Washington DC: Chocolate City on a Shoestring

If I had to pick only two places in the U.S. that feel like home, they’d be Houston, Texas, and Washington DC  my second home. I am in love with DC, and it reminded me why this city deserves a spot on every traveler’s bucket list. DC isn’t just a vibe; it’s the soul of the country.

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Chocolate City, Rich History, Zero Excuses

DC delivers from food to hangouts, and here’s the beauty: you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy it. Museums? Mostly free. Food trucks? They’ll stretch a dollar further than you think. Fancy splurging? A $100 meal can happen  but don’t worry, from $10 to $100, this city works for every budget.

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Art, Coffee, and Music

If you love art, coffee, or music, DC has you covered. The city boasts some of the most unique coffee houses and bookstores, like Pitango Gelato & Coffee, where the coffee feels like a warm hug. Music thrives on U Street, and pizza lovers, don’t miss Jumbo Slice  a cheap, satisfying meal that will fuel your city exploration.

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When to Visit

• Spring: Hands down, the best time. Cherry blossoms, mild weather, DC “doing its thing.”

• Summer: Hot and lively  pack light, breathable clothes.

• Fall/Winter: Pack layers and a good jacket; the weather can be unpredictable.

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What to Pack

• Comfy walking shoes (sneakers are perfect; wedding dress with sneakers? Go for it!)

• Tote bag for water, snacks, camera, and essentials

• Metro card ready for quick, cheap travel around the city

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Top Spots to Explore

• Historic Walks: National Mall, Smithsonian museums

• Neighborhoods: U Street, Dupont Circle, Chinatown

• Food & Coffee: Pitango Gelato, Jumbo Slice, Boqueria (fancy girls’ night out)

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Nighttime Magic

DC at night is pure romance. Walk without a map, get lost, and trust me  getting lost here is discovering a hidden gem.

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Activism in Action

If you’re a believer in democracy, DC is your playground. Demonstrations, marches, and the freedom to be heard are everywhere. No matter the cause, you’ll feel the city’s pulse.

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Where to Sleep

• Budget-Friendly: Maryland side for affordable hotels just a Metro ride away

• Mid-Range: Virginia neighborhoods give a slightly upscale feel without breaking the bank

• Tips: Book early on Expedia, Booking.com, or Hopper. Late booking? Don’t stress  DC is connected, and staying across state lines works perfectly.

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Your DC on a Shoestring: Quick Guide

Where to Tour:

• National Mall: Monuments, memorials, and open-air history lessons. Free!

• Smithsonian Museums: Air & Space, Natural History, American History  mostly free!

• U Street Corridor: Music, culture, and vibrant street life

• Dupont Circle: Galleries, cafés, and people-watching

• Chinatown: Colorful streets, boutique shopping, easy to navigate

Where to Eat:

• Pitango Gelato & Coffee: Cozy café vibe, coffee feels like a hug

• Jumbo Slice (Adams Morgan): Dollar-friendly pizza slice, perfect for late-night cravings

• Boqueria Dupont Circle: Tapas heaven for girls’ night or fancy evenings

• Food Trucks: Around the Mall and busy streets  cheap, quick, and delicious

Pro Tips:

• Comfy shoes: Walking and scooters are your best friends

• Bring a tote bag: Snacks, water, camera, essentials

• Time your visit: Spring for cherry blossoms, summer for energy, fall for colors, winter if you love jackets and fewer crowds

• Get lost: DC at night is magical; the Metro always brings you back

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Washington DC has something for everyone: history, food, art, music, romance, activism, and endless discovery  all on a shoestring if you play it right. This coming spring, make DC your must-visit city. You’ll leave with memories, stories, and maybe a few new favorite coffee spots.

Pack Light, Travel Far: The Smart Guide to Short Trips

They say travel teaches you what really matters  and nothing proves that faster than the weight of your luggage.

They say travel teaches you what really matters  and nothing proves that faster than the weight of your luggage.

