were surprising as it was my first time leaving the United States for another country. But perhaps what threw me off the most was the tourist treatment I received from the people there, and the sense of alienation that it can bring. There were several points where I became very homesick. It made me better understand the feelings an immigrant has when they leave their homeland and have to adjust to being in a society that has different standards from what their used to. I also wasn’t entirely prepared for the way so many people there are conditioned to ask foreigners for money and aid, which is a double edged sword. On the one hand it can be difficult for the average person out there to move outside of their income bracket and hope to do well like we can attempt to do here, so they do need the assistance. Yet, this has also created a mentality there and in much of Africa where people all over have become dependent on the international community to be generous and donate quite a bit, especially from rich philanthropists, and don’t learn the skills and information needed to become self sustaining and competitive in the modern market. So instead they end up getting explored by poorly negotiated deals over their resources time after time. It’s a challenge to figure out how to address this issue, just like how in our country the debate over homelessness and unemployment is ongoing.

Now that you’re back in America, did you have that feeling that many other African Americans have when coming back from the motherland? What is “that feeling”?  

Yes. And it took me a while before that inevitable feeling sunk in. It truly resonated with me during the last week of the trip when I visited the slave castles in the Cape Coast area. When the realization is made that those places are where the African-American, Caribbean, and much of the modern South American experience began at, it’s a powerful thought. Within the castles you get a feel of what you’ve always been told about, and it hits home. For many, including President Obama when he visited there, this tends to be the place of acknowledgement and coming to terms with this history. Everything else you experience in Ghana becomes contextualized and understood by this, and there are many wonderful things to be seen and explored there that I can’t go into simply because of space limitations. I can definitely attest to not feeling entirely the same since I have returned, and it’s probably something I’ll be spending the rest of my life wrapping my head around.

I think, and this is my opinion, it’s a feeling of having connected with a part of your cultural background, a part of yourself, that is so stigmatized and suppressed on a regular basis to the point where many of us go to great lengths to mask all of this. And then it’s like when you travel over there, you feel like you’re in a setting where you can be yourself and you as a person have a right to feel good about everything that you are. From how you look to the traditions carried by your family, to the history that binds you to other people who at some point came from the same place of origin, that side of you is allowed to flourish. I’m not entirely sure if I can describe that feeling. I guess it’s like the title of the famous scholar’s W.E.B Dubois’ book, who lived his final days in Ghana and is buried there now, getting a glimpse into ‘the souls of black folks.’

I noticed on twitter you went down south and remarked that people there have similar characteristics as the people you encountered in Africa. Can you explain that?

Well even though slaves who came here had to learn the ways of the new land, they made very strong efforts to retain what traces of their cultures they could. Techniques such as farming, managing cattle and stock, and preparing certain types of food were utilized by the slaves and heavily contributed to the development of southern culture. In one lecture we had it was pointed out that slaves used similar building methods and geometric designs/patterns from their respective cultures for making things such as shanties and cloth. So many of these ideas and sense of the general way of living has been passed down through the generations, and in the current ones lies the traces of this that still connects them to Africa. What’s funny though is that due to globalization and so many people of this diaspora traveling back to places like Ghana to reconnect, that people in Africa are learning about African-American and Caribbean culture and are adopting the unique ideas in them. That’s another conversation though.

You Asked…. about travelling through post-earthquake Japan.

Kelli is quite an adventurous travlr. She’s leaving for Japan to climb Mount Fuji and discover the delicasies offered by the Tsujuki fish market and more…

But first she asked and our friend Daisha, now living in Tokyo for over 5 years took some time to answer. Thank you Dai!

Transporation: Since it’s too late to get an all access rail pass do you recommend another pass to purchase while I’m there?  Are the PASMO or SUICA cards more convenient to use?

If planned correctly I should be able to see every district in Tokyo, correct?  I guess my biggest concern is travel expense (subway, bullet train, taxi)  I can’t seem to find a site that will assist me with accurate rates.  Do you recommend any sites to visit for this?  

Daisha Says: Check the Japan Railway website to read about passes you are eligible for as a visitor.
Use Jorudan Norikae site to search station to station times and prices. You must use correct spelling so use a Tokyo metro map.
Busses are ¥200 Trains vary by distance. Suica/Pasmo help you avoid having to buy tickets so get one with ¥5000 on it and you can use it at stores and vending machines. Check for metro pass length and prices but looking at your plans:
You can’t use Suica and Pasmo down south (Kansai area-Kyoto have their own train cards)
Bullet trains are expensive period but you might be able to get a discount.
Your trip is short so you may not benefit from a whole pass. Check the prices before you leave for Japan so you know exactly what to buy when you land at the airport. They can help you best and in English. 

Money: I was told there will be banks and ATMs all over that I can use to get money.  And yes, they take “American” bank cards.  Bigger stores take credit cards but most smaller stores will accept cash only so cash is better to have.  Do you have any further recommendations or suggestions?

Daisha Says:  Get your money exchanged in the USA.  The yen is smashing the dollar so try not to withdrawal or charge your credit cards unless necessary. Although you get duty free shopping, the bank fees and exchange rates may not be worth it. Try to get your yen from a bank there. It is safe to carry your cash here, and keep it at the hotel, unless you just don’t want to chance loosing it in general.

Activities: Do you have any suggest for other locations or things to do besides those listed below?

• Climbing Mount Fuji
• Taking a bullet train to Kyoto and stay overnight
• Visiting the Asakusa Samba Festival weekend of Aug 27-28
• Taking a day trip to Kamakura/Yokohama, Harajuku/Shibuya for shopping and site seeing

Daisha Says: I suggest climbing Fuji as soon as you get here, please prepare before hand-it is rough!!! My friend just fit back last week. Try to find a group on Facebook unless you already have a climbing plan.

Use Hato Bus Tour for any additional activities you want to do but may not have time to venture on your own.

  Check Metropolis.jp for good info too.

Words from Daisha about staying safe while travelling in Japan: 

You’ll probably feel a couple earthquakes while you are here. I get on twitter before i do anything now-just our communal reaction. Please update your Facebook if you’re on there and in touch with family. 

Daisha Hunter is a DJ, media maven, Tokyo transplant, and CEO of ENT-ToKyo JP which bridges artists from the USA and Tokyo.