In partnership with the travel pros over at Soul Society 101, we’re getting to know a few of the gorgeous guys you traveling the world on your feeds. Hey fellas!
Name: Jeffery Tribble Jr. (@jefftrouble)
Age: 31(Lawd)
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois (Southside!)
Relationship Status (optional): Engaged
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Cape Town, South Africa!
Places to visit left on your bucket list: There is no bucket list, per se. The bar keeps moving, but if I had to choose, (right now) I’d say Bali, Kenya, and Israel.
Favorite international dish: Singapore’s Chili Crab dish!
Best place to travel on a budget: Thailand, Mexico, and South Africa!
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: My first time to Australia was probably the most inspired I’ve ever been while abroad. The Great Ocean Road tour, featuring the Twelve Apostles, made me say “Only God could have created something this beautiful.”
Most romantic place you ever traveled: I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about that. If I had to choose, I’d say Barcelona, Spain where I proposed to my now fiancee.
Your best travel secret: Solo travel over everything.
What do you love most about traveling? It’s hard to pinpoint what I love most because there’s so much to love, from things as simple as clearing your head, to embracing culturally immersive moments that leave you inspired, enriched, and educated. If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it would be gaining a better understanding of different countries’ lifestyles, through an American lens. Doing so will have you saying two things: 1) “Life wouldn’t be so bad over here. I could see myself moving.”, or 2) “We are extremely blessed.”
What was your first trip? You guessed it. Canada!
Quote to live by: Stay woke.
Name: Marc Madilson (@marcmadilson)
Age: 34
Hometown: Toronto
Relationship Status: Engaged
Your travel happy place (favourite destination to visit): Bali, Indonesia
Places to visit left on bucket list: Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Eritrea, Cook Islands, Mauritius…
Favourite International Dish: Trinidadian Doubles
Best place to travel on a budget: Dominican
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Dubai
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Praslin, Seychelles
Your best travel secret: Live THE moment. Don’t get caught up trying to capture things for social media. Go everywhere.
What do you love most about travelling? Diving head first into new and exciting cultures. You grow so much as a human being.
What was your first trip? Caracas, Venezuela
Quote to live by: “We do not remember days, we remember moments!” -Cesare Pavese
Name: Timothy Hunt (@TimmyGotSoul)
Age: 36
Hometown: Detroit, but I live in New York City.
Relationship Status (optional): in a relationship
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Brazil so far is my favorite place in the world. I’ve been several times, three times to Rio de Janeiro and once to Salvador. I love both cities in Brazil, but to experience the Black culture and environment is overwhelming in a good way.
Also, Cuba is amazing and gives me a surreal feel each time I’m there. I’ve been twice, and think what draws me in is the niceness, resilience and strength of the people. To have so many obstacles stacked against them, they seem to make anything out of nothing despite any situation.
Places to visit left on your bucket list: I think there are 196 countries, and I’ve been to 29, so my guess would be all 167 that I haven’t been to. However, to narrow it down a little more, I want to visit Tanzania, Lebanon, Vietnam, Iran, St. Lucia, and Sierra Leone.
Favorite international dish: When I was in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, I saw this woman cooking food on the street. I was so hesitant to eat street food, but it was amazing. The dish consisted of steak, rice, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and some magic marinated sauce.
Best place to travel on a budget: Colombia was extremely affordable and full of culture. I actually feel it is one of the hidden gems of South America that is starting to become popular with American tourist.
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: When I realized that I didn’t need a travel companion to see the world. I would not go on a trip unless I had a friend with me. In 2012, I was supposed to take a trip to Montreal, Canada with some friends, and everyone backed out at the last minute. At first, I wasn’t going to go, but then I went, and had an amazing time by myself. That trip inspired me to travel more alone. Since then, I went to South Africa, Mozambique, Spain, Germany, China, Mexico, and the United Kingdom alone.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Paris! One year I decided to visit a childhood friend who lived in Germany at time. However, a couple of days before my trip I couldn’t get in touch with this friend, and I had to navigate my way alone in Germany. Someone I was seeing at the time knew of my situation, and bought a flight on the spot to meet me out in Germany to keep me company. We caught the train to Paris and spent the entire day touring, going to museums, eating and just taking in France.
Your best travel secret: My best travel secret would be stop listening to people who say “don’t go there” for whatever reason, if they never been there. I think the media put perceptions of certain places in people mind, and they believe it. In my experience those places were some of the best experiences of my traveling.
Also, stop waiting on other people when planning trips, because I can guarantee you will never see the world waiting on the next man/woman to book their ticket. I want to put out there though that I am aware of my male privilege of being able to travel to certain countries alone, and not have to worry compared to my female counterparts.
What do you love most about traveling? I love meeting new people, seeing places I thought would never be possible, and that traveling helps check my privilege constantly.
What was your first trip?: My first adult trip was to London in 2011, but I had been to The Bahamas and Canada as a child.
Quote to live by: “If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” Audre Lorde
Name: Elton Anderson, Jr. (@eltonandersonjr)
Age: 35
Hometown: Detroit, MI (currently living in Los Angeles)
Relationship Status (optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Tie — Bali and Salvador de Bahia
Places to visit left on your bucket list: Everywhere is pretty much on my bucketlist but the top 5 are Nepal, Madagascar, Turkey, Fiji and Liberia (my mother’s home country)
Favorite international dish: I don’t know if I can pick one single dish but every single meal I had in Dakar, Senegal was amazing!
Best place to travel on a budget: Vietnam for sure…I went on a solo trip earlier this year and hotels, food and excursions are super cheap. And I got the best massage of my life for less than $20
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Hiking the mountains of Landmannalaugar in Iceland…the best part was the hot springs that awaited us at the end of the hike.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: This may sound weird but I think St. Lucia is the most romantic place I’ve traveled. They have a ton hidden beaches which I think would be perfect for a romantic getaway.
Your best travel secret: Travel solo! Every year I do at least one solo trip and it is always the most therapeutic (and fun) adventure. Traveling solo makes you a better traveler overall because it forces you to step out of a lot of comfort zones.
What do you love most about traveling?: Travel feeds my need for adventure in a way that I could never imagine. I love the idea of exploring an entirely new culture, new foods and meeting new people who have even become lifelong friends.
What was your first trip?: My first international trip was Jamaica when I was 26 years old. I used to live in Miami and it was a quick trip from there… so yeah, I ended up going 8 times.
Quote to live by: First you jump off the cliff and you build your wings on the way down
Name: Olatokunbo Okuwobi (@TokitoNegrito)
Age: 26
Hometown: Houston
Relationship Status (optional): single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): This is so hard! But if I can pick one it would be Philippines!!
Places to visit left on your bucket list: French Polynesia, Maldives Egypt, Brazil and basically the 156 countries I have left to see in the world
Favorite international dish: Pad Thai because it’s full of so much flavor.
Best place to travel on a budget: Anywhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia!! I could be comfortable on so little. No missing meals and eating and living like a king!
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu in the Philippines!! This by far is my favorite animal encounter that really took my breath away. Being surrounded by massive creatures that I only seen on tv! I’ll never forget the experience, even when I look at the photos I’m still in shock that’s really me like “I did that !”
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Borcay, Phillipines beautiful beaches even more gorgeous sunsets. Everybody was holding hands caked up and I’m single splashing water on myself. It even got so bad that a couple asked me, “are you ok?!”
Your best travel secret: Join a lot of travel groups on social media becaue they are your biggest friends when it comes to grabbing unbelievable nice flight deal. They always keep you updated on cheap flights and travel hotspots even may inspire you to go to new places!
What do you love about traveling? I love making unforgettable memories in unfamiliar places. Travel for me is growth. You are constantly learning about new countries, cultures and the ignorance that you had for the country is getting replaced with the knowledge and facts from what you expereinced first hand. I also love that I have the power to bring so much awareness to a country. I believe that every single country is beautiful and every single country you can have fun in.
What was your first trip? My first trip abroad was to Dominican Republic in ’97. This trip opened my eyes to how other people are living in the world and it was also my first cold water with a bucket shower.
Quote to live by: I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list!!!
Name: Brian Oliver (@Beyondbmore)
Age: 32
Hometown: Baltimore,Maryland
Relationship Status (optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): London, England
Places to visit left on your bucket list: Greece, Germany,China, Brazil, Ghana as well as plenty of others. The list
goes on and on.
Favorite international dish: I love Asian cuisine
Best place to travel on a budget: I would say two of the best places to travel on a budget are Thailand and South Africa once you get there. Low cost/glitch fares to both locations have been popping up frequently.
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: My most inspiring travel experience as volunteering at a school while in Nairobi, Kenya. We visited a school in the Kibera Slums which is one of the largest slums in the world. I have never encountered children so eager to learn and grateful for the smallest things. Ever since I left, there is something that is calling me to return and I look forward to going back for a much longer stay in the future.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Rome, Italy
Your best travel secret: Always pay in the local currency when asked during credit card transactions. I’d also recommend that others never exchange money at currency exchanges if possible. Always withdraw from an ATM or use a credit card with no foreign purchase fees.
What do you love most about traveling?: The thing I love most about traveling is constantly experiencing and learning the ways of other people/cultures. It is very easy to become closed minded and judgmental based on the way things are at home. I cannot recall a trip that I have taken where I came home feeling as though I didn’t learn anything valuable that I hadn’t previously known.
What was your first trip? As a kid I took many trips in the car with my granddad. My first flight was to Cleveland, Ohio with my Dad. My first international trip was to Bermuda and my first solo trip was to London. I believe that is the reason London is still one of my favorite places.
Quote to live by: “IN THE END…we only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have,and the decisions we waited too long to make.”- Lewis Carroll
Name: Robert Ector (@robertector)
Age: 30
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Relationship Status (optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Bali
Places to visit left on your bucket list: Greece, Egypt, Bhutan
Favorite international dish: Nasi Goreng
Best place to travel on a budget: Antigua, Guatemala
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Shooting street style photography during Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. The adrenaline rush you get from the non stop, back to back shows come with a thrill like nothing else.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Anguilla
Your best travel secret: I always tell friends to wait until they get back from their vacations before they share their photos on social media. Sharing photos while vacationing can be a huge distraction and doesn’t come with the same reflection and memories that you gain while doing it after the entire experience is over.
What do you love most about traveling? What I like most about traveling is the chance to see how other cultures live their life. More often than not, I come back even more grateful and thankful to live in the US.
What was your first trip? My first trip was to Mexico.
Quote to live by: “The best thing about a picture is that is never changes. Even when the people in it do.” -Andy Warhol
Name: Kadeem J. (@kjohn_lasoul)
Age: 27
Hometown: New York City
Relationship Status (optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Brazil
Places to visit left on your bucket list: Thailand
Favorite international dish: Roti
Best place to travel on a budget: Guatemala
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Zip lining at the Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve in Nicaragua.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Malta
Your best travel secret: Air bnb is cheaper than hotels most of the time. So look into them before you book a hotel.
What do you love most about traveling? Seeing the world! Traveling makes me appreciate our world and the many walks of life that lives in it.
What was your first trip? My first trip was to Guatemala.
Quote to live by: “See the world.”
Name: Brian McIntosh (@WhereInTheWorldIsB)
Age: 31
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Fave Destination: La Digue, Seychelles
Places left on my bucketlist: Antartica, Peru, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, St. Lucia, Hawaii, Solomon Islands
Fave International Dish: Chicken Tikka Masala
Best Place to Travel on Budget: Thailand
Most Inspiring Moment: It was the time that I went to Istanbul and got lost on the way to my hotel from the airport. A random man from a restaurant offered to drive my friend and I to the hotel that was 30 minutes away in thick traffic. At the end of it all, I offered to tip him for his troubles and he refused to take it. He took out our suitcases, welcomed us to Turkey and drove off. It was at that moment that I realized that not everyone is out to do good work just for money. I am still shocked until this day when I think about it!
Most Romantic Place: Bali, Indonesia
Best Travel Secret: Collecting miles from credit card sign-ups
What I love most about traveling: It allows me to distance myself (mentally and physically) from my stresses back home. For the time that I am away, I am able to forget about all issues and challenges. It’s highly therapeutic for me. I believe it keeps me feeling and looking young!
My first trip: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote to live by: “Born alone, die alone. So live for yourself!”
Name: Chae Michael
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): I embrace the above sea level element of any destination. The higher the climb, the happier I am.
Places to visit left on your bucket list: I intend to summit Mount Kilimanjaro – Tanzania and trek to Son Doong Cave – Central Vietnam.
Favorite international dish: Unfortunately, I consistently eat the same foods when traveling. Most of my meals are made up of a chicken dish. I am going to make an effort to expand my international palate by visiting ethnic restaurants and trying new foods daily.
Best place to travel on a budget: South East Asia is where I go when on a budget – Thailand. Thailand has great food, beautiful beaches, resonates with culture and has some great opportunities for urban exploration. If addition to it’s in country offerings, Bangkok is a hub for several low cost carriers so it makes the capital city a great springboard to the rest of South East Asia.
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: I truly believe traveling is a journey into yourself and that glory lies in that journey. A few weeks ago I ventured to Scandinavia – Stavanger Region of Norway. I hiked Preikestolen, which was a 5-hour trek covering 8 km with a final elevation of 607 meters. Two days later I hiked Kjerag, which was a 6-hour trek over 12 km with a final elevation of 1084 meters. Summiting both mountains was a testament to my preparedness and raw commitment to the hikes themselves. Despite unkind elements, fatigue and muscle soreness I kept going and I will continue to ‘keep going’.
Most romantic place you have ever traveled: Bali Indonesia – luxury villas complimented by picturesque green backdrops, along with some of the most sublime stretches of coast I have seen and the intangible Balinese warmth creates a certain je ne sais quoi that screams romance.
What do you love most about traveling? The aspect of continuous learning drives me to keep exploring. I have a genuine affinity for history, geography and sociology. I believe that seeing the world first-hand is a source of learning that no institution can parallel.
What was your first trip? The United Mexican States presented me with my 1st passport stamp. My journey however began in Cape Town – South Africa.
Quote to live by: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Walsch
Name: Nathan Fluellen (@WorldWideNate)
Age: 36
Hometown: Calumet City, IL
Relationship Status (optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): Rio de Janeiro. I love the energy when I’m in Rio. The weather is amazing and the topography of the city is beautiful. The people known as Cariocas are extremely friendly and welcoming. They love going to the beach and partying. The party can be on the beach, outside on the street or in a club, regardless Cariocas will be dancing, singing and having a fun time.
Places to visit left on your bucket list: My bucket list has about 100 countries on it but here are a few at the top of my list: Madagascar to see the Lemurs, Zambia swim in the Devil’s Pool, Kenya to learn Swahili and jump with the Maasai, Lesotho to rappel down Maletsunyane Falls, Mauritius for the beaches, Papua New Guinea meet the cannibal tribes, Cook Islands because its paradise, Sri Lanka for the culture and Antarctica because it’s the final frontier.
Favorite international dish: Moqueca is a fish stew served in Bahia, Brazil. If I could compare it to another dish I would say it reminds me of gumbo.
Best place to travel on a budget: Cuba, the cost of traveling on the ground is very inexpensive, however beware, U.S. bank credit and debit cards don’t work on the island. When planning a trip to Cuba over budget (i.e. bring more than enough cash) and remember you can always exchange the Cuban pesos you don’t spend before you return to the States.
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Taking a global road trip with my mother through the South Island of New Zealand and Sydney, Australia. I took my mom down under for her 70th birthday. We flew first class, which was right up her alley, but the rest of the trip was a World Wide Nate adventure. LOL. In New Zealand, we stayed at a different Airbnb every night before settling into Queenstown. My mother and I hiked to the top of a Mount John, which was her first time ever hiking. She toughed it out and I was extremely proud of her. Next up, we took a helicopter ride to an amazing glacier and landed on a lake hidden in the middle of a vast mountain range, where we met up with one of my global travel buddies (a Virginia expat that I originally met in Jordan.) After New Zealand, we flew over to Sydney and explored the city. It was my second time in Sydney and my mom met my friends. They took us around the North Beaches and we had a great time. Even though it was my second time in Sydney, I saw & enjoyed a lot more of the city with my mom along for the ride. I believe traveling the world with friends and/or your significant other is awesome, but traveling the world with your parents is a priceless experience. I look forward to seeing many more countries with mom dukes.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Palau, is an archipelago of over 500 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. The white sand beaches are idyllic and you can easily have a boat owner take you to a deserted island to frolic around with no one in sight. The food is fresh and if you like seafood your options are endless. Palau is also home of Jeyllyfish Lake, where I enjoy one of my favorite activities — swimming with jellyfish without getting stung. That’s right. Sting-free jellyfish! It doesn’t get more romantic than that!
Your best travel secret: When going to a new destination where I don’t know anyone I log onto Couchsufring.com and a set-up coffee meet up. When I was younger and I used the website to stay with people to save money. I’ve slept on many couches and sometimes a mat on the floor. Nowadays meeting up for coffee allows me to make a local connection and discover the goodies I might have missed trying to figure it out on my own.
What do you love most about traveling? I’m actually developing a new show about my travels through Africa with UMC and The Africa Channel, which is set to air later this year on UMC.TV. I love the infinite possibilities of travel — experiencing new exhilarating things and meeting new people. Being able to bring those unique experiences to the masses makes it even that much better. Like the great poet, Bonecrusher once said, “I ain’t never scared.” My life is a global adventure and the world is my candy store.
What was your first trip? One summer I went to Barcelona and San Sebastian, Spain. In Barcelona, I visited a friend from high school who was studying abroad for his masters; and in San Sebastian, I joined my pro-basketball playing cousin’s entourage. Had a blast!
Quote to live by: “A wise man is a traveling man,” Rza – Wu-Tang Clan
Name: Jeffery Smith Jr. (@jefro5)
Age: 31
Hometown: Chicago Heights, IL
Relationship Status (Optional): Single
Your travel happy place (favorite destination to visit): I’d have to say Brazil. It’s the only country I’ve had a repeat visit to
Places to visit left on your bucket list: I’ve always said I don’t have a “list” of where I want to go, I just want to go everywhere.
Favorite international dish: I had this AH-MAY-ZHING whole fried snapper dish on a beach in the Phi Phi Island that I can still taste to this day.
Best place to travel on a budget: Cambodia, you can live like a King (or Queen) off of $20 USD and still have some change.
Most inspiring travel experience/moment: I went to SE Asia for a my first ever solo travel experience. Throughout the entire trip I was reading the book “The Alchemist.” I put aside all fear and doubt of being able to get away and move around myself and it turned out to be one the most amazing experiences of my life. I navigated my way thru Thailand, Cambodia, & Singapore and met some really amazing people along the way.
Most romantic place you ever traveled: Most romantic place I have visited is St. Lucia. There is nothing more romantic than a beautiful beach with the perfect water to match. Everything about the island is perfect for a getaway with that special someone…even the fruit taste sexier in the Caribbean. Lol!
Your best travel secret: Keep your eye on the deal! While most people have a list of must go places, I think travel is better when you’re open to going everywhere. You may want to go to Paris but a flight deal to Dubai might be what’s available at the moment, Go with the deal! Paris will always be there.
What do you love most about traveling?: Seeing different cultures, trying the food, connecting with people and making a memory in a foreign land fills me in a way that I couldn’t get from never stepping outside my comfort zone.
What was your first trip?: St. Lucia was my first trip outside of the US
Quote to live by: “If it were all about stability, you wouldn’t need faith.”
Name: K. Jordan Mason (@kjmase)
Age: 30
Hometown: Miami, FL
Your Favourite Travel Place: Jamaica….just because that’s my second home.
Places to Visit on your bucket list: I would have to say the remaining world wonders I have yet to visit. I was hoping to have them completed this year, but you see the way my account is set up! If I could visit any places right now, those three places would be the Great Wall of China (China), Machu Picchu (Peru) and Taj Majal (Agra, India)
Favorite International Dish: Besides the obvious Jamaican national dishes, I would have to say I really enjoyed Mansaf. This is the is a traditional dish in Jordan, and is made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt called Jameed and served with rice or bulgur.
Best Place to Travel on a Budget: Haiti….flights and hotel accommodations are usually very cheap.
Most Inspiring Travel Experience/Moment: Traveling to Haiti and seeing people who lived in tents as a result of the earthquake, which had hit the island nearly 6 years before my visit. These people lived in the worst conditions I had ever seen, yet they were so full of happiness and joy. Makes one really appreciate all we have here in the states.
Most romantic place you have ever travelled: Paris….the city of love.
Best travel secret: Mobile Passport: International travellers can skip the line at U.S. customs lines thanks to the official app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection called Mobile Passport. Being that not many people know about the app, the lines are usually even shorted than those for global entry.
What do you most love about traveling: I love to travel because it gives a sense of adventure and freedom. It allows us to get away from “normal” life, experience other cultures, to get to know places we see in magazines and the internet. Trying new food and meet new people.
What was your first trip: I want to say Jamaica, when I was two or three years old.
Quote to live by: “Dress Well…Take Trips…Post Pics…Stay out the mix”
