Intrepid Traveller

Whilst I can't claim to be an intrepid traveler,  I know a girl who is and in this interview, we get to understand what it's like to crave adventure like Phileas Fogg! Michelle Turner gets a buzz  from exploring new places, cultures and experiences, whether it be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or cycling through Vietnam and Cambodia. There aint much this woman has not done including a trip to Antartica this year. 

Michelle's wanderlust has led her to embark on solo adventures, allowing her to follow her own path and discover new perspectives. I intend to do the same.

Enjoy! 

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Transcript

E82 - Intrepid traveller

00:00

Welcome, welcome. Welcome Michelle, what a long time it is, since I've seen you. And I'm just gonna say to my listeners that I know I've done a little intro to Michelle. But it was I was just absolutely blown away the other week by seeing what she's been up to. So, as I said, she has done she's just come back to the Antarctic in January, which we're talking about, but she is definitely an intrepid traveller, and I could learn a lot. So Michelle, I just asked you what started your insatiable passion for travel. Come on, girl, give it up. So

00:36

I seen a thank you. That was a lovely introduction. So what started my passion, I guess I was really lucky in the sense that I grew up with parents that took me away every year for the summer holidays. And that started if I remember back to places like Cornwall and Wales, but then when I got about seven or eight, that was when I went for my first holiday abroad. And actually, that was to Jamaica. And then the second trip, the following year was to Spain, and that very different holidays, Tina, but what I really got from that was a sense of freedom. And it sounds so ridiculous. What does a kid need to do with read and or what do they know about freedom, but I distinctly remember how I felt on both of those holidays, and it was freedom. Now, when I went to Jamaica, it didn't start off too well. Because Tina, as you said, we have a bit of an athlete's background, my trip to Jamaica, clashed with my school sports day. So I was actually furious with my parents for pulling me out of school to go to Jamaica and missing my sports day. So I thought it was out of order. So then start flew well. But when I got there, I had a very different life to the one that I knew at home in the sense that at such a young age, I wasn't one of those kids who was allowed to play out in the street. But when I was in Jamaica, Tina, the freedom Oh my god. So you stayed with family and different members of family. So we went around different parts of Jamaica. But I just remember particularly one cousin's house just being in either the back garden, the front garden, playing Rounders as it were, with an old milk carton as the ball in my hand as the bat. And literally just love in life, Tina, it was just basic and simple, but free. So I loved it, loved it, loved it. And then the following year, we went to Spain, and again, that sticks out. I remember distinctly the hotel we stayed in was called called the hotel Gulf Trinidad. I've never stayed in a hotel before. Up until that point. It was one of those either Michelle, I read when I was eight or nine. Okay. And it was one of these package holidays. And I don't know why. And I've asked my parents and they don't remember. And I don't know if it was a thing in the 80s. But it was one of these places, or one of these packages where you don't know where you're staying until you get there. Yeah, exactly. So you know what, you know, the area. So I'm gonna butcher name throughout. So I'm going to call it an Maria L. Maria. I'm sure that's not how you pronounce it. But yeah, it's

02:59

now Maria.

02:59

Yeah, there we go. So we stayed in El Maria. And that's all you know, I think. But you're given a brochure. And there are potentials of the hotels that you might stay in. So again, I clearly remember thumbing through this brochure, and thinking, right, this is the hotel that I want to stay at the hotel, golf, Trinidad. And again, I was begging my parents, can we definitely stay there? Can we definitely stay there? And they're like, No, we won't know till we get there. And then as luck would have it, we did stay there. We stayed there. Now this hotel Tina, I want to say it was a five star maybe it wasn't I actually bumped up. I was having this conversation with you. I did a bit of a Google search and look it up. It does not look like the

03:42

days that you stayed in all those many years ago, you.

03:46

And I sent it to my mom. And she's like, Oh, God, that's not what we stayed in. So it's not like it was but I just it was brand new at the time. Everything was high end, everything was blinking. And it was just you could feel the sense of money that had been invested in the place. And I think that was also maybe a time when they were just starting to develop our Maria because I remember it being in the middle of nowhere. And it was just fantastic. But as I mentioned about the freedom in Jamaica, there, I was in this kid's club from morning to afternoon, and just didn't really see my parents so much of the day and just had the best time with the other kids in the kids club. And again, I keep using the phrase freedom but that's just really what I felt I just felt free and loved it loved it loved it. So that's always my biggest takeaways and actually when I think about travel now and what that gives me, it's still the freedom that I feel when I'm out there. Not to feel not to say that I feel constrained or any Indian under any tight restrictions when I'm at home, but particularly when I'm on one of my off the beaten track type holidays, I definitely feel like I have this freedom like I can't get from anywhere else. So I

04:58

mentioned when you off the beaten track holidays, can you guess, one of those because it's funny you say about freedom, too, because during the holiday, I always feel time starts because my my listeners have heard me say this before, because I did one called travel bug made years ago. And this is what I'm gonna call this one intrepid traveller. Because my holiday starts, once I get to the airport, excitement just sets in, blah, blah, blah. And I think for me, what I've learned over the years and especially talking to you and talking to this other girl the other day is that I have to up my game a bit to do more of this. I would call it the intrepid unnatural travelling because I have stayed in nice hotels, I'm not a big fan of going to the five stars all the time, because actually, you're going on holiday to do stuff. And it was interesting this morning, as I was talking to you before we started reporting, talking to this company saying they said what are you looking for? I said, culture blah, blah. Don't stay in a hotel all day long. I'm not one of these at night by the whatever. Yeah. So when you said about off the beaten track. If I ever done that, the only place I've done it is Kenya, but it was was guided in certain respects. So what about you, then Michelle, what was your off the beaten track? Probably best experience, because you seem to have done quite a few. Yeah,

06:12

I would say. So what I really loved one of the trips that I really loved was when I was in Nepal. So I actually that was a part of a bit of a trip, in fact, so leading up to my 40th birthday, I decided to take three months out of working and just travel. And so during that time, I was in Borneo, Bali, Japan, China. Oh gosh, where else Bhutan. Bhutan, by the way, if people haven't heard of it, they only got TV in 1999. So that really was in the middle of nowhere. So it's just a small country near Nepal and India, kind of just in central central Asia. I would describe it. Yeah, completely landlocked, but a very small country. But the reason why I wanted to go there is because they have this awkward. What's it a temple was it worth carved out into the side of a cliff is called the Tiger's Nest in Google. So I wanted to hike that because I do like hiking and trekking while I'm away as well. But as a part of that trip, I was in Nepal, and I was hiking around the Himalayas. So got to base camp. So Everest base camp was hiking around the Himalayas, went to Nam shapers, our it was just the most stunning and before I went on that trip, so that was a part of a group trip. And before I embarked on

07:33

when you say as part of a group trip, because I'm gonna like I said, I want this to be educational. Who will you with?

