I had so much fun writing my last 7 Things post. My mind easily filled the post with 7 things and more that you should know when visiting Istanbul. And my thoughts wouldn’t stop there. So I started thinking about another city I visited while on holiday with my girlfriends: Phuket. Phuket is one of the cheapest destinations right now so if you haven’t been, you really should consider it as your next holiday destination. Here are 7 things I think you need to know when visiting Phuket.
Photo credit: http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Tourism-g293920-Phuket-Vacations.html
1. The best time to visit Phuket is from December to March when it's allegedly cooler
I went in January and I melted! Literally. I know humid and hot temperatures, but as a tourist wanting to explore, be prepared to be a ball of sweat after just a 10 minute walk outside.  


2. Bargain for everything 
Phuket is a shopper’s paradise. The clothes and souvenirs are cheap and you can bargain to bring down the price making your money stretch further than you thought it could. Not only can you bargain at the markets but you can bargain just about anywhere. Unless they are in great demand (i.e. in the wee hours of the morning in Patong), you can bargain for a pretty sweet deal with cabs too. 


3. Don't book local tours in your own country
With the rand giving you so much value for money in Thailand, Phuket is a popular destination being punted by travel agencies in South Africa. They also offer to arrange local tours like day trips to Phi Phi and James Bond islands. And if you don’t take them up on that offer, Groupon also offers them at “discounted” rates. My advice: don’t take them – rather book them in Thailand. Someone will speak to you about those tours as soon as you arrive at your hotel – don’t book with them either. Everyone seems to be in the tourism industry in Phuket and on every street corner, you will find someone selling these local tours. And yet again, you can bargain. We eventually bought 3 full day tours for the original price of 1.

4. It's a pretty safe city
Many of Phuket’s citizens live in poverty – it’s hard to see this as a tourist frequenting the glamourous tourist joints and gorgeous islands but most of the locals have never even left their hometown to see the natural beauty that the whole world marvels at. Despite this, Phuket is pretty safe as the Buddhist locals believe in karma. But, the city is also filled with tourists so still keep an eye on your belongings cos those are the people that might actually jack your stuff.

A photo posted by Ferrer (@siimon_f) on

5. Temple etiquette
Whilst you might want to spend all your time snorkelling, swimming and sun bathing, Phuket boasts stunning temples (wats) that will draw you to them. It’s not only the big wats that are amazing, but on every street corner or major building there are little temples to provide the deeply religious Thai population with a place to pray and give their offerings. Whether you go to the wats for some peace and serenity during meditation, to learn more about the religion and culture, or just to marvel at the architecture, adhere to the temple etiquette: make sure you’re covered up – no bare legs, shoulders and midriff, leave your shoes outside, and be quiet - most of the wats are working temples with locals praying so try not to disturb them.


6. Toilets
It’s so easy to take everyday things like toilets for granted. In the tourist joints, at least the toilets have been upgraded from the low-pan to the seated variety. However, the toilets aren’t great at flushing away toilet paper. The toilets usually have a bin next to it which is meant for your toilet paper so you don’t clog the pipes – there’s even a sign asking you not to throw your toilet paper into the pan. But Westerners don’t like this unclean habit so most of the public toilets are clogged – like the row of toilets at Phi Phi island. My advice is to hold it but even our hotel toilets would get clogged from time to time.

7. Experience the nightlife
I don’t know many places that offer such a varied experience as Phuket does. When the sun sets, make sure you hit the streets of Bangla Road. Where else can you order a drink at one bar and walk with your drink to the next bar that happens to play music you prefer, dance the night away (sometimes on a pole) in shorts and slops, and make conversation with friendly ladies of the night. And if that’s not enough, pretty soon you might get invited to a ping pong show.

A photo posted by Carly Emmerton (@__carly___xo) on


If you’ve been to Phuket, I’d love to know if you relate to my list or whether you’d add something else you think is worth knowing. 
I really under-estimate the opportunities I am afforded with my day job. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to go on a business trip to Turkey and I managed to find some time to explore the city, get lost in the tastes and mingle with the locals. I'm quite enjoying these 7 Things posts that I've been writing about the cities I visit so here's 7 things that made me fall in love with the European charm of Istanbul.
Photo credit: http://hayatouki.com/luxury/content/1797824-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%AB-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B9#9

 1. The simplest visa process
I'm convinced that the countries with exorbitant visa fees and tedious visa processes don't actually want us in their countries *cough* Europe *cough*. It's so refreshing to know that Turkey's process for South Africans is much simpler...and free! You just get onto this website, fill in some deets and 2 seconds later...hello printed visa! No fees. No queues. No waiting period.

