Travelling solo rarely equates to being alone; as I’m sure you’ve heard before. You may begin alone but you forge friendships quickly in hostels, through Couchsurfing, Workaway or just chatting with a beer on a beach somewhere. So often you form fast and real bonds with people that endure whatever time they are meant to endure.

I love travelling and this happened to be one of those days. It was my first time in London and I was over the moon. Needless to say I definitely will be back.

In 2011, I made the biggest decision of my life.

The financial capital of the world and home to such storied sites as the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the United Nations, New York City is truly as exceptional as they come. But whilst the chic and cosmopolitan streets of an episode of “Will & Grace” or “Gossip Girl” may immediately spring to mind when discussing the great melting pot, the five boroughs are also home to a treasure trove of remarkable, down to earth and most importantly affordable restaurants, markets, centers and even a synagogue or two that can double as a raging concert venue if you book it early enough. From the brightly lit sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan to the hustle and bustle of the South Bronx, here are a handful of my all-time favorite local-friendly hangouts exclusively on Vocal+.

Tampa has a rich and tasty history. This city was the number one traveler’s destinations in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s we had a surge of cultural influence from our thriving immigrant communities, which provided a viable economy for the roaring 20s with our booze and hand-rolled cigar industry. With our stable economy, we pushed successfully into the 30s and 40s with no real lull during The Great Depression, which allowed our city to hone its cultural craft and create a tourism destination that, even today, we thrive in. As decades passed, many buildings and stories faded away, with only archive centers and family ties to keep our history alive.

How to connect and flow with source energy for inspiration, faith, and peace of mind.

Beauty on Mount Evans, CO

So, you might be reading this upon reflection of your recent wanderlust adventures. Remembering those nights under skies and stars. Those passing days that mingled perfectly; its fulfilment and satisfaction based entirely around the square parameters of a city map in the palm of your hand. You are craving it again. To be out there in the wilderness, happily lost amidst the perfect chaos of it all. Where nobody knows who you are, nor do they care or expect anything from you but a passing smile on the streets of somewhere. Well let me tell you, that feeling that you keep homing in on constantly is not a negative one at all. It's your inner consciousness coming out, giving you a navigation to who you actually are. It’s as if the inner chemistry of your body repels the connections that it has already sought and lived through before; the paleo pull is dramatically pulling you elsewhere. But the question is to where, why and what is the journey like ahead for those who cannot remain in one place for too long?

Everyone should travel solo at least once in their life. It is a very rewarding experience that will leave the traveler feeling more confident and capable. Recently, I went on my very first solo travel trip but it took me a few months to feel comfortable enough to travel on my own. I get it, traveling alone can be scary especially if you are a woman. In fact, if someone had asked me two years ago if I would ever travel alone my answer would have been a definite "no". But oh how the times have changed. I have compiled a list of the top five biggest reasons people (and my past self) are afraid to travel alone and how to get over that fear. Let me start by saying that there are so many reasons to travel solo and only a few keeping people from the world. People travel solo not because they can't find someone to go with them, but they make the conscious choice to do so. Even if you prefer to travel with someone else, life is too short to wait around for others.

On my first night in Amsterdam, I saw an interesting piece of street art through the window of the tram I was riding. It was written on the side of a building in huge letters:

THE WORLD AWAITS. Where will your next photo adventure take you? Based on weeks of reading travel and photography books, watching vloggers on YouTube, researching travel trends from tourism boards and considering world events over this past year, I've picked the planet’s 20 most exciting destinations (in my humble opinion) for 2020. So, grab your photo gear, pack your bags and let's go!

Waking up on a cold September morning, the valley of Post Mills, Vermont was socked in with thick, late-summer fog. Michael Libby, a visiting artist from Maine, and I rose with a purpose and trudged out to prep “The Uncle Sally,” a 14-foot, baby blue, experimentally built steamboat. The curious name is a wink and a nod to Samuel Morey, a local Vermont legend, whose boat “The Aunt Sally,” featured the first internal combustion engine to be used on a watercraft in the early 19th century.

Portsmouth usually attracts a certain type of tourist. They are seekers of picturesque sunsets, salted air, ice cream, a quaint town square, maybe a boat ride up the Piscataqua. And it's easy to see why. Portsmouth has all of this in spades and if you were to just spend your time downtown and staring at the water, you'd have a pretty good time. But you're not coming just for sunsets. I know you're not. You know you're not. You want the bar that slings the best cocktails, the townie dive that hosts shameless karaoke, maybe a game of pickup sand volleyball and a sunset hike. You're an adventurer, a young, open eyed traveler who knows that behind corners and down side streets is where the real party is. Any seaside town that's been around for almost 400 years has some serious layers to it. Let's explore some of them right now.