07:38

Yeah, so I went with a company called Intrepid, who were known for doing what do they call it? group trips for solo travellers. So you'll go and typically will be up to 15 people in the group who come from all over the world. It's an Australian company. But you'll find people typically from the UK, Australia and the US. And it's just like minded people, it will invariably be people that range in age backgrounds, race, socio economic groups, on paper, people that you would think that you'd have nothing in common with. But you absolutely always find that you've got lots in common with them. So I went with them. And because it was a group trip, I was expecting quite a few people. But this trip, just coincidentally, it was just me and the guide. And so it was just two of us. Come Exactly. So when on the day before I started the trip, I found out it was just me and him. But Tina, I was beside myself, I thought my God is going to be awful. How am I going to talk to this man about like, I was just thinking of all the negatives. And actually, it turned out absolutely brilliant. And actually, something similar happened to me when I was doing a safari as well. But that's another story. But it was just far far far exceeded my expectations. And when I talk about being off the beaten track, and just feeling as though I have this freedom, you definitely have this, that there because you're kind of looking around, there's no one around, the air is crisp and fresh, you just I can't really put it into words other than this just sense of just like you feel how insignificant you are compared to the rest of the world because you just see that the world is so much bigger than your post. It's just something that I only get personally from travelling so that that was one of them just doing all that hiking and trekking and also it worked in my favour as well because I wasn't especially fit at that time. So I could kind of dictate the pace that I was hiking that

09:33

logically helps right when you've got I think for people here as well because you do get your beach bowls and all that kind of stuff and it does help like you said, if you like hiking or you like cycling because then when you're looking into it, you can say right I'm on part of this adventure to be cycling or staining or something so I would sort of say to people to find your sweet spot within travel. And if it's, you know, we shouldn't really show light and I can check in some people may fit cleaned up want to do anything physical like that. But even if it's, you know, being with the locals and doing local cookery classes or something, find your sweet spot to see what it is because I think it was interesting. I was talking to Michelle, before we started recording about, I'm looking at Thailand. And I'm looking to go with probably trail Fang trailfinders Just because I'm going potentially with a friend who might not be wanting to do too much off the beaten track. And it was interesting that trailfinders will say, Well, what do you like doing culture? What does that mean? I like seeing historical interest. I like meeting the locals. So then they start tailoring it. So I said, you know, I love Thai food, I'd love to do some authentic cook, I want to do a cooking class out there. Absolutely. That kind of stuff. So I think it's, it's really important, I think, you know, if I go back again, then I will do what Michelle's done, which is to go with intrepid travel, so I can do the cycling, I can do the village, there's lots of vintage stuff they came up with, I think then talking about that off the beaten track. I really like the feeling of, you know, when you say you just feel free because there's something when I go on holiday. It's almost like going back to a world I the UK, especially us and we live in London, back to this rat race and feeling kind of caged in, you know, and when you're on holidays, especially when you do off the beaten track, and you don't feel like a tourist. What's your view as on these touristy, touristy touristy spots? Would you be seeing dead in them now? Well,

11:29

that's a funny thing. I guess, quite often the tourist spots are tourist, tourist spots and attractions for a reason. Right. So when I'm in China, I'm definitely going to do the Great Wall of China, even though it's just full of tourists. And so I'm definitely going to go to the Forbidden City, I'm definitely going to go to Tiananmen Square, I think there are things that you just have to do. Well, I think you have to do, yeah, like, you just need to do it. So I just, I think really going back to what you're saying is just what is it that you're trying to get out of the trip? Right? And what is it that you enjoy it? And what do you where do you flourish, and once you understand that, then you can tailor it to the sources really make it the trip that you're looking for. Because unless it's one of those heavy hitter tourist destinations, I'm probably not going to go there. But that doesn't mean that somebody else won't get something pleasurable from it. So I think, identify what it is that you're looking for. And again, going back to what you said, like I, I enjoy tricking, I enjoy hiking. But an Everest base camp might sound like a big tick place for somebody, but actually, is it really something that you're capable of doing because if it's not, then it's probably shouldn't be on your list. Because you'll often find that there are people participate in an activity that really isn't meant for them. And even though there might be all the different warnings quite often they've gone into it, because they just want to tick that box rather than thinking about what it is and what their capabilities are.

12:51

I think that's really great advice you just given. And I think another example, then to add on to that show is that a couple of years ago, I don't even want to say the place but I just wanted to relax and so did my friend we ended up we said look, we're gonna do it. And we wanted somewhere it was in May. Nevertheless, it hurt her father was ill really ill. So she didn't go any more than four hours. And it was really a struggle, because I'm a son, baby number one. So for this relaxing, break it as much as I want to do Iceland, which I will do without that maybe not on top of Antarctica, which I want to come on to. We ended up in tolerating this five star hotel, beautiful hotel, but hideous, hideous in terms of brick suppled, loads of bacon and eggs, all this kind of stuff. It was like, you know, I met couples. This is my sweet spot when I'm away in some way like that. I talked to everybody. This one couple have been going for 25 years to Ali's were seven o'clock. Everybody's out there beach towels trying to get on. It was hideous. Yeah. And so now I've changed and said, boutique hotels, look at somewhere that if I want it by the beach, I don't want to look right at 90,000 Other people like whales just getting whatever they're doing is just it's just so awful, isn't it? Yeah. And I think what you were saying there was so cool, because it's like when some people reach 40 or mainly 40. I've got to do the marathon. Well, why? Yeah, because everybody else is British. Well, I've got to London to Brighton. I've had London to Brighton. You know what I've taken it right back off that list. I don't want to do London's Brian. Yeah, I don't want to do it. I actually. Yeah, yeah. What am I doing it for sure. I just recycle regularly. stop for coffee and cake and so forth. But I digress. Let's come back in. Let's come back in. So some of these trips, you've taken them. And I'll come on to I've got to come on to the big piece of resistance bond because seeing that Jamaican flag in the snow. I just needed a polar bear to walk up behind you now. Do you travel mainly on your own now because I want really to especially some people and I've done it before, but solo Cha Who When was your first trip? And how did it really feel?