A photo posted by @istanbul (@istanbul) on

2. The only city in the world to straddle two continents
I know it's not new news but now that you've got your free e-visa, go to Istanbul and take a ferry to the floating island of Galatasaray. It feels pretty surreal to be on two continents at the same time.

A photo posted by @istanbul (@istanbul) on

3. Seat belts are optional
I took cabs in Istanbul mostly because we were in a large group so it was cheaper to split the bill. That's when we learnt that no one wears seat belts. Some of the cabs didn't even have seat belts! The fast drives through tight streets without seat belts is like an amusement park ride but it's a great way to see the city. Istanbul also has buses, a metro and a modern tram line so getting around the city (even as a foreigner) is easy and affordable.



 4. Let sleeping dogs lie
Istanbul is filled with stray dogs. Dogs that just seem to lie around all day. It's actually quite sad to see so many lifeless dogs lying around. Despite looking like they are starving, they seem to be pretty self sufficient and don't come up to people begging for food. I'm glad the government at least vaccinates and tags the dogs with a microchip of their medical history.
A photo posted by @istanbul (@istanbul) on


5. The home of Turkish Delight
I grew up eating Turkish Delight - it might be from the Indian love of rose water in our desserts and drinks. When I told my friends and family that I was going to Istanbul, they immediately asked for Turkish Delight. I didn't know why when they are so easily available in South Africa but when I hit the streets of Istanbul, I was surprised by the Turkish Delight experience. There are stalls with every variety possible of Turkish Delight - chocolate, coconut, pistachio. I went on a tasting spree before buying my boxes of my Turkish Delight to take home.
A photo posted by @xuqian330 on

6. A liberal Muslim city
I remember packing for my trip and my husband looked in disdain at the clothes I packed. He insisted I pack modest clothing bearing in mind that I am going to a Muslim country during Ramadaan. I landed in the midst of summer and dreaded my choice of long sleeved tops. The local women were dressed in Western clothing - some even dressed in a quite a revealing manner. So, yeah, you need to dress modestly when visiting a mosque but on the streets of Istanbul, strappy tops and shorts are perfectly fine.
A photo posted by Олександра Крихтіна. Kharkiv (@kennyliveee) on

Although 98% of the population is Muslim, I was also surprised at the popular Turkish liquor, beer and wines. And if you visit during Ramadaan like I did, fear not, you can grab a meal very easily during the day.

A photo posted by @istanbul (@istanbul) on

7. A heritage to be proud of

Istanbul's history can be traced back to 13th century BC. I absolutely love that the history of the city has been treasured. Where possible, old buildings have been maintained even after the numerous changes in political and religious power throughout time. And through all these changes, old, damaged and dilapidated buildings have been restored. Even as you travel through the city, you're bound to see many buildings undergoing restoration.
A photo posted by Asli Duran (@asdrn) on


I'd love to go back to Istanbul - this time on holiday. If there's something you think should be on this list, let me know in the comments below. 
A photo posted by @istanbul (@istanbul) on

I feel like a seasoned traveller through Africa now. I’ve lived in or visited five countries and I’m used to the peculiarities that Africa has to offer. But in my first visit to Kinshasa, I think it is the most unique from everywhere else I’ve been.

A Congolese meal of fish, vegetables, plantain...and peri-peri

1. Locals eat everything with mayonnaise
From supermarket delis to the fanciest of restaurants in Kinshasa, you are served with mayonnaise, tomato sauce and peri-peri as accompaniments to your meals. It’s not that the meal is dry, because the local Congolese food is quite moist and saucy – but it’s still quite common to mix in some mayonnaise. The peri peri sauce that you find everywhere is deliciously potent. A little goes a long way and it jazzes up a rather bland cuisine.


