I would also say stay close to Pebbles beach (my favorite beach, Hilton nearby) or Bridgetown. You can go to Brown's beach and get cabana's and food and stuff as well. You can stay at St. Lawrence Gap if you are trying to party. Also, got to hit up Oistins on a Friday night, Mapps (is a local chicken spot), Cuz's fish shack for a fish cutter (on Pebbles beach), and do a Catamaran Cruise (I usually do Tiami but there are others). You could also stay near Limegrove which is the more expensive part of the island with fancy restaurants, bars, and a mall. Did a partnership with Marriott all inclusive brand hotel (Crystal Cove). You actually get 3 for the price of one as you can hop around to the other hotels for (Waves Hotels [small beach more modern and younger vibe], Turtle Beach Hotel (St. Lawrence Gap). Also be sure to book on the Green Book Global app if it is a Marriott property or if you use Expedia, because you can get up to 4.5% cash back.

So what is like Traveling While Black in Paris? Well everyone's experience is different but there are some trends we can definitely see from a historical and even political standpoint. So when considering travel tips for Paris just keep in mind that France has really taking a color blind approach when trying to tackle any systemic issues when dealing with local black people. Part of the reason for this is that they don't capture demographic information so its difficult to see how things are progressing or going backward. This TikTok Video that goes into greater detail about it as well as my personal Traveling While Black eperience in Paris: 1) https://www.tiktok.com/@greenbookglobal/video/7186009922788658475 2) https://www.tiktok.com/@greenbookglobal/video/7186371207350979882 Full Disclosure: This Travel Tip for Paris and video is from me, Lawrence, the Founder of GBG. I thought this video would give some great context for other black travelers that are looking to plan a trip to Paris. So, outside of all this, Paris is still great place for Black Travelers. You have your normal tourist attractions (Eiffel Tower, Louvre) but you will also find the black culture really does permeate many parts of Paris from its food, music, and even history. So I would definitely recommend if you havent been before as a Black Travelers and its also a great city to repeat if you've been already.

In 2022 one would think there are not still active sundown towns in the U.S.A. but that sadly is not the case. If you check out the latest tiktok video you will see an unfortunate recap of black man's experience in Vidor, Texas: To set the context, Vidor, Texas is a sundown town that up to late 1960's had signs that read "Nit*er Don't Let the Sun Set on You in Vidor". In 1982 there was was class action lawsuit filed due to racial discrimination of African Americans in East Texas. In 1992, Vidor gained national attention when the Klu Klux Klan drove out some of the town's FIRST African American residents. In 2022, black people still warn to not even get gas in Vidor, and the recent TikTok video mentioned seeing a black doll, wrapped in a confederate flag, hanging by a tree from its neck. Just do you know Vidor is about 15 minutes from Beaumont, Texas and less than 2 hours away from Houston.

I went to Antarctica with Quark Expedition in 2015 while I was on my Gap Year. It was my last continent and was absolutely amazing. We went in a ship that could fit about 200 people. This size is perfect so you can get on and off the ship easily. If it is one of those larger cruise boats you likely will not be able to get off. We spend 10 days there and it was an experience of a lifetime. The most intriguing piece was Traveling While Black. Although it I was the only black person there there was a guy similar in age who was of Indian descent that ended up being my bunk mate. However, interestingly enough race didn't play much of factor as much as age did. Because the majority of people on the ship were older white couples, anyone under the age of 35 banded together and there were like 10 of us lol. Despite that what I did like about breakfast, lunch, and dinner is that there were no assigned seats so over the course of 10 days you got to pretty much interact with everyone which I thought was pretty cool. One other thing to remember is that if you want to be able to contact the outside world during this expedition then this is not the trip for you. I think they had dial-up internet on the ship that cost like $100 for 10 minutes and it would take about 9 minutes to get a connection if you were lucky. I am sure you are wondering on price. Well it was a whopping $5000!!! You could see a lot of destinations around the world for that price but I don't regret it all. I may even go again later on life.

