Wanderlust Ignited – Sabriena Simpson fuses passion for writing and travel

The aim of travel is not to escape life per se; it’s for life not to escape us. Sabriena Simpson understood this concept from early, exploring and bonding over island tours with her mother. She went on to journey outside these green shores and became intrigued by the idea of a different country, culture and language. So it was only natural to share these findings with others.

“”People always ask me for information on the places I have visited when I post photos so I thought what better way to showcase my travels whilst giving people valuable information,” she shared.

Simpson initially began her travel writing with a food blog in 2017 entitled Eat Roun’ Di Cut. A foodie at heart, she enjoyed giving reviews of different restaurants across the island. Having studied journalism at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus, she made a smooth transition to vlogging. Not only did the initiative give her radio voice true purpose, it proved to be informative for viewers.

Since starting her Travel with Sabriena blog in March 2019 and YouTube channel, Sabriena Audriana, in February 2020, the feedback has been great. People continuously consult her for travel tips and information and she is proud of the engagement. “Just the other day, a friend of a friend visited another country and tagged me in the post highlighting that I was the one who made her aware of the location that she visited. That really made me feel good and ultimately made my day,” she said.

So what made Simpson fall in love with travel? Taking what she coined as half-island trips with her mother as a child. “In August of every year, my mother and I would leave from our home in Bamboo, St Ann early in the morning and go to Negril via the south coast. We would make several stops for food and entertainment on the way and then go to a beach in Negril. Then, we return home via the north coast, where we’d make a final stop in Montego Bay, before we head home in the wee hours of the morning,” she told Saturday Living.

By the age of nine, Simpson took her first flight to Panama on a church trip and went to Canada at 11 years old, ‘summering’ in Toronto as a teen with family. “I really enjoyed these trips. As soon as I completed university and secured a decent job, I started saving towards my first solely funded trip as well as my first hotel staycation,” she added.

So far, she had visited all the parishes of Jamaica, overnighting in every one, except Clarendon. Places that have stood out for her locally include the bar in the middle of the sea better known as Floyd’s Pelican Bar in St Elizabeth, Reach Falls in Portland, where she had the opportunity to jump in the famous ‘Rabbit Hole’, Bath Fountain in St Thomas, Mystic Mountain in St Ann and the Appleton Estate Rum Tour in St Elizabeth.

“Lashings Boutique Hotel and Villas in St Elizabeth has been my favourite place because of the tranquillity, excellent customer service and superb food that it provides. Portland is my second favourite parish only because I’m a St Ann girl; otherwise, it would have been my first. I love Portland because of the vast amount of water bodies and greenery it has, as even though I can’t swim, I love to be in a bikini and be in the water,” she confessed.

Regionally, Simpson has journeyed to The Bahamas, where she ventured to Pig Island and swam with sharks at Compass Cay. And internationally, sites like Niagara Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world in Canada, Times Square and The Edge in the United States, New York to be specific, have been prominent on her travel highlight reel.

Her heart’s desire is to visit as many countries as she can, naming Peru, Mexico, Columbia, Italy, France, Switzerland, Bali, Indonesia and Thailand from her bucket list.

“I’ll be saving towards that,” she said, adding, “I really love to travel and experience different cultures, people and food, as well as to relax. Travel is truly a passion.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com