Bread for the table...served with mayo

2. Taking photos is illegal
I think it’s pretty normal to want to capture your travels especially when our camera phones are now in our pockets. But did you know that snapping up photos on the streets is illegal? Try it and you might find a cop stopping you and even threatening to take away your phone. People say the president feels there are spies around…

I took this pic safely on the upper floors of a building

3. Changers
Walking through the streets, it is not uncommon to spot someone waving around a wad of cash. These “changers” are there to exchange US dollars (or other major currencies) for Congolese francs. It seems pretty safe to exchange your money right there on the street corner and even though it’s illegal, it is so commonplace and so convenient.

4. Soldiers
Although Kinshasa seems pretty safe, the DRC is still a country at war. This is evidenced by the soldiers on the streets with big guns. Perhaps, it makes the streets safe but I’m still wary about someone with a gun near me. I mean, what if that guy happens to have some anger management issues?

5. Two closest capital cities in the world
Brazzaville and Kinshasa are separated by the massive Congo river. They are so close that when Brazzaville was at war, bombs could be heard going off and sometimes even fell in Kinshasa! And since the river is actually the country’s border, the river is heavily guarded by soldiers with bunkers and army tents.

The overcast view from my room. That's Brazzaville across the river!

6. Robots
One of the unique things about South Africa is that we call all traffic lights robots. The rest of the world looks at us crazy when we say, “turn right at the robot.” Well, Kinshasa actually has real robots at some of their intersections. Like robots that look like robots. They were designed by a local girl in university trying to find a way to alleviate the horrid traffic caused by a lack of decent infrastructure. How’s that for making a difference with your university project!


The robots’ chest and arms light up red and green to direct the traffic and even turns around. For the lucky ones who are used to driving through traffic lights, this doesn’t seem like such a big deal but in Kinshasa where there aren’t many traffic lights and you have to slow down at every intersection to see if it’s safe to go; this saves a huge amount of time. 

7. Eating goat at Bandal
If you want to really experience the local Congolese life, you have to try their famous street food. It is pieces of goat that is cooked over a fire and it is a meal that every local in Kinshasa is crazy about. It is cooked with onions and chillies and is delicious. You find it by walking down the roads in Bandal - you will see a stall with a grill and tables and chairs. Place your order, pull up a chair, order a beer and you might even get the royal treatment if you’re a foreigner. I must warn you, though, that it’s not for the squeamish. The stall that I went to had the carcass of a little baby goat lying on the street with a gazillion flies around. But if you can look past that, you’ll be eating the most delicious local meal Kinshasa has to offer.

Delicious!

 If you’ve been to Kinshasa and I’ve missed something that’s uniquely Congolese, I’d love to know. 
Last month we finally moved in to our dream house. We were looking for over a year and one day we just walked in to a house on show and loved it. Two months later we were moving in. We quickly discovered that living in a house is completely different to the apartment life that we knew for so long. Here are a few things I learnt.


The empty house
So I loved this house the moment I saw it – loved it so much that I made an offer on the spot. But when I walked in the day we were moving, it looked completely different empty. The previous owner’s décor and furnishing definitely sold the place. I thought I made a huge mistake buying the house when I saw it empty – it looked way too small and awkwardly designed. But don’t worry, it looked awesome once I brought my furniture in and added my unique style to it.

Your old furniture just won’t do
Apartment furniture is for an apartment – they are way too small for a real house. Also, we didn’t have things like a dining room set to fit into a dining room. All my furniture just didn’t fit in and I loved it! It gave me the opportunity to buy everything I ever wanted – a big Coricraft couch, a painting of gorgeous Jozi and stunning outdoor furniture.

The scary sound of silence
The part I was looking forward to the most about the new house was not hearing the neighbours’ kids – shrieking – all damn day. I really wanted the peace and quiet and to not be subjected to my neighbours Sunday morning gospel, Friday night bhangra and just the general sounds of other people. And then whilst basking in my ambience of peace, suddenly the absence of noise is scary because every sound you hear is terrifying. When I hear a sound, I know that whatever’s making that sound shouldn’t actually be there so a month after living in the house, I still stop what I’m doing and look around worried about that noise that I just heard…especially when I’m home alone in the evening.

Things are not as easy as it looks on YouTube
Fancy fittings are totally new to us so when in doubt, we resort to YouTube for a how-to guide. Needless to say, every video on YouTube easily showed us how to replace those fancy downlights – every type of downlight except the one we actually have.

