Meet Janaline

Hallo Moscow!!!
Hallo Moscow!!!

I’m a woman who’s completely addicted to travelling and seeing the world. You could say I was born with the travel bug—it’s the kind of itch that never quite goes away. The thrill of adventure is something I think about constantly, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love exploring new places and have so much fun sharing my travel stories and photos so you can see why this life calls to me. I’ve been travelling and working my way around the world for more than a decade now and have had some truly unforgettable experiences along the way.

When you live in a country, you get to experience it from a totally different perspective than the average tourist. It’s the people, the rhythm of daily life, and all the little unpredictable, often crazy moments that make it so interesting.

One of the biggest misconceptions about travel is that you need a pile of money to take big trips. That’s simply not true. You don’t have to be wealthy or earn a high salary—you just have to choose travel over “stuff.”

I got to have a Cormorant on my arm!!!
I got to have a Cormorant on my arm!!!

My first job abroad was in the Bahamas and Caribbean on a cruise ship. I swam with stingrays at Stingray City and rode a moped down the Mexican coast of Cozumel. I fell for New York and Charleston—would go back in a heartbeat. Then came a move to England, where I lived all over the place. Bath was my favourite, though I eventually settled in Cambridge.

I backpacked through Spain and Portugal, with a sunny pit stop in Majorca. I fell in love with Barcelona—the art, the people, and definitely the seafood paella. Granada took my breath away, and I had a little too much port in Porto.

I had a snowball fight next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and stuffed myself with chocolate crêpes. Took a break in Egypt and watched the sunrise over the Valley of the Kings and Queens from a hot air balloon. I zipped through Vietnamese traffic on my bright yellow Honda Cub and soaked up the sun for a while. In Cambodia, I got lost exploring Angkor Wat while sipping iced café sữa đá.

On my way to Japan, I stopped in South Korea to taste kimchi. I wandered the quiet streets of Kyoto hoping to catch a glimpse of geisha and attended a solemn memorial in Hiroshima. I lived in the desert of the UAE for a while—yes, I rode a camel—and filled up on baklava in Turkey before walking the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem at Christmas.

Me in front of the East Glorius Gates we just walked through to enter the Forbidden City.
Me in front of the East Glorius Gates we just walked through to enter the Forbidden City.

I spent two years living in Russia, where I developed a respect for good vodka, wandered St. Petersburg during the magical “White Nights,” and learned to walk confidently on snow and ice. I walked the Great Wall of China after cruising down the Yangtze River during my China odyssey.

Then South America called. I lived and worked for a while in the street-art-filled Santiago, Chile, and stood knee-deep in snow in the Andes Mountains.

Chinese Calligraphy artist at work
My name written in beautiful caligraphy art

I eventually moved back and worked as a travel agent in Cape Town before returning to teaching English. That path took me to Shanghai, China, where I lived for three years, and then on to Vancouver, Canada, where I became a certified Art Therapist.

Now, I run my own online practice, Healing Art Journey, offering therapeutic art sessions and creative resources for healing, self-expression, and growth. It’s a new kind of journey—one that goes inward—and I’m excited to share more of it here alongside the places I’ve seen.

My challenge to you:

Pick one place you’ve been dreaming about. Choose a date within the next nine months—and buy the plane ticket. Right now. Once it’s booked, you’re committed. The rest will fall into place.

Get excited. Make the promise to yourself: Do this every year.

Your future self will thank you.

Winter Cycling through the streets of Shanghai
Winter Cycling through the streets of Shanghai on a shared bike

©Janaline Smalman  – All rights reserved,

All material contained within this blog, whether photographic or written is subject to copyright. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without prior approval and permission granted by the author, is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts and links to photography may be used, provided that © Janaline Smalman is credited, such that it directly refers to and reflects the original source and material content.

612 comments

  3. Hi Janaline

    You have such a marvellous collection of pictures, I always wait for the updates!

