The Art of Flash Travelling
How many times have you told yourself, ‘I really look forward to that holiday at the end of the year.’ Why not instead tell yourself ‘I’m going for a holiday this weekend, and the next, and the next…’
In the last six months I have been diving with sharks in the Philippines, got stuck during a countrywide strike in Bangladesh, explored Chu Chi’s Vietnam war tunnels, looked across the border to North Korea in the DMZ. All this while holding a full time job in work-crazy Singapore.
Now how is this possible? Don’t I have to work? How can I afford to go on so many holidays on a meager engineer’s salary? How is it that I have so much annual leave? I get all these questions all the time.
The answer is: Become a Flash Traveller. Huh? What is that? Let me explain.
The Flash Traveller (FT) is someone who makes full use of his time to explore and travel. It’s a term I coined from:
1) Flash as in “flashpackers”. This is the general term for travellers who are more well-to-do than the average backpacker and carry with him/her gadgets that make travelling easier (like a laptop, GPS, camera).
2) Flash as in “blindingly fast”– This is when the traveller goes on travelling during the weekend or during a short work-week. His ideology is to maximize each long weekend, and see as many sights as possible during that short travel opportunity.
How to be a Flash Traveler
1) Plan your trips for the year. Look at the Singapore Public Holiday list. In the year 2012 there are 10 public holidays. That’s potentially 10 different travel opportunities that you can take. If the public holiday falls on a long weekend (Friday or Monday), then you have a three day break. If it falls on any other weekday, then it’s an opportunity to take leave for the remaining four days of the week, which gives you a whopping 9 days of travel (Saturday to the next Sunday, do the math).
2) Book your tickets early. This is because most budget carriers sell tickets much cheaper the earlier you buy them. The ticket I bought to Delhi this coming August costs only SGD230 return. I got the ticket more than 6 months ago. Ok, you might not know whether you would be able to make the trip that is planned a year down the road. Who plans so far ahead? And furthermore, would you even be able to apply for leave? My answer to all these? Just get the plane ticket first. Don’t worry so much because things always have a way of working out. The worst case scenario is that you forfeit your cheap ticket.
3) Go for no frills. Since you will be travelling so many times during the year, all the airfares will add up, no matter how cheap. So something’s got to give to make this lifestyle sustainable. And that something is your spending habit while overseas. Stay at cheaper places, avoid expensive restaurants. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 slumming it out in grungy dank hostels, and 10 being a five star hotel accommodation, I would target a 2 or a 3. Occasionally to reward myself for a trip well done, I’d go for a 5 on the last night. Foodwise, simple local fare would do. Eat what the locals eat. If you are looking for food from home (Where are my damn hamburgers!?), then you probably shouldn’t be reading this article anyway. For souvenirs, other than the odd trinket or t-shirt, I generally avoid buying them.
4) Pack light. You will be gone for only 3 to 9 days, so you do not have to lug that 65 liter all-terrain backpack. Most of the time, a simple 30 litre pack will do. This also saves on cost, since you won’t have to check-in any bags. Most budget airlines charge extra for baggage check-in. Inside your bags, have minimal clothing. One change of clothes is enough for a 3 day trip. I use 3 sets for a nine day trip, doing quick washes over the sink as necessary. Essentials I cannot do without include my flashpack gear. Keep to around 6 -7kg, since you will be travelling from place to place with your pack, and not chucking your bag in a hotel. You want to start the day in City A, and end in City B. That’s not possible if you have to go back to your hotel to collect your bag. Remember: You want to see as many sights as possible and you have minimal time, so keep yourself mobile.
5) Plan your itinerary when you reach your destination. There’s no point planning months in advance for a trip. You won’t have the time to do so anyway, at the flash travelling rate of one trip a month. Instead, read a guidebook, have a rough idea of what sights you want to see, and work from there. Most of the time I do my detailed planning only on the plane ride, with Lonely Planet in hand. And half the time, my plans change. Someone I meet recommends something new, and it often results in the most exciting adventures. As a general rule of thumb: Let serendipity be your guide.
6) Stay connected. I bring my netbook wherever I go, but a smartphone with wifi will do fine. You can keep in touch with friends and family (remember to let them know where you are!). Nowadays, you can plug in and get connected anywhere. I use this to frequently research the sights and get directions. Photos can be backed-up and Facebook junkies like me can stay updated. Remember that you travel light, so cut the heavy guidebooks whenever possible. Everything you need, you can get online.
7) Ask. Besides my netbook, the best way to get information is to ask the locals. Don’t speak the language? Use hand signals. You are forced to interact with people, and often learn more than you’d expect. When I need a breather (that’s when I’m lost!), I take a seat at the local coffee shop, and ask for directions. People are generally nice and will help you out. All you need to do is ask.
8) Get off the beaten track. Sure, start off with the easier places. Aspiring flash travellers can go to nearby Malaysia for a quick weekend getaway. Or a trip to Bangkok. Once you get a feel of it, try somewhere different. How about a small town in Kelantan, or a market in Udon Thani? The budget airlines fly to these places. The tickets are cheaper since only locals use the route. And at the destination, everything from lodging to food will be cheaper. The cultural experience you get would be more authentic, since it’s off the tourist trail.
9) Go solo. This isn’t a rule. But to get the best experience, I would recommend going solo, or with one friend. Too big a group isn’t optimal, since you will spend more time talking to the group rather than experiencing what your destination has to offer. By being alone, locals will also be more inclined to come up to you and strike up a conversation. The other point is flexibility. You can do what you want to do, go where you want to go, and see what you want to see. You have 3 days, you don’t need half the morning waiting for your buddy to finish using the toilet.
10) It’s the journey, not the destination. Lastly remember that within the short time you have flash travelling, you may end up frustrated. You didn’t have the time to plan your itinerary well enough, or you missed the bus which resulted in a wasted day. Or maybe the destination you picked was a disappointment. Don’t despair. Keep an open mind. Enjoy the journey. Take back the experience, and go back to work the next Monday knowing that you spent the weekend doing something that no other colleague in your office would have even dreamt of doing.
And here are reasons why flash travelling works:
- Singapore is in a perfect position to do this. The location is within hours of each and every exotic destination in Asia. If you talk to foreigners, they look at us with ENVY. We can travel out easily to places like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, all countries which they put on their bucket lists. “What do you want to do in your lifetime?” “I want to go to Thailand”. Heck, Thailand’s beaches are 2 hours away from us!
- The other reason is the strong Singapore dollar. Your dollar is equivalent, if not better than most of the countries in the region. You can do so much more with $100 in Indonesia than in Singapore. Take advantage of that.
- The budget airlines boom. There are so many budget airlines flying around the region nowadays it’s crazy. With sales every other day, it’s so easy to get a good deal. Check out this other post for all budget airlines flying out of Singapore to various airports. Each one is a potential destination worth visiting.
In summary, to be a successful flash traveller, you need mobility (travel light!), flexibility (keep an open mind!) and live frugally (don’t overspend!)
Got a flash travel story to share? Drop me a comment below!
