As spontaneous as I may pride myself on being, a corner of me thrives on to-do lists, charts, and compartmentalising. Travel is no different. I think it’s imperative to have a plan when travelling because we work hard to finance our trips, and I’d hate to waste my time and money by swarming to decide…
Problematic Travel Terms We Should Have Stopped Using Yesterday
I’ve had it with travel being described with lazy, cliché, and most importantly, problematic terms that carry colonialist or patronizing connotations. I’m not writing this so you stop using these terms, I’m writing this so we can think more about word choice and whether the diction we’re using actually means what we’re trying to convey. Not…
Tips to Keep in Mind Before Catching Flights During COVID-19
Although lockdown rules have relaxed in some countries, travelling has undeniably changed. I travelled home to Canada and back to the UK last month. I understand that it was a non-essential trip, but I genuinely missed my family. I am in no way encouraging you to get on a plane because it was not one…
An Open Letter To Anti-Black Pakistanis
With all that has been going on in the US lately, from a white woman calling the cops on bird-watcher Christian Cooper, to the chilling murder of George Floyd, many of my Pakistani friends are showing support over the Black Lives Matter movement. Some marched in solidarity in the streets while others posted black squares…
What I learned in my first week of self-isolation
Before the closure of borders, a total collapse of the global economy and a loose therapy session with a newspaper about being stranded in a pandemic ridden epicentre, I was living my best life. This time last month, I gave my family a tour of London on their visit. The following week, I was in Munich eating…
This Somali-British artist is writing a Black future
Aisha Mohamed, a.k.a. artsyblackheaux, is a London-based digital artist of Somali ancestry. The twenty-four-year-old started making art as a teenager as a form of escapism from the abuse she faced at home. Mohamed sets portraits of Black women in environments beaming with magical realism. Through her work, she aims to create images that evoke a…
Leaving reviews ‘helps travel community,’ says Google’s Local Guide
There was a local cafe near my Airbnb in Havana that I visited every day. It didn’t have an accent flower wall or an extravagant menu, but it was one of the highlights of my trip because it had great service. The bar staff and waiters made it a point to ask about our day,…
On an active volcano in Italy thinking about Trump
A day before my flight to Rome, my phone got stolen. I managed to get my hands on an old iPhone but it couldn’t download much (aka my folder of news apps). I didn’t even bother getting Twitter on it, I know, that’s drastic, but I felt so upset my phone was stolen, my heart…
Large, loud counter-protest overpowers Khashoggi vigil at Saudi’s London Embassy
Pro-Saudi government demonstrators drowned out a vigil held for Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in London on the one-year anniversary of the journalist’s assassination. As a handful of activists held candles and photos of Khashoggi, pro-government demonstrators across the street chanted support for the crowned prince Mohamad Bin Salman over a microphone. “I…
Detroit bead museum tells African stories
The MBAD African Bead Museum offers insight into social class, spirituality and history Growing up, I seldom saw my grandmother without a strand of prayer beads in her hands. I remember her thumbing the small orbs during breaks from her chores and blowing prayers in my direction. Visiting the MBAD African Bead Museum in Detroit brought back these…