First off Morocco itself is pretty affordable but if you go to the Blue City, the food, activities, and souvenirs are even cheaper. However, the selection of things to buy is more limited when compared to the souks in Marrakech. To get to Chefchaouen it is typical that you would take a tour bus/van of some sort from Marrakech. Well I wanted to live on the wild side and got a rental car and a wild ride it was. I got pulled over literally 2 minutes after I left the rental car agency. Morocco literally has the worst speed traps I think I’ve ever seen. It literally will down go from 80 KPH, to 50 KPH to 25 KPH in a matter of 50 meters. I got hipped to the game but STILL got pulled over again on my way back lol ‍♂️. In both situation they were expecting bribes so I did as expected but all in all it was about 20-30 USD for both pay offs. But still had me shook tho. Once you get to the Blue City after taking the 4/5 hour drive..the city is amazing. Much slower paced, relaxing, romantic all in one. We got some dope photos taken for our one year anniversary with Mahmoud using Air BnB experiences (he was just ok but we had good vision) had the best Chicken Tagine in Morocco with Rhani (another Airbnb Experience). I mean the BEST!! Morocco is beautiful country with so many different flavors but Chefchaouen is unique gem of a city that you have to find some time to visit if you go to Morocco

Nike Art Gallery – This is a famous Nigerian art gallery, multiple floors and the largest collection I’ve come across (super overpriced). Other art galleries are Red Door and Art Cafe. Art cafe also has great shisha! Freedom Park – outdoorsy spot that usually has concerts or music events located in old lagos- check Google for any events. Suya spots – You need to get Suya!!! There are various places to get it. Not sure where you will be staying but in Lekki, you can get some from Bukka Hut or Entourage. In Ikoyi, you can get it from Glover Court. Most people stick with beef or chicken. I am also obsessed with prawns and found prawn suya on the 5th floor at Intercontinental Hotel or at Lagoon Restaurant in Victoria Island The Market – Markets can get quite busy/full, however, I usually go there for material. The craziest and most authentic place is Balogun market but there are other smaller markets too. Note, you can also get some material at a store called Da Viva at the Palms Mall in Lekki. Lekki Conservation Center- This is another place some folks like to check out. To be honest, most folks want to take pics on the walkway. It has the longest canopy walkway in Africa so pretty cool. Beach vibes- If you’re keen to hit the beach, there’s Ilashe beach or Tarkwa bay. Tarkwa is my favorite and you can catch a banana boat from Victoria Island for like 1500 naira or take a ferry. There is a cool beach club house called Pop beach club. Lounge vibes- MOIST beach club!! This is a must and one of the newest lounges. Other lounges are bar bar- my friend Dipo owns this spot and it’s both a barber shop and a lounge- very chill. Eko Hotel – It has a lovely, outdoor restaurant/chilling spot. Plus 2 dope places to have drinks and chill that I have tried – one is the Tex Mex restaurant and the other is on the rooftop of the second hotel building called the Sky restaurant for fine singing. They have many other restaurant options too. There are also other places elsewhere like Bottles ( Mexican Restaurant) or Velvett if you want to turn up. Velvett was the main club but there is another club called Sip too that’s super popular Continental Restaurants – in order of my fav locations to try: Nok, Z Kitchen, Danfo, lagoon/churasco, Casper and Gambini, Craft Gourmet, Salma’s Samantha’s, La Taverna Black Bell and the ‘Place’- For ready made, Nigerian food (bring Imodium..:). Hard Rock Cafe – I love this place as it’s beautiful, but most importantly you can chill on the beach in the cabanna type setup and just be – any time of day. That is one of my spots and happy places. Terra Kulture – This is often spoken about as a cultural experience type place. To be honest I didn’t go a lot but they have plays sometimes. Bogobiri on a Wednesday night is also another cool place to check out. I think Wednesday’s is open mic night or spoken word. The Palms Lekki Mall – This is the go to mall back in the day. They have movies upstairs and loads of other shops. Hans and Rene – This is my favourite ice cream spot ever. Even better than in the US. They have a standalone store by the Radisson Blu hotel. Make sure to get the Bissap/hibiscus flavor. They have other flavors from fruits unique to Africa too like agbalumo. Be sure to follow some sites that are basically gig guides for events happening. @Fomo Lagos, @NTDIL – short for Nothing to do in Lagos, Lagos Gig guide. There is always something happening in Lagos!

