Delahaye was born and raised in St. Catherine, Jamaica. She has traveled to 23 countries in the last few years, all while working full-time. She saved all the money she could from her first job after graduating from university and went interrailing around Europe. Delahaye loved meeting new people, the food, and the experiences she had, so she continued to travel. She tries to travel to a new country or place every year.

Delahaye’s blog (Hues of Delahaye) focuses on short-term travel. She shares travel itineraries for trips between 1 to 21 days and London travel tips. She also shares travel tips and lifestyle hacks for people with limited time. Delahaye wants to show people that they don’t have to quit their job to travel. People can still enjoy traveling to many countries, sometimes multiple countries in one trip, by being strategic with their annual leave and public holidays.

 

1. What is your connection to Jamaica?
I was born and raised in St. Catherine Jamaica. Both my parents and the majority of my family are Jamaican. Most of my family still lives in Jamaica today.

2. What is your favourite travel destination so far?
So far, my favourite travel destination was Japan. Everything there was so different to anything that I had ever experienced before. The people there were so welcoming and thoughtful. Everything in Japan is efficient and serves a purpose.

I had some of my best travel experience there like riding a bullet train, going to a robot café, eating fresh sushi, visiting Kyoto, and seeing a Geshia for the first time in Goin. That was my favourite of all! Seeing a Geshia, it was like out of a movie. I can’t wait to go back and explore the other areas in Japan.

3. What do you like about the food and culture?
I liked everything about the food and culture, everyone was so respectful of each other. The food was always fresh and you didn’t have to spend lots of money to have a good meal in the country. The street food in Osaka was top notch, you could just walk around every street and try different food.

4. What is your top tip for budget traveling?
My tip for budgeting for travel is to set aside a specific amount every month in a designated account for travel. This way you are saving little by little for your travels and it will not seem like a major investment as you would have already had the money saved up.

5. What was the first trip you took as a child?
My first trip was actually leaving Jamaica to live in London. I was excited as I would get to go on a plane.

6. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
To live in the moment and be grateful for what is around me.

7. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
My favourite weekend getaway would have to be Amsterdam, as it’s such a beautiful and eclectic city. The Dutch people are always friendly, the food there is good, and you know you’ll always have a great night out in Amsterdam.

8. Where have you traveled that most remind you of Jamaica?
The Philippines, the people where warm and welcoming. The island of Bohol, really reminded me of Jamaica because of the lush greenery, the sandy beaches, and water sports. People there were proud and really wanted you to see how beautiful their country was, much like Jamaicans. They were also ready to feed you food just as if you were visiting a Jamaican, the first thing we offer people is food.

9. Where would you like to go that you have never been?
I would really like to visit the Maldives and Singapore. Both countries are different but really beautiful from what I’ve seen. I’ve heard that Singapore has some of the best street food in the world.

10. When you go away, what are your must-have items?
These are the really boring stuff that people might not think about. But when you travel loads, they end up saving you time and money.

    • A currency free travel card to save me money when I withdraw money from ATMs or paying for things abroad
    • Travel insurance incase of an accident
    • Lipgloss and sunscreen
    • Comfy walking shoes or sandals

11. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re traveling?
I love to buy beauty products when I’m travelling, especially for brands that aren’t in the United Kingdom. Like when I visited Korea, I spend half my money on beauty products. I will buy any beauty products I see—face-masks, lipsticks, eye pencils—it doesn’t matter. I buy them all to try.

Get more travel tips from Delahaye on her blog (Hues of Delahaye) and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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