Salomé Zouaoui

Elm Grove, Wisconsin

French teacher turned travel professional.

After years teaching abroad, I completed my tourism training in 2026 and am now looking for my first opportunity in the travel industry.

American Southwest

September 2023

10 days

  1. Las Vegas , arrival
  2. Valley of Fire , 1 night
  3. Zion , 4 days
  4. Bryce , 3 days
  5. Las Vegas , 2 days
  • 4 Travellers Three adults and a toddler
  • $1,200 Per person 2023 prices
  • 3 Parks 2 National Parks + 1 State Park

Outdoor, scenic, unhurried.

Planned around a toddler: a slower pace, longer stays in the parks, and Las Vegas as both the start and the end of the loop to keep the driving short.

The route

  1. Las Vegas Flight from Milwaukee

    Drive 1 h

  2. Valley of Fire

    Day 1 1 night

    Straight from the airport into the state park: a short first stop, and the scenic drive through the red rock as the introduction to the Southwest.

    Drive 2.5 h

  3. Zion

    Days 2–5 4 days

    One of the most iconic national parks in the country, chosen for its reputed hikes: The Narrows and Angels Landing without the toddler, the easier trails and the time in the water all together.

    Zion Canyon seen from high above, the Virgin River winding along the green valley floor between red cliffs

    Drive 2 h

  4. Bryce Canyon

    Days 6–8 3 days

    A must-see for its Western landscapes. The different viewpoints above the amphitheater, and a short hike suited to a toddler.

    Orange hoodoos in the Bryce Canyon amphitheater under a deep blue sky, one tall spire standing in front

    Drive 4 h

  5. Las Vegas

    Days 9–10 2 days

    The relaxed last stop after several days of driving, hiking and parks. The Strip, the Bellagio, the casinos, and time at the pool.

    The Las Vegas Strip at night: the Eiffel Tower of Paris Las Vegas lit in blue, white and red, and the hotel's balloon sign

Transport, accommodation & budget

One rental car, a hotel with a pool, a cabin in the mountains, and what it all cost

$1,200 / person · 2023 prices

  1. Accommodation

    $800
    • Valley of Fire 1 night A small motel near the park
    • Zion 4 days Hotel with a pool, ten to twenty minutes from the park
    • Bryce Canyon 3 days A cabin in the mountains at Cannonville, with a patio
    • Las Vegas 2 days The Vdara: quieter, family-friendly, central

  2. Flights

    $250
    • Milwaukee → Las Vegas Round trip

  3. Car rental

    $150
    • Las Vegas → Valley of Fire Day 1 1h
    • Valley of Fire → Zion Day 2 2h 30m
    • Zion → Bryce Canyon Day 6 2h
    • Bryce Canyon → Las Vegas Day 9 4h

Cambodia

January 2019

10 days

  1. Hong Kong , arrival
  2. Siem Reap , 4 days
  3. Ferry port , 1 night
  4. Koh Rong Sanloem , 5 days
  5. Phnom Penh , departure
  • 2 Travellers My partner and I
  • $575 Per person 2019 prices · Cambodia only
  • 2 Stops Culture first, then the coast

Cultural immersion, then tropical relaxation.

One leg of a longer journey from Helsinki: several days in Hong Kong first, a one-way flight into Siem Reap, and the flight home from Phnom Penh.

The route

  1. Hong Kong

    Flight

  2. Siem Reap

    Days 1–4 4 days

    The Angkor Wat temple complex and the local cultural landmarks. Placed first, so the trip opens with the culture and ends with the rest.

    Sandstone towers of a temple in the Angkor complex seen from above, a raised causeway running out through the trees

    Flight

  3. Sihanoukville

    Day 5 1 night

    One night by the port, for the morning ferry to the island.

    Ferry

  4. Koh Rong Sanloem

    Days 6–10 5 days

    White sand beaches, snorkeling, and a quiet, laid-back atmosphere: the relaxing contrast to the temples. The island was still little developed in 2019 and has changed since.

    Sunset over the sea off Koh Rong Sanloem, a wooden boat at anchor and two people standing in the shallows

    Ferry back, then a private driver to the airport

  5. Phnom Penh Flight to Helsinki

Transport, accommodation & budget

Two flights, a night by the port, a ferry each way, a driver to the airport, and what it cost

$575 / person · 2019 prices · Cambodia only

  1. Accommodation

    $250
    • Siem Reap 4 days A boutique hotel
    • Sihanoukville 1 night
    • Koh Rong Sanloem 5 days A bungalow on the coast

  2. Flights

    $200
    • Hong Kong → Siem Reap One way $150
    • Siem Reap → Sihanoukville One way $50

  3. Getting around

    $125
    • Sihanoukville → Koh Rong Sanloem Ferry Round trip: back to the mainland for the drive to the airport $25
    • Sihanoukville → Phnom Penh airport Private driver $100

Greece

July 2018

10 days

  1. Athens , 1 night
  2. Milos , 4 nights
  3. Santorini , 2 nights
  4. Paros , 3 nights
  • 2 Travellers My partner and I
  • $1,200 Per person 2018 prices · flights & accommodation
  • July High season

Relaxed, scenic, coastal.