Becoming overly pedantic about everything
Everyone knows that I’m the epitome of lazy. I’m not interested in doing any more than I have to especially when it comes to cleaning up. Since owning a house, I’ve become overly pedantic…about everything. I’m constantly following houseguests around and cleaning up after them, putting out coasters for friends and yelling at children who find it their purpose to tear my house apart!

Costly bills
Paying bills is always inconvenient but it’s so much more expensive in a house compared to my old apartment. Now I’m the one switching lights off whenever I leave a room.

Grass grows
At an insane rate! All of a sudden, I had to figure out how often the lawn needed to be watered and when and how to mow it. That was the easy part. The hard part was actually getting my hands dirty removing weeds and replanting grass.

Boojies are everywhere!
I don’t even want to talk about the deadly creatures that flew in to the house the first few nights and my ear-piercing screams that meet with their presence. My husband nonchalantly says that if I want a pretty garden, I gotta deal with the fact that bugs live in them. Just as I was almost ready to pave up the entire garden, I learned that when the lights go on in the house, the doors and windows should be closed. So the boojies stay out. They are happy in the garden and I am happy pretending they don’t exist.


Is there anything else you think I should know about living in a house? Maybe I haven’t learnt it the hard way yet so I’d love to be prepared. 
I happen to think I’m the easiest person to buy presents for. I literally buy nothing for myself unless it’s really needed – like a new pair of black heels. I have no qualms splurging on the pricey Crabtree and Evelyn range as birthday gifts for my friends but I’ll never buy anything from there for myself. I’m of this weird notion that I don’t need those things – but it doesn’t mean I don’t love them. I feel they are more gift items than ordinary “need” products. 

So when someone says they don’t know what to get me, I’m so confused. I mean the world’s your oyster here. Some of my favourite gifts have been the simplest things I needed like a TV stand at a time when my TV was held up by wood and bricks, or a Woolworths gift voucher which I then used to buy the most stunning (and most expensive) water glasses that I wouldn’t ordinarily buy, or an ultimate splurge gift like my Nespresso wedding present from the best sister-in-law ever!

So for those who point blank asked me what I want for my birthday, I find it so rude to demand a present. For me, it really is all about your friendships – not the presents your money can buy me. But I suppose for the people asking it’s sometimes more about returning the favour of a birthday present I’ve given in the past and besides, who doesn’t like being showered with gifts. Nevertheless, amongst endless conversations about how it’s better to get a gift I want rather than junk, I decided to put together a birthday wish list to give you an idea of my tastes.

The collector’s item gift: Durban Curry So Much of Flavour
So I don’t actually have a collection of books. In fact, I gave away a lot of my books that used to sit on a pretty shelf in my single-life apartment. But, the thing is…I really love recipe books. I have this idea of keeping a collection of recipe books in my kitchen – ones that will actually be used. And what better way to start my collection with than this book right here. I mean the title even resonates with the language of my people. What I love about this book is that the pages come alive with the colours of Indian food and culture and they tell the stories that only great kitchens have.



Décor gift item: Big ass clock
Since finding my new house, I’ve been shopping around for décor ideas. That’s when I became obsessed with big ass clocks that have that old London charm that adds so much character to a room. I love the huge clocks but I don’t quite have a big enough home for them but there are loads of normal sized clocks that have the same feel like this one from Coricraft.  


Fitness gift: Getting back on the pole
I was really struggling to keep up with my favourite fitness activity and then for reason beyond my control, I stopped pole dancing. I recently started looking up classes closer to home and I think I might have just found it. As soon as my life settles down from moving, I’m thinking about picking myself up and getting back on the pole. I found a studio that I haven’t been to before but I heard good things about them. It’s close to home in Midrand and it’s called Basic Instincts. A trial class is only R150. Feel free to join me!


Pamper me: Crabtree and Evelyn
I am so bad with spa vouchers. I think I still have a few from my bachelorette party that I haven’t used. Things that will actually get used are pamper products. I love anything from Crabtree and Evelyn’s range! Seriously, once you try them, it’s so hard to go back. I quite like this LaSource range that has all the essentials: shower gel, lotion, hand therapy and fragrance.

De-stress me: A weekend away
I planned an amazing Mediterranean cruise through Western Europe with stops along the coasts of Spain, Italy and France. This international holiday to celebrate my first wedding anniversary was going to be epic. I needed something to come close to my Maldives honeymoon. And then I found my house which ignited a raging fire of excitement but doused by holiday dreams. With no money left, I cancelled all my holiday plans but that doesn’t mean I still can’t go el cheapo and explore more of my back yard. I’ve never stayed in the North West before so how’s this for a weekend getaway: a two night stay at Hunter’s Rest Hotel.