Test

Although Wakanda is not real, after seeing the movie get snubbed in the Golden Globe Awards we felt like we wanted to pay homage to the 3rd highest grossing movie of all time (that was directed by one of our own and played by a predominantly black cast). We are doing this by creating a Wakanda city listing. So if you are down, humor us and answer these 3 question and let us empower ourselves. We will start us off... 1) What would WAKANDA mean to you if it were real?? Wakanda would be amazing!! We feel like having a place like this would allow those of African descent to have a Birthright trip similar to that of Jews. The fact that OUR history is told from the perspective of Europeans and the stories about the many Kings and Queens of Africa and our amazing accomplishments are somehow conveniently left out of history books, makes it difficult for us as an entire community to get true sense of identity and where we come from. We have accomplished so much well before slavery and Wakanda would be a shining light into that. 2) What would your WAKANDA look like? I don't know. It doesn't have to be extra wealthy and could just be moderately wealthy. But I think what would be truly amazing is to have the different tribes of Africa represented, Caribbean Islands represented, and those of the African Diaspora of the Americas represented all in one location. It would just be black love where we are living together in harmony in a place that we respect and cherish. 3) How can we make Wakanda a reality? Or can we? I don't think we need a "Wakanda" necessarily but I do think a birthright trip to Ghana or something of the sort would be amazing and would do wonders for the PSD that we all suffer from due to slavery. People in Ghana are so welcoming and love seeing African Americans that make that trip. I think it would do amazing things to our psyche as a community. Success is 90% mental and this would be significant help to the mental of so many of us!!

There a variety of great eats you can experience while in Lake Tahoe. Here are a few: Azul Latin Kitchen (http://www.azullatinkitchen.com/) - This is margarita heaven!! They have quite an assortment of margaritas so you can't go wrong. Whether you come to Lake Tahoe in the late Fall like I did or even during the winter, this should definitely be a stop on the list. I didn't eat here so can't necessarily speak to that but it sure did smell good! Outpost Brewing - (https://www.outpostbeer.com/) This place is less than a year old but has an amazing vibe. It really feels like a beer garden with a ping pong table, corn hole, a fire pit and a variety of benches for you sit back and enjoy a brewskie. They have an awesome selection that include sour beers, ciders, stouts, IPA's, and even Kombucha on tap!! They have a variety of happy hour specials and you also can get a tasting for just $2 each. That could be dangerous lol..pace yourself. The Bistro Edgewood (https://edgewoodtahoe.com/lodge) - This hotel restaurant is absolutely beautiful!! We had an amazing seat overlooking the water and I kid you not, I thought I was in Bora Bora. The food is absolutely amazing and it was one of my top favorite meals while I was in Lake Tahoe. I had the charbroiled octopus for an appetizer and the seared elk chop for my main (yes I said elk). It was to die for..so good! Also, do not forget to order dessert!! Trust me you will not regret it!!

I don’t know much about the city of Malibu but I do know they have wine lol. The Malibu Wine Safari was a great experience. It is the perfect combination between wine tasting and adventure where you can get up close and personal with a variety of animals. There is one special animal on this 1000+ acre ranch named Stanley. He stands 18 feet high and is a bit of a ladies man lol. Stanley is a giraffe. He is also quite the super star. He was in Hangover 3, in Skittles and Nike commercials, and even was on the Playboy Channel (risque Stanley…risque). Also, the safari guides are super nice and make the experience even more enjoyable as they give you some great information on the wines, the animals, and the history of Saddle Rock Ranch. This safari is pretty popular as Kim Kardashian was there the day before I went. I am really appreciative that Malibu Wine Safari gave me the opportunity to experience this amazing place. I would highly recommend it for a unique experience.

Mainland China is not the business. I spent a couple of days in Beijing and maybe I just had a bad experience but I will not be going back! This is the one place where using hand signals and pointing to maps or pictures do not work when you are trying to explain something to a local. I did meet one friendly student who kind of adopted me into his family for the day (I know you are now probably thinking why I am so negative lol). However, later on in my stay I got into a heated argument with my driver who was taking me to the Great Wall. Let's just say it got bad... The beauty of traveling is that we can all have different experiences but for me, mine was not the greatest in Mainland China. My advice, go to Beijing for the Great Wall, get some Peking Duck and then keep it moving.