Planned around ferry timetables, weather-dependent crossings and high-season demand.

The route

  1. Athens

    Day 1 1 night

    One night on arrival and nothing planned: the capital was simply the way in.

    Ferry 3 h

  2. Milos

    Days 2–5 4 nights

    The white, moon-like rock of Sarakiniko, the fishing villages of Klima and Skinopi, and a full day out under sail. The quietest of the three islands, with landscapes unlike anywhere else on the route, so it gets the most nights.

    White volcanic cliffs and turquoise water at Kleftiko, a sailing boat moored in the bay

    Ferry 2 h

  3. Santorini

    Days 6–7 2 nights

    The island everyone pictures: Fira and Oia, the sunsets over the caldera, and the black sand beaches. Kept to two days, and placed in the middle.

    A blue-domed church and its bell tower above the caldera, cruise ships far below

    Ferry 2 h

  4. Paros & Antiparos

    Days 8–10 3 nights

    Parikia and Naoussa, the local beaches, and a day trip across the water to Antiparos. The last stop on purpose: three quieter days after Santorini, so the trip ends at the pace it was planned for.

    A whitewashed lane on Paros, its flagstones outlined in white

Transport, accommodation & budget

Three ferry crossings, apartment rentals throughout, and what it cost

$1,200 / person · 2018 prices · flights & accommodation

  1. Transport

    $600
    • Flights to Athens Round trip
    • Athens → Milos Ferry 3h
    • Milos → Santorini Ferry 2h
    • Santorini → Paros Ferry 2h

  2. Accommodation

    $600
    • Athens to Paros 10 nights Apartment rentals

Cuba

April 2017

13 days

  1. Havana , 2 days
  2. Viñales , 4 days
  3. Trinidad , 5 days
  4. Havana , 2 days
  • 2 Travellers A friend and I
  • $1,700 Per person 2017 prices · flights included
  • Casas Stays Casas particulares, the whole trip

Heritage, vintage, countryside.

Planned around Cuba's historic atmosphere, limited Wi-Fi, casas particulares and slower-paced travel.

The route

  1. Havana

    Days 1–2 2 days

    The way in, and the historic atmosphere the whole trip was planned around: Old Havana on foot, classic car rides across the city, and the local food.

    The Malecón in Havana under a grey sky, a mint-green 1950s car driving along the seafront

    Colectivo

  2. Viñales

    Days 3–6 4 days

    The countryside and a slower pace after the capital: the tobacco and cigar fields, and a day trip to Cayo Jutías for the beach.

    A farmer ploughing red earth with two oxen in the Viñales valley, a wooded mogote rising behind

    Colectivo

  3. Cienfuegos & Trinidad

    Days 7–11 5 days

    Two well-preserved colonial cities and their live music, given the most days for everything close by: the waterfall trails of Topes de Collantes, the sugar mills of the Valle de los Ingenios, and beach days at Playa Ancón.

    The tiled rooftops of Trinidad, its yellow bell tower and the Escambray mountains behind

    Colectivo

  4. Havana

    Days 12–13 2 days

    Two last days in the capital before the flight home: final strolls and classic car rides.

    A row of pastel colonial facades with iron balconies in Havana

Transport, accommodation & budget

Casas particulares throughout, shared taxis between the stops, and what it cost

$1,700 / person · 2017 prices · flights included

  1. Accommodation

    $650

    Casas particulares, the whole trip.

    • Havana 2 days
    • Viñales 4 days
    • Cienfuegos & Trinidad 5 days
    • Havana 2 days

  2. Transport

    $550

    Shared colectivos and taxis between the stops.

    • Havana → Viñales Colectivo
    • Viñales → Cienfuegos & Trinidad Colectivo
    • Trinidad → Havana Colectivo

  3. Flights

    $500
    • Flights to Havana Round trip

Twenty-seven destinations across four continents.

A snapshot of my travel experience so far.

  1. Europe

    18

    France · Belgium · Netherlands · Germany · Italy · England · Wales · Spain · Portugal · Hungary · Croatia · Greece · Romania · Latvia · Estonia · Finland · Sweden · Russia (St. Petersburg)

  2. Asia

    4

    China (Hong Kong) · Thailand · Sri Lanka · Cambodia

  3. Americas & Caribbean

    4

    United States · Mexico · Canada (Toronto) · Cuba

  4. Africa

    1

    Morocco