Charity: Introduce me to your favourite charity
I work at an amazing company that offers people the opportunity to help an NGO achieve their objectives by paying that person a salary for a year in order to dothat. I love the concept and I missed my chance this year because I don’t know any charities that I would like to help out that way…or would need my help. A great gift idea would be to introduce me to your favourite charity – make a day of it, invite some friends and let’s see where we can help those in need. This reminds me so much of a birthday party that my sister in law hosted. This one costs absolutely nothing!
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality type indicator that is taking the corporate world by storm. Everyone is doing it these days to help people identify their personality types and understand how to best work with other personalities. I find these things so fascinating but recently it actually served as a personal eye opener for me.


I always felt like I didn’t fit in with my work colleagues from personality to type of work that we do. It wasn’t until our team did one of these assessments and when we were sorted into our personality types that I realised, sitting in a corner, that I am the odd one out in my department.

And then today, when I announced to a group of people, I hadn’t met before, that my type is ENFP, the questions about why I’m in audit kept coming up. Why, is a free spirit like me, in a role that values detail, structure and rational thought?

I was one of those “intelligent” kids. I was good at all my academic subjects from mathematics to drama. So naturally, I wanted to do everything after I was done with school. I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be an astronomer. I wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to be a mathematician. And of course, career guidance, is all about people telling you to go into a well-paying profession that you’re good at. A job is a job – no one is supposed to like it anyway. So what did I do? I graduated from university with a degree in applied mathematics and computer science.

And that is how I ended up stuck in an office full of by-the-book, quiet and focussed people. I’m competent in all the skills I need for my job and I do it well but there’s something inside me that just isn’t satisfied. Now I know why I value my life after work so much. I want a creative outlet on my blog and the fluid interaction with people that I don’t get at work.

Now that I know my personality and how it affects my interaction with other people, I can make better decisions. I know how to deal with being in a job that drains me. And I also realise the other avenues available to me – like switching careers or creating some sort of fulfilment either in my current job or outside of it.

We really should be using MBTI as career counselling at school. MBTI doesn’t talk about competence but it gives you a good idea on how to best use your strengths and overcome your weaknesses. With job satisfaction ranking high on people’s priority list, gone are the days when being good at accounting signals becoming an accountant. Now that I’m wiser, it makes sense – being good at English doesn’t mean you’ll love being a journalist – it sometimes just means that you’re just really good at reading and writing. Journalists require a whole other range of skills and being routine-driven might cause you to hate your job no matter how good you are at English.


Let’s start to groom kids into understanding their areas of strengths and weaknesses and how to gravitate towards a career best suited to them. If you’ve never heard about the assessment, go check it out - http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/.  It’ll tell you what you already know about yourself but it’s packaged in a very insightful way. 
There’s nothing like traveling on a long flight en route to my honeymoon to inspire me to write about my pet peeves of flying, general courtesy awarded to others and basically just trying to remain sane on your way to your destination. Here are some of my flying pet peeves that I realised I had.

Credit: The Oatmeal http://theoatmeal.com/comics/airplane
Armrest hoggers
So yes I am tiny and yes I can sit comfortably without having to use my arm rests but it is highly annoying when the people sitting beside me stretch out their bent elbows into my space. Arm rests may be communal but I also like to think of them as space barriers. It marks my space and no one should come within those barrier markings. Unfortunately, my newly pronounced husband is an armrest hogger and my attempts at reforming him have been futile. Looks like I’m going to have to live with this one for the rest of my life.

Weak bladders in the window seat
So you need to pee every hour? It’s understandable. How about you pick an aisle seat next time and avoid making your weak bladder everyone else’s problem by making them get up for you all the time.

Noisy passengers
I’ve travelled with many people together. It’s fun. You have so many people to talk to and you’re all so excited. This is fine for a little while. There’s nothing worse that passengers noisily talking well after the plane has taken off just annoying others who need to get some sleep.

