Oh yes, Summer has finally arrived! That means it is time to purchase a tube of sun block, whip out your passport, and start globe trotting. But, before jumping into your next adventure, our Nous ladies (Megan, KJ, Camryn, and Alyena) have offered some advice that they would like to share from their recent travels.
Peep their interview below to become the jet-setting pro that you were destined to become!:
1. Hi ladies! A little birdie told me that you have recently had the opportunity to travel. Where did you travel to?
KJ in Havana, Cuba
KJ: Hey! So after my trip to Governor’s Ball in New York with Juicy Couture, I had the impromptu decision to join my friends in Cuba, but I was only there for a total of 32 hours! I was in Havana, Cuba and we stayed at the Four Points Hotel which was a great central location for the city and beach.
Megan Martin in Bogota, Columbia
Megan: Over the past couple of years, I have been so blessed to have traveled a lot during my modeling career. I have been fortunate enough to book a lot of travel jobs outside of the country :). THIS is one of my absolute favorite parts of the job. I have been to France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Colombia, Mexico (many times), the Bahamas (many many times), & so many more. These are just a few of my favorite & most memorable locations.
Camryn in London, England
Camryn: I signed to Nous when I was 15, which then lead to me signing in New York City when I was 16-years-old (which I had never been) and then last year in London at (age) 17. Everything in Europe is so close, so I’ve been able to take holidays to Paris and Amsterdam. I hope to go explore more if I can.
Alyena in London, England
Alyena: Since joining Nous I have gone to London, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Amsterdam! I was stoked to go to these places because it was sort of a post-High School adventure!
2. If you had to choose, which place stuck out the most?
Alyena: My favorite place so far has probably been Amsterdam because of the youth culture as well as the art scene.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Megan: If I haaad to choose… I would probably choose the Exumas in the Bahamas. I was there this past May & fell in love. I am a beach girl, & the Exumas had the most remote & beautiful beaches with the most clear & blue water I have ever seen! I was in awe. The Exumas is made up of 365 islands. Most are all close together so it is easy to “island hop.” It is the most serene place I have ever been.
Megan Martin in the Exumas, Bahamas.
Camryn: New York City is my favorite city in the world so far. London, Paris, and Amsterdam were so beautiful but NY will always have a special place in my heart and has inspired me to keep pushing for what I want. I’m actually moving there in August!
Press play to follow Camryn’s adventures in NYC:
KJ enjoying a day at the beach in Cuba
3. What are some of your key/favorite brands that you wore around while traveling?
KJ: While i was there (Cuba), I wore an adorable two piece skirt/top set by XIX Palms, some swim and cover up pieces by Bamba swim, and the rest was my own vintage stuff.
Alyena: Local stuff. Paris had the best fashion it was incredible! There were so many boutiques with so many different types of looks the main difficulty was trying to fit everything in my suitcase.
Alyena in Paris, France.
4. What’s something you pack that’s not absolutely essential, but you like having it?
Alyena: One thing that was essential for my trip was headphones. In long train rides and on the plane I couldn’t imagine not having them.
Camryn: I (really my mother) will pack bags of Tea and Emergen-C, so as soon as I land, I’ll be able to make my go-to drink!
Megan: A sound machine. When traveling to a new place, you never know what your surroundings are like… & you NEED that beauty sleep. I also use it to help me sleep & deal with time changes.
5. Speaking of beauty sleep, what’s the best way to sleep on a plane?
Camryn: I always end up watching movies on the plane because I rarely go to the movie theater and catch up on all the new movies.. so no sleep!!
6. Was there anything that came up while you were traveling that you did not expect?
Alyena: One food I plan to never have again is veal. In Germany I got tricked into eating it because they brought out the wrong meal and it was quite a shock.
KJ sitting down for a meal in Havana, Cuba
7. Oh no! I am so sorry. Well, this brings onto our next topic: Where and/or what did you eat? Any unusual secret gems that you can’t wait to bring back home?
