2019 was one amazing year, jam-packed with new adventures. From some incredible TBA Escapes trips in Jordan and the Galápagos to an epic two-week road trip through Ireland!
One of my favorite trips was Egypt—a place that’s been on my bucket list for so long…and a number of my adventures were all about taking time to slow down and experience places with loved ones.
Places Traveled To: The Bahamas, South Africa, Egypt, London, Ireland, Boston, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Galápagos Islands, New York City
Here are the highlights of my 2019 travels!
The Bahamas
I welcomed the year in the tropics, where I intentionally unplugged for some quality time with my boyfriend, Meyer, and close friends. I’d previously traveled to the Bimini Islands and the Atlantis Resort, but this was my first time visiting Cat Island—a more off-the-grid island destination void of any big resorts and with hardly any tourism.
Bahamas Travel Guides:
Read More on Bahamas Travel:
South Africa
While I traveled to a number of places in 2019, I was able to stay close to home and explore more of South Africa…which I’ve now been calling my “home base” for three years! Time flies!
I started my journey on South Africa’s Garden Route with my parents where we spent a week canoeing, hiking, making furry lemur friends, soaking up some time at the ocean, and watching the sunrise from one of the best surf breaks in the world. The whole journey is absolutely breathtaking…just take a look at these photos!
I then got the chance to stay at Cheetah Plains in Sabi Sands—a villa where you can experience a wide variety of wildlife right outside your front door.
During my stay, a giant herd of elephant came through as I was changing! Talk about unforgettable.
Back in Cape Town, we camped as much as possible, took some road trips in Luna, and I spent as much time as possible with Meyer and our new puppy, Bailey!
South Africa Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate Cape Town Travel Guide
- The Ultimate South Africa Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to South Africa
- Itinerary for Two Weeks in South Africa
- The Ultimate Garden Route Road Trip Itinerary
Read More on South Africa Travel:
- Is it Safe to Travel to South Africa?
- 10 Tips for Your First Trip to South Africa
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Cape Town
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit South Africa
- The Best Wineries in South Africa’s Cape Winelands
- Why You Should Visit South Africa in the Winter
- Why You Need to Visit Babylonstoren in South Africa
The Pyramids of Giza
Egypt
After holding off on Egypt for years, I finally planned a solo trip. I had heard a lot of negative stories from other female travelers and it scared me out of pulling the trigger.
But then I realized that everyone has different experiences and one person’s experience doesn’t automatically mean that it’s going to be the same for everyone else.
I’m so glad I didn’t let it hold me back because I was able to experience seriously friendly locals (someone literally handed me their baby) and I was able to finally see the creations of the Ancient Egyptians with my own eyes. The Pyramids of Giza are really that spectacular!
Egypt Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate Egypt Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to Egypt
- 5-Day Egypt Itinerary for Cairo and the Pyramids
- The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Pyramids of Giza
Read More on Egypt Travel:
- 10 Tips for Your First Trip to Egypt
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Egypt
- How to Get Amazing Photos at the Pyramids of Giza
London, England
London
I kicked off 6-weeks of summer travel with a trip to London for a Spice Girls concert! My 12-year-old self was freaking out, to say the least!
London Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate London Travel Guide
- The Ultimate England Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to London
- The Solo Female Traveler’s Guide to London
Read More on London Travel:
- Top 15 Things to Do in London
- The Best Day Trips from London
- Tips for Traveling London on a Budget
- Tips for Visiting London’s Borough Market
- Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London
- Where to Find the Best Afternoon Tea in London
- Helpful Tips for Flying In and Out of London Gatwick
Ireland
After over 10 years, I finally made my way back to Ireland for a road trip through southern Ireland down the Wild Atlantic Way. Highlights included the Cliffs of Moher, Mizen Head, the Guinness Storehouse, Kilkenny, Hook Lighthouse, Blarney Castle and more…you’ll have to see the beauty for yourself, but in the meantime check out these photos!