15:02

Okay, so the first time I got on a plane by myself was in 2011. And that was when I took a trip to Fiji. And I found this company. I know so I found

15:16

this absolutely sickening. Anyway,

15:20

I found this company that Monday through Friday, you did voluntary work in these different schemes. So back in the day, I wanted to be a teacher. So I actually found a scheme where you were a classroom assistant Monday to Friday, and then the weekend you would Island hot. And so this was back when I was still in full time employment. I was in permanent employment. So they were kind enough to let me have a month off of work. And I did. I did that essentially. But one of the weeks actually, one of the weeks I can't remember why that but they pulled the teaching for one of the weeks so we actually ended up being going into a village quite North infeed in Fiji called neck of eco village. I don't know why that were sticks with me. But it does. And there you get to what actually the company had also been working with the locals in Mecca, Vika village to build a community for all. So we went up there. So what the community hall was like and stayed with some of the families up there. And just really just got to experience their life as it were. So I was there at the same week. I think it was actually five days in Mecca, Vika. And then I remember, like, this sucks. I used to play netball back in the day as well. So I will play netball with the local teams. And it's just like, when will I eat? Sometimes you just catch yourself looking around and thinking when will? Yeah, me? Yeah, like never How have I found myself in. So and then again, I did some hiking and trekking around there. They took us on some tours of some local areas did some cliff jumping. So that was the first time that I like I said, I got on the plane by myself. But the company that I went with, you actually stayed in a house with other people that were participating in this scheme. But they were typically Gap Year students or they're just getting their degree. So I was 31 at the time, so I was a fair amount older than them didn't look it but anyway. And they were all quite, but I can't find any better word than posh. It was they were all like boarding school kids or so you just think oh my god, I've got nothing in common with these people. But again, it just takes you back to the fact that we're all there wanting to do the same sort of thing. So actually, you do have something in common with these people. And that was my first experience, although I wasn't on my own because there was the organisation behind me that had got me there. It was my first experience of not knowing who I was with being completely. I don't want to say isolated but just feeling different. Not having the common ground with people that I wouldn't listen to

17:47

braid, Michelle, because look, I I think we're I struggle. I have been away a couple of times, but it's so been so tailored, it's just sanitised and tailored it's ridiculous. Where I would struggle, and I'm gonna understand from you is sleeping in a room with people. I don't know, if I'm really funny about cleanliness and your habits and leaving, you know, it's not about being messy. It's about cleanliness and people's habits yet Angie, get random because she said to me, you're a bit of an introvert, right? How do you get round turning up at this place? You're staying in this house? I know it's 31 and you've done other things since How do you sort of get around that and think I'm just gonna get on with this because actually, the thought of enjoying whatever this trip is gonna offer me is far bigger than being in a room with whatever is that? Yeah, what how do you see exactly

18:35

what happens? Right? You just have to go into it, and just get over it. That's the only way I can describe it. Right? Just get over it. So this is a case that at the time, I used to wear a retainer on my teeth at nighttime, actually, no, no, no, no, it was my Invisalign, actually. So I used to have Invisalign in my head, that's fine with the strip. And I remember being in the bathroom, there are multiple bathrooms brushing my teeth, and I dropped my Invisalign in the sink. Not necessarily a problem. However, I've never seen a mould or a fungus like this in my life and it was out of the drain. And so my my Invisalign fell on top of it, Michelle, I nearly died. I had to put this thing in my mouth was brush it and brush it and brush it, put it in and get on with my day and from the time that happened, you just think you know what, just get over it like Yeah, and it's not

19:28

the same with other people's habits in the bathroom though. Not to go deep here because I'm just Well funny. Any skid marks in the toilet. I'm running a mile if they don't mind. Listen.

19:39

We did have a clean up there was that however, I can't really comment because I'm not the most tidy of people, right? So you do have to step over people's stuff and there might even be a couple next you just trying to get it on. Like really, you just get over

19:54

it. Just get over it. You're brilliant. Michelle, I think you're brilliant because I don't think I could get over I think I I really need to test myself and say, I'm either not doing that again or whatever. I'm going to interpret travel. And I think I'm going to do comfort because there are different levels of comfort. And until you didn't, you can test me and give me some tips because I don't mind the messiness. I don't mind that. Okay, here's another one. Let me come off that because I'm getting a bit OCD on it. Now. What about the security of your things? SHARE with others that you don't know? Well,

20:25

I want to take valuables. Right. So I think the most valuable thing I would take with me on my phone or my laptop, because I always I don't know why I need to have my laptop with me,

20:35

my friend actually share she always takes a

20:39

bloody handbag. Is this embarrassing? So I've always got those two things, but things like watches and jewellery and all that sort of stuff. Leave at home. And then the next most, most valuable thing would be my passport, or maybe your

20:50

cars and your clothes, a credit card, pick them on,

20:52

they run me right. You just keep those things on you write them on you. Yeah. But I've actually, I don't know if now's the time to remind you of this story. But you remember when we were in Tenerife, and we got robbed. No, tell

21:05

me your Mommy. Oh my god, I can't remember this. Say so

21:09

in terms of safety. The only time I've been in inverted commas dangerous situation. Because I wouldn't call it dangerous but it's the the most dangerous I've been in was we would train we'd already train because when we would train in the morning and train it on in the afternoon, we've done our morning session and we were sitting on like a promenade area with like a cement kind of bench. And I remember I had a brown rack second back in the day. That's when you had traveler's checks, and you couldn't pass traveler's checks without your passport. So I literally had all my traveler's checks my passport, and I have a fever and I had your stuff as well in my bag. It was in my bag next to me. And I just remember out the corner of my eye, a brown for image just in my periphery and my bag was brown for I turned around and someone was stealing art stealing my bag. So wrong people to steal from you don't steal from America. We all speak to I started running down the road and Oh, my dogs. Yeah, we're down the road and got the back. So that's the only time in my life that I've been in a situation where my sailed

22:15

every other place I've been to has been absolutely fine. For example, when you went to going back to your let's say the Inca trips, Michels done the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Is that the our pronounce it in? Yeah, where would your laptop be? So this oh god Cypher she's been through to everywhere, gone. So