On my recent trip, I challenged myself to travel light. No giant suitcases, no “just-in-case” items I never touch. And you know what? It felt freeing. Packing light isn’t just about saving baggage fees; it’s about traveling with ease, comfort, and a sense of flow.

Tips:

1. Choose the Right Bag for the Job

   • Weekend getaway: A sleek duffel or weekender bag works wonders.

   • 3–5 day trips: A small carry-on roller bag (hard shell keeps things organized).

   • Adventure trips: A compact backpack with multiple compartments.

2. Pack by Outfits, Not by Items

   • Instead of throwing in five shirts “just in case,” build outfits around versatile basics.

   • Neutral colors + one statement piece = stylish without bulk.

3. Roll, Don’t Fold

   • Rolling saves space and prevents wrinkles.

   • Packing cubes can take your organization game to another level.

4. Shoes: The Heaviest Decision

   • Never more than two pairs: one versatile walking shoe + one that fits your trip (sandal, flat, or sneaker).

5. A Toiletry Trick

   • Travel-sized everything, or reusable mini-containers.

   • Leave the “maybe I’ll need this” products behind.

 

 

Traveling light is a mindset. It’s choosing freedom over fuss, and presence over luggage. The less you carry, the more you notice  the views, the people, the small joys of the journey.

Next time you plan a short trip, ask yourself: what can I live without? Chances are, your trip will feel even richer because of what you leave behind.

https://www.teepublic.com/user/pennywise-shoestringtravelergears

The Airports You’ll Love, Hate… and Can’t Stop Talking About✈️💸

So, before you lace up those shoestrings, toss your bag over your shoulder, and board that flight… let’s have a little chat.
If you can avoid certain airports  do. If you can’t, no big deal. Just be prepared.
Consider this your friendly PSA from someone who’s been there, sprinted that, and eaten the overpriced sandwich.

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The “Pack Your Patience” List 🛑

These airports have a bit of a reputation  and not the glamorous kind.

1. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

📍 Newark, New Jersey
Ah, Newark… the airport where time stands still  literally, because your flight might not leave for hours. I once spent six hours delayed here, and all I got was a stale pretzel and a strong desire to never say “New Jersey” again.

Why travelers grumble:

• Consistently ranked at the bottom for on-time departures.

• Customer satisfaction surveys often give it a side-eye.

• Weather delays + air traffic congestion = a patience marathon.

✈️ Fun Fact Box:

• Opened: 1928, making it one of the oldest U.S. airports.

• Busiest Day: Mondays  business travelers flood the terminals.

• Odd Trivia: Its original terminal is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

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2. Miami International Airport (MIA)

📍 Miami, Florida
Miami is gorgeous… but MIA will test your mental stamina. The layout feels like a maze designed by someone who really loves exercise. Oh, and your bags? Sometimes they take their own little vacation.

Why travelers grumble:

• Frequent baggage handling issues.

• Overcrowded terminals in peak season.

• Confusing signage that makes you feel like you’re on an episode of The Amazing Race.

✈️ Fun Fact Box:

• Gates: Over 130.

• Languages Spoken: More than 60  it’s one of the most linguistically diverse airports in the world.

• Odd Trivia: It has a full-size yoga room… which you’ll wish you could teleport to after TSA.

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3. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

📍 New York City, New York
The Big Apple’s biggest airport can feel like a time capsule  a mix of iconic history and… facilities that haven’t aged as well as they should.

Why travelers grumble:

• Long security lines.

• Aging infrastructure in some terminals.

• Delays thanks to NYC weather and air traffic.

✈️ Fun Fact Box:

• Opened: 1948 (originally named Idlewild Airport).

• Busiest International Route: London Heathrow.

• Odd Trivia: There’s a luxury hotel built into an old TWA terminal that’s a retro dream.

  
  
  

  
  

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My Personal “Avoid If You Can” List 😅

I’ve got my own nominees  and these are purely from battlefield experience.

• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): I know I’m East African and we’re meant to run marathons, but this place makes me sprint like I’m chasing deer. Huge, confusing, and gates that seem to exist in different time zones.

• Newark (again): See above. Delay trauma is real.

• Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA): TSA lines here test my faith in humanity. That’s all.

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My “Breeze Through” Favorites 🌟

Let’s balance the scales with some airports I actually like.

• George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Houston: Maybe it’s home bias, but under the Texas sky everything just feels right.

• Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA): Compact, organized, and gives you monument views on takeoff.

• Baton Rouge Metropolitan (BTR): Small, simple, and the kind of friendly that makes you smile.

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✈️ “Cheap is Very Expensive”: My Best and Worst Airlines Ranked  From Chaos to Comfort

They promised affordable flights. I got dry sandwiches, zero refunds, and airport ghosting. Here’s my honest take on the 3 worst and 3 best airlines I’ve flown solo  with tips, warnings, and a little travel prayer.

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🛑 The Worst Airlines (Fly at Your Own Risk)

1. Condor Airlines: The Striped Mystery of the Skies

• Ever boarded a plane and thought, Am I flying or serving a sentence? That’s Condor for you  with planes painted in bold yellow-white, blue-white, or orange-white stripes that look like flying prison jumpsuits. The aesthetic is so confusing, you might start reciting your rights before takeoff. Add to that no free water, no reps at the airport, and no mercy even breathing feels billable.

• Why it's the worst: No airport staff to assist, hidden fees everywhere, even for basic things, and food that tastes like punishment. You feel alone at the airport.

• Lesson: Just because it's German doesn't mean it’s efficient.

2. Spirit Airlines  “You Get What You Didn’t Pay For”

• Why it's bad: Frequent cancellations, delays, and no-frills taken to the extreme. No water, no help, no apologies.

• Lesson: They can cancel your flight but not your regret.

3. Frontier Airlines  The Disappearing Act

• Why it's bad: Hard to reach customer service, very few airport reps, and the planes feel like an afterthought.

• Lesson: If you're lucky, you’ll land… eventually.

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💎 The Best Airlines (Fly Like a Queen)

1. Emirates

• Nickname: The Royal Treatment

• Why it’s great: Great food, attentive staff, and everything is on time. Even in economy, you feel like you're flying first class.

• Bonus: Beats British Airways hands down.

  
  
  

  2. Qatar Airways

• Nickname: A Soft Landing

• Why it’s great: Food is excellent, comfort level is high, and the entertainment is top tier. Customer service can be hit or miss, but the rest makes up for it.

• Bonus: Feels like a luxury hotel in the sky.

3. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

• Nickname: The Gentle Giant

• Why it’s great: It’s like a motherly hug from check-in to landing. Staff are kind, organized, and make you feel valued.

• Bonus: Clean planes, decent food, no drama.

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✍🏾 Final Thought:

Not all cheap tickets are created equal. Sometimes, saving $50 costs you your peace of mind. And when you're a solo traveler, peace is priceless.

Pennywise and Passport Foolish: My $890 Lesson in Sky-Level Regret (A Condor Airlines Survival Tale)

“Have you ever heard the saying ‘cheap is expensive’? I hadn’t  until I boarded Condor Airlines.”

 There are adventures… and then there are warnings. This, my friend, is the latter.

Let me take you back. I was flying from Seattle to Paris to attend the Cannes Film Festival (more on that beautiful whirlwind in another post). Like any savvy budget traveler, I was on the hunt for a good deal  something that wouldn’t burn my wallet before I even touched French soil. Amid the flight options from KLM, British Airways, and Lufthansa, I stumbled on what felt like a miracle: Condor Airlines, offering a roundtrip ticket for only $890.

KLM was hovering around $1,000+. “Bingo!” I thought. Pennywise and travel-wise. Oh, how wrong I was.

✈️ Welcome to the Condor Experience

If I could give out awards, Condor Airlines would walk away with the gold for Worst Airline Experience in the World. And trust me  I don’t hand out that kind of title lightly.

