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.

salome.zouaoui@gmail.com

France – Alsace

July 2026

6 days

  1. Lille , arrival
  2. Colmar , 4 full days
  • 5 Travelers Three adults and two young children
  • ~$1,675 Budget 2026 prices · accommodation, fuel & tolls
  • 4 Days Colmar, villages, nature & local food

Family-friendly, scenic, relaxed.

A short road trip from Lille, chosen to explore a new part of France with two young children. Colmar was used as a base to explore the surrounding villages, the Wine Route and the region’s food and wine.

The route

  1. Lille Day 1 · Family car

    Drive ~5h

  2. Colmar

    Days 2–5 4 full days

    • Old town on foot
    • Boat ride along the river
    • Tourist train
    • Regional gastronomy
    Pink, yellow and blue half-timbered houses along the river in Colmar, a wooden landing over the water, under a grey sky

  3. Eguisheim & Kaysersberg

    From Colmar

    • Alsace Wine Route
    • Charming villages
    • Landscapes beyond Colmar
    The shallow, rocky river running through Kaysersberg, half-timbered houses along its banks and the ruined castle on the wooded hill behind

  4. Family & Outdoors

    From Colmar

    • Half-day at Monkey Mountain
    • Lake & water recreation area
    • Cooling down in the summer heat

Planning notes

  • Single base : Keeping Colmar as a single base avoided changing accommodation with two young children.
  • Short drive : The drive from Lille made the trip manageable, with time to explore at a relaxed pace.
  • Air conditioning : Not always available in France, even in summer. Check before booking.

Transportation, accommodation & budget

A family car, a house near the center, and what it all cost

~$1,675 / stay · 2026 prices

  1. Accommodation

    $1,300
    • Colmar House rental for 3 adults and 2 children, approximately 15 minutes’ walk from central Colmar

  2. Transportation

    ~$375

    Family car · No rental car

    • Lille → Colmar Day 1 ~5h
    • Fuel & tolls Round trip ~$375

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 Travelers 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 1h

  2. Valley of Fire

    Day 1 1 night

    • 1h from the airport
    • Red-rock drive
    • Intro to the Southwest

    Drive 2h 30

  3. Zion

    Days 2–5 4 days

    • Angels Landing
    • The Narrows
    • Easy trails with the toddler
    • Time in the water together
    Zion Canyon seen from high above, the Virgin River winding along the green valley floor between red cliffs

    Drive 2h

  4. Bryce Canyon

    Days 6–8 3 days

    • Amphitheater viewpoints
    • Western landscapes
    • Short toddler hike
    Orange hoodoos in the Bryce Canyon amphitheater under a deep blue sky, one tall spire standing in front

    Drive 4h

  5. Las Vegas

    Days 9–10 2 days

    • Downtime after the parks
    • The Strip & the Bellagio
    • Pool time
    • Flight home
    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

Planning notes

  • Permit required : Angels Landing: permit required. Check current requirements before booking.
  • Flash floods : The Narrows: check the forecast that morning.
  • Not much driving : One rental car for the whole trip, and the parks a couple of hours apart.

Transportation, accommodation & budget

One rental car, stays near the parks, 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 30
    • 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 Travelers 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

    • Angkor Wat
    • Local landmarks
    • Culture first
    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

    • Ferry port
    • Morning boat to the island

    Ferry

  4. Koh Rong Sanloem

    Days 6–10 5 days

    • White sand & snorkeling
    • Quiet island
    • Rest after the temples
    Sunset over the sea off Koh Rong Sanloem, a wooden boat at anchor and two people standing in the shallows

    Ferry + private driver

  5. Phnom Penh Flight to Helsinki

Planning notes

  • Buffer time : Roads run late. Leave a wide margin before flying.

Transportation, 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 Travelers My partner and I
  • $1,200 Per person 2018 prices · flights & accommodation
  • July High season

Relaxed, scenic, coastal.

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

The route

  1. Athens

    Day 1 1 night

    • Arrival night
    • Ferry to Milos

    Ferry 3h

  2. Milos

    Days 2–5 4 nights

    • Moon-like Sarakiniko
    • Klima & Skinopi villages
    • A day under sail
    • Quietest island
    White volcanic cliffs and turquoise water at Kleftiko, a sailing boat moored in the bay

    Ferry 2h

  3. Santorini

    Days 6–7 2 nights

    • Caldera sunsets
    • Fira & Oia
    • Black sand beaches
    A blue-domed church and its bell tower above the caldera, cruise ships far below

    Ferry 2h

  4. Paros & Antiparos

    Days 8–10 3 nights

    • Parikia & Naoussa
    • Antiparos day trip
    • Quieter pace
    A whitewashed lane on Paros, its flagstones outlined in white

Planning notes

  • Weather : Ferry schedules can change with the weather.
  • Book ahead : During the summer high season, booking ahead and checking the schedule before departure is recommended.

Transportation, accommodation & budget

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

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

  1. Transportation

    $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

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