Straight Trippin Travel Series

I was born restless. I’ve been seeking new and exciting adventures since the day I arrived. I really do believe I came out of the womb with a passport and luggage in tow. Being an explorer is not only my birth right, but my mission in life. Whether by sea, plane, train or automobile, if it’s on a map I have every intention on going there. So when Anietie approached me about producing a travel series, she could barely finish before I blurted out, yes. Sign me up!

Producing Straight Trippin’ is really an opportunity of a lifetime for me, because I’m getting paid to do something that I would normally do for free. It also allows me to follow in the tradition of the African Griots, (Storytellers or Repository of Oral Tradition). I get to share with all of you the many wonderful places around the world that embrace our heritage and diverse cultures in both words and pictures.

My travels have taken me just about all over the U.S. including Hawaii, parts of Canada, Mexico, South America, The Caribbean and Europe, and I can truly say the U.S. will always be my country, but the world is my home. To me there’s nothing better than waking up in unfamiliar territory with no concrete plan of action, except to go out and explore and conquer. Everyday is truly a unique learning experience.

Visiting mainstream tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio will always be a part of our itinerary, but taking a detour off the beaten path is where the fun really begins. After-all, I would never visit the Statue of Liberty in New York, without taking a trip to The Apollo Theatre or Amy Ruth’s Restaurant in Harlem, so why visit Rio without visiting Salvador de Bahia? Bahia is a vibrant, colorful and distinctly African city in Brazil that’s rich in culture and history. And it’s doesn’t stop there, thriving African communities can be found all around the world. From the Brixton section of London to the Cape Verdeans communities of New England to the Gullah people of the South Carolina Outer Islands to the Garifuna people of Honduras. We’re everywhere!

Still not convinced? Okay I challenge you to take a trip to a culturally diverse city such as New York or Toronto. It won’t take long before you realize the African Diaspora was in full effect. New York City has the largest black population in the U.S. and I lived there for several years, yet I met very few African Americans, but had many friends and co-workers from the Caribbean, Canada, Africa, Europe and South and Central America. They spoke English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German, but they all looked like family to me. Our cultures were different, but our ancestry for the most part was the same. They too, were descendents of slaves and although they didn’t appreciate collard greens and cornbread quite the way I do, they threw down on some pretty tasty curry goat, fufu, roti, conk fritters, plantains, yassa, cassava and bean and rice dishes. Now if this Mid-western girl goes too long without a Jamaica beef patty or a Dominican Hair Stylist, I go into serious withdrawal and let me tell you, it’s not pretty.

My point is our people are represented throughout the world. We are connected through our ancestry, history, experience and most of all our music. Yes those famous African drums are still beating and this griot still has many more stories to tell. Travel with us and experience the best in African cultural and heritage tours from around the world. You won’t be disappointed.