In conversation with travel blogger Maliha Fairooz about her adventures around the world.
You have visited 100 countries around the world. How did your globe-trotting journey start, and what inspired you to start travel blogging?
My globe-totting journey started when I was only four years old. My parents were very keen on travelling, and, on this trip, we went to the US, UK, The Netherlands, and France. I still remember my first trip quite vividly, especially the journey by aeroplane. I remember staring out the window transfixed by the way the plane was going through the clouds like a giant bird.
I was inspired to start travel blogging due to a lack of information in the travel blogs I found online. The Bangladeshi passport is the ninth weakest globally, so I have to research before going anywhere. The travel bloggers I found online were all people from the West who did not face the same realities while travelling. Unlike them, we don’t have passport privileges, and we can’t be spontaneous about our trips and have to plan much in advance. The structure of modern-day travel, whether it is the method of travel, visa problems, or the mode of travel, is highly neocolonial and is built on a structure that benefits those from privileged countries. I learnt many things through trial and error on my travels, and I wanted to make all this knowledge accessible to everyone.
What are the advantages of travelling solo rather than with a partner, family members or group of friends?
I started travelling solo when I was 20 years old, when I went to Rome. I had been to Rome before, but I did not manage to visit all the places. Being an only child, I have always been an independent person. When you travel with others, you have to be considerate of what the whole group wants to do instead of what you want to do. Whenever I’ve travelled solo, I have found I am more open to new experiences. I feel that I shouldn’t wait for someone else to also want to go to the same countries that I want to go to. For instance, I am currently on a trip to Benin, Togo and Ghana. I planned this trip less than two months ago, which would not have been possible if I were travelling with other people. I feel like I have a lot more freedom when travelling alone. I like being spontaneous, which is easier when I travel solo. I also have more opportunities to interact with people from the countries I am visiting on a personal level when I am travelling on my own. I am currently in Accra, Ghana, and a few days ago, I spontaneously decided to visit the Boti Falls, which are 2.5 hours away. I simply took a taxi, visited the waterfalls, went swimming, took some pictures and came back. Along the way, I spoke to the taxi driver about his life, how inflation is hitting their country, how the pandemic affected them, and much more. These are some moments that would not have been possible if I was travelling with someone else.
Do you believe that everyone should travel solo at least once?
I 100% believe that everyone should travel solo at least once and that women in particular should travel solo. From the time we are born, we as girls and women are told that we can’t do certain things, go to certain places alone, or be out late at night. When you travel solo, you realise you can do and experience anything you want to do. Out of the 100 countries I’ve been to, I’ve travelled to most of them by myself. My solo travels made me realise that women are capable of doing anything and everything by themselves. Solo travel is hands down the most empowering thing that I’ve ever experienced. However, I am aware that I’m speaking from a position of privilege, and that travel is not something that everyone can experience.
From the countries you visited, which ones stood out the most in terms of
Hospitality Pakistan, Ghana and Türkiye
Food: South Asia, Thailand, Italy, Mexico
Scenic Locations: South Africa, Bosnia, Mexico, Albania, Dominica
Nightlife: Lebanon, Cuba, Germany
Culture: Mexico, Ghana
Please share some tips for people who want to travel but are on a tight budget.
I have a few key tips. Firstly, you have to set an intention to why you. When you know you travel because you want to see the world you will know to prioritise it no matter the circumstance. Secondly, you have to learn to travel light, because, otherwise, you spend a lot of money on transport. I learned this when I was on a backpacking world tour in 2018. Thirdly, find cheap accommodation. During that trip, I stayed in a lot of hostels and did a lot of couch surfing. Thirdly, cook your own food instead of eating at restaurants. When I stayed at hostels, I would buy groceries and make my own meals, which was much cheaper than eating out regularly. Lastly, avoid peak travel seasons as that is when prices are very high, and choose locations that are not very touristy. When I travelled around the Balkans, specifically Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania, I spent approximately 20 Euros a day including accommodation.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index, the Bangladeshi passport remains the 9th weakest globally. How difficult does that make becoming a traveller with a Bangladeshi passport?
It is very difficult. I’ve been detained, deported, put in immigration jail, and outright harassed. In these situations, I felt like I did not have anyone to reach out to who could help me. With such a weak passport, you need a visa for every country, and you need to ensure that all your paperwork is in order. Even in countries where Bangladeshis are eligible for a visa on arrival, we need to ensure that all your flights and accommodation are booked. With a Bangladeshi passport, you don’t get the chance to be spontaneous with travel plans, you have to plan and get the paperwork in order much in advance. It’s also difficult travelling alone as a Bangladeshi woman as I tend to get questioned by immigration. Travelling has become a lot easier now as I have so many stamps on my passport, and also because I currently live in Germany and have German residency.