Stupid parents
One day, I’ll have kids that I cannot manage and you can complain about me too. But I will definitely not be trying to keep my kids entertained with a movie on a laptop with the sound on full blast for the whole plane to hear. I personally don’t understand why we can’t give irritating kids sleeping pills during flights. And if they have to be awake, can we not implement a system where we charge parents who just let their kids annoy others like kicking the backs of chairs like it’s a game...despite all the in-house entertainment on offer?

Reading lights
Speaking of getting some sleep, people who leave their reading lights on after the plane lights has been dimmed for people to sleep, do you know how annoying that is? I feel like shining a bright light into their eyes the moment they try to take a nap…so they too can know how it feels.

Standing up when the plane hasn’t yet come to a complete stop
We all have places to be but the ones still sitting down have the sense to know that you, Mr Impatient, aint going any faster than the rest of us. I secretly hope the plane jerks to a stop so the idiots can fall and learn their lesson.

Toilet manners
When in the airplane toilet, sit down. I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. I’ve seen enough filthy wet toilet seats and *gags* floors to realise that you’re not winning at squatting or aiming. We all don’t want to sit but there’s sanitising wipes now so you won’t catch anything.


So that’s my list of pet peeves while traveling. If you fall into that category, please try to consider others when flying. It’s uncomfortable for all of us. Do you have any flying pet peeves that you want to share?
I’ve been meaning to write this post for ages but I only really got on to it after stumbling upon this post right here. It’s about a girl who’s trying to climb her way out of debt. I totally related to her post. After all, I was there. This is me sharing some experiences on how I got out.


All the experts say that the key to being financially sound is to pay off your debt and start saving. I agree…in certain circumstances...but what happens when saving is not an option? When I first moved to Joburg, I earned peanuts. I was all alone in Joburg with no financial support from anyone. I was living in a commune and managed to buy the cheapest car out there. After rent, car instalments, insurance, petrol and my student loan, I barely had any money left over for groceries. This is mostly the reason I hated by first job.

How did I survive? Well, firstly, I knew what I was getting in to. I knew that I didn’t have a lot of money to work with so I made sure that my spend on everything was as little as possible. I stayed in a commune close to work – so my spend on accommodation and petrol was minimal. Being all alone in Joburg, I needed a car and I chose the cheapest car possible. I shopped around for insurance. In fact, before I bought my car, I budgeted for it and saved what I would have spent on a car so I had some money to keep me going when my salary wasn’t enough.

So yes, saving is important. Although you need to know what you’re saving for otherwise, you’ll be spending it very quickly. Don’t get me wrong though – spend your money when you want to. After all, you work hard for it and you need to feel like that hard work is worth it. With all of my financial responsibilities, my savings ran out very quickly.

That’s when I learnt all about the debt that banks happily offer you. My salary just about covered the important stuff. I still needed to worry about food, clothing, money to have fun and helping my mom out. I learnt about buying my car on residual. On paper, I extrapolated my salary to 5 years later to ensure that I could actually afford to pay off the residual when the time came. This reduced my car payments to something more affordable.

My corporate credit card quickly became my most used card in my wallet. I used it for everything! Wherever Diner’s was accepted, I used it. But that meant that the next month, I had to pay everything I owed. I was literally was living off next month’s salary but with zero interest.

For places that didn’t accept Diner’s, I took out a personal credit card. In hindsight, I must have paid a crap load in interest. I only paid the minimum instalment but it helped with the additional money that I needed.

Eventually, my responsibilities grew and so did my financial knowledge. I learnt all about overdrafts. It made so much sense but again, it’s like living off next month’s salary. With all this debt to pay off, I had no money to save…and therefore, no way to get out of debt.

What the financial experts don’t tell you is that you need to have enough money to survive in order to save. Eventually, I moved jobs and earned more money. With the additional cash injection, I paid up my credit cards and my car. Earning more money also helped me save up for a deposit on a house.

Right now, my only debt is my home loan. I drive a car that is fully paid off and use a credit card with a positive balance. I even have enough savings that I will use as a deposit to buy my next house. The financial experts will say that I’m doing it right but it was a long road to get there.

