Travel Tips

 by Red

The Furious Panda Guide to Preparing for your RTW

So you are thinking of heading off for a round the world trip. Or at least a period of extended travel. Sounds like a pretty big decision. Lots of research and planning to be done. Where do you even start?

After being on a few long trips, I have collected a wealth of information, some learnt the hard way, that I would like to share with you.

Here’s my non-definitive list: 30 things you should do before you take that flight.

Route Planning

  1. Plan your route

    The first thing to do of course, is to plan the duration of your travel and the places you want to visit along the way. Some people know exactly when they need to be back home. Others figure it out along the way. I have also met travellers who carry on until their money runs out.

    Personally, I have tried out the first two, a definite end date and one defined along the way. The most important thing to do though is to plan a general route, and assign how long you will be staying at one location. Estimates are fine at this juncture. For example: Two months in China, then three months in South-east Asia.

    End product: A very rough travel itinerary.

  2. Research, research, research – country quirks

    Next you need to refine your route. And this involves quite a bit of research. Safety advisories, for example, means you may need to re-route your journey. Some mountain passes may be closed during winter. Roads to Tibet can get closed off during periods of unrest.

    Some countries also have their own quirks. Having an Israel stamp on your passport means you will have difficulty going into certain countries. If you are travelling in the Caucasus, you need to go to Azerbaijan before Armenia, because having an Armenian stamp will deny you entry into Azerbaijan. Pre-trip research is required if you don’t want to miss out.

  3. Research, research, research – visa requirements

    Some countries have draconian visa requirements. You may need a Letter of Invitation from an inviting agency. Occasionally, you can only enter as part of a tour group. Some visas take ages to apply. If you intend to apply on the road, know where there are embassies or consulates, and which ones are more “lenient”.

    Preparing your Letter of Invitation beforehand and obtaining visas from your home country (which is almost always easier) can reduce a lot of uncertainty – allowing you more travelling and less waiting.

  4. Book the first flight in

    After planning your route, have an idea which airport will be your point of entry. Then look at the available airlines that fly there. Bearing in mind that this site talks about budget travel, we are looking at cheap flights. Some advance planning is thus needed to book the best deals.

    You do not have to plan out all subsequent flights, just that first one. Plans will change after all.

    Use this handy table of budget airlines to plan your flight out of Singapore.

Finances

  1. Plan your trip budget

    Before you leave home, you need to sort out your finances. How much are you budgeting for your trip? How much is your planned daily expenditure?

    Look back at the trip itinerary, try to estimate how much you will spend in each country. Some places will surely be more expensive and others will be cheaper. Average them out and you will end up with a daily/weekly/monthly budget.

  2. Find a way to keep track of your expenses

    For the last trip, my daily budget was 50 SGD (That’s around 40 USD, or 30 EUR). Some people keep track of their expenses in their notebooks. I keep a full-blown tracking spreadsheet. http://i0.wp.com/www.thefuriouspanda.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/expenses.jpg

    No, I’m not insane. It is actually quite simple to keep track of your spending in so much detail. There are many budget tracking apps out there, but we RTW travellers want something that runs offline. Moneywise is the app I have been using. You record down your expenditure, and categorise it. This is added to a database which you can export out as a spreadsheet.

    End product: Data, which you can use to plan your budget better

    Moneywise screenshot

  3. How are you going to get cash?

    It is going to be a long trip, and you don’t want to be carry thousands of dollars in cold hard cash. So you need a way of getting cash along the way. The best way is through an International ATM.

You probably need two cards to cover all the networks. One for the Mastercard-Maestro-Cirrus network and another for the Visa-Plus network. Why these two? Because some countries may only have one network but not the other. Having an American Express or maybe a UnionPay card if you go to China could be useful, but not really necessary.

Get a bank that doesn’t charge interbank fees. I use a Citibank card (the one with the blue arrow). HSBC also has a pretty good global network. I try not to use my credit cards at the ATM to avoid charges.