Let’s start with the basics: Condor has no in-person representatives at any airport. Seattle? Nope. Paris? Nope. Frankfurt? Keep dreaming. If you’ve got a question or an issue (and you will), you’re stuck playing a sad game of customer service telephone with people who will remind you: “I don’t work for Condor. I work for the airport.”

Hidden Fees Galore

• $35 just to check in because my phone wasn’t working.

• $99 to check in my handbag  a handbag, not a suitcase!

• $199 for a seat upgrade because otherwise, I couldn’t bring my bag onboard.

• Food? Let’s just say... if you’ve ever wondered what prison meals taste like at 30,000 feet, Condor’s got you covered. I’ve had better snacks in jury duty holding rooms.

Delays Without Decency

The flight from Paris was scheduled to depart at 8:00 a.m. We boarded after 8:30. No announcements. No staff. No apology. Just confused passengers and a terminal that looked like a forgotten ghost town.

By the time I arrived in Germany for my layover, I was already counting the euros this “budget” airline had cost me. And then came the kicker: I was expected to pay another $99 in Germany to bring my same bag onto the next leg to Seattle. That’s $200 round trip for a handbag that wouldn’t make it past TSA without being scolded in America.

So what did I do?

🧥 The Great Condor Clothes Layering Escape

I put every piece of clothing I had... on my body. Yes, I layered up like I was heading for an Arctic expedition. I looked like a character from a children’s book who got dressed in the dark. But I saved myself the extra $99 and walked onto that flight without my bag, dignity slightly dented, but victorious.

💡 Travel Tips for the Real Ones

1. Avoid Condor at all costs. I know, $890 is tempting. But when the hidden fees, the stress, and the poor customer service hit  you’ll wish you spent the extra $100 on a reputable airline.

2. Always check if your ticket includes baggage, meals, and check-in access. Sometimes, the “cheap” ticket only buys you a seat and a headache.

3. Call ahead if your airline has no counter at the airport. And pray someone answers.

4. Bring snacks. Prison food isn’t travel food.

   
   

🕊️ Final Words from 30,000 Feet

Pennywise and Passport Foolish: Navigating the Globe on a Shoestring is all about making smart choices with limited resources. But the Condor experience wasn’t about resourcefulness  it was a lesson in survival. Sometimes saving money means spending a little more to protect your peace.

And friend, if you’re ever tempted by Condor’s low prices… I’m begging you  don’t. Not even for the story.

Voices Across Borders: Why I Keep Telling Stories Even When I’m Alone

There was a time I packed my suitcase, not just with clothes  but with questions.

I was chasing festivals, funding, and sometimes… myself.
From Cannes to Dodoma, Cape Town to Texas  I traveled solo.
But I was never really alone. Because I carry stories with me. Sometimes they’re my own. Sometimes, they belong to women I meet in passing  in cafes, in train stations, on broken film sets. This blog Pennywise and Passport Foolish: Navigating the Globe on a Shoestring Voices Across Borders  is a space for those stories.

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🌍 What This Blog Will Be About:

• Behind the scenes of filmmaking in unexpected places

• Solo travel as an African woman the beauty and the breakdowns

• Conversations with women across the world (like Rebecca, the children’s author I met at Cannes)

• Letters from my soul on what it means to create across cultures

• Personal lessons on rejection, rewriting, and rising again

  
  

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✈️ Why It Matters:

I used to blog about solo travel. I stopped. But I never stopped walking.
Now, I want to bring that same honesty into my work as a filmmaker and author
Because truthfully…
Every border I’ve crossed  physical or emotional  has made me the storyteller I am.

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💬 Call to Action:

I’d love for you to join this journey.
Subscribe. Share. Or just stay and listen.
There’s room for your voice here too.