22:41

God, I feel like, you know, those of you ever seen those pictures of people doing Mount Everest, and there's 100 people queuing, these rich people, so not that I'm anywhere near that league, but it does kind of feel like that, in that you have a lot of porters who do a lot of the heavy lifting, right. So when you do the Inca Trail, you sleep in a tent, and it's just like a one woman tent that you're sleeping or with you're sharing with someone or to person and, and you carry the things that you're going to need day to day, once a day to day throughout that day. And that stretch of the of the height. And then everything else is carried by the porters. You have your breakfast, they have a breakfast tent where you sit up in the morning, you have your breakfast. And then as you're preparing to the height that day, they take down your tent, like literally teen up, pack the tents up, they carry them on their head, they're wearing their crocs, and you set up on your journey. The next thing you know, the supporters have, like I say run past you because it's faster than the pace that we're maintaining all your belongings on their head. And then by the time you get to the next point, you'll just be set up and Everything's all set up. So I would hold on to my laptop and my phone. So I'd carry those in my rucksack, but everything else is ahead of me waiting for me might get

23:59

to the next one. Wow, that's insane. I kind of Yeah, so I mean, and while we're on the the trail thing, so you've done Kilimanjaro? Yeah, yeah. Everybody's asking what ASAN is built on. So Kilimanjaro, how did you do it? And how did you prepare for that? Because that was altitude training, right that you had to get

24:25

yet but the thing is, with the altitude altitude sickness is there's nothing you can really do to prepare for it. And there's nothing you can really do to avoid it. And it's just luck whether you get it or not. So for example, when I did it, there was a guy there a soldier, in fact, so obviously, he's incredibly fit. And he picked on tours of Afghanistan. He was like a frontline soldier. He was the only person in our 12 person group that struggled with altitude sickness. So there are two when you do Kilimanjaro there were two and I forgot what they're called now but there are two summits there's summit a and summit B. I can't remember what they're called now. And he got to the first summit and he couldn't go any further because he was the altitude bad out Yeah. And sadly for him he actually ended up he went to propose to his then girlfriend so he couldn't he wanted to propose on the top and couldn't get

25:20

so sick.

25:24

So I probably because quite often teen I get an idea in my head. Actually, no, that was slightly different because I was raising money for the Alzheimer's Society, because at the time my gran was struggling with dementia, so I prepared for that. Now that I think about it. I prepared maybe about between four and six months in advance of doing that. I was exercising a lot more because as we've said, we weren't athletes, but I ran the shortest distance proper possible, because I hated anything injuries wise.

25:52

So I've jumped the shortest. So you know what my maximum running was 100 metres at the most going at Kilimanjaro, which is how huncho How far is it? Oh,

25:59

you've done it. I can't remember Tina.

26:03

Yeah, but it's how many days did it take?

26:05

So it was four days? Sorry, four nights. Five days of high.

26:11

Okay. Okay. That gives you the right yeah. Bloody hell. Wow. Oh, I'm just too good. Okay, so we've gone to the extreme, but we haven't because we're going to talk about Antarctica before I forget. So please tell our listeners who basically I saw on Instagram, Michelle, whose heritage is from Jamaica, parents from Jamaica, she stuck this Jamaican flag in what looked like this snow bound place. I thought, Where is she? Penguins and all this kind of stuff. And then she put in a caption Antarctica. I mean, it blew me away because I knew you're an intrepid traveller. But please tell our listeners a little bit why you decided to go into Antarctica. What was what was the highlight? And what was the low light because we are going to come on to a bit of low light because you've given me so many highs, I feel like I'm gonna book 10 grands worth of holidays in about two hours time.

27:06

So Antartica has been on my list forever. But it was just one of those things I kept saying on stop.

27:11

You've got a bucket list of places. In my head. Yes, right. Okay, okay. Okay, sorry,

27:18

I just, it was there forever. I knew that at some point, I was going to do it. So a friend of mine, and I loosely said, we'll do it for our 50th. But other than that we really never spoke about when I was going to do it. Now, I digress. Only a little to say last year, the top of my list was Jordan, Israel and Palestine. And I was saying that I was going to do it all year, all year. And being self employed, I kept saying I'll do it at the end of this project I'll do at this end of this project. And that date just never came. And then we'll know what happened October and so then it just became an impossibility. But you know what, I'm never let in this situation happen again. So I'm gonna say to myself, if I want to do something, I'm just going to do it. Antarctica was there and I thought, I'm just gonna book it. So literally, that was November of last year. And then I went in January. So like I said, don't always give me as much planning or too much thought. But the reason why I wanted to do it is because as I said, when I was like in the pool and doing the Himalayas, there's nothing that beats for me being in what feels like the middle of nowhere. This is even when I did the Serengeti, I remember just looking around and just not being able to see anything anywhere with vegetation. But that is all you see. You don't even see vegetation in Antarctica. Obviously it's the middle of nowhere Right exactly. It's just snow all you see is snow ice. Polar bears no polar bears there in the Arctic. So then north but down at the bottom in Antarctica, you see seals, penguins the penguins just walk past you like they don't business they walk straight past you just want an impasse don't give a monkey's about you. You see like Albatross and all these great burden to say birds it sounds pretty boring, but when you see the the wingspan Tina and the way they just glide above the ship. Yeah, all boats that were in, it was just crazy. So those my two favourite the seals and the penguins, because the the seals were huge as well, you can get quite close to them. So it was always on the list. And I just thought I'm just gonna do it. So I did it.

29:26

The question right, I'm gonna still carrying this could you go you know, they've got these survival programmes like the island and stuff like that. Not quite like that. But could you take yourself off for a year and live on somewhat quite remote as long as it had Wi Fi? And you could work a little bit because I know that you could probably do your job and not need to be here. Would you do that? And so because it seems like I'm surprised you're even still living here because given your travel things I'm surprised you haven't just said you know what? I'm going off six months I might take a job but I can do this. This, this and this. I don't need to Be here.