My actual words when my cousin from out of town (Jamaica to be exact) visited me in D.C and asked if we could swing by the Washington Monument;

Mono Lake is one of oldest lakes in existence, known in part for its bird life, evidenced by the nests on top of some tufa. Watching the gulls chase after the ground-dwelling, mass-moving sand bugs yesterday was entertainment itself. But today, it is 5:15 AM and all is still- not another soul in sight. I am mesmerized by the sounds of the birds in the water and on the tufa, flying overhead, skimming the water, disrupting the beautiful reflections on the lake as they swim towards shore. As I sit, the sun comes up over the glacier-cut hills and sets the Sierras and lake alight. It was a moment I will likely never forget.

I set out with 15 pages of printouts from every source I could find on the Sierras. My route was somewhat structured by available rooms, since I waited until the last minute to book. And given the mileage I was aiming for, and the intent NOT to spend every day, all day in the car, I decided to leave the Southern Tahoe, Carson City area to another trip. But the Eastern Sierras and Highway 395, touted as an area not to miss, were beckoning me.

Ahhhhh ain’t this a sight for sore eyes 😁?!

If you are travelling through a country, what is the best way to see the countryside? I’ve solo travelled twice through Japan, the first time to Tokyo and Osaka, the second to Tokyo and Kyoto and each time when travelling in the Shinkansen, the bullet train, I loved watching the beautiful countryside zoom past. On my latest solo trip to Tokyo, I decided to go on a day trip to the countryside and while many places came to mind when browsing Google Maps, Nikko and its beauty stood out. Just over two hours from my hostel in Iriya, I set out on a journey to explore the countryside of Japan.

I don’t know about you but one of my favourite things to do in another country is to stroll through their supermarkets. A supermarket really says a lot about a country and its people with the range of food available, the convenience items as well as the prices of items. I wanted to discover what constituted a Japanese supermarket. Bounding down the stairs to get out of the humidity of Tokyo, a rush of cold air hit me in the face and instantly, I felt better.

“I guess I should have come on a weekday”, I thought as I walked through the tiled street, following the crowds of hot and sweaty people, just like me. We all sought one goal, Nakano Broadway. People, young and old, Japanese and not so many foreigners. The sign was ahead, Nakano Broadway, in capital letters like a Hollywood stage show. Inside we went, into heaven, and hell.

The financial capital of the world and home to such storied sites as the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the United Nations, New York City is truly as exceptional as they come. But whilst the chic and cosmopolitan streets of an episode of “Will & Grace” or “Gossip Girl” may immediately spring to mind when discussing the great melting pot, the five boroughs are also home to a treasure trove of remarkable, down to earth and most importantly affordable restaurants, markets, centers and even a synagogue or two that can double as a raging concert venue if you book it early enough. From the brightly lit sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan to the hustle and bustle of the South Bronx, here are a handful of my all-time favorite local-friendly hangouts exclusively on Vocal+.

We can all agree that seeing the world is a high priority on most of our bucket lists. We all want to explore other cultures and soak up new cuisines, landscapes and histories. But, sadly, in this day and age, travel can cost an arm and a leg just to get the flights we want. Then, frustratingly, little things like extra baggage, leg room and a window seat can often pile on the extra unnecessary fees we really could do without.

Price Range: Low to Moderate

It was a weekend in midwinter and my girlfriend Hillary and I decided to take a drive down to Cape Cod. Rain was threatening, but we crossed our fingers that it would pass to the north of us. Hillary brought along a few old mixtapes and we made our way south down Pilgrims Highway.

It has been brewing in my mind for a few months—the idea of sharing some stories of my experience living in the Philippines—since I began retelling them woven within different funny anecdotes I would share with friends to try to give a sense of how different, sometimes bizarre (if viewed through Americanized eyes), and often illuminating life in a foreign country can be.

Initially, when asked what my favourite thing in the world was, I would say my daughter. She will always remain my number one. Until her sister is born then she will have to share the top spot.

Some residents and visitors will tell you the best thing about Bedworth is the ease of getting out. You might be forgiven for believing that. Admittedly, Bedworth isn’t known for its tourism or night life or, well, much at all. We do have good transport links with easy access to motorways. Regular buses and hourly trains run to our nearest town and city, with some buses going further afield. From the neighbouring town and city, commuters can travel on to Birmingham, England’s second city.

If I had to describe my city in three words, they would be: grim, ghost and film.

I wake up to the sound of Italians speaking at an unnecessary decibel, in my humble opinion. The chill in the air causes me to stay in bed longer and clutch my owl (gufo) blanket around my face. My blinds block out all outside light and I slide on my slippers to avoid the shock of my feet hitting the coldness of the floor as I clamber around for the window. Mentally, I start to prepare for the day’s adventure of searching for Christmas gifts at the open-air market in Piazza San Jacopo.

When the girls are out there is no one that can stop them. Doing a best friend trip & living your best life with your girls will not only create stronger bonds and amazing experiences. Spending time with your gurl friends is necessary, so show your love for them and plan that girls trip!

