HAPPY New Year Everyone! I hope you all are having a great 2018 so far! I hope that as you finish the first week of the new year, you do so with much hope and your new year’s resolutions still intact! At this point in time I hope you look back at the year that was and conclude that it had been a good year and that it has taught you a lot.
My year ended with an unexpected blessing that had me packing and starting off my travel adventures on the first day of the year! I had never expected it, thinking I was all done for 2017 but I was so wrong! It was indeed a blessing and so I welcomed it wholeheartedly! Travelling on January 1 has put me in a unique situation to proudly say that I spent the new year welcoming 2018 in three places! That being said, here are few things that I learned about being on the go solo:
Be prepared. Travel always excites me. The opportunity to explore places, old and new, feels me with so much joy that I constantly have to remind myself to calm down so that I can think clearly. Travelling at the last minute can be really thrilling but we need to stay on top of things so that we do not end up forgetting or neglecting important things. For example, do not forget to get yourself good travel insurance coverage. This will help your trip less of a hassle when the unexpected happens. So far I have yet to “use" my insurance but it is comforting that I have it to back me up, just in case. Always make sure that your travel documents are okay, make copies of your itinerary and share with your family and good friends so they know where you are. Print out a copy of your ticket too! You may want to consider web check in because it really cuts waiting in line (I hate queuing). You may also want to purchase your seat of choice to make you feel more comfortable specially on long haul flights.
In addition. I make sure that my bank is aware that I am travelling. I inform them where and how long I will be gone so that they can trace any irregularities in credit card purchases. As you well know, there are a lot of unauthorized credit card charging especially when you are abroad so make sure you are protected. I also request my bank to enable withdrawals from my ATM whenever I am off to a foreign destination. This allows me access to additional funds when I need it and at exact exchange rates. I find it convenient that I do not need to go to money changer because I get local currency whenever I withdraw money from my account in the country where I am in.
Bringing baon is love. Yup. Always have something that you can munch on in your bag. It does not need to be ulam and kanin (although that works too), so that you have something to get you through delayed flights and not-so-yummy airplane food! I also bring basic medications with me. In my case, that means cold medication (I take a decongestant before I fly to lessen the ear pressure that always bothers me when I am on a plane. I also bring anti-allergy tablets, pain reliever and bad tummy medication. Also, I always bring a change of clothes or two. I choose the lightest, most appropriate clothing I have so that if I get stuck somewhere, I can at least change into fresh clothes and be a bit more comfortable.
Please bring an open lined mobile phone with you. Buying a local sim is definitely less expensive that using the international roaming services of your telecom. You might also want to bring your own pocket wifi device (unlocked) you can use to activate data services so that you won’t need to rent a wifi device which usually requires a deposit to ensure that you will return their pocket wifi sets (they can cost up to 100 dollars). Believe me, have internet access comes in handy when maneuvering away your way around places you are going to.visit especially when you are DIY-ing your trip! Having a local phone as well as internet access can.come in really handy when unexpected events happen. In my case, a bomb cyclone in.New Year on.my supposed day of arrival in the Big Apple. Having the above mentioned things allowed me to reschedule my trip (all flights to New York were cancelled) and keep tabs on weather developments. It made things less stressful for me!
Above all remember to have fun! You may one to research a bit on the place and the usual (and unusual) things that you can do to make your trip most enjoyable and memorable! Take lots of pictures and share them with your friends! It not only allows them to enjoy your trip with you but also teaches them a thing or two about the place and how to make their future trips it as fun as worry-free as possible by learning from your experiences!
Happy Sunday Everyone!!! See you soon!! :)