Journey By Jacq

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Journey By Jacq

Welcome to Journey by Jacq, a creative space designed to provide travel inspiration and detailed iti
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04/09/2026

Did you know there’s a “Grand Canyon of Central Asia”?

📍Charyn Canyon was easily one of the most impressive places I visited in Kazakhstan. And before this trip, I had NO idea landscapes like this existed there.

It’s about a 4-hour drive from 📍Almaty, so we made it part of a road trip through southeastern Kazakhstan, and seeing the canyon from above and then actually hiking down into it were two completely different experiences.

The scale of this place is WILD.

Swipe through for everything you need to know before visiting Charyn Canyon 👉
Save this for your Kazakhstan trip 🇰🇿 and follow along because I have so much more to share.

Kazakhstan Travel Guide, Central Asia Travel, Kazakhstan itinerary, things to do in Kazakhstan

31/08/2026

Used this two iPhone hacks religiously on my recent trip to Kazakhstan.

You might already know one of these, but I use BOTH constantly when I travel internationally.

📸 Google Translate camera: Open Google Translate, select your language, tap the camera, and point it at a menu, sign, or anything else you can’t understand. It translates the text right on your screen.

💰 iPhone currency converter: Open your Calculator app, select Convert, choose the two currencies, and type in the price. No more trying to do exchange-rate math in your head.

Save this for your next international trip. ✈️

iPhone travel hack, calculator conversion, how to travel internationally, how to convert currency, how to translate when traveling

31/08/2026

I showed up in Kazakhstan not really knowing what to expect and left completely blown away. 🇰🇿

What stood out to me most was this really unique intersection of modernity and tradition, and a mix of cultures I hadn’t experienced anywhere else.

Kazakhstan has such a layered history. For centuries, nomadic life shaped the culture here, something you can still see in the food, traditions, connection to horses, yurts, and incredible hospitality. It later became part of the Soviet Union before gaining independence in 1991, and today you see influences from all of those chapters existing alongside a very modern Kazakhstan.
And that contrast was probably my favorite part.

Kazakhstan still feels genuinely off the radar for international tourism, which means you can experience so much of the country without feeling like everything has been created for tourists.

It’s one of those places that reminded me exactly why I love traveling somewhere I know very little about.

Kazakhstan, you really surprised me. 🥹🇰🇿

And I have SO much more to share. Follow along because I’ll be sharing my complete Kazakhstan itinerary + everything you need to know to plan a trip.

🇰🇿

Kazakhstan Travel Guide, Central Asia, Underrated destinations

25/08/2026

One thing I’m learning in this season of motherhood is that saying yes looks a little different than it used to.

When I got invited on a trip to Kazakhstan, I immediately wanted to say yes… and then I started thinking about everything it would take to actually make it happen.

There are more logistics now, more people to consider, and sometimes a lot more effort to make it work. But I’m learning not to let guilt or discomfort make the decision for me.

And I’m really glad I said yes to this one ☺️

Here’s to not letting the uncomfortable parts of getting there keep us from going

Kazakhstan content loading… 🇰🇿

Pumping while traveling, breastfeeding mom, long travel day, long flight, travel vlog

19/08/2026

Visit DC: Part 2

DC has sooo many incredible places that most tourists miss, so here are a few of my faves that I love taking visitors to:

🌸 Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
🎷 Jazz in the Garden (summer months only)
🇪🇹 Little Ethiopia
🏛️ Larz Anderson House
⛪ Washington National Cathedral
🌿 Franciscan Monastery
🥾 Rock Creek Park

There’s so much more to DC than the National Mall!

Save this list for your next trip to DC ✨

Should I do a Part 3? Because I have sooo many more

Washington DC Guide, DMV Bucket list, DMV guide, DC travel

12/08/2026

How a community came together to save a corner store 🥹

When Mott’s Market, a 100+ year-old Capitol Hill staple, closed in 2022, the neighborhood wasn’t ready to lose it.

So 100+ neighbors came together, pooled their resources, and bought the $1.3 million building themselves.

Now, Mott’s is back—reimagined as a neighborhood market, coffee shop, w**e shop, sandwich spot, and a true third space for the community. And I am so excited it’s here!!

If you’re in DC, you’ve got to check it out. And do yourself a favor and get one of their breakfast burritos 🤤

📍 Mott’s Market | Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
⏰ Open Tuesday–Sunday, 8 AM - 8 PM

Washington DC Coffee Shop, Washington DC new openings, Capitol Hill Guide, DMV Things to do

10/08/2026

Oops, my passport expired last week… and then I got a last-minute opportunity for an exciting work trip.

I managed to get an urgent appointment at the Washington Passport Agency, and thankfully, I had my new passport in hand two days later.
*You can do this if your passport expires and you have a flight booked within 14 days.

What I DIDN’T know was that at the Washington Passport Office they are giving out the commemorative America 250 passport…

So imagine the jump-scare I had when I opened it.💀

There were definitely ways I could’ve avoided this passport 🙈 like being proactive and renewing online or by mail instead of right before a trip. 😂

I also found out that if you request extra pages or specifically tell them at your urgent appointment you want the standard passport instead of the commemorative one, you may be able to avoid having to look at this for the next 10 years.

Information I wish I’d had BEFORE my appointment…

Passport expired, commemorative passport, passport renewal

07/08/2026

When I lived in Washington, DC 15 years ago, Jazz in the Garden was THE place to spend a Friday night, and I’m so glad to see it’s still going strong.

📍 Location: The Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art
🗓️ When: Every Friday from 5–8 p.m. during the summer
Hosted by National Gallery of Art ngadc

The only difference is that you now need tickets through a lottery system,
or you’ll want to arrive early (around 4:45–5:00 p.m.) to try for day-of tickets.

The concerts are still free, and the sangria is still dangerous. 😜

Summer in Washington DC, Jazz in the Garden, Washington DC things to do

05/08/2026

Reflecting on motherhood after one year of being a mom…
Motherhood was something I was so scared of.
Not because I didn’t want a baby, but because I was afraid I’d lose the life I loved.

I remember looking to my friends who had kids, trying to figure out what my life would look like after becoming a mom.

But now I’ve realized we’re all different people, with different personalities, values, and priorities. So of course motherhood is going to look different for all of us.

There isn’t one right way to do it.

If you’re on the fence about having kids because you’re worried about what life will look like afterward, just know you get to create the version of motherhood that works for you and your family.

And that has been the most freeing realization of all.

💕Send this to someone who needs to hear this

Would you like to see more motherhood content from me?!

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