The most difficult part about moving to a new place is getting started. When that new place is in another country, where English isn't the dominant language, the level of difficulty rises significantly. Add a dose of shyness and crippling social anxiety, and a year abroad can start to look like a quite a daunting prospect. Luckily for me, these difficulties were balanced by curiosity, determination, and nearly ten years of previous study in Spanish, which ultimately made my year studying in Sevilla, Spain a transformative one.

I love to roam—to wander at will.

A comprehensive climate change program isn’t exclusive to companies, it’s something we need to all apply to our individual lives. Carbon offsetting is one of the most popular methods of reducing your carbon footprint, but how do you make sure you’re doing it properly and in a way that has lasting benefits to the planet?

Sing it with me!

BULGARIAN TOWN MEZDRA, A MOZAIC OF OLD AND NEW MEMORIES

What you are about to read may help you begin seeing the synchronicities that occur in your life on a daily basis.

Now. This is the moment of a big change in your life. You are just a teenager and you don't really pay much attention to the decision making. You barely even realise that once you're out - it will get harder and harder to come back...

Kuala Lumpur – Where a trans woman can be in a public bathroom, fixing her lipstick in the mirror next to a Muslim woman adjusting her headscarf, without either woman feeling uncomfortable or threatened.

Marked as one of the most belligerent and happening events for queer men and women from across the globe, the Mardi Gras is unlike something you’ve ever seen before.

Havana, is a faster-paced city that is somewhat different than the stereotypical Caribbean islands. With the taxi speeding down the Malecon to take tourists around the city, it is a city that, thanks to some of the steps being taken, may open their doors to travelers from the United States and around the world. But there are a few things that you need to know as a potential tourist.

One of the top reasons a group of friends or a whole family would visit a city is to tour the top landmarks of the area. Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, famous for lots of well-known destinations including musuems, parks, and national historic sites. These sites would consisently be on people's to-visit list when they come to Philly.

If you're like me, paying your own mortgage feels a lot better than paying a landlords. I bought my house in Highland Park, Los Angeles which is a neighborhood in NELA (northeast Los Angeles) April, 2017. It was one of the smartest financial decisions of my life buying a duplex in Highland Park. In this article I share the Best Los Angeles up & coming neighborhoods to buy a home. Full disclosure I'm a real estate broker and Eastside L.A. neighborhood expert.

Last time, we talked about some great outdoor activities to do in Daytona Beach. After all that work, I bet you’d have quite an appetite. So, today we’re going to fill your belly with some of my favorite restaurants from the area.

Whether you're a die hard fan of the series or merely recoginze the name from HBO Now on your way to watch Game of Thrones, chances are you've heard of Deadwood.

" Where to go in wine country for a day or two?", you ask. My enthusiastic reply of late is “Yountville”! With so much to offer: eats and drink within a four block area, Yountville is one of my favorite places in NorCal wine country. No designated driver? No worries; park and walk the whole town in a leisurely day. Better yet, stay the night in one of its many hotels and inns. Yountville runs high on luxury, indulgence and beauty, but maintains a quaint charm and sense of ease. It is also accessible to both Napa and Sonoma, and only about an hour from the city.

I have roamed the streets of Oklahoma City for my entire life, and I won’t lie to you, it isn’t the most glamorous city on the surface. It is often an afterthought when it comes to vacations and is a misunderstood city in general.

Having lived in New York City since I was five years old, it kills me when I meet people who say they don't like the city – I'm always convinced they're just going to the wrong places.

Trek at the Valley of Flowers –

The world is an art form, different at every step and corner. In the North Pole, you see the frozen ice cap mountains, experience chilly air, and frozen lakes while in the South Pole you get the ultimate frozen mystery of Antarctica or extreme hot lands of Australia.

Every place you go to has the standard tourist places to visit. But, it’s a lot more fun to get off the beaten path and see some things that only locals know about.

It is rare to have one day to oneself, not to mention four. So I set out to find the best 3 day roadtrip getaway that would be part adventure, part leisure, within a 300 mile radius of home. With 15 pages of printouts from every source I could find on the Sierras, I determined my route in part by room availability. Given the mileage I was aiming for, and the intent NOT to spend every day, all day in the car, I decided to leave the Southern Tahoe, Carson City area to another trip. But the Eastern Sierras and Highway 395, touted as an area not to miss, were beckoning me.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is one of the signature events in Australia held every year and comprises of a four-day horse racing experience like no other. The Flemington Racecourse packs with thousands of guests ranging from fashion icons, celebrities, and prominent people from all over the world eager to experience the party, food, fashion, fantastic scenery and activities that Australia has to offer and to top it, the adrenaline in the race as hooves thunder. If you are looking to experience the action Live from Melbourne, here is a guide to attending the Melbourne Cup Carnival 2020.