    My question: Are you interested in a “Capture the color” photo contest? You will have to choose 1 pictures /color and post them by 9 Oct. ? I would like to nominate you for it and think it is a good way for networking :). Further information is here: http://www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/capture-the-colour/

    Looking forward to see your entrees 🙂

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  4. Love your pictures – and I’m inspired by the way that you pose in all of these fantastic places! (I never know how to stand in front of things when people are taking pictures.) Happy to be following you! 🙂

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  6. Very inspiring… Actually I jealous you for 😛 What a blessing to travel around places.. Keep moving would love to follow you and thank you for stopping by my blog.. 🙂

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  7. Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my Wordless Wednesday post. I am sure you have seen some beautiful dogs in your journeys. I am jealous! To see a Poodle in France…or a Chihuahua in Mexico…or a Bull Dog in England.
    Sigh.
    Great pics you have here!
    Nice to “meet” you,
    Vanessa

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  8. Hi Janaline! Many thanks for dropping by my blog on your own travels. You epitomize the spirit of adventure within us all. Happy voyaging. I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for. x

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  9. Hi,J! I am inviting you to join this fun photo competition because I think your photographs are great. I also want to see what you can come up with. This is not an award, it is a real photography competition. If you’d like to join, please check out the links on my blog. Cheers! Angie

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    • Thanks Marso but I think my traveling was the most interesting part. I taught English as a foreign language in most of the countries I lived in……although I did work on a cruise ship for a while and as a gym consultant at one stage!

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  16. …wow! I traveled a lot when I was younger (originally from Canada but have lived in Swaziland and Malawi for a combination of 4 years)…I really miss traveling. Hopefully when the kidlets are grown I can start heading out again. Just dropped in today but look forward to following/viewing all your posts!

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  18. Hi Janaline,

    I love this blog of yours! It’s going to be such fun following you around the world 🙂 I myself have only been out of my country (USA) a handful of times. Looking forward to your travels and photos. Janine.

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  29. Wow, kind of sounds like me, just a little! Except that I haven’t made it further east than the Ukraine. I, too, lived in Bath for a few months, then Spain for a few more months teaching English, then Poland as a preschool teacher (where I too learned to appreciate good vodka, though of course Polish vodka). Volunteered a summer in Costa Rica at an orphanage, and now I’m off to France as an au pair and student (dream: to speak French fluently, learn how to cook French food, drink French wine). And in the mix, I’ve managed to visit some 20-odd countries. Keep travelling!! That’s awesome.

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  31. Inspiring! I love the way you string the names of the places you’ve been to with a brief commentary. You’ve seen and done a lot. I feel like I’m just starting my travels. I’ve lived in Korea for 8 years but haven’t really gone around. Now it’s time. Thanks!

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    • Congratulations on getting nominated, you deserve it! Thanks Jessica for the lovely compliment of nominating me!! I am just a bit slow at actually doing everything but have started and will definitely get around to following all the rules.

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  35. You are certainly making the most of it Jana and I admire you for that hon. Love your photo’s and all the amazing places you’ve travelled too. Great to meet a South African from way over there. 😀 *big hugs*

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  37. Janaline, one of the things I like about blogging is meeting interesting people…people who DO what most of us wish we could do. You are fascinating and courageous! Thank you for stopping by my blog.

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  41. Janaline, just reading your comments and seeing photos of you make me smile! 🙂 You have such a great spirit, one that’s so contagious. I bet you have so many stories to tell! Thank you for stopping by my blog, I just had to follow yours. Can’t wait to see your next post!

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    • Thanks for that lovely comment! I have had so many wonderful experiences and now trying to recapture them all on my blog so that I can share these adventures with you all. Thanks for joining my journey!

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  42. Hi Janaline, thank you for your visit. Your blog and stories are awesome. I wish I could also go to the places you have been in the future. looking forward to your next post!

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    • You are welcome Rob. I do like the whole poll / voting for a photo that you did in your last post, gets your followers actively involved in your blog. Think I might actually try it sometime soon.

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  45. I love travel, but don’t get to go to as many exotic places like you do. I look forward to following you on your journey! 🙂

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