About Storm on the Horizon & FAQ

Hey, I’m Storm. 

There are two things you should know about me right away: I love telling stories and I love travelling. 

What kind of traveller are you?

I ask because if we’re travelling through the world together, you should know what I’m like. For starters, we’re not going camping. (Bugs kind of freak me out.)

Instead, let’s explore a mix of hidden gems, must-see tourist attractions, unique cafes and cultural sites. Let’s wander through the streets of a new destination – looking for interesting local experiences and trying to imagine what it’d be like to live there.

When I’m not in London, I’m in Europe or South Korea (often solo travelling), and always on the lookout for casual magic and the best croissant a city has to offer.

I started Storm on the Horizon ahead of my first solo trip. 

It was May 2023, I was planning on visiting South Korea and there was a lot I wanted to know.  While I could find some answers online, I couldn’t find everything. So, while in Seoul, South Korea I started making the content I’d been searching for.  

Now, I share everything I try to find when planning a trip.  

Travel guides, café and vegetarian food recommendations, itineraries that include must-see tourist attractions but also hidden gems that give you a real flavour of a place and its people – and honest price breakdowns and travel budgets. 

Before you start looking through my frequently asked questions or exploring the travel destinations I’ve been: Thank you for being here, reading this/ watching my vlogs/ subscribing to the newsletter.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some of my most asked questions. If there’s something you’re wondering about but it’s not on the list, send me an email/ leave a comment.

When were you born? Where are you from?

I was born in ‘99; grew up in Cape Town, South Africa; and moved to the UK when I was 22. 

I’ve been writing stories since I was 7, blogging since I was 12, working in digital marketing since I was 16, and sharing my solo travels since I was 23.  

When I’m not on the go, I’m likely befriending neighbourhood cats, compulsively checking my emails, learning a language (bonjour! 안녕하세요!), or in a writing/ video editing hole.  

Is Storm your real name?

Yes. Pam (that’s my mom) had a different name picked out for me but then I turned out to be a girl (surprise?).

My grandmother liked Storm. On the day I was born (a summer’s day, I might add), there was an unexpected thunderstorm. My mom took it as a sign. And here I am: The least stormy Storm there is.

Where’s ZAR? What’s the ‘ZAR’ currency in your videos/ blogs?  

R or ZAR is South African rands. When I travel, I share prices in pounds, dollars, rands and the local currency of the place I’m visiting.  

Where do you live? 

Currently England, UK. Previously Cape Town, South Africa. But I’m often on the go.  

When was your first solo trip?  

I always say my first solo trip was to Seoul, South Korea in 2023.  

But technically you could say it was when I moved from South Africa to England. Or you could say it was the first few little trips I did in England – but I don’t count any of those. The reasons why are a story for another day.

Where are you going to next?

I have a few trips to Europe planned in 2024, and I’ll definitely be back in South Korea. Here’s a hint for the first country I’ll visit: The country of Moose.

That’s all you get. Any guesses?

Are you vegan or vegetarian?

I’m vegetarian and have been since ‘15 (when I was 15). You’ll find a mix of vegetarian and vegan cafes, restaurants and foodie recommendations here. What you won’t find: Me telling you to be vegetarian or vegan.

Let me tell you a secret.

I didn’t set out to ‘make vegetarian content.’ I was only sharing vegetarian food recommendations in Korea because that’s what I eat.

But after hours of researching where to find vegan restaurants in Seoul (and more than a few comments asking how I was surviving as a vegetarian in South Korea), I realised my experience would probably be helpful to other vegetarian or vegan travellers. So, now I share a lot more vegetarian and vegan foodie finds.

What kind of vegetarian are you? 

I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Honestly, I had to google that.

Where I’m from, there aren’t really vegetarian variations. Simply put: Lacto-ovo vegetarians I don’t eat any meat, but do eat eggs and do consume dairy. 

Is it difficult to be vegetarian in South Korea?  

I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but it’s manageable.  

The reality is: You can’t just walk into any Korean restaurant and expect there to be a vegetarian option for you. But with some pre-planning, you can have incredible food experiences in Seoul.  

Some variant of: I’m nervous to travel solo; help! Tips for first-time solo travellers.

It’s easy to say, “Just do it!” But so much harder to actually do. I get it.  

Solo travel is daunting at first. But it’s an incredible way to learn about yourself and so empowering to face challenges and get yourself through them. We’re capable of incredible things. 

My top tips for first-time solo travellers:

Start small. Go somewhere local.  

You don’t have to go miles and miles from home for your first solo trip. I did a few practice runs (seriously) before my solo trip to Korea.  

Pick somewhere close to home that you’d like to explore, don’t overthink it, book somewhere to stay, don’t give yourself excuses to put it off, do research on what you’d like to do, make an itinerary, don’t wait for it to be perfect, pack a bag, go, go, go.  

Extra trips when travelling alone for the first time:

• If you’re going to be in transit for a while, your mind will start to wander and maybe you’ll start to worry. Download a show, listen to a podcast or read a book to distract yourself.
• Get out. It’s so easy to sit down in your hotel/ Airbnb after you arrive and then stay there…for hours. Especially if you arrive during the day, plan an activity that’ll get you up, out, and on your own so you can prove to yourself: You can do this.
• The first few times I travelled solo, evenings were the hardest! Who would have thought eating dinner by yourself and figuring out how to spend the nighttime hours could be so daunting? What made this easier for me was scheduling activities: A movie, a theatre show, a dinner reservation, and meeting up with other solo travellers. 
• Join an organised group activity. A local tour or a workshop are good examples. Group activities can seem a little scary at first, too, but it’s easier to speak to others when you’re all doing the same thing.
• Make a plan. Then, make a backup plan. Things don’t always work out the way you want them to. Maybe the line for the cafe you want to visit is too long. Maybe the tourist attraction is closed. Maybe your train is cancelled. If you know you’ll get nervous about unexpected changes in your plan, have a backup at the ready (even a vague idea can provide comfort).

What languages do you speak?  

English is my first language. I also speak a little Afrikaans (a South African language similar to Dutch) and I’m slowlllly learning French and Korean.