Gloria Haboucha, Independent Consultant Direct Travel

06/21/2024

In honour of World Giraffe Day, my giraffe friends and me
Photo credit: Tammy2.0

06/11/2024

The jumping the Maasai do in their ceremonial dancing is to demonstrate their agility and stamina. It is a beautiful thing to watch. .travel

06/11/2024

This Maasai warrior, Isaac, spoke to us about the rite of passage to become a warrior. At around the age of 12, Maasai boys are sent into the wild for a couple of years. They were considered warriors if they killed a lion. Today they are no longer kill lions, but learn to fight, protect their cattle and live in ceremonial pods in the wild.

06/09/2024

Kili by starlight!
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06/05/2024

Amboseli National Park, Kenya - Famous for its herds of elephants and the best views of Mt Kilimanjaro, it's a photographer's paradise. Just imagine yourself sitting there gazing at this iconic mountain and having the elephants, giraffes and/or zebras just stroll by...so totally zen❤️
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06/05/2024

Amboseli National Park, Kenya - famous for its herds of elephants and having the best views of Mt Kilimanjaro, it is a photgraphet's paradise. Imagine being in the savannah with a view of this iconic mountain and the wildlife just strolling by...so totally zen❤️
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06/03/2024

We had a full day in Nairobi before heading to the savannah. Visited 2 animal sanctuaries, The Giraffe Centre, which is a refuge for Rothschild giraffes, an endangered sub-species, and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which is an elephant orphanage but also shelters 2 rhinos, an older blind one who will live out its days here and a young female, Raha, whose story captured our hearts. Their aim is to rehabilitate the animals and slowly reintroduce them to the wild. The animals decide when they are ready, as one day, having gone into the wild with their handler, they decide not to return to the handler. We also visited a beading business which provides a livelihood to hundreds of Maasai women, which in turn allows their daughters to remain in school. We topped the afternoon off with a fabulous meal at a wonderful restaurant. .travel #

06/01/2024

The Palm Jumeira - Got to drive up the palm and onto the crescent. Till today, I didn't understand why the road to the crescent doesn't show in pictures 😊

06/01/2024

Forced stop in Dubai. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade...

05/30/2024

Street Art of Maboneng (Jo'burg Pt. II) - Johannesburg has a very dynamic street art scene particularlt in the bustling neighbourhood of Maboneng, where we did a guided walking tour. How gorgeous is this wall art?

05/29/2024

Spent a lovely couple of days in Johannesburg. Here are some scenes from Soweto, where we did a wonderful tuktuk tour led by locals. Don't you just love all the colour?

11/26/2023

Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa - beautiful welcome fruit platter, outdoor pool and indoor/outdoor lap pool

07/12/2023

Not surprised that the Four Seasons at Sultanahmet, one of my favourites anywhere (that’s me by the entrance last November), was named the BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD by Travel and Leisure magazine!!! Built in a former jail and located just steps away from the main attractions in the old town, this is a fabulous property where you can enjoy all the amenities and next level service is known for. I personally cannot imagine a visit to Istanbul without staying here. Let me know if you’d like to stay here on your next visit to Istanbul.

07/08/2023

On the last day of our hiking trip, we did a walk through the quaint town of Luss and its enchanted, troll-dwelling forest. It was like walking into a storybook! Thank you, for a wonderful active trip, that was so much more!

07/07/2023

The area around Loch Lomond is very beautiful, even on an overcast day.

07/05/2023

The Fife Coastal Path, linking some of Scotland's picturesque fishing villages from Pittenweem to Crail, is one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever been on. It didn't hurt that the weather gods smiled on us.
One of the things I love about Backroads is the flexibility they build into their trips. On any given dayyou have option of a longer or shorter hike. Some people would hike 12 miles in a day, others 3 or 4. One day, some of us chose to forego the afternoon hike in favour of exploring the quaint town of St-Andrews.

07/02/2023

Views from, and of, a castle, Kellie Castle, Anstruther, Scotland

07/01/2023

For the golfers here, we spent one night at the Old Course Hotel St-Andrews, overlooking the Road Hole! The first picture is of the iconic Silcwan Bridge (photo credit JK). I didn't play, but walked part of the course. You could tell that the golfers were really excited to be playing here. Beautiful course on the shores of the North Sea, great hotel, charming town, great food. Let me know if you'd like me to arrange a package for you here.

06/30/2023

Scottish strawberries are officially the best!!

06/30/2023

Whisky tasting!!! Backroads trips aren't just about hiking and biking. We enjoyed several cultural experiences like this session learning about, and tasting, whisky. And yes, we asked about the kilt too!

06/30/2023

Hiking in the Highlands!

06/26/2023

Edinburgh!

01/15/2023

Memories of Patagonia - Around this time three years ago I was just winding down what came to be my last trip before the pandemic. Here are some memories of one of the beautiful places I was privileged to visit. Patagonia is a place of great natural beauty, rugged mountain peaks, glaciers, water of the deepest turquoise and many other shades of blue, green and grey, and rare wildlife such as the elusive puma.

01/12/2023

Memories of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - Three years ago, I was just winding down my epic journey to Antarctica, Patagonia and Rapa Nui. Little did I know that I would not be getting on a plane again for almost 3 years. Here a few pictures from the remote and mysterious Rapa Nui.

01/08/2023

Can’t believe it’s already 4 years since my amazing visit to Bhutan, one of the most beautiful and unique places in the world. It’s dramatic landscape and unique culture make it a bucket list destination for many. Little known facts: it’s the first country in the world to be carbon negative, and it has an unexpected national symbol which people paint on their houses for protection and fertility…see the last of the pictures posted here.

01/01/2023

12/16/2022

The Mediterranean coast of Turkey

12/14/2022

Antalya by night

12/14/2022

Beautiful colours of Antalya!

12/11/2022

More scenes from Cairo