So if you are earning very little or if your debt is huge, here are my tips to help you get through it…from my broke experience:
- Ensure that you are spending money on the most essential things. Daily lattes are not a necessity.
- Use credit when you need it. Yeah, the financial experts say that credit cards are bad but those financial experts probably have enough money to not need credit. 
- Set financial goals – know what you want and by when you hope to get there. Paying off my car was a great way to look forward to some extra disposable cash which I saved up for the deposit on my house.
- Don’t be afraid to move jobs. If someone will pay you more for the job you currently do, why not think about that for a bit. You can sometimes only become better at managing your finances when you income exceeds your expenditure for the basic necessities.
- Be patient. Getting out of debt or earning more money doesn’t happen overnight. It took me about 4 years to be free of my credit card debt.

If you’re in this position, I hope my tips helped. If you overcame your financial troubles in a different way, I’d love to hear how you did it. 
This trip to Dar es Salaam marks my third visit to Tanzania. I definitely haven’t seen or experienced as much as I should but every time I come here, I feel more and more comfortable in this charming city. There are things that are just so unique to Dar and I decided to put together my list of things you need to know when you visit.


1.       The humidity
I love it when I get off a plane and feel that warm wave of humidity…but I realise I’m probably the only one. Dar is pretty much by the equator. It’s practically summer all year round and it’s hot and sticky even when it’s overcast. Be sure to pack your sunscreen and deodorant.

2.       Airport charges
I had no idea who Julius Nyerere was when I first arrived in Tanzania. He’s a pretty big deal. He’s Tanzania’s Nelson Mandela and I felt so uncultured for not knowing that. The airport in Dar is named after him and offers a very unique airport experience.

When you arrive, you are required to pay for a visa in US dollars whether you’re visiting Dar for business or pleasure. Now, there are standard fees that you can find out before you fly but it varies based on what you’re here to do and where you come from. For people that aren’t used to this, it feels like a bribe! I mean why do we have to pay to enter the country – in cash? The first time I set foot in Dar, I was trying to haggle for the price of the “bribe” but it’s a standard fee that goes to the Revenue Authority of Tanzania.

You’ll hand over $200 with your passport to an official who then takes it to an office for the paperwork to be done. Don’t worry. Someone will come out with your passport and receipt – it just might take an hour – but the plane full of people you arrived with will be waiting right alongside you.

3.       Swahili
Swahili is the national language of the locals although you could get around speaking English a lot easier in this city than in most of Africa. Even if the people you speak to understand English, it’s nice to be able to speak a little bit of Swahili as a sign of respect. Here are some of the basic words:

Karibu: Welcome. Everyone is so warm and welcoming and you are mostly likely to be greeted with “karibu”.
Mambo: Hello. The correct response to mambo is “poha”.
Asante (sana): Thank you (very much). These two words were made famous by Rafiki in the Lion King.

4.       Masai culture
Yep, the Masais you learnt about in school walk the streets of Dar! I love their traditional dress and it looks so refreshing to the usual western wear. Some luxury hotels like Seacliff have their doormen dressed as Masais to remind their patrons of the rich culture Dar has to offer.

5.       Po-le po-le
I think I spend way too much time in the rat race in Joburg. Even though I don’t like to be stressed in my personal life, I’m a frenzied mess at work meeting deadlines and fighting fires. I love the po-le po-le attitude that all Tanzanians seem to have. They say, “po-le po-le” – just chill – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being late for a meeting or responding to you later than they promised. There's no bad intent - whats the rush. Oh how I wish the Joburg business community could be this relaxed about life.

6.       A friendly people
They say South Africans are friendly. Yeah we’re a chatty bunch but I don’t think we’re as friendly as Tanzanians. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome – whether it’s a waitress or someone you work with. They will check up on you, make you feel at home and stop whatever they are doing to help you. And if they really can’t help you, they will be late for where they need to go but they will find someone who can help you instead.

7.       Traffic!
If you’re in Dar for business, you’re bound to experience the traffic. If you’re not there for business, try to avoid the roads during peak times. Most people get to work at 8 and leave at 5 so the roads are packed with everyone trying to get to and from work all at the same time. And just like the rest of us, everyone tries to weave in and out of traffic as best they can. It’s not surprising to see someone driving on the shoulder of the road in the wrong direction of traffic. Motorcyclists generally with a passenger and bajajs (tuk-tuks) weave in between cars.


Without proper road infrastructure, it seems like absolute chaos but they have nowhere near the rates of road accidents that Joburg has. Everyone seems to understand exactly how to let some people in and squeeze through others. Traffic circle rules aren’t the same as what I’m used to – it’s like: “let’s all try to get in first and then figure out who drives”.  Either way, I love that the city has its own unspoken road rules that work for them and everyone still gets home safely.

