Ashley Grey

Tag Archives: travel

Nelly’s dad was quite fond of saying, “don’t drive a willing horse to death.” Huh!? It didn’t make much sense to her. It did however, the older and wiser she got. At one time or another, we might have seen a horse handler breaking a horse or putting it under saddle. At first, it is tough. Eventually, the animal is ready and serves the owner on a farm or on the field. With a saddle safely in place, one can ride safely on the horse. But I digress. Now, the horse is malleable and willing, but you want to watch that you don’t ride it to exhaustion and death. There’s such a thing as a good thing being too much. That’s what Nelly’s dad meant by the expression. horse Like we see in the story of the prophet and a donkey, even a beast of burden has its breaking point.…

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A label is nice when one is looking to boost a brand or stand out from the competition. How about other times? Can labels be limiting? William may cheerfully greet a new neighbour. James may not even make eye contact with the new neighbour. William may get labelled as friendly or an extrovert while James is viewed as unfriendly or an introvert. Same situation, different expressions and perceptions. William and James expressing themselves differently, and get defined based on people’s perceptions. Rightly or wrongly! Through the years, like William and James could, we might believe perceptions and labels about us and repeat them often enough. “oh, I am squeamish,” one might say. Or “I have been described as finicky, and we typically put others down.” And like an eagle that does not soar, because it thinks it is a chicken, our wings are clipped, and not in a good way.A…

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Friendships can form really quickly when you least expect it. I made a new friend, a senior and never would have imagined we would connect like we did. The bonding was fast. We talked about foods, cultures and lifestyle. She told me about her experience travelling within Canada and all fifty states of the United States and how she hated the boarding protocol and being treated like a senior. She would much rather be treated like everyone else while boarding a plane. We laughed a lot and did silly things like wave at airplanes in the sky on that dark moonless night. Seriously! We shared silences too and they were not awkward. She revealed a flirty side when she talked about her husband and his amazing body. Oh my goodness! Then I think, wait a minute, flirting between spouses should never stop at any age. It is the life of…

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smart expert tips for fun road trips.

Experts advise smart tips for fun road trips and experiences. More so, during holidays, and festive seasons. Indeed, road travel can be fun when you have a reliable car and a flexible enough schedule to allow for stops at places of interest along the way. You want to create memories, enjoy life’s simple pleasures, and not feel like you have to rush all the time. Being alive is a gift, right? Right, let’s get to these smart tips for a fun road travel experience that experts agree on, shall we? #1. Have a professional check your car. You want to make sure the tires, engine, brakes, headlights, and turn signals are in good condition. To assume they are, and everything will be fine, is leaving things to chance and risking unpleasant experiences.  Unpleasantness is what you want to avoid. True, we can’t control everything but we can try to lessen…

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Accra's best-kept secret: A Store Find

I feel like I found Accra’s best-kept secret and it is a supermarket. I found it quite by accident on a drive-by. The bold sign caught my eye. The store wasn’t public knowledge as far as I knew. The huge, yet simple sign that read The Blue Mall stood out.Perhaps, it was new? I made a mental note to check it out.I did. Best-kept secret. And what a find! I wasn’t disappointed at all. Far from it. I found NutriBullet blenders for smoothies at their store. What! To see that they had the product on the First floor, in large and small sizes, (take your pick) was impressive. Pinch me! I hadn’t found those machines in more popular stores. The city’s best-kept secret unfolds before my eyes! They had quite a variety of goods on display too in a simple setting. Do you like going “off the beaten track” or…

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bonding over our bonfire on new year's eve

Bonding over a raging New Year’s Eve bonfire! And what a bonfire! Wild camping or should I say beach camping eating and chatting with amazing folks! What’s not to love? The beach is still a popular travel destination more than ever as restrictions are lifted and the world opens up. Beach lovers, say aye! There was music, singing, dancing, and fun games.  This little guy, Emmanuel beat me at a board game. Ouch! He’s quite skilled. Who knew? Not me. So, I lost. Getting to know Philldel, another smart kid was a pleasure too and I think what a blessing to have these special moments. Moments later, two riders on horseback appeared and stopped to chat, drawn by the bonfire. I thought their horses were elegant. The horses are still up at this hour. What? I watched as one of them led his horse into the water, pretending, they were…

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travel experience

Hacks deliver the best experiences and these 8 tested hacks for the best travel experience are worth remembering as they save precious time and money and make a trip memorable in a pleasant way. That said, I must add that a great attitude makes for a great travel experience.Someone shared a story some time ago about taking a trip on a public bus and described the experience as “the bumpiest and most bizarre journey of my life.” Chickens strolling casually and nibbling toes, goats strapped on the roof of the bus, and the driver playing an ABBA tune for 3 hours.Guess what! The storyteller loved the experience. What can I say? A great attitude goes a long way. Doesn’t it? By the way, taking public transportation is a good way to learn quick facts about the city you are visiting. It takes some courage though because you never know what…

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Top 5 Air Travel Facts That Offer Comfort

Knowledge is power in air travel. Facts help to keep anxious thoughts at bay.  Most of us tend to be wary of the unknown and things we don’t understand or control. The fear of heights, strange midair noise, fear of heights, germs, and viruses, and being in such an enclosed space as an aircraft for many hours can cause distress. Aviophobia, yes, there’s a name for it, is the fear of flying. In this post, I share five air travel facts that offer some comfort about flying. Let’s get right in, shall we? #1.  Airplanes have come a long way. They used to look like this. Airplanes have come a long way. Now they are sleek, built tough, and capable of so much more like withstanding the impact of lightning strikes and turbulence. #2. Rigorous flight tests are conducted to determine flight worthiness. Test pilots get to do impressive stuff…

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Accra Coconut Festival:

The International Coconut Festival taking place in Accra is indeed off to a good start. I was not quite sure what to expect. Perhaps, an unlimited supply of coconut food. Sure! Maybe floats made from coconut husks? We’ll see! A coconut festival should mean a fresh, creamy, delightful experience with juicy coconuts. Right! That was good enough for me. The coconut festival idea is intriguing. Also, I get excited about subjects that inspire green, and organic living, so, I went to check out the event. Nuts for the coconuts! There weren’t any floats of coconut pods. One can only hope, yes? Attendance was good though. There was learning. There are huge dividends to investing in the coconut industry because of the versatile nature of the fruit. Not to mention the different species and varieties available. We get oil, water, and milk, and make smoothies from the fruit. The list of…

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