30:00

So I almost did. So as much as I like being in different places around the world. Personally, I don't think you can beat London. So I will always be a Londoner, unless someone gives me a reason not to be. But I went up when was it in 2019, I went to Abu Dhabi. And like we said, I don't normally do these types of holidays. But it was a bit of a party holiday, when they had a brilliant time and just met this group of I know, we always call them expats, when they're British, we don't call them immigrants, right. But this group of British expats, just black group of people, or the same sort of ages may or may be a little bit younger, all just live in the life in Abu Dhabi. And they sold me the dream, Tina, they absolutely sold me the dream. So that was November of 2019. So I thought, I'm gonna do it. Because I know that my line of work in Abu Dhabi, there are plenty of job opportunities out there. So when I got back, I was immediately online, and found loads and loads of jobs. I thought, Yeah, I'm definitely going to do it. So my contract was due to come to an end in the January of the following year.

31:06

So we all know what happened.

31:09

January 2020. And I've already had a trip to Jamaica booked. So I came, went to Jamaica in February, my contract ended in January, went to Jamaica, came back in February, and then about a week or two went into lockdown. And so all of these slots are unseen in Abu Dhabi, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, completely empty. So it was my intention. I thought, sorry, I'm going to do it. I'm going to rent out my house, I'm going to move to Abu Dhabi. Even if it's for a year, the intention is I'm definitely going to do it. Like I was so short in my mind that I was going to do it. But good old COVID Put an end to that. Yeah, yeah. And it's funny, because, you know, there's,

31:47

I constantly wake up this morning, and it was absolutely hated. I did my meditation about six blocks, and more than I thought, and like I said, you're supposed to meet a friend, she hasn't she got this call. And I said, Do you really want to come out in this weather? And I know, it sounds really busy. And I just want to be part of my year in a warmer climate. And I think part of it will be to test myself. Can you live somewhere else? Where would that be? Would you go to your little bit easy to go to Europe, isn't it? I mean, there's too many Brits and board and all that kind of stuff. But it's interesting what you said about Abu Dhabi, because I remember, so many people are gonna have to have a debate because tax is well, I don't think the tax piece is so great. Now it might have I think it's dropped a bit. Everybody thought you could do this really good. You know, earn good money and tax so much. I think it's slowly the economy changed worldwide, as you know, and it's changed and so forth. So I don't know if this is good, but it would have been an interesting experience, I think, even for a year, because you have a group of people already that you can assimilate with wouldn't be quite nice. Yeah. Would you go and do that Say and don't tell me you've been here. Michelle. Costa Rica. I

32:51

haven't. So Central America is on my list. And

32:56

I think I might have to do some intrepid travel with you. I'd love to do it. Brazil. Costa Rica. Yeah. Argentina delivered and then my because I think you've nearly done all the continents. You haven't done the Asian continent where you have. I've done yeah,

33:09

I've done all continents now. So now that I've done Antarctica, I've done all seven.

33:13

What did you do in Africa? The biggest ated Serengeti yet Tanzania.

33:16

I mean, if you think about technically, Egypt, Morocco, which I call our Africa, Kenya, I did because I flew when I was doing Yeah, I flew in

33:29

New York done that yet. And then South Africa, and South Africa. No, that's on the list as well. We should definitely conspire on a couple of these. We need to go and see when

33:40

Nelson Mandela was we need to go to the Victoria Falls, we need to make

33:45

we go off and do a South Africa. Maybe we could do our own itinerary because I've got really good connects from when we used to live out there that I know I did an interview with him the other week next chief met officer in the place. And then the other day, my friend Sharon, she lived out in Zambia for nearly three years. So she has got a good connection. So it'd be quite nice. We could self do that one. Yeah, I would really be up for that with you.

34:07

I met this girl in Antarctica, and she lives in chat and she's been there for eight years. She was like Michelle, if you ever want to come to Shabbat she said look, to be honest. There's nothing going on in chat. But if you want to go somewhere else in Africa, I'm more than help. Happy to like tell you the do's and don'ts and where's and what's and all the rest of it. So yeah, let's do what I think we should plan on. Because I think it'd be I think it'd be nice. I'd like to get out of my comfort zone. But

34:31

also I sat in my comfort zone. One time travelling. That's it. I'm all over it, you know, because it's when I was in Ghana, and that was you know, a friend at a friend's donate in Ghana and advertising exec we stayed in his house. Yeah, we have a driver for some of it but we took the bus up to come RC I sat with a local locals making fishing boats. It was just not I was a local person. And that's what I like to do the things we all like that I stayed in someone's house when they met Just given off, it went off. Yes, I'm gonna showered with the junk going over my head beautiful house. But bottom line is some of their services go in. That's it. No water, no electricity. I was absolutely cool. The only time we're not called, if I see a roach come towards me, I'm almost running out the house naked. But aside from that, so I'm coming back to solo travel and you have some amazing places. What advice would you give to others? Then? We get to this point, don't we? And I think you and I have a full conversation about this. You've got a partner or you might have different friendships and sometimes you know, we all get different things. Some people don't want to share any memorable my own space. What advice would you get some new really wants to get away? To go solo? What are some top tips you'd give?

35:41

So I would say if you're half considering it, do it firstly. But secondly, maybe start small, right? So if you go to a plan, we're very lucky in that most places speak English. However, that language is always going to be a barrier. So maybe go somewhere where you know they speak English, or go somewhere, make it a make it small to start with. So if you're in the UK, for example, maybe just test yourself maybe go to Dorset, the Cotswolds, the lakes, Scott over sorry, places to rate it. I've had such a good time in what had a fantastic time in Wales a few years ago, and a fantastic time in Ireland a couple of years ago when we went there for New Year's Eve. So do do something small, maybe maybe for a weekend or even if it's a city, bro, go to Liverpool, whatever it might be, but just test your ability to just be on your own and see how you fare think

36:35

that's a very good point. One of the big things I found is, and I've literally been learning this week is the whole single supplement thing where you get overcharged. Yeah. And that I think it's going to take a long time. Because you know, it's only in certain countries where they charge for the room, not the number of people in it. And it might just get through Monday, I would say from what I've seen this week, and maybe you can help me out with this going on places like booking.com, hotels hotels.com or going on Skyscanner, I've got them all open in every tab and I literally the same day, I put in what I want. And it's really interesting, because some people just go to their favourites. Oh, you know, I always booked with Thomas Cook, forget what the Thomas Cook in the package holiday places. Yeah, media do. You must test that independently booking your flights, blah, blah, blah, and whatever. And I think the single supplement is an absolute bitch. Yeah, other big piece of advice I'd get especially out this morning, I was looking at this place in Cyprus, because I make all my own for just some r&r, I may not, is going to the origin, the hotel origin, if you're gonna go into a hotel or something, you do that. Because you know, let's face it, I've got a couple of friends. If I'm going on holiday, I'm not going to make my bed, I'm not going to go into kitchenette and make my breakfast I want to go to break, I get that. What I would say is a saver for some people, depending if your family or whatever. And I get that as well, because it can work out expensive just to bed and breakfast, because the whole all inclusive thing is a bit of a con, isn't it? Mitch?