Love,
Honeymoon
Filmmaker | Editor of Her Voyage & People of Africa

#WomenWhoTravel #StorytellingAcrossBorders #FilmmakersJourney #PanAfricanVoices #SoloTravelWriter #HerVoyage #PeopleOfAfrica

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Next on Pennywise and Passport Foolish: Navigating the Globe on a Shoestring
“Voices Across Borders” is a space for the stories we carry  even when the luggage is light.

In the next post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of Love in Transit  The Last Stop Was You, the soulful series first published in Her Voyage Magazine.
Before it became an audio mini-series, it was a love letter written in the quiet corners of train stations and whispered through hotel walls. A story of heartbreak, healing, and the one unforgettable moment in Pretoria that brought it all to life.https://issuu.com/peopleofafrica/docs/hervoyagemag_aug-sep_issue_

✨ Stay close. The next stop is almost here.

Discovering Dodoma: Unveiling the Hidden Charms of Tanzania's Capital

 

Embark on a Journey Through Scenic Hills,

Culinary Delights, and Rich Culture in
Dodoma

Greetings, dear readers! Welcome back to our global escapades with Pennywise and Passport Foolish, where we traverse the world on a shoestring budget. Today, our compass points towards the land that made me Idodomeya, and within its embrace, we find ourselves captivated by the enchanting city of love and treasure.

While Dodoma might not be a typical tourist attraction, the hidden gems within its borders promise an adventure waiting to be uncovered. "East, West, Home is the best," and that's why a cup of tea from Sherry’s Café tastes a lot better than the hot coffee in Milan.

If you have a penchant for hiking, then Dodoma is your haven. Growing up in this beautiful city, hiking to Area D and conquering the mountaintop was our favorite pastime. While the prime minister's office now stands where our mountain once thrived, fear not! Zuzu, Magareza, and other hills still offer breathtaking hikes.

During the rainy season, don't miss out on the magic of Lake Bubu or Surangai, as the locals fondly call it, just an hour away from Dodoma. Its scenic beauty is Instagram-ready, providing a backdrop for countless memorable pictures.

 

And if you're feeling adventurous, drive an extra 30 minutes from Lake Bubu to reach the heart of Tanzania, near Kilimatinde, my birthplace. Here, you'll witness the awe-inspiring views of the Rift Valley and may even stumble upon the graves of German soldiers from World War I.

For a taste of traditional food and local life, visit the village of Maweni. Live like the locals, savor their cuisine, and immerse yourself in their rich history, all on a budget of $25 a day. The most enchanting experience awaits you under a night-born fire, surrounded by hundreds of stars. June to August might bring chilly nights, but it's the perfect time to embrace the cold and discover the warmth of Dodoma.

Dodoma is not just a feast for the eyes; it's a culinary delight too. Indulge in street foods like Chips Mayai, a Tanzanian potato frittata, and relish wild fruits like furu, ngweru, and ubuyu. The region is a wine lover's paradise, as most East African wines source their grapes from Dodoma. 

Take a 30-minute ride to Mpunguzi for miles of picturesque vineyards and the most delicious grapes. During harvest season, treat yourself to the local wine, available at ALKO Vintage Co. Ltd. For a complete experience, head to the Hut of Wine & Cheese or Collina Restaurant and Wine Bar to quench your thirst.

If you find yourself in Dodoma on a Saturday, make sure to attend Mnadani hosting a BBQ festival every week. This Nyama choma-style (East African BBQ) event boasts the tastiest meats in the country. Before bidding farewell, wind up your adventure with a cup of coffee from Sherry’s Café, offering a 5-star café vibe at local, budget-friendly prices.

While there are no direct international flights to Dodoma, the journey is part of the adventure. Fly into Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, or Zanzibar, and embark on a 6 to 8-hour road trip from Dar. Alternatively, take a bus for $20 to $30, a 10-hour scenic route, or opt for a one-hour flight from Dar to Dodoma for $100 to $130 one way.

With an open heart, thank you for visiting our humble city. Dodoma may not be on every tourist's bucket list, but its charm and offerings are well worth the visit. Until next time, Karibu Idodomeya  welcome to our extraordinary city!