  1. Set up Internet Banking

    Before you leave, make sure your bank’s Internet Banking has been properly set up. This allows you to get online and check your bank statements anytime, especially just after you have used a foreign ATM. You don’t want a shock when you get home and realise that someone has been phishing your card.

    Also, Internet banking means bringing your bank security token with you, the one you use to log into your account securely. From experience, it takes some time to get one ready, so prepare early.

  2. Have more than one bank account

    For security, I would advise that you have a couple of accounts. What I did was to keep withdrawing money at the ATM from my Citibank current account. This account always has less than a 1000 SGD on it. When the money is depleted, I log on to my Internet banking, in the safety of my hostel room, and transfer money from a second account to my Citibank account.

    That way, if my account was compromised, I would lose 1K, and not my entire trip budget.

  3. Bring enough US Dollar notes

    Not carrying too much cash is ideal, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. For example, due to ongoing Western sanctions, the local ATMs in Iran do not accept foreign cards. So you have to carry the entire duration of your stay’s worth of cash on you. Even countries that accept foreign cards can be problematic. I knew a guy in Tashkent who spent an entire day ping-ponging from one bank to another, trying to get a cash advance because all the ATMs rejected his card.

    So it makes sense to have a supply of cash on you. Besides local currency, the US dollar is king in many places (and the Euro in Europe, of course). Have a supply of BRAND, NEW, CRISP dollar notes. Good luck trying to exchange your grimy, wrinkled dollars in places like Myanmar, Indonesia or Uzbekistan. They are worthless there.

    I keep my notes double sealed, with padding in between individual notes. Bring large bills, and perhaps some small change because there are a few annoying visa offices out there that accept only payment in cash, in the exact amount.

    Oh, and go buy a hidden money-belt to store your cash.

  4. Sort out your scheduled payments

    Back on the home front, you need to sort out your monthly payments before you leave. Like your car loans, mortages, insurance premiums and the like. Hold back payments, cancel subscriptions you don’t need, downgrade your phone plans. For whatever’s left, make sure there is someone managing them for you while you are away, or make sure it can run on auto-pilot, with you logging on once in a while to check your income statement.

Packing List

  1. Prepare your packing list

    It is a good idea to list down all the things you are bringing with you for your RTW trip. Since you are not on a holiday and cannot wait till you are in the comfort of your own home, you will need to include items that facilitate day to day chores, like laundry and cooking.

    Tip: Uncommon items that you will find useful only after being on the road long enough: Pegless clotheslines, universal kitchen sink plugs, an electric kettle (or at least a heating coil), little transparent resealable bags (buy 50 of these for 2 SGD at Daiso), combination locks, a rain cover that wraps around the entire backpack, mini-carabiners (bring a hundred, everyone seems to want one – you can trade them with locals for cookies.)

    pack list sample

  2. Bring the correct power plugs

    This is important enough to deserve its own section. Each region has its own type of power plug and socket. (I recall seeing a better graphical link, if any of you readers know the link let me know).

    Get a travel adaptor or converter, maybe one with surge protectors. A universal adaptor should cover all possible combinations. Good ones nowadays will even have a USB port.

    At times though, getting a dedicated adaptor instead of a universal one has its advantages. The two pins of my universal adaptor have smaller diameters than the European two-pin sockets, and they keep falling off. That or the sockets are inside round recesses which my adaptor pins cannot reach. It pays to shop around a bit for the correct adaptor before leaving home.

  3. Pack less

    “He who would travel happily must travel light.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    RTW newbies will inadvertently pack too many things, thinking that they might need them on the trip. They end up lugging around 10 extra kilos of clothing for six months. Clothing that they never wear.

    How do you know how much to pack? Just pick enough clothing to last you a few days. Then half that. For me, I have three tops and three pairs of slacks. You can wear one set, wash one, and hang another out to dry. You are travelling after all, and no one will notice that you keep wearing the same thing over and over. Unless you post your photos onto Facebook.

    striped blue polo photo

    You will lose things, and clothes will wear out. Just replace them along the way. It is often cheaper and more appropriate to wear what the locals wear.

