I recently came back from Barcelona. But I can’t tell you much about the beautiful Catalan city’s gothic and modern architecture, its famous Picasso Museum or its majestic Sagrada Familia church.
Instead, I am enthused about its pulsating vibe as locals pound the streets of Avinguda Diagonal on their way to work. I can also describe how the Carmel Bunkers, a viewing point perched on one of the city's many hilltops and a relic of the Spanish Civil War, is a perfect place to watch the sunset with the locals. I can also warn you that Barcelona’s heat is insidious. It creeps up on you until you suddenly feel faint after a day of walking.
These are not exactly Instagrammable moments, but it’s the kind of resonant experiences savoured when travelling alone with an itinerary based on instinct rather than a checklist.
Travelling solo is one of my favourite things to do. Ever since taking the impulsive decision to backpack around Europe as a 20-year-old at the turn of the century, a decision hastened by burnout from work and study commitments, I have taken yearly solo sojourns to physically and emotionally recharge and recalibrate.
I view them as my personal annual general meetings where I have a mental agenda of items I want to think about – whether it's an investment or career decision – and rigorously interrogate them on the long and endless walks seemingly to nowhere. It's refreshing and the clarity felt at the end of 10km walk in foreign places often placed me in good stead.
But solo travel is not only about giving yourself the time to consider things away from the daily hustle and bustle of home. It’s also an opportunity to be still, observe the world around you and give yourself the space to have uncomfortable feelings.
Here is a little a little secret I will share with you: I often hate everything about my travel destination on the first day. The new landscapes, languages, weather and social customs often leave me feeling alienated and lonely. But once I break that mental barrier, often arriving after a restful night’s sleep, each day becomes a discovery.
I do that by not hitting the museums but spending most of the day people-watching in strategically located cafes with flasks of coffee and some newspapers. Whether it's Cafe Charlot in Paris, whose terrace gives you a grand view of the bustling Rue de Bretagne; or Le Nouveau Cafe in Thessaloniki’s Aristotle Square, these sessions provide an insight into the soul of a city you can’t find in any tour.
Also, the best part of the travelling solo is how the seemingly random moments are the most memorable. A chance meeting with a bunch of local musicians in a Budapest jazz bar in 2018 somehow led me to a house party where I hosted a quiz competition because of my supposed journalism background. While four years later, another random encounter with a hip-hop aficionado in a record store in Vienna led to an invite to one of the cool DJ gigs held in a pop-up venue under a bridge.
These are the kinds of moments you just can’t get when you are on a schedule and even harder when travelling with a companion, no matter how seemingly laid back they are. Often, when returning people ask me what I have seen or experienced and my replies are often vague.
How can you explain that while you didn’t see the masterpieces at the museum, you instead took important steps in mastering your sense of self? Or, instead of being in the crowds of a massive music festival, you were more happy walking alone to your own beat? Then again, why do you need to explain anyway?
Solo travel is that gift to yourself that continues to pay off long after you arrive home. More people should try it.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Honeymoonish
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Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
Quick%20facts
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The%20specs
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani