About Me

A little bit about me…

Hi, let me introduce myself, the author behind The Curious journal. My name is Arzelle from Cape Town, South Africa. I am currently residing in the beautiful cosmopolitan city-state of Singapore, the little Red Dot in SEAsia.

Singapore has been my home for 8 years. My journey to this little red dot started in SA, Cape Town where I embarked on my first international trip solo. This was not just any trip, but a life-changing move to a new country. The day after Christmas, I said my farewell to my slightly emotional family, as I was leaving for two years (so I thought). I was more than ready to board my first international flight, with a connection flight nonetheless. My excitement for the upcoming adventures outweighed my emotions at this time.

Looking back, I take my hat off to that courageous and daring young woman for taking that big step to leave everything behind and move abroad with only one suitcase and a carry-on.

Landing in Singapore not knowing anyone. All I had to go on the advice from friends who travelled through the area years ago and what I read on the internet. Note, there were not many travel blogs back then.

But why did I do it? Well, “Why not?”

Yes, it was a rather big decision; after trying to figure out the pros and cons, a wise friend of mine asked ‘why not?’ and honestly, I could not really answer. I was rather successful, but a fantastic opportunity was knocking on my door, to lecture abroad. 

The older I get, the more I believe that you have to take hold of opportunities, grab them with both hands. Not only will you learn and experience more of the world around you, but you might just discover new things about yourself – Personal growth.

It was by no means smooth sailing all of the time. With many different factors to learn, from renting in a new country to how to budget in a whole new way, moving abroad on South African Rands taught me to really turn around each cent) to suddenly having to come to grips with being on my own. But with persistence and new empathising friends, it became a lot easier. These friends, now scattered across the world, form part of how I met my husband, Stephen.  

Over the past 7 years, I have found more adventure than I thought possible as I have taken numerous solo trips across Asia and Europe. I have not for one second regretted that big, bold step I made years ago.

Did you know that I...?

... hiked and slept on a remote part of the Great Wall of China.

... went to Bali, not for the beaches but to explore a vineyard.

... cycled through the streets of Old Delhi.

... walked through an abandoned ghost hospital in Namibia.

 Where my curiosity started

Saturdays at the local town library with my mom, this is where it all started. My favourite area was the research section, as I made friends with National Geographic magazines, Encyclopaedias, and Atlases. I would sit there in that library and envision myself being part of those fantastic explorations and learning firsthand about the world in all its diversity. My ultimate dream job is to still work for National Geographic or BBC. Just putting it out there. 

At the age of 10, my mom gave me a small film camera, and this opened a whole new world. I started documenting the world around me through the lens of that camera. I still have many of those photos somewhere in a box at my mom’s place.

A few years later I obtained my driver’s license which brought about a sense of freedom and exploration. I found myself setting off on weekend road trips with friends across the Western Cape in South Africa. From camping in the Cederberg or Gansbaai to driving along Cape Point, and walking all the way up to the lighthouse in the chilly Cape wind with the international tourists, pretending that we were too. We explored the various wine regions and festivals and drove for nearly 13 hours to attend a dance competition in Johannesburg, just because we wanted an on-road adventure instead of sitting for 2 hours on a plane. There were the camps on a friend’s farm over New Years with no cellphone signal, and swimming in the farm dam. All these many adventures fanned my desire for travel, new memories, and adventure.

The blog – The Curious Journal

I started the blog The Curious Journal a few years ago to journal about my travel mostly for my family back home and myself. Yes, it was more like a diary. But in recent years the way I documented my travels has evolved into inspiring other travellers. After posting pictures on my social media, friends would often ask where and how I came to know about certain spots or areas, especially the places where they have already been. I would often get questions like “How did you even know about it?” “Where is this, I never saw it?” Or “Are you sure you travelled to the same place?” Ever so often, some friends would ask me for advice before going on their trip, mainly if they knew I have been. This led to transforming my blog into a more in-depth and inspirational blog for travelling off-the-beaten-path or unique experiences.

My travel style has evolved too; initially, my trips were short and rushed. Although these trips were off-the-beaten-path or not the usual travel spots, they were hampered by the short time frame and the desire to see too much. Now my trips have become less rushed and more focussed and informative.

The ‘art’ of slow travel appeals to me, trips where you not only meet the people but sharing stories over lunch at their favourite spot after a guided walk through their neighbourhood to chatting about hobbies while we make dumplings together.

What does The Curious Journal focus on?

I seek after the off-the-beaten-track, the unknown, unfamiliar roads. I choose to emerge myself into a place and its history using my passion for photography to tell my story in a curated form that gives the real sense and feeling of a place. No words needed.

Of course, I can not forget about my interest in coffee and wine; hey, I grew up in the Cape Winelands. I revel in finding vineyards in countries you would least expect, like Bali and Thailand. 

I aim to support local businesses, hotels and Airbnb, who focus on helping their own community or whose aim is to be sustainable.

 

So did curiosity kill this ‘cat’? No ways!

It broadened my horizons and enlarged my appetite for much more. I know ‘The Curious Journal’ will pique your sense of curiosity and put you on your own journey of discovery.

I believe I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13