  4. Don’t skimp on important pieces of clothing

    One exception to the previous point: Get quality pieces for important bits of clothing. What do I mean by important? Shoes for example. Don’t bring along the oldest pair that you intend to throw away after the trip. You will regret that decision. Get something comfortable because you need to walk around in them all day.

    Similarly, winter clothing, get some good winter wear, so you will not be miserable. Personally, I like comfy undergarments – like good quality quick drying underwear, and a comfortable base layer.

  5. Organise the stuff you leave behind

    Since you will be gone for a while, it is good to store your things properly. It makes it easier to ease back in when you return. I put all my worldly belongings in transparent plastic boxes. At this point, a good idea is to look around your home, do an assessment and get rid of all the things you don’t need. I can assure you that after living out of your backpack for a year, you will be able to live with less when you get back.

    If you really do have a lot of belongings and intend to sell/rent out your home, one thing you can do is keep your stuff at a storage facility. They have storage units that fit in your budget, and using one is probably the cheapest, safest and most convenient way to lock away your valuables.

Gadgets

  1. Go digital

    This ties in with packing. To avoid carrying too many things, go digital. Bring an e-reader or a similar device. You can store all your good reads prior to the trip. I love the feeling when you flip actual pages, but we are looking at practicality here.

    Similarly, guidebooks are great, but they are also heavy, and useless once you have moved on to the next country. Go digital. Lonely Planet sells PDF versions by chapters on their website. Or just get on Wikivoyage or TripAdvisor.

    It is the same for music. Prior to the trip, store all your music in your ipod/mp3 player/phone.

  2. Find a way to stay connected

    Some people say that you should switch off your devices when you travel and just enjoy the journey. Not me. I need my social media, and I like to keep abreast of the news.

    Make sure there is an easy way to get connected. I carry both a smartphone and a laptop. Getting your own device means you get the PC to yourself and some privacy (you don’t want to do your Internet banking using the PC in the common area of the hostel!) Also, you can avoid viruses on your USB flash drives.

  3. Set up VOiP protocols

    You will probably want to keep in touch with loved ones back home, so installing Skype or something similar is a good idea. Don’t forget this also means bringing along a pair of microphone-enabled earphones.

    For those with a little more cash, you might even want to carry an International Sim Card. I usually just buy a local sim card if I’m staying in a country for a month or more.

  4. Find a way to access blocked sites

    Some countries ban Facebook, Youtube and other ‘unsuitable’ websites, but this doesn’t mean you have to go cold turkey during your stay there. To prepare for your RTW, install software applications that circumvent the filters. Some examples are Freegate and Ultrasurf for the PC, and Orbot for your android smartphone.

  5. Download your apps

    Unless you plan to pay exorbitant roaming data charges (not what this site is about, sorry), you want to use apps on your smartphone that run offline. A combination of Dropbox, Evernote and Pocket allows me to access everything offline. A GPS enabled offline map app is also useful.

  6. Optional: TripIt

    One useful way to keep track of all those flight itineraries and hotel/hostel bookings is to use TripIt. This organises all travel bookings in one place, by forwarding confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com. The site will somehow sort out your email and add it to your itinerary.

  7. Optional: Automate it

    I will do a proper post and link it here. But in the meantime, something geeky you might want to do before you leave home is to start using IFTTT. If This Then That is a program that allows you to create recipes that fit the statement “If this, then that”. “This” is a trigger and “That” is a subsequent action the program executes.

Here are a couple that I use:

  • Every time you are tagged in a photo on Facebook, it will be sent to Dropbox. – Useful when I meet fellow travellers and add them on FB. We take a few photos, and when I get tagged on FB, the photo automatically shows up in my Dropbox folder.
  • Every time I send an email to TripIt, any attachments will be sent to Dropbox – TripIt I mentioned earlier, stores all your itineraries in one place. This recipe complements that and adds any attachments in one easy to find Dropbox folder.

