Chica Travel with Lelo

I asked an economist to lend me his eyes.

Prof Adrian Saville has been to almost 100 countries. He also studies how countries work, which means he walks through the same airports and streets we do and sees something completely different.

We talk about what he notices first when he lands, whether travel is money well spent, what our spending actually does in the places we visit, and why it is still so hard for Africans to move around Africa.

Prof Adrian Saville is Professor of Economics, Finance and Strategy at the Gordon Institute of Business Science and can be found X: @AdrianSaville What an Economist Sees When He Travels | Prof Adrian Saville

What happens when you strip away the expectations of work, family, and public life? According to Hulisani Ravele, you find your "fullness." In this intimate conversation, Hulisani and I explore the transformative power of the passport. Hulisani shares her evolution into a meticulous "Project Manager" of her own joy and we delve into the spiritual weight of Morocco, the "un-Hulisani" chaos of Amsterdam, and the visceral thrill of the F1 paddock. This episode is a call to action for every professional woman to view travel not just as an escape, but as a non-negotiable act of self-reverence and a reward for the hard work of living. Hulisani Ravele On Travel As Self Love

Nikiwe Bikitsha is one of the reasons this podcast exists. Years before I started Chica Travel, I heard her travel across the continent on 702's Africa Connected and thought, what if I did this?

In this episode she takes me from a childhood in Mthatha glued to the news, to countries across the continent, to three weeks in Pakistan, to Japan, and to Oxford finding her when she was not looking. We talk about curiosity as a way of moving through the world, seeing a city by running through it, the places we overlook, and the love she was met with everywhere she went in Africa.

Watch the video version on YouTube at Chica Travel with Lelo, find me on Instagram at @chicatravelpodcast, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave a review. It helps more than you know. Nikiwe Bikitsha:

She grew up in exile across five African countries, built one of the most decorated marketing careers in South Africa, and somewhere along the way decided she was going to live life at full speed.

Khensani Nobanda has been to 87 countries, stood in the Monza pits while Red Bull engineers played reggae, lost her passport in Cappadocia and somehow ended up on a yacht on the Bosphorus, and turned 40 on Halong Bay surrounded by 40 of the people she loves most.

But the thing that made me want to have this conversation was not her CV.

It was her energy.

This episode is about Formula 1, the 50 Before 50 list, Istanbul, travel philosophy, work life integration, choosing joy now, and refusing to wait for life to begin. Youtube

Nafisa Akabor has been covering technology for 18 years and has travelled to 46 countries. In this episode of Chica Travel with Lelo, she breaks down everything you need to know about travelling smarter, safer and further, starting with what's on her phone before she boards.

We talk eSIMs, VPNs, fake QR codes, Japan's new visa fees, the 5x increase that caught everyone off guard, tax-free shopping and what's changing in November 2026. We also get into the emotional reality of travelling with an African passport, the visa anxiety, the border control stress, and the strategy that got Nafisa a 5-year Schengen visa.

She closes with her ultimate travel tech kit and the one thing she wishes more African women knew about travelling in this world right now.

Find Nafisa on TikTok @nafisaakbor and follow Chica Travel with Lelo on YouTube and Social Media @chicatravelwithlelo / @mslelob

Would love your feedback on the episode! Tech, Travel & the African Passport | Nafisa Akabor

Most people think travel is simple. Book a flight, pack a bag, and go but the truth is, a lot can go wrong before you even leave the country. In this episode, I do something a little different and connect with my friend, Cultural worker & Traveler, Kwena Baloyi to construct a Travel Clinic that's answer questions people are too afraid to ask out loud. From visas and passports to solo travel fears, travel insurance, and common mistakes that could cost you time and money.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, confused, or unsure about travelling, this episode will give you clarity and confidence.

What we cover:

- What you actually need before you travel

- Travel mistakes that can ruin your trip

- The truth about solo travel

- Why travel insurance is essential

- What first-time travellers always get wrong

The information shared in this episode is based on personal experience and is intended for general guidance only. Travel requirements, visa regulations and health recommendations change frequently. Always check the official requirements for your specific destination and nationality before you travel.

Please subscribe for more honest travel conversations and follow @chicatravelwithlelo on X and Instagram. The Travel Clinic: What Nobody Tells You Before You Travel

Pitsi Sathekge (Pitsi_S) is a South African travel content creator who built a thriving group travel business after being scammed on her own 30th birthday trip. In this episode she breaks down: how she accidentally became a group trip host, why Zanzibar is the perfect first international trip for South Africans, what actually happens on a women-only group trip (including a Bali boat ride that went very wrong), how to spot a travel scam before you hand over your money, and how her side hustle became a fully registered travel business. If you're considering a group trip, If you're considering a group trip, this is a real conversation about travel, community, and taking the leap. To join Pitsi's trips, visit www.sunsetsandmargaritas.com.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: youtube.com/@ChicaTravelPodcast

📱 Follow Chica Travel Podcast: @ChicaTravelWithLelo/ @MsLeloB Chica Travel Youtube

Azania Mosaka is one of South Africa's most recognised voices - a broadcaster, MC, and public speaker who has graced global stages. But beyond the public life, she is a deeply curious traveller who has lived on multiple continents and sees the world as something to be explored, not just visited.

Azania has lived in London, spent two years in Switzerland, raised her children to explore the African continent before anywhere else.

We talk about what it really feels like to live abroad versus the romanticised version we imagine, raising kids to see Africa first, falling in love with Casablanca over Marrakesh, being a Black woman who sticks out in spaces not built for her, and whether sharing our travels on social media is doing more harm than good.

Connect with Me:

Follow LeloB on Instagram and TikTok @mslelob/chicatravelpodcast

I would appreciate if you could leave a review of your feedback and Subscribe to the Chica Travel Podcast on YouTube @ChicaTravelPodcast Azania Mosaka on Travel, Identity & Living Abroad

What happens when a song inspires you to book a solo flight to New York City in the middle of winter? For Lungile Mashele, it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with solo travel. In this debut episode of the Chica Travel Podcast Season 2, host Lelo Boyana sits down with Lungile: Banker, Wine Connoisseur, and World Traveller to talk about the beauty of travelling alone, navigating safety as an African woman abroad, finding your most authentic self far from home, and why South America has her whole heart.

Whether you've been dreaming of your first solo trip or your fortieth, this one's for you.

Connect With CHICA Travel Podcast

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chicatravelpodcast?si=pW4gjMI6rfwLx9Xo

Instagram: @Chicatravelpodcast / @MsLeloB Lungile Mashele on Finding Yourself Through Travel

After some time away, I am back behind the mic and it feels so good to say that.

In this episode I reintroduce myself, share why travel continues to shape my life, and talk about what you can expect from this new season of the Chica Travel Podcast. I am also excited to let you know that the podcast is now on YouTube, which means we get to see each other as well as hear each other.

From the lessons I have carried with me to the kind of conversations I want us to have going forward, this is the start of a beautiful new chapter.

If you have been here before, thank you for staying.

If you are new, welcome. I cannot wait to travel with you.