Karibu! Welcome to Dar es Salaam!
Happy New Year! A little late, I know but I figure a normal post seems kinda outta place for the first blog post of the year. I’m not too big on resolutions even though I’ve had quite a few successful runs with them. I think it’s great to reflect on life and identify what changes you want to make.  And…(cynical remark) you can do this at any time of the year – not just when it begins. 


This year I don’t have any hard and fast resolutions. I know goals are important but so is living life. I’ve never really thought of a bucket list cos I prefer taking life as it comes. Life throws you so many hurdles anyway. With everything that one has to deal with, who has time to set a long list of goals and then chase after them? With that in mind, I decided to put together a retrospective bucket list – a list of all the things I managed to accomplish this year that didn’t start out as goals but achievements that just materialised when life happened.  

Getting married!
This has always been one of dreams. Not the wedding bit but just the being married bit. My friends do not understand this but I think it stems from me never being lucky in love. I was one of those girls who were defined by my single status. And while I’ve only been married for three months, it’s better than everything I imagined it to be. I love falling asleep in his arms, cooking for someone and just plain having someone around all the time. I’ve been accused of dissing the single life but hey I can’t help that I love being married…to the right person.

Going on my dream holiday
I cannot believe I managed to convince The Husband to part with a small fortune to celebrate our newlywed status in the Maldives. I’ve looked at photos of this heavenly place for years and I finally went there. I’d recommend it to anyone. My advice is to just do it! Whatever your dream destination is – go for it. Money was tight while we were planning a wedding so we decided to book it on our credit cards and pay for it later. Was it a smart financial decision to make? Not at all. Do I regret it? Absolutely not!

Understanding the important things in life
We weren’t even married for a month before the husband received a letter from work informing him that he may be affected by the upcoming retrenchments. Suddenly, our newly-wed dream of buying a house was put on hold. The husband was upset about being put in a position where he couldn’t provide me with everything I wanted. It was then I realised what was important. I have many wants that I’m working towards but I really don’t need a big house or international holidays. I was grateful that I married a man who loves me and even if life threw us more curveballs, I’d be happy even if I only had him, my friends and family.

My first roller-coaster ride!
Yeah yeah…everyone gave me funny looks when I exclaimed that. I had a sheltered childhood, ok. I went to Gold Reef City for the first time and my inner child was let loose. I had permanent smiles and intermittent screams for my entire visit. If I could, I would have been covered in ice-cream and candy floss too.

Learnt how to swim
I don’t know why people call this a life skill. Surely, if you never need to be in or near water, you don’t need to learn how to swim. I did it cos I needed to fully enjoy my honeymoon destination – which was surrounded by water. I’m so glad I did it – it helped with playing on the beach and snorkelling in the deep ocean. If you’re planning an island holiday and you don’t know how to swim, you should learn.

Developing a pretentious palate
I was en route to a proper restaurant when I spotted Spur and convinced the husband to go there for supper. When the food arrived, I couldn’t believe I ever enjoyed Spur’s cuisine before. I remember calling Debonairs my favourite pizza joint and McDonald’s my favourite fast food outlet. In a few years, my palate developed to enjoy the finer foods and to understand that my previous favourites weren’t all that. In fact, I recently had the best steak of my life. I think it’s because I had finally gotten accustomed to it and that I ordered my steak medium – instead of well done. Yes, I’m embarrassed about my culinary past but I’m also worried about the cost of my pretentious culinary future.

Visiting the Kingdom of Lesotho
The problem with visiting new countries for work is that there’s never any time to sight see but you do get a flavour of the culture just by interacting with the locals at work. I hadn’t realised how South African Lesotho is. In comparison to the other African countries I’ve been to, I’d probably be more at home in Maseru. I can’t wait to go back, but this time to go up those famous mountains.

A rather short list but I’m hoping that without the stresses of planning and paying for a wedding, this year will be a lot more spontaneous and fun. I hope to travel more – both internationally and locally. I want to not only eat great food but cook it too when I entertain. I am getting my husband to study so that I can get more blog time. I’d like a bigger house with more home projects that I can busy myself with. I just want to do so much with what I have and above all, I want to be happy!


Why don’t you try looking back at the things you’ve done. You might just be surprised with your retrospective bucket list.