I live in Harlem and coming from Atlanta, I can tell you that New York is quite a change especially with how expensive things are here. However, it is the Big Apple and you just learn to deal with it. There are number of awesome places to eat it NYC from your street vendors (yes I love street meat, dont judge me), to special pastry spots but I what I want to share is this amazing pizza spot in Harlem that has literally left me sleeping at the table each and every time I have eaten there. Not because it was heavy but because it made me my stomach so happy we both had to take a break lol It has this special crust that is so light but very satisfying with fresh ingredients and the perfect combination of cheese and sauce. The name is of this spot is Sottocasa Pizzeria and it might be the best pizza I have ever had and I have been to Italy multiple times. Just saying...

Cartagena surprised me when it came to having some adventurous activities to do. I remember hearing about the mud volcano, El Totumo, but never giving it much thought and also thinking it wouldn't even be all that. When I arrived my thoughts were confirmed because it is definitely does not look like your average volcano. However, once you climb up those steps and hop into the mud, it is definitely an experience to remember. I wish I just could have been in it longer. I am guessing this is what Neil Armstrong felt like when he was on the moon lol. Definitely a must-do when you come to Cartagena.

I stayed almost 2 weeks in different parts of the city in Jozi and absolutely loved it! Johannesburg is a developed city with a constant flow of activities, extensive history, and it is cheap! It also feels more like Africa to me than Capetown because you do not see as much of a Dutch (Afrikaan) influence. In addition, I did some service projects in Soweto, a huge township just outside the city that contains more than 50% of Johannesburg’s total population. I worked with kids, helped organizations with funding proposals, and even reviewed business ideas of young entrepreneurs. To be honest, as much as I may have helped them, volunteering with these awesome people did so much more for me. It really helped re-shape my perspective about Africa and changed the narrative of what the media portrays of a poverty stricken, primitive nation to one of beautiful people who are smart, innovative, and passionate. I felt like I became my brothers keeper where their struggles became my struggles and it was no longer “them” but it was “us”. My trip to Johannesburg was just pure and simple..DOPE!! My Traveling While Black experience was off the richter Oh, and I haven’t even talked to you about my Soweto crew!! A buddy of mine connected me with some Soweto locals and they were PHE-NOM-ENAL. They treated me like family and showed me nothing but love. Check them out if you end up in SowetoYou can have a drink and they will take you around town for a truly authentic experience. I stayed in three different areas while I was in Jozi and would highly recommend Maboneng. It definitely has a hipster vibe and whether or not that is what you are in to, I think you can't go wrong with this part of the city. Also, I definitely liked Braamfontein, but tread softly. I can see some people feeling that it is sketchy and a bit unsafe, but I loved it. I actually spent a couple days there, went to a different part of the city, and then came back. In regards to Sandton it was whack, I wouldn't stay there again. One other option that I did not consider before was actually staying in Soweto. I went there 3 days straight so I actually would have been better off if I just found some accommodations in the area. But, it was fun learning how to take the taxis up there lol..

What is really interesting about Cuba is that there are the two currencies. It appears you can get them pretty easily in 2017 but when I went to Cuba in 2012 they were a hot commodity for tourists to get their hands on. However, despite this and even the 10% penalty they will charge for exchanging American dollars, Cuba is still hella cheap. Money long in Cuba..money looonnggggg.

After meeting so many Aussies on the road, I expected to party hard when I came to Sydney. I was sadly disappointed. Something as simple as bar-hopping proved to be difficult since once it got passed 1:30 a.m. you could not get back into the bar/club due to the "Lock-out". Also, I did go to a club and got bottle service and for whatever reason you are not allowed to touch the bottle you paid for! The waitress has to pour your drinks and you cannot get a double shot! There were evidently too many fights in the past after people left the club, but still very bizarre.

Bali, literally has has everything!! I have been to 50+ countries and this is one of the few cities I would love to go back to. However, my comment will be with regards to relaxation, which is ironic since I am typically one that loves Adventure. Going to Potato Head and spending literally 8 hours eating, napping, and eating was the laziest I think I have ever been. I highly recommend it. There are gorgeous accommodations that are in Ubud and the massages are so freaking cheap at $5-$10 per hour you have not choice but to relax. Love everything in Bali!

I really wished I got to explore Venice more but I was only there for one night. Be sure to see the Rialto Bridge but also find some way to make a trip to Burano. I always see instagram pictures of people there and regret that I did not know about this colorful city when I was there and that I also missed my opportunity to visit.