 My first year. L - R: Tuwgheida (the colleague that gave me advice and still my friend), Me, Zaneta (she has gone back to the states) If there is one universal truth about living abroad in the UAE, it’s this: your friends truly become your family.
When you live thousands of miles away from your hometown, building a tight-knit community isn't just nice to have—it is essential for survival. During my very first year (2017) working at an all-boys government school here in the UAE, I met a colleague, Tuwgheida, who instantly took me under her wing. She gave me the real, unfiltered advice on how to navigate and thrive in our environment, and we bonded immediately. Back then, we were two of only three women on staff. Eventually, it was just the two of us, and while more women joined our ranks in the 5 school years we worked together, our bond was unbreakable. Fast forward 10 years later: Tuwgheida and I are still going strong! So, when her sisters came to visit after their summer adventures, she invited me to join them for a legendary UAE Friday brunch before the school chaos officially kicked off.
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Miniature Cities, €5 Fabric Steals & The Ultimate Crookie Showdown: Dutch Local Gems (Part 3 of 3)9/4/2026 
After sprinting through Brussels, Paris, and London, it was time to bring our European Rail Escape full circle. For the grand finale of our Eurail series, we traded international customs gates for a deeper dive into local Dutch culture: The Hague (Den Haag), Amsterdam, and our home base of Rotterdam!
From exploring "shrinking" miniature world landmarks to scoring an unbelievable fabric deal and settling the Great Crookie Debate once and for all, here is how we closed out the ultimate group rail adventure! 
When you are armed with a Eurail Global Pass, crossing international borders for breakfast and sleeping in your own hotel bed by midnight is just a regular day on the road. After tackling Rotterdam Carnival and our wild Frankfurt detour, it was time for the heavy-hitter international day trips: Brussels, Paris, and London!
Here is how our Travel Club Besties conquered three major world capitals in a single week! 
Stop 1: Brussels — Waffles, Beer Flights & Hidden Gems
We opted for a slightly later, relaxed start for Brussels since our train didn't require advance seat reservations. After a smooth 90-minute ride filled with laughs and planning our next group getaways, we landed in Belgium! PRO-TIP: The €5 Transit HackSince the Atomium is located outside the main city center, we hopped on the local metro. Instead of buying individual paper tickets or full-day passes, we used the local Tap-In / Tap-Out system with our contactless cards. It was a massive money saver—our entire round trip cost us just €5 per person! As our train pulled up to the station, we could see the massive, futuristic 1958 World's Fair structure right through the window. We stepped outside, and the very first thing that hit us was the warm, heavenly aroma of fresh Belgian waffles baking in the air. We vowed right then and there to get a waffle—and who were we kidding? One was the bare minimum!
THE GREAT BELGIAN WAFFLE SHOWDOWN
Atomium Stall (€) : Cheap, fast, & delicious! Topped with chocolate sauce. Soft, fluffy, & cinnamony. Maison Waffle (€€) : THE WINNER! Topped with rich chocolate ganache and warm stewed strawberries. Absolute perfection.
The Tokyo Tea Mystery & A 6-Beer Tasting!
After taking the train back into the city center, we enjoyed a breezy, 20-minute walk toward the famous Grand Place. The moment we turned the corner, our jaws hit the ground. The towering gold leaf architecture and ornate cobblestone streets are breathtaking! Right around the corner from Maison Waffles, I popped into a cute tea shop and stumbled upon the ultimate surprise: Harney & Sons Paris Tea! This was the exact, delicious tea I fell in love with in the lounge during our trip to Tokyo that Mike implored me to track down. I looked it up and realized it’s actually an American brand—who knew?! Mike instantly asked, "Ooh, do they have the other flavor I like?!" (We secured the bag!). 
Next up on our bucket list: Belgian Beer Tasting! Directly diagonal from the famous Manneken Pis statue, we spotted a cafe offering 3-beer tasting flights. Since each couple ordered a different flight, we ended up with 6 different beers passed around the table!
Now, keep in mind: None of us are beer drinkers. Watching our group evaluate Belgian brews was hilarious: The Winner: The Cherry Beer! It tasted almost identical to my favorite Wild Cherry Pepsi—so good I even ordered a full beer with dinner later! The Losers: The heavy, traditional "super beer-tasty" ones. Non-beer drinkers spoke, and the authentic brews lost! After snapping a quick photo at Jeanneke Pis, we wrapped up our Brussels night with a feast at a vibrant blue Greek restaurant nestled in a lively alleyway before training back to Rotterdam. 
Stop 2: Paris — Soul Food, Crookies & Eiffel Tower Redemption!
For Paris, we set an early alarm! I didn't bring a strict checklist for this day; my one and only personal mission was to get a better photo of the Eiffel Tower than I got on my last visit. I let my travel besties lead the way with their itinerary—and in true foodie fashion, it was packed with legendary bakeries! PRO-TIP: Get the Paris Metro Day PassIf your day trip itinerary isn't 100% locked down, skip single-ride tickets and grab a Paris Metro Day Pass right at Gare du Nord. It gave us total freedom to hop on and off trains across the city without stopping at ticket kiosks every hour! 