Ireland Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate Ireland Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to Ireland
- The Ultimate Two-Week Ireland Road Trip Itinerary
- Southern Ireland Road Trip Itinerary Via the Wild Atlantic Way
Read More on Ireland Travel:
- 10 Local Foods to Try in Ireland
- 10 Things You Must Do in Dublin
- 10 Tips for Your First Trip to Ireland
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Ireland
Boston
Though my trip to Boston was very brief (only 3 days), I was fortunate enough to attend TravelCon and give the keynote speech, “The Million Dollar Blog.” I got to meet some super lovely fellow travelers and people who are passionate about the industry as well as connect with old friends!
It was really cool to give this keynote speech as one of the things I’m most passionate about is building others up and providing them tools to grow their business and blog. In fact, I’m launching my Blogging Master Class this year with everything I wish I knew when I first started and so many things I’ve learned from my career as a travel blogger!
Read More on USA Travel:
- The Ultimate USA Travel Guide
- 5 All-American Road Trips to Take
- 10 Winter Weekend Getaways in the USA
- The Coolest Airbnbs in the United States
- The Best Cities to Travel Alone in the USA
- Top Summer Weekend Getaways in the USA
Read More on Blogging Tips:
- TBA Blogging Master Class
- 10 Ways to Be a More Productive Blogger
- 10 Skillshare Courses Perfect for Bloggers
- Tips for Shooting Stunning Travel Flat Lays
- How to Run a Blog While Working Full-Time
- How to Make Your Blog Stand Out from the Crowd
- The Best Photography Equipment for Travel Blogging
- The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Successful Travel Blog
- Tips for Brand-New Bloggers Wanting to Step Up Their Game
- Why Every Online Business Owner and Bloggers Needs a VPN
Greece
On my first trip to Greece, I visited Mykonos on a backpacker’s budget and spent most of my time party hopping with my friends. Nearly seven years later I got to experience Greece in a whole new light—taking it much, much slower and soaking it all in with my boyfriend.
Every sunrise and sunset was spectacular and the pools…my goodness, the pools!
While on Mykonos we stayed at the Myconian Collection and then made our way to Santorini where we stayed at the Andronis Boutique Hotel and the Andronis Arcadia.
Santorini was as pretty as a postcard! We wined and dined, explored the island by ATV, and soaked up some sun on the island’s Red Beach.
Greece Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate Greece Travel Guide
- The Ultimate Mykonos Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to Greece
Read More on Greece Travel:
- 10 Local Foods to Try in Greece
- Mykonos Beach and Party Guide
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Mykonos
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Santorini
- 5 Romantic Places for Couples in Mykonos
- What to Do in Athens, Greece in Three Days
- Tips for Sailing the Saronic Islands in Greece
- Top Romantic Getaways in Greece for Couples
Venice & Trieste, Italy
Italy will forever be one of my favorite places to visit and I spent 3 weeks traveling (and eating) my way through Northern Italy. Starting in Treviso, we stopped in Venice, Burano, Florence, Jesolo, and a few little towns in between…while my friends expertly navigated a houseboat!
Meyer actually lived in Treviso for 5 years—before we met!—so it was really neat to see a place that’s so near and dear to him.
One of my favorite stops was the Prosecco region where I curated my own cheese board, grabbed some wine from the Prosecco Vending Machine (that’s right, a vending machine that dispenses bubbly!), and enjoyed a picnic overlooking the rolling hills.
