Travel Bits: November 2018

Travel Planning.......

When it comes to travel, it is always good to do some advance planning. I am not suggesting that we have to plan to the last minute details of each trip including the waking up time for each day of the trip and so on and so forth. What I suggest is some form of broad planning that helps to make the trip more hassle-free and enjoyable.

These are the tips I myself follow for each trip that I took. For shorter trips, I may skip some of the steps. But in general, following these trips has always help me to ease easily into my travel and help take away some of the stress of going to a new place each time I travel.

Air travel has made airports the typical gateway for most overseas trips. Departure Hall, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong SAR, China (2017)

Research - I typically read a bit about the country or city before each visit. With smartphones and connectivity to the internet readily available, it is always easy to find some time during our daily commute to work or during lunch time or coffee breaks to do some reading. The internet is filled with articles on every country and every city. Reading allow me to learn a little bit more about the places I will be visiting. This provides some sense of "familiarity" before my trip so that I don't find my surroundings totally alien the moment I step out of the arrival hall of the airport.

Currency and Credit Cards - Having some ready cash available in the currency of the country I am visiting is always a comforting thought. I can be assured that I will be able to buy the knick-knacks that I mat need upon arrival or to pay for the transport from the airport to the accommodation. In some countries, certain credit cards may not be readily accepted. Thus, it is always good to know which credit card is more popular in which country and to bring the "right" ones along for the trip.

Culture - This is an important but often overlook part of travel. Local cultures may dictate certain dress codes, whether official or not. I certainly don't want to be the only person in singlet and shorts when everyone around me sport long sleeves shirts and pants. The reverse is true when everybody around me are casually dressed while I am all decked out in crisply ironed shirt and pants. 

Do make sure to observe the local dress codes especially when visiting places of worship. A novice (junior monk) at a temple ground, Luang Prabang, Laos (2017)

Items - This is another important part of travel. Many countries have their own set of rules governing which items can be brought in or out of their jurisdictions. For example, food products are generally not allowed into Australia. Thus, I certainly don't want to start my trip by being unnecessarily directed to secondary customs inspections just because I had nonchalantly brought along that fresh apple in my carry-on or check-in luggage. The same applies when leaving any country. Many countries generally do not allow certain historical or cultural artefacts to be exported without the proper permits and paperworks. Make sure you know the rules before buying that historical or cultural artefact. The same applies to animal or plant items or products which may be protected from import/export under international or national regulations.

Fresh produce and food products are strictly not allowed to be brought into many countries.

Paperwork - With the advent of smartphones in our daily lives, electronic copies of travel documents, flight itineraries and hotel bookings are the in-thing. Yes, many countries now allow these documents in soft copies. But there are also many more for which a printed hard-copy is a necessity. Make sure you have printed copies of these documents if they are required in the places you are visiting. While interacting with locals is always an interesting travel experience, arguing with local officials is definitely not going to be a pleasant travel tale to share.

Following the 5 tips above has always serve me well in my travels to over 50 countries and many cities worldwide. These are not hard and fast rules but they certainly help to make my trips a lot more hassle-free and allow me to spend more time enjoying my trips, whether these are vacations or for work.