Rooftop Views & Black-Owned Soul Food
Our first stop was the iconic Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Instead of waiting in the long line for the glass Skybridge, we headed straight up to the 6th floor by the toy section! The massive glass windows featured labeled guides showing you exactly what landmarks you were looking at, giving us a stunning view of Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower. By 11:30 AM, we made our way over to Mama's Soul Food right as they opened at noon. We love supporting Black-owned businesses wherever we travel, and this place was an absolute HIT! We started with a shared Fried Chicken Quesadilla (the ultimate preview!), followed by crispy fried chicken and mac & cheese with a spicy Louisiana flair. 
The Viral "Crookie" & Mike’s Strawberry Tart Revenge!
After lunch, it was time for the viral sensation taking over the internet: The Crookie (a flaky French croissant stuffed and baked with gooey chocolate chip cookie dough) from Café Vourdant! It was warm, rich, sweet, and incredible. Next, it was time for my main mission: Eiffel Tower Redemption! We hopped off the metro at Trocadéro, walked out, and BAM—there she was! The view was absolute perfection. Despite dodging the relentless souvenir sellers ("human mosquitoes") trying to rush us, we took our time and finally secured the frame-worthy shot I've wanted for years! To wrap up our Parisian spree, we navigated to the nearest Éric Kayser Boulangerie to hunt down their legendary strawberry tarts. 
THE BACKSTORY: On our last visit to Paris, Mike bought an Éric Kayser strawberry tart and ate the entire thing before I could even get a single bite! I vowed that this time, I was getting my very own. We grabbed our tarts and fresh croissants, thanked Paris for a magical day, and boarded our high-speed train back to Rotterdam.
Stop 3: London — Customs Confusion, Tube Monsoons & The Great Eurostar Dash
Much like Paris, our London day trip started early! But crossing into the UK on the Eurostar comes with a major twist: Border Control & Customs.
PRO-TIP: The Eurostar "Customs Trap"When booking the Eurostar from the Netherlands, pay close attention to the arrival time shown on your app! You have to go through double customs—scanning passports to leave the Netherlands/Schengen zone, and then showing passports again to enter the UK. It is a lengthy process! Arrive at the station 60 to 90 minutes BEFORE your train departure time, or you will miss it!
Once we cleared security and boarded, we all sank into our seats and relaxed. As we popped out of the Channel Tunnel into the UK, the conductor announced we had crossed into local time. Because London is 1 hour behind mainland Europe, we magically "gained" an extra hour to explore!
Masonry, Borough Market & Big Ben
After stepping off at St. Pancras, we decided to ride a Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus to take in the city skyline. Stop 1: Covent Garden & The Grand Lodge. Mike wanted to tour the Freemasons' Grand Lodge, which was just a 5-minute walk away. The architecture inside was wildly ornate and beautiful! While Mike enjoyed the official tour, the rest of us relaxed in the cafe, plotted our next moves, and enjoyed the peaceful morning. Stop 2: Borough Market & Black and Blue. Next, we headed to Borough Market. Y'all, picture a massive, buzzing open-air maze packed with food vendors, fresh fruit, artisan cheeses, and desserts galore! Since we wanted a comfortable seat to rest our feet and catch up, we grabbed lunch at Black and Blue restaurant right nearby. 
The 5:30 PM Ticket Gate Showdown!
Our Eurostar train back to Rotterdam was set for 6:04 PM, meaning we had a strict 5:30 PM check-in deadline. Our plan was simple: ride the bus past Big Ben, hop off at Buckingham Palace for photos, switch buses, and head straight back to St. Pancras. We snapped great photos of Big Ben right from the bus windows, hopped off at Buckingham Palace, made quick work of our group pictures, and realized... WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. Abandoning the bus, we made a mad dash for the London Underground (The Tube). None of us are afraid of public transport, but we’d heard horror stories about rush-hour Tube crowds! We dove headfirst into the monsoon of commuters, sprinted onto the train, heard our stop, and scurried frantically through St. Pancras station searching for the Eurostar terminal. We sprinted up to the ticket barriers, scanned our passes, and THE VERY SECOND the last person in our group crossed the line, the train staff closed the ticket gates right behind us! Talk about cinematic timing! We caught our breath, boarded our train, and collapsed into our seats laughing about our second major station sprint of the trip!
FINAL VERDICT ON LONDON: We barely scratched the surface of what London has to offer! We're already discussing a return trip during October break or Winter Break so we can experience the crisp fall weather and see the legendary London Christmas lights!
What's Next on the Eurail Escape?
Three countries, four world capitals, two frantic station sprints, and endless food memories down! Up next for Part 3, we are slowing things down to explore local Dutch gems: The Hague (Den Haag), Delft, Rotterdam, and our grand Amsterdam farewell! Which city would you tackle first on a Eurail pass—Brussels, Paris, or London? Let me know in the comments below! Until next Friday... Remember to Be Uniquely You!