38:00

Yep. So I totally think so. And I, I think I think it's the all inclusive thing is a con for multiple reasons. One, because you never consume more than you've paid for, like, unless you're really going to get wasted, you're never going to consume more than than what you've paid for. And two, it kind of automatically puts a restriction in place because you don't want to go out of the hotel because you've already paid so much money. So you feel like you have to eat and drink in the hotel. And that already just therefore cuts your ability to travel and see the actual country. So I think maybe on a smart like it, like you said, if you go in for some r&r, and you just want to chill and do nothing, then go for it. But I was in this group chat recently with some girls, because my friend is having her Hindu life or she's having she's gonna be married for 25 years. And she didn't have a Hindu or anything like that. So she's kind of doing it in celebration of it. And I was in this group chat. And it's just funny the differences that people have in terms of what their expectations are, when they're travelling. And they will often note, this hotel isn't quite right. And it's like, mate, it's clean. And that's all we need. Right? Because I'm not intend on spending a lot of time

39:09

you're the wrong one to ask them, aren't you? Because you're totally going to be different probably for the most of them, though. It's just like

39:15

so you kind of just feel like you have to go with the flow, but totally with you in terms of Yep, go to Skyscanner and go to go to all these other places. Because if you are just doing all inclusive, in one sense, you feel like you've paid and it's not going to be any more than that. So know where you stand. But other than that, I just don't see the benefits. You don't see the country and you don't even it ends up being more expensive. Street food for me. always the best. Right?

39:40

bismol Pepto Bismol just because let me tell you something. When I first went in Egypt trip, it's not uncommon to beat in this chicken. They've been running around the streets for bloody weeks because my stomach was on fire. And I mean, I was throwing up both ends. It was all happening. But the good thing about Egypt is that You know, you can go and get some really strong drugs over the counter, you don't need a prescription. The other thing I would say to people, this is almost like shedding tears top tips. Don't always believe what the media say because you know, with Egypt I went the year after loads of Americans got shot outside of Temple, we went and had a brilliant time. It was absolutely fantastic. Obviously, you're not going to go especially as a solo travel, travelling you need to check out things. But the other thing I was gonna say, you know, not just about apartments and stuff. Air b&b IS RISEN now. So that's another one and you can get air b&b is with pools that you could relax if you wanted that retreat site that could be near the beach, because it was interesting. You said about all inclusive. So last the last November, I went to Cape Verde, a lot of people have asked me about this. I've done it I go and again we did all inclusive because who we were meant to we can you believe as a package. You basically can't do Bed and Breakfast. It is all inclusive. But the one thing I went with an intrepid traveller as well, she's now New Zealand for years, my goddaughter is much in in New Zealand for sorry a month, we just said it was the cheapest way. So what we're saying is we're not discounting all inclusive. But don't let all inclusive dictate your holiday, if you want to do more, because we ate out nearly every night is quite expensive in Cape Verde because they import absolutely everything. But you know, even I think from what you've just said, I think now even if there was a place like that, I think I'd still look into doing it individually and see and just do the comparison. So sometimes guys, it's about doing that comparison. So what we're saying is definitely check, I have loads of things. And like I said, I've been researching all day, so I'm thinking about Thailand. But what are the pitfalls would you say Michelle, or solo travels? I think I know mine having done it? Yeah.

41:42

So for me, obviously, we've mentioned the single person supplement that is always just gonna be something you have to get over unfortunately, which is a real pain in the butt. For me, as much as the beauty in solo travelling is being alone and being the decision maker and actually not having to compromise. The pitfall is also being alone and being the decision maker and not compromising. Because actually, you have to be more intentional with your planning to figure it out. So if it's complete silo, so you're not with one of these group clips, for example, you really have to, particularly if you're a social person, just make sure that you've planned activities or, or things to do that is going to make sure that you are with other people. So you touched on whether it's a cooking class, or wherever it might be a walking tour I quite like walk into. Again, I'm a geek, but I like walking tours, I did a brilliant one in Iceland, for example. And that way you can meet other people like minded people. And the next thing you know, you're you're having dinner with them later that night. So there's the plus side in that you have to put yourself in situations to keep yourself occupied. But often, like you can't feel your day completely in some people might feel a bit lonely. So if there's ever a situation where you do need to depend on somebody else, there is nobody else for you to depend on. And so that is one thing that I'd say is a bit of a bit of a draw. But

43:02

I think the one of the big ones for me is if you haven't filled in those activities, and I don't think I'd actually think about now doing it unless it's a complete week r&r. Like I went to Ibiza a couple of years to go to the old time for five days. r&r. And the biggest thing with that, was it in the evenings? Yes, you do meet people. I mean, I've had people come up to me at the pool. And so don't have dinner with us not not really No, I did yeah. Yeah, actually, it's the evening where you might just want to go to your room, have a love for your mate, bring a bottle of wine up or whatever, and just chat about it. And you don't always have that you got to go and talk to complete strangers and feel like you know, fine, but sometimes it's nice to have your main companion there. So again, I think everybody should maybe try it and see, like Michelle said, go for a weekend. And because, you know, the psychology of it is really weird. Okay. When I have travelled a lot for business from companies I've been, you're talking about America and all over China, the whole lot I've done. There's a different psychology when someone says, Oh, you're here. Yeah, I'm on business. Your whole mindset changes even to eating alone. Because I'm on business. I'm on time on business, to you're on holiday with yourself. Yeah. Start small. And listen, it may not be for you. And that's fine. We've given you some great tips. I hope that when you're looking for your next holiday, if you're thinking about, you know, out of the box, don't always go for the package, he tries to independent. So I'm not going to ask Michelle What is your bucket list travel destinations for 2425 Number one, South Africa Tina at some point.

