12 March 2023

Never in my life, I would have imagined that screaming the word “Zimbho” would open a door for me to a bucket-list dream destination like Zimbabwe. As I was one of the 9 lucky travel professionals who were selected during a travel-trade event that was hosted at the Dubai Expo 2020, to go for 10 days Familiarization Trip to visit the country and get first-hand knowledge of its attractions, lodges, culture, wildlife and natural beauty which wowed us and had us falling in love. Fast forward, months later; the day came to board the flight that we had been eagerly waiting for to Harare. Thanks to Emirates onboard ICE entertainment system, 9.30 hours flew away both in the air and the mind. Upon arrival, we had to spend more than 1 hour to get our sim cards organized, the waiting time along with the general exhaustion of the flight got some of us; including myself, into a lower energy zone. However, the energy was instantly shifted the moment I stepped out of the airport when my eye accidentally fell on the bloody orange colour of the sunset, hiding shyly behind the airport terminal like a little kid welcoming a bunch of guests who are complete strangers. That was the moment that my gut felt the beauty of the place, it was like love at first sight. Our overnight stay in Harare was hosted by a charming boutique city hotel called Melaki that was comfortable with spacious rooms and very interesting interior design inspired by Zimbabwe wildlife. The next morning, the hotel kindly prepared our breakfast boxes so that we can catch our early morning domestic flight on Air Zimbabwe to the city of kings (Bulawayo). The Green Doughnut of Zimbabwe Upon arrival at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport in Bulawayo, we were welcomed by magnificent wild animals that were fabricated as decorations at the arrivals hall which got everybody excited and eager to see more of Zim's real wildlife. The city of kings (Bulawayo) was named after the royal throne of the last King of the Ndebel & the founder king (Mizilikazi). Besides the most sought-after "Matobos National Park", which is famous for being a safe home for white rhinos; this hidden cosy oasis is indefinite in many ways. I feel it resembles a doughnut where the town is in the middle of the hole and surrounded by dams & natural parks, which makes it a very special place for peace, tranquillity and it is an irresistible escape for nature-lovers, birds watchers and outdoor sports activity enthusiasts. Speaking of the outdoors, Bulawayo flares with history, culture, art, fresh air, and a variety of picnic stations, lovely artistic cafes & eateries right in the heart of nature. Into the Wilderness The remote wilderness of Hwange National Park is a 4-5 hours drive away from Bulawayo. Its grasslands and mopane woods have made it the home to large elephant herds, lions, and African wild dogs. During our two-night stay in Hwange, we experienced a private and secluded safari in a pristine environment coupled with heartfelt service by a team of passionate Nambyans who are the original inhabitant tribe of the Hwange region. At night, we were enchanted by live performances that ignited a spark within the heart of the dark and wild jungle. Our game drives in Hwange were equally exciting but more thrilling, due to the summer season during our visit to Zimbabwe; the National Park of Hwange was hot with naked trees and yellow grasslands. The scenery felt surreal as if it was hand-painted with hands that have a great appreciation of diversity & the silent beauty of our mother nature. As we commenced our Safari adventure, we were lucky to be greeted by a family of elephants of different sizes, then we spotted wild dogs, impalas, and buffalos besides the unforgettable scene of a zippy giraffe who was strolling as if it was sauntering on a catwalk towards a tip of an Acacia Tree. Hwange is considered one of the best-kept game parks on the brown continent, thanks to its remoteness and animals free-roaming in their natural habitat. The Thunder of the Falls blossoms life As we proceeded with our journey, we stepped into the majestic Victoria Falls National Park, everyone in our group got to experience an expenditure of force as if our souls were set free. The impulse of positive energy filled us with rapture & joy as if all our worries were washed away by the mist, thunder and magic of the abundant falls. The park consists of 7 viewing platforms to enable viewers to have different perspectives of the falls, and along the way, we get to spot flora and fauna and hear different melodies from resident birds. The excitement and thrill of Victoria Falls did not end up here, actually, it rather got accelerated with an Aerial helicopter ride over the falls, which left our jaw dropped but spirit lifted!!! It is no surprise that Victoria Falls is considered one of the world's 10 natural wonders. As our journey ended, there was no better way to bid farewell than a Sunset Cruise in the Zambezi River. Once we embarked onboard the Zambezi Explorer & as we sailed into the calm river, we were greeted again by a herd of elephants but this time, they were queuing to venture into the river for a swim, these were truly unforgettable moments as we saw these divine giants crossing the river with their kids; it left us all in awe and reverence. A little later, some hippos who were trying to keep their head just over the water, accompanied our boat for some time till the sun started to shy away. The red velvet energy of the sunset mixed with our feelings that are charged with memories, beauty and appreciation created these extraordinary moments that were both peaceful and emotional, these are the moments that I will always cherish because, for me, these are the moments that truly matter. Throughout my journey, I was inspired by the names of the people that I got to meet like Lovemore, Reason, Chief, Memory, Faith, Joy, Blessing & the list goes on. I felt as if I was transferred to another world where humanity in its simple form & kindness were still in existence, as if I was guided to return to these human qualities that were personified through these profound names. People & Nature undoubtfully are the true assets of (Zimbho) which; by the way, means ‘’ Zim is good’’. Find out more, exclusive visual content on the Zimbabwe trips and Safari packing tips through my social media channels.

