FEATURED TRAVELERS

#FeaturedTraveler: Balancing travel with full time job

September’s featured traveler is Cathy, a young Kenyan lady that loves traveling. Her journey inspires wanderlusts in their 20s that want to balance a full-time job and enjoy traveling at the same time.

Fun fact: Cathy was nominated for Kenya’s BAKE awards best travel blogger awards in 2016.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

1. How often do you travel?

At least twice a year because I’m in full-time employment, for this reason, I have to work around my leave days. However, what I try to do is travel to at least three countries/destinations at a time. For instance, I take ten days off; I will go to 3 destinations. It’s pretty rushed, but I make due with what I have.

2. How do you balance working and travel?

It’s pretty simple for me because I have chosen to make travel a priority in my twenties. So I usually use my leave days to explore this beautiful place we call earth.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

3. What do you look for when you are traveling?

I travel mainly because of my interest in history; I like to explore structures, culture, and elements with a historical significance. I’m not very big on beach destinations although I’m warming up to the idea this year.

4. Do you have a favorite African city or region?

That’s a hard question. I would say Johannesburg because of all its history, but I loved Zanzibar in equal measure. If I had to choose I would go to Johannesburg and here’s why. In high school, my favorite class was history, go figure. Reading all those history textbooks and reading about brilliant people such as Nelson Mandela, Chris Hani, Steve Biko, Walter Sisulu, Desmond Tutu, Winnie Mandela and the list is endless really. I visualized as a high school student what they went through and getting the opportunity to visit historically significant places, having the aha moments and having the emotional connection was such a blessing for me. That’s why Johannesburg is my favorite destination.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

5. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you when traveling?

When I was in Rome, Italy. My travel partner and I had just gotten to The Roma Termini and we were taking a bus to the hotel. So this dodgy man decides that he wants to steal from us. We get on the bus, and I notice this man trying to squeeze himself between my partner and me. Then all of a sudden he decides to alight and the bus hasn’t even moved. That immediately prompted me to ask my partner if he had his wallet with him. He answers to the negative, we get off the bus and we quickly chase after him (I should say thief) grab him by his shirt, confront him and get the wallet back.

Ladies and gentlemen, remember to be careful when in Rome. There are a lot of pickpockets everywhere.

6. What is that thing you find challenging about travel?

Time and money. Sometimes travel can be expensive especially if you want to travel to distant locations. For instance, Easter Island is on my bucket list but getting there will be costly and a logistical nightmare. Same goes for Madagascar, dying to see the avenue de baobab, due to climate change this natural phenomenon might seize to exist.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

7. Is traveling expensive?

Sometimes, but with proper planning, you can cut your costs.

8. What are the three things you stopped doing to sustain your travels?

Shopping, eating out and senseless spending. My life mantra is if I don’t need I don’t buy it.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

9. Where are you going next? Hopefully?

South East Asia. I’m traveling to Indonesia next week am super excited.

10. Have you ever experienced different treatment when traveling because of your skin color?

No, not really. It doesn’t bother me. Generally, some people will feel a certain way about other races whether you are Black, Asian or Hispanic, it is essential that opinions of myopic people not interfere with your love for exploring and traveling the world. Charles Swindoll said, ” Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. It does not mean that we should ignore the horrible realities of racist people, no, not at all, my advice would be to be careful and mindful of your situation as some people want to provoke reactions from others.

Featured traveler justrioba.com

 

 

Want to catch up with Cathy’s travel experencies?

Find her blog: adventures of Cathy

 

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