KJ: Our favorite restaurant to eat lunch at was called El Dandy. They had meat and cheese plates, carnitas tacos (😍😍 my fav), and the best mangos I’ve ever had! Everything there is really cheap, taxi’s were 10-20 pesos to get anywhere, and every meal was around 15 pesos a person including drinks. Both nights I was there, we ate this adorable rooftop restaurant called El Cocinero. The ambiance and food was amazing.
Megan: Bogota, Colombia has the best fried Yuca. It is similar to french fries, but better ;).
Alyena: If you go to Italy the one thing that I practically lived on was gelato. It’s a culture where gelato is considered acceptable with every meal!
A Spread of Italian Gelato
Megan enjoying the view in Amboise, France
8. That all sounds so good! I’m sure one of you found a familiar plate while traveling. What is one food you could now never eat in your home country again because you’ve tasted the original version in its country of origin and you’ve been forever spoiled?
Megan: Fresh pasta from Italy!
9. Now, in terms of location, did you girls get to experience/discover some local secret gems?
Camryn: If you travel to London, I’m sure you will hear of the Shoreditch House. It’s really a hip venue in a culturally rich area and they have the best roof top pool. Oh! And Brick Lane in Shoreditch has some really great thrift shops!
KJ: One night, we went to a rooftop salsa bar called Roma and it had the best vibe. I met some of the most down to earth people.On my second day in Cuba, I went to the AMAZING beach called Tarara, which is i a private beach club. It only costs 5 pesos to get in, and you feel like you’re on a deserted tropical island. Only locals really know about it so there are no people and it’s really clean. The water is super clear.
Camryn in London, England in front of the Big Ben.
10. Are there any social norms or practices you’ve encountered on your travels that you wish were more common in the USA?
Camryn: Saying English phrases like “que up” (assembling in a line) or when you are asking where bathroom is, you refer to the restroom as “the toilet.” Also, everyone says “proper” in numerous casual conversations and it is very versatile. Like, “she’s proper posh,” would be that girl is really elegant/upperclass/stylish!
11. What is the craziest/funniest thing that happened to you while traveling?
Megan: I was in Tulum shooting for a swimwear brand, and some locals approached us while shooting and proceeded to take their shirts off and get in the water & “pose” with me………..
Megan striking a pose in St. Barths wearing a swimsuit by Stone Cold Fox
12. Haha! That is hilarous. Now, has anyone done anything super creative to save money during their travels?
KJ: When traveling, always bring twice as much cash as you think you need. This is especially important in Cuba because American credit cards don’t work over there. With extra cash, if something goes wrong, you then have plenty of cushioning.
Camryn: I once took a 10 hour bus ride from Amsterdam to London because I had a job the next day and had to go home without my friends! It was actually really cool because I got to drive through Holland and Belgium.
13. Sounds like a memory for the books! So, let’s get a little personal. Do any of you ladies have an irrational fear that your travels have helped you overcome?
Megan: Traveling is such a beautiful thing. However, there is a lot of inevitable things you cannot control— like flight delays, weather, language barriers in different countries, misinterpreting cultures, & etc… You truly have to go into traveling with an open mind & ready for almost anything to happen.
KJ having some fun in the sun in Havana, Cuba
14. Love that advice! To wrap it up, does anyone have any further advice for other wanderlusters?
KJ: Knowing foreign languages is a plus, as locals may try to take advantage of you and tell you things are more money than they are. But for the most part, come with no expectations and have a great time!
Megan: Do not take traveling for granted (I sure do sometimes). It is such a gift. Try and be as present as possible & take any given opportunity to immerse yourself in another countries culture.
Alyena: Be a collector! One thing I try to collect in every city is a cool key chain, as well as a post card from either a museum I visited or from a street vendor.
….and that’s a wrap! Now that you’re a jet-setting pro, get inspired by checking out some more awesome photos from the girls’ past travels below:
Check out Alyena‘s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Check out Megan‘s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Check out KJ‘s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Check out Camryn‘s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