20 May 2021

Emirates Place defines the true meaning of Arabic Legacy in many ways. First, the palace has hosted world leaders, Presidents, kings & queens from all over the world. The sophisticated vibe is felt as you walk into the grand majestic lobby where you will be wowed by the attention to details and arts invested in every corner of the domed palace. Second, the beautiful architecture of this charming palace brings together a diverse inspiration of the Arab World & the entire region. The moment you reach the palace you feel as if you have been transported in the speed of light to one of India's Rajethstan Palaces. While the domes and entrance of the hotel with its tall pillars awakens the nostalgic fragrance of the Levant that is nothing less than mystical. As you walk across the corridors towards the rooms, you will get mesmerised by looking at the beautiful square-shaped courtyards placed on the ground floor with tall palm trees which look like a Moroccan fascinating Riad which boost the place with calming energy and a flavour of another Arabic Culture from the west of the Arab World. The journey gets even more exciting as you walk towards the beach, where you will get bumped into beautiful private wooden cabanas located next to an Arabic cool beachfront Badawian tent where you see camels roaming freely. I encourage you to be daring and to try riding one of these Arabic creatures and my promise to you is an experience that will take you on an inspiring journey to live between the rich culture of the past and the modernisation present in the capital. Surprisingly, although the hotel is a palace yet you don’t get to feel overwhelmed with any sort of formality or forced to be too dressy as you roam around. In fact, the palace caters to various families needs thanks to its water slides, lazy pools, cascades and friendly staff which create an ambience of relaxation that ensure a quality time has been experienced throughout your stay. The palace is spread out across a huge space of land, gardens, & beach which makes it ideal for different types of guests, including couples, solo's & families. Finally, staying in Emirates Palace is not merely a hotel stay, it is rather an experience of a Masterpiece for anyone who is seeking appreciation of time, quality & exclusivity within the heart of the capital.

05 January 2021

Our heavenly team-building getaway, made up of a group of 8 people, was surely a trip to remember. The excitement started to build up at the airport, the time we started boarding our overnight flight to Phuket. Our host has organised our arrival pick up which took about an hour combining both land & sea transports. We ventured into the sea by a speedboat that has a perfect size to accommodate all 8 of us with our luggage. Luckily, the speed boat had a cover like an umbrella which was very helpful against the rain-shower which normally takes place during Monsoon season at this time of the year. On Arrival, instantly; we got totally immersed in the divine tranquillity of our Private Resort ''Ani Villas'' located on the calm shores of Phang Nga with a stunning view of the Southeast Asian Sea that is nothing but a bucket-list worthy. With the feeling of ''You Can Have it All'' We seldom felt the need to go out, specially that the resort concept is ‘’It is All Yours’’ from your own villa to the 100*foot pool, bar & very cool heart-rate waterside that was the reason to fill the image library of our phones with many snaps & videos; down to having a team of 10 at your service that included a General Manager and a Chef. The concept of ‘’Its All Yours’’ has given us so much flexibility & freedom not only with what we wanted to do but also with what we wanted to eat & drink specially that everything was covered including Unlimited Spa Treatments. Thanks to this diversity of inclusions, we did not have any issue queuing for the Spa as I thought we would, as each small group was busy with some other activity from stand-up paddling to Kayaking or simply chilling in one of the 10 stunning villas in the resort. The idea of travelling to Thailand and more; to a remote island during Monsoon was not so smoothly swallowed by some folks in our group. Surprisingly, I felt that the Monsoon vibe made our trip even more exciting. Because remember, after the rain there is the sunshine & rainbow. And that is what I exactly did, I went ''Chasing The Rainbow'' on a Kayak trip from the shore-steps of Ani villas to surrounding stunning exotic islands, the experience was invigorating yet serene and inspirational. Time flew on ''The Island of Dreams'' that I didn’t get a chance to experience any of the local restaurants which are mainly located at the cosy small downtown of of Kho Ya Noi. I was busy relaxing on hammocks hanged between the lush along the seaside of the island. Sure enough, I was touched by the kindness of the locals when someone approached me and offered me a shelter and a cup of tea when it started pouring while I was waiting for my driver. This only shows that the Kho Yoa Noi is way less touristy & commercial comparing to other places in Thailand. This does not mean that I did not try out the local cosine, in fact, we went a little deeper into the Thai Culinary thanks to our in-house chef who was patient enough to talk all 8 of us through a journey of cooking class that was not only fun, but we also learnt how to cook a Vegetarian Thai Green Curry. The aromatic tasty dish was served for lunch besides Thai sticky rice & tropical mocktail to calm down the slightly chilli flavor of the curry. Asking about souvenirs?!!? oh well, I got my first tattoo made on my left-arm which I believe is now my ever-lasting souvenir from Kho Yao Noi. I am super grateful till today for Ani Villas team who recommended a highly professional tattoo-artist who took on the mission fearlessly that caused little to no pain during & after I was tattooed. The overall experience was so genuine and personal that we literally had ''almost'' everything at our fingertips, Sea & Sky who were so caring and made my stay a very comfortable one. We were tempted to go out once, when we found a very cool Tree-House bar just few steps in front of Ani villas that we were so pleased to experience. The bar has got a wonderful island vibe that we could even dance barefoot, every time I remember this place, I get the feeling of ''Taking me back there'' Lastly, If you are curious about the cost, it may scare you a little to say that it could cost between 800-1000$ per night per person to stay at Ani Villas which is not too expensive considering the amount of inclusions & the personal service, however, we can always tailor something that could possibly lower the budget a little. My Top Recommendation for this place is first for family/friends’ reunions/party, Team-Building outing, Occasions like Weddings or Birthdays. However, we were also told that some celebrities & VIP’s loved the place due to the privacy, on-demand service & generous inclusions. The entire space along with a minimum 7 villas out of 10 can be yours and all services & inclusions can be tailored to meet your wildest expectations. The overall trip to Ani Villas was not just a holiday but a true experience that is not only tattooed on my left arm but in heart too.