Italy Travel Guides:
- The Ultimate Italy Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to Italy
- The Ultimate Rome Travel Guide
- The Ultimate Venice Travel Guide
- The Solo Female Traveler’s Guide to Rome
- The Ultimate Guide to Eating Like a Local in Italy
Read More on Italy Travel:
- How to Travel Italy on a Budget
- 10 Tips for Your First Trip to Italy
- Traveling Italy by Train in a Week
- What to Do in Rome in Three Days
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Italy
- Rome Food Tour & Pizza Making Class
- Tips for Visiting the Amalfi Coast in Italy
- 5 Romantic Places for Couples in Florence
- Top Romantic Getaways in Italy for Couples
- Tips for Visiting the Prosecco Vending Machine in Italy
Jordan TBA Escapes Tours
Ever since starting TBA Escapes, I’ve been able to travel the world with lovely ladies—from South Africa to the Galápagos to Morocco to Jordan. The TBA Escapes “Ancient Wonders Tour” through Jordan focused on capturing the beauty of the country while teaching the ladies more about photography, which we got to do in partnership with Fujifilm!
We ventured through Amman, hiked up the Wadi Mujib river, enjoyed a float in the Dead Sea, soaked up the history of the ancient Petra, dived the Red Sea, and explored the ancient Roman ruins in Jerash…to say it was jam-packed is an understatement.
Jordan Travel Guides:
- 10-Day Itinerary for Jordan
- The Ultimate Petra Travel Guide
- The Ultimate Jordan Travel Guide
- The Best Time to Travel to Jordan
- The Ultimate Amman Travel Guide
Read More on Jordan Travel:
- Ten Things to Do in Amman, Jordan
- Tips for Visiting the Dead Sea in Jordan
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Jordan
- Highlights from the TBA Escapes Jordan Ancient Wonders Tour
Bartolome Island, The Galápagos
Galápagos TBA Escapes Tour
After my first visit to the Galápagos in 2016, I knew I wanted to go back which is why I created the TBA Galápagos “Luxury Yacht Eco Expedition.” Our 7-night trip was epic, to say the least. We partnered up with GoPro and got some incredible footage of our journey…see the highlights here!
We swam, snorkeled, kayaked, paddle boarded, saw some marine iguanas sunbathing, witnessed the Giant Tortoises of Santa Cruz, and more.
Galápagos Travel Guides:
- Tips on Getting to the Galápagos
- The Ultimate Galápagos Islands Travel Guide
- What to Expect on a Luxury Galápagos Cruise
- The Best Time to Travel to the Galápagos Islands
Read More on Galápagos Travel:
- Visiting Tagus Cove in the Galápagos
- Visiting Las Bachas in the Galápagos
- 10 Interest Facts About the Galápagos
- Visiting Rábida Island in the Galápagos
- What to Pack for the Galápagos Islands
- Cruising the Galápagos with Ecoventura
- Visiting Genovesa Island in the Galápagos
- Visiting Black Turtle Cove in the Galápagos
- Visiting Fernandina Island in the Galápagos
- Visiting Fernandina Island in the Galápagos
- 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit The Galápagos
- Visiting Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) in the Galápagos
- The Ultimate Guide to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos
- Highlights from the TBA Escapes Galápagos Luxury Yacht Eco Expedition
New York
To cap off the year I took a trip to New York City during the holiday season. Is there anything more magical than NYC during the holidays? While my visit was quick—for the Points Guy Awards—it was super fun to experience the city with Meyer!
I can never get enough of all the twinkling lights…and bundling up for a proper winter (it must be the Southern California girl in me—give me all the coats, scarves, and beanies!).
New York City Travel Guides:
Read More on New York City Travel:
- Christmas in New York on a Budget
- Top 8 Things to Do in New York City
- Where to Find the Best Food in New York
- How to Travel New York City on a Budget
- 10 Tips for Your First Trip to New York City
- Top Things to Do in New York at Christmas
- Tips for Celebrating New Year’s Eve in NYC
- Where to Find the Best Brunch in Manhattan
Wow! This is such a comprehensive and super helpful guide.
Glad you think so, Jyoti!
Quite the year? Omg, when did you find time to sleep!? Awesome pics btw!
Haha sleep is definitely a priority for me—that’s why I have a team to help me along with everything so I can balance. 🙂 Thank you!!