44:43

Other than that, so in addition to this and talk with my family about maybe doing the Grand Canyon later this year, so hiking around there, so my uncle, for example, wants to do it, but my Auntie has no interest whatsoever. So she kind of said, Oh, Michelle like spiking. Last Michelle, so and now it's turned into a bigger family trip that might be doing that. So that's potentially on the bucket list for later this year. I've got a, oh, I'm gonna go with my wife, my cousin and my nieces next month, that will be I say, an r&r, but the nieces of 13 and 18th. So not sure how much r&r There will be, we're going to. So it'll be Europe and it will be somewhere warm. And that's all we know, so far. So we haven't got it in the diary. But that's what we intend to do. Not to like this is definitely not off the beaten track. But I have to say to you know, I've got tickets for the Olympics in Paris later this year. In a go on to their website, they're very, there's much easier to get tickets for Paris. And it was

45:45

about my people. I'll just say to my friend yesterday, you know, he's such a catastrophist. He said, Oh, you know, but I did worry about what I've done if there's a football match, and all these people got robbed on the way to the stadiums to sustain in France, isn't it? I said, Look, if we look at all the atrocities that are happening in the world at the moment, maybe it was just slit your throat right now.

46:07

In London, we live in London, like if you look at the crime rate in London and the stuff that goes on at London, look at what happened at Wembley, the other day when there was a football match on and it was all riots in like,

46:17

hey, go get my tickets. You sure what you're going to see? Sorry, everybody.

46:24

Women 100 metres semifinals and finals, you can move my parents and my brother. Only child because so I might. Yeah, so I might refer to myself as an only child because I didn't grow up with my brother. Okay.

46:40

That's all right. That's not part of the story. But right, so you will go on to the Olympics site. Yeah. And give me an example. How much did you pay for the tickets? They

46:50

weren't cheap. But yeah, but on 100 195 pounds, okay.

46:55

I'll tell you why. This another business because when it was London 2012 Show me and my friend between us bid for two grands worth of tickets each. I said we better not get any of these, you know, because two grand at the time. Did you get a paper or came away of nothing? I came away with nothing. Yeah. And it was because I was working with sponsors at the Olympics. I go 100 metre final. I was working with Visa. Oh, yeah, girl, I made two rows from the top. And I was literally in the middle of so 50 metre 50 years. So it was wicked. So I didn't care. I didn't get the tickets. But I've looked at them because I said to him if you're interested in going we just pack a rucksack look on Airbnb or bed and breakfast. You just You just rough it. That's what I'm good at. So I will just to see something. I'll just go into it.

47:42

The only trouble though, that that Tina. So I thought because it's just an evening session. So I think it starts at six and then finishes at 10 or something like that. Right? And so I thought we'd get the train in and out no problem. Well, the last Eurostar home is about nine or eight o'clock. stay overnight, whatever I did, I think I'd say yes. So that's the thing. So after so I now have to stay. So I've looked into the prices of staying obviously they know what's going through the roof. Even Eurostar is through the roof. So what was supposed to be a cheap in an asset cheap in and out, but just a nice day out? Is it worth getting the train come home again, it's cost the the tickets to get in are a fortune. What I said get into girls trying to get in are a fortune. I haven't I can't bring myself to clicking by just yet because it's 318 quid 318 on Eurostar Tina sheets, so I haven't done it yet, because it's burning me. And then obviously the cost of the tickets plus the cost of the accommodation, and I haven't been able to find anywhere that's local to the stadium that is at a decent price Now in fairness. So it might be different if

48:52

you're looking at Alright, so that's going to be a bit of a nightmare. Have you thought about flying? Yes.

48:57

And it's no cheaper?

48:59

Oh my god. No. Well, I'm not going to pay over the odds for like one or two. That's

49:04

burning me. But I've got the tickets now. So I've got the tickets, but no way to get into the country.

49:09

No. Oh my god. What about driving there? He climbed over on the ferry, hire a car

49:15

or your walk? That's an option, isn't

49:17

it? have that option. And then I had asked some friends who are in France and see what the situation was. One of my good friends or sisters got a bleak place. But of course she's on the bandwagon. They're all decapping some little small flat the whole bloody family because they can rent it out for nearly two and a half grand three grand. Yeah, anyway, before I wind up this podcast, which is about Olympics, but we asked athletes free so I'm not I'm not losing me shut out my life again. Very quickly. I've got a couple of things that I was travel expanded knowledge about yourself.

49:50

I think up there, I'm generally not a very patient person, Tina, so impatient in the sense that patient with people walking slow in front of me or just patience for people who are stupid, or just generally I don't have a lot of patience. However, I have learned that I, that it's my environment that determines how patient I am. And what I mean by that is going off the topic a little bit. But with my Nan, for example, who's 91, I have all the patients in the world, when I'm in a foreign country and things that operate in a way that they wouldn't happen at home, I have all the patients at home. So if there's not a q&a, I'm a stickler for Q and Tina. But if we're in a place outside of the UK, and they're not queuing, I'm like, go with it, like fine. This is how they this is how things are

50:36

right, you've got the process in your head and just go with the flow, you

50:38

have to go with the flow. So you know, I've been in places where I've had braids in my hair, and people have come up behind me and started actually just picking up my hair and looking at it touching your hair, broken my hair. But seeing that I end up turning around and seeing someone's got their hair in my hands doesn't faze me in the slightest. If it happens over here, it would be a problem over there. They're inquisitive, and they haven't seen it before you kind of have to. And at one point, I think I was a little had a bit of a chip on my shoulder. But then they started and no one asked to take pictures with me, for example, like I'm in a group situation, can I take a picture with me? But then Tina, they were doing it with the blonde girl as well, right? There was very blonde hair, and everybody else has happened to be either a brunette or a black person. So they were just enamoured with this blonde girl, the guy that I worked with, has ginger hair. And he told me when he went to China, people handed him their babies. And they said, No, we're calling him the Son God.

51:33

So yes, I've heard this before.

