Maynard Paye

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Thandie was in total control of our walk. When she wanted to rest, we did.

This white lion was the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. His color makes it difficult for him to blend in with the bush surroundings, in other words he’s easily hunted and it’s difficult for him to hunt because his prey can see him easily.

Interested in seeing orangutan and hiking in beautiful surroundings? Check Maya's review on jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang, Indonesia ow.ly/HmNg309oc3y. #expatlife #solotraveller #blackfemaletravel #indonesia #bukitlawang #mayatheexplorer #solotravel

Sri Lanka is a destination that often gets overlooked. Check out why it should be your next vacation @ http://ow.ly/dNSG309eOHk  
#mayatheexplorer  #srilanka #travelSrilanka #expatlife #blackfemaletravel #vacation

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5 Advantages to Staying at a Guest House in the Maldives

To say that staying at a guesthouse decreases the cost of your stay would be an understatement. My boyfriend and I paid $3000 in total for a 7-day trip to the Maldives. That included round-trip tickets from Singapore, round-trip seaplanes from Male, boat transfers, all meals (and they were delicious), two dives each and a welcome massage.
2. Culture 
Guesthouses are located on islands where Maldivians actually live. You are free to roam the island, modestly clothed of course, and take in daily life.
3. Access to the island
I’ve heard some complain about being restricted within their resort. This was not the case for us. We were free to roam the guesthouse grounds, the entire island and even had a private island that we had access to via kayak. When we grew tired of the hotel we went for a stroll or kayaked.
4. Avoid the crowds
We basically had the beach to ourselves the entire stay. There was no competing for umbrellas and chairs. No crowded pool or restaurant.
5. Price
Did I mention how cheap it was? For me saving is important because it allows me to travel even more, but not at the expense of the experience.

To get the full experience, make sure you have an ocean front property. This place was popular, but looked a little shabby and was not on the beach.

Pool and outdoor restaurant at Casa Mia.

This outdoor living space was great for reading or stretching out and enjoying the view from our room.

Planning a trip to the Maldives? Like not having to pay and arm and a leg? Here are 5 reasons why guesthouses are an excellent option. Visit http://ow.ly/lgdK309ak7A #maldives #travelmaldives #staymaldives #mayatheexplorer 

No trip is complete to Singapore without feasting your eyes on the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It really is a gorgeous architectural wonder and is as impressive from the top as it is from across the water

Arab Street is another favorite of mine. The mosque sits in the center and is surrounded by little shops, specializing in everything from carpets and lamps to fabric. The restaurants in the area are quite good with Middle Eastern menus. This is also a great area for trendy shopping. Just two blocks over is Haji Lane, where up and coming Singaporean designers display their work.

Gardens by the Bay

Botanic Garden

An expat is defined as someone living as an immigrant in a country other than the country of his or her citizenship. Traveling has taught me a lot, but living overseas is a lesson in life you simply cannot get anywhere else. You learn so much about yourself and are forced to challenge all previously conceived notions, especially about yourself.

 Join me as I share my  Expat Life in the Philippines.


 

#maldives #mayatheexplorer #travel #vacation #triptomaldives #expatlife

Are you looking  for ways  to get out of debt and build wealth? Let’s face it; financial planning can be a headache. And when you consider how dense and wordy some of the material out there is, it can also be a bore. But  I never though a book could make it simple. Millionaire Teacher is the best financial planning book I’ve ever read, and I’ve tried many only to give up after growing more confused with each page read. But the Millionaire Teacher, written by a millionaire teacher, is straight forward and to the point. It tells you exactly what to do and why you should do it.


If you are struggling to figure out your finances I highly recommend it. Visit Maya The Explorer blog for more information

One of the many hiring agencies located in Singapore. You can find them in almost any mall.

Living in South East Asia makes certain lifestyle choices possible that just wouldn’t be an option elsewhere; crazy cheap massages, high quality but low priced beauty services, and what makes life convenient for so many of us- live-in help. Having a full time helper can be awesome, but it certainly has aspects to it that most people simply do not consider. I was speaking to a friend from Mexico the other day on the topic and his jaw dropped when I told him some of the things that are normal in the life of a foreign domestic worker. So I’ve decided to share some of the knowledge I’ve gained while having a helper because it really is an interesting, but odd experience.


So before you hire a line-in maid, here are realities of hiring a Live-in Maid in Singapore that you have to consider before going through the process. http://www.mayatheexplorer.com/realities-hiring-live-maid-singapore/

These ladies were so excited when I asked them if I could take their picture. They were having an early Christmas celebration on their day off.

Another community of helpers gathering to enjoy their day off together in the Botanic Garden.

 

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing something new; my first house sitting gig. I got the idea a year ago when I came across Trusted House Sitters, a membership website that allows people to either search for someone to watch over their homes and pets, or to search for house sitting jobs all over the world. They had me at “all over the world”. Read on to see if house sitting could be perfect for you.

Pros

• Besides the annual fee, it’s completely free. I’m staying in a 3 bedroom house where I can literally see the ocean as soon as I step outside and it’s all free. I would have had to pay at least a couple of hundred per night for an Air BnB that is a comparable size and location.

• It’s perfect for slow travel. If you have a considerable amount of time to get to know a place, this situation is ideal. You’re staying in a real neighborhood and can get to know the surrounding area well. You can also get to know your neighbors and meet locals who are from the area you are visiting.

Cons

• It’s difficult to build your whole trip around a house sit. For example, when planning my current trip to Los Angeles, I wanted to take a side trip to Puerto Rico for a few days or drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. But once the house sit was all set, I couldn’t back out and I certainly couldn’t be missing in action while I was supposed to be house sitting.