Do Life Big With Us!
If you're reading this wishing you were tasting authentic ramen, exploring hidden shrines, or traveling hands-free without the logistics stress, you should join us on our next adventure! We have an exclusive France, Spain + Italy cruise on Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady scheduled for July 2027, and the Abu Dhabi & Dubai Adventure in November 2028 is open for bookings. We will be your personal hosts, we handle every single detail, and we promise to take incredible care of you.
Join the Unique Insiders!
New blogs will be dropping every single Friday morning right here. I’m pulling back the curtain to give you real blueprints, expert tips, and honest behind-the-scenes takes on life, business, and travel. Want to make sure you never miss a drop? Drop your email below to become a Unique Insider. You'll get my latest strategies, insider travel guides, and lifestyle tips sent directly to your inbox the second they go live!  And just like that, we are officially kicking off the next leg of our summer travels: our European Rail Escape!
After wrapping up our incredible time in Japan and powering through a long layover in Abu Dhabi, we touched down at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 7:30 PM. Now, let me keep it 100% real with you: the customs line in Amsterdam was BRUTAL. We didn't clear customs and make it out to the train station until 9:00 PM! Luckily, we were armed with our Eurail Global Pass. We activated our passes, hopped right on the train from Schiphol to Rotterdam, and checked into the Rotterdam Marriott Hotel. Y'all, this hotel is literally a 2-to-3-minute walk right outside Rotterdam Centraal Station! When you’re dragging suitcases late at night, that location is an absolute dream. We grabbed a quick bite at the lobby restaurant and crashed—because our Travel Club Besties were flying in the very next morning!
You know I’m always going to keep it 100% real with you!
My original plan today was to film a real-time, 13-hour layover vlog taking you along with me step-by-step. But here is a major travel lesson: Always check local cultural hours! Since today is Friday (a holy day of prayer in the UAE), the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque doesn't open for tourist visits until 4:00 PM. With my flight departing at 2:00 PM, my live layover challenge got cut short! However, as someone who knows Abu Dhabi inside and out, I wasn't going to leave you hanging. If you ever land at Zayed International Airport (AUH) overnight with a day layover ahead of you, here is the EXACT blueprint on how to spend 12 to 16 epic hours in the city! Brisket, Harry Potter Magic, and "We Outside!" in Tokyo: The Grand Finale (Tokyo Part 2 of 2)8/14/2026 
And just like that, we have reached the grand finale of our epic Japan takeover!
After showing our incredible group the high-energy sights of Tokyo, it was time to give everyone some freedom. We split up so everyone could explore at their own pace, and Mike and I set off on our own adventure! Bullet Trains, Giant Lanterns, and Skillet Cheese Burgers: Welcome to Tokyo! (Tokyo Part 1 of 2)8/7/2026  We made it to the final leg of our epic Japan takeover: Tokyo!
We all decided to send our heavy luggage ahead to Tokyo so we could travel light and easy. We boarded the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Shin-Osaka Station, bound for Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. Our group is going to be exploring right alongside us here in Tokyo until they head home. After they depart, Mike and I have a couple of extra days to wrap up our own adventures before we fly out. But of course, you can't board a bullet train without the ultimate Japanese rail tradition:grabbing delicious bento boxes at the station to eat on the way! 
Hey, Unique Insiders! I am actually writing this post to you right now while riding the lightning-fast bullet train. My feet are currently throbbing, my heart is incredibly full, and I have a mountain of amazing stories (and major pro-tips) to share with you from our time in Japan's culinary capital: Osaka.
Moai Statues, Sake, & Sky-High Views: The Sapporo Finale (Part 3 of 3 of the Sapporo Series)7/24/2026 
Welcome to the third and final chapter of our Hokkaido adventures! Our last full day in Sapporo was hands-down one of our most memorable, filled with deep history, towering views, and a massive reminder that Japan requires some serious foot endurance.
 Welcome back to part two of our Sapporo adventures! If part one was all about the city's neon lights and our arrival, this leg was a whirlwind of artisan towns, accidental detours, and some serious culinary surprises.
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Hey there, I’m Janelle! Welcome to my corner of the world. I’m an international educator by day, and a massive, do-life-big lover of travel, creative sewing, and bold cooking by night. Currently based in the beautiful UAE, I believe the world is too huge to stay limited by what society says about you, and I'm convinced that creating a life you love is the ultimate way to realize we are not defined by anyone else's expectations. From ziplining in Ras Al Khaimah and hot air ballooning in Cappadocia to conquering 6 out of 7 Disneys worldwide, I’m on a mission to see it all (and probably fabric-shopping or food-tasting along the way!). Want big travel experiences but hate the stress of the unknown, the planning, and the endless logistics? You’re in the right place. I share global inspiration here to show you exactly how to break boundaries and explore—and when you’re ready, I can design the perfect custom travel package for you over at Unique Does Travel. CategoriesArchives
July 2026
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