51:38

So some things that I wouldn't tolerate at home at all. When you're Yeah, that's brilliant patients in the world. And you just have to realise that actually, what are you actually getting upset about? Right? Why? Why is it a problem for you, if it's coming from a negative place, then fair enough. But if it's coming from an inquisitive mind, then the only way they're going to be educated is by you educating them and just Ultranet. So for me, patients definitely is something that I've that I've come to develop and come to learn whilst I've been travelling. A key takeaway, again, going back to my off the beaten track trips, is I always come away feeling more humble, and for multiple reasons. But one, the kindness of strangers, Tina, and particularly people who don't have even though it's never about monetary stuff, but people who clearly have less from a monetary point of view than you do. But they will give you everything they have that invite you into their homes, and they'll give you food and you can see that they're giving you part of what they have. And they already don't have very much that just always floors me and that happens almost every time away. You realise like, again, when I've said that I've been in, like Antarctica or the Serengeti where you're just in the middle of nowhere, you realise that? At home, you feel like you're quite important, and you feel like you have some kind of significance in this world. And you really realise you actually learn

52:58

anything. I've got an opening in Kenya when I was with the Maasai. Yeah. And because we we've been on a fantastic Safari, then we were going up into the village to meet the Maasai. Now, unfortunately, it's been a bit commercialised, but the Maasai warriors, they're jumping up and down, which I love the Maasai dance. But then you can see they've got an Adidas or some slides on they got really nice watches. They were asking me for my watch and everything. But then I went inside someone's heart, this guy said, Would you be my wife? Well, hell no. That's not going to happen. Yeah, however, when inside his heart, they have nothing. Literally nothing. But they are such beautiful happy people. Yeah. And for a split second you come and pick up I don't need this next thing and I'm on an online shopping site Zara, buy some shit that I don't need. Yeah. And it's really annoying that you can switch back into that. So I think some key takeaways you get done then it's our behaviours can change. And I think we should really think about what that looks like. Because actually, in other parts of the world, people are so much more happier than from our westernised countries. Yeah, western country like America, the rich Western countries, they are so much more happy and they have nothing. It just it really touched me in Kenya particularly, and how much of a good time like you're saying is, yeah, as a black woman going out to Kenya as well. And I did have somebody I knew at them. I knew there was a bit of a base but as often all this other stuff like you did, I guess I've done it really. And it was not seen her. It's hotels. Yeah, there was one particular one they saw because in a sea of white, no surprises like we have here, perhaps. And I went to this restaurant, headwaiter said anything you want, Madam anything, you'll be surprised to have this table for me. They want you to come and sit and talk. It was just amazing. So yeah, it was lovely. So yeah, I'm gonna wrap this up now and just say sorry, no, top three places you've been to in the world and show Antarctica.

54:49

China just because of the variety Tina that the things that I did in China, it was constant contrast, which I love. I love the right is it was in in China. I did You went from one end of the spectrum to the other continuously, which I absolutely loved. And you know, this is gonna sound so basic Ireland, Italy. I absolutely love Italy. I love it again, there's so much variety and I'm a bit of a geek for architecture. And I think it's actually I think London architecture is hugely underrated. But I think Italian architecture, particularly in Rome is absolutely stunning. So I just love it and I let the food is crazy as I would

55:31

say, I'm actually looking at Yes, sorry to overstep you then and I was looking at a short trip maybe to Sicily or Calabria Whoo. Yeah. Because I know some people from there to go to Italy, my head is salivating with holidays and everything and travel, but I've got some quickfire questions. I have to say I took this little bit of a format from the lovely having car whose podcast I listen to all the time so hotel or youth hostel and show hotel man I did hostels Beckett or sorry, good new hostel. I did hostels back in the day, I'm too old to do that. And then I'm sleeping hold my bag in case someone makes it Oh, hell no. Yeah. It's an option. I'll do a hotel but I'm not opposed to doing it fantastic. Beach or city, bass city. Tip them or fuck them? I don't mean literally. I mean, just you know, just in case people think oh my god, typical crass.

56:24

Ah, good. Service gets tipped. I don't tip just for the sake of tipping.

56:29

Yay, that's fine as me same as me. Okay. Foreign cash, or bank card? And I say bit of both. Yeah, because I do. I mean, we went when we went to Cape Verde, and we knew it was all inclusive. We knew there was some areas and take the car because you've got extra security. I carry cash in these countries all day long, just in case because it could be a taxi and we did do that we ticked a tax job. They got nothing. The average earning out in Cape Verde is 200 pound a month if you're lucky. So it's nice when the taxi driver I've worked with all around the world gave him a 50 pound tip. I mean, just wanted to, you know, economy premium or maybe even higher, Michelle, because I know you're bougie some flight Yes.

57:10

It's a champagne tastes but Lambrini budget economy, man. Yeah. Okay.

57:16

I'm not going to ask the next one. I don't know why put it in. I put package or DIY bombshells DIY. So I didn't know why I asked. I've even put up bed and breakfast or all inclusive. Well, we have the answer. But I'm gonna say Europe worldwide, but it may worldwide, worldwide

57:30

worldwide only because I've done so much of Europe that I have more things on the bucket list outside of Europe. But that's not to say like people don't like Europe. I just think it's stunning. I really do. And people under right under play. I think maybe because it's so close to home. And it doesn't feel exotic. But I just think in terms of culture, your experience

57:51

certain different places, right? Because we don't go to the same holiday places. It's bit like I'm going to Croatia, and unfortunately, I should have gone when I used to work in Nike because my colleague was Croatian and she kept saying come to question, I thought I'm gonna go to that place for it closed off because I've been too big countries. You know, it's so commercial is bloody expensive. But we're doing it for five days, a little group of us. We've got to be a see. Here's my challenge people we're going for, I think four nights. I've got to take a carry on packing is my worst thing. Absolutely. Sure. It's horrendous. I will start packing a week before I'm going away because I know I have to put things back in the drawers. Everything wants to come with me. I can't decide. And you see Croatia is going to fuck me up basically because I've got four days on which seven days because I want to bring everything and I've got to get something in a cabin because we haven't booked Why would we is nothing whatever your tips, your packing tips me please help me I'm the worst to give to somebody all the time. Because when you go to these, you know what, I'm not gonna bore the listeners with this. But in fact, what I'm gonna do is run the SERP. And me and Michelle will stay on the line for a bit after this. But look, Michelle, thank you so much. I know I took you a bit by surprise saying we will be my guest but I hope that listeners have got something out of this. And if people do want part two and want us to delve into other other bits, please email me is in my it's in my show notes or follow me on Instagram and we'd be happy to because I actually think Michelle should be an influencer but maybe for her and do all the posting. But thank you so much, Michelle. Tina, thank you. I've loved it. Thank

59:30

you so much. It's

59:31

good. Yeah, okay people until the next time the FBI