There are many recipe possibilities. You can even make your own. Check it out.

Admin

  1. Sync all your important documents in cloud storage

    I use Dropbox extensively, but any other cloud storage provider works. That way I can access my files from both my smartphone and my laptop.

    First scan all the important documents that you think you might need. Then put them into your Dropbox folder. Useful documents you might want to Dropbox:

  • scan of your passport
  • proof of employment
  • blank visa application forms
  • letters of invitation
  • passport size jpg photos of yourself
  1. Get a letter stating proof of employment

    This comes in useful when you need to apply for a visa. Some visa offices require proof of employment. This document is a lot easier to obtain while you are still employed and not when you have quit your job to go on your RTW trip. So do it beforehand, scan the letter and put it into your Dropbox.

  2. Defer your NS

    If you are Singaporean and male like me, you would have to report back to do your National Service annually. Last I checked, you can apply for an exit permit for a maximum of only one year. So if you go beyond a year, you need to have some sort of reason to defer your call-up and hope your unit S1 is very understanding. Try ‘education’ and pick up a course along the way. Put the documental proof into your Dropbox.

  3. Get travel insurance

    Getting travel insurance is useful for those unplanned situations. Delayed flights, lost baggage, getting robbed. All potential unlikely but possible scenarios. A good insurance policy should cover all bases.

    It might be difficult to get one good one if you’re the sort who end up in ‘dangerous’ places like me. My policy didn’t cover me while I was in Sudan, for example.

    Another thing to note is that, in Singapore at least, no travel insurance covers lengthy RTW trips. 90 days was the maximum I found. Using a dedicated travel insurance company like Global Nomads is an option.

Health & Hygiene

  1. Get those vaccinations done

    Getting yourself immunised can mean the difference between a great trip and having to cut short your RTW. Check with your local clinic to see the recommended vaccinations in the region of travel.

    Get the vaccinations done early before your trip, because vaccine schedules require a few doses spread over time. Some vaccinations, like Yellow Fever, are mandatory if you are travelling from Yellow Fever endemic regions. You will be denied entry into these countries if you don’t have it. Bring along (and keep a copy in Dropbox) your vaccination card, showing the list of all vaccines.

    If you are bringing anti-malarial pills, be aware that if you are travelling for a year, you might be bringing a bucketload of pills! Do some planning, maybe use them only on parts of the trip.

  2. Keep fit

    Maintaining a certain level of fitness prior to the trip is a good idea. Unless you are really disciplined, you will not have much time to exercise while on the road. You never know when a situation might call for some physical exertion. Like running after a moving bus with your backpack on. Or finding yourself in threatening situations. For the record, I went all out and picked up Krav Maga basics after getting mugged in Bujumbura.

  3. Pack some dental floss

    This might be off-kilter, but I recommend bringing floss, especially if you know you won’t be able to find it easily where you’re going. Dental hygiene is important. I learnt this the hard way after two root canal treatments, the cost of which is equivalent to 2 months of non-flossing travel in Africa.

That’s the end of the list. Hopefully, it will help you plan for that big trip.

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in Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Lessons & Realisations

A list of thoughts after returning from almost 1.5 years of travel.

1) When you can live on a 12kg backpack’s worth of stuff, you realise you don’t really need much. No fancy cars, no second property, no expensive brands.

2) When you meet different people who dress in different ways, and have different taboos, and things that may be wrong here, are perfectly alright elsewhere, you learn not to judge someone based on where they come from, how they look, speak or how much they own.

3) When you realise that when different people from different parts of the world from all walks of life can make the effort to do what’s required as part of the religion (like praying 5 times a day, albeit with many different variations, but the intent is the same), you realise that you should follow suit.

4) When you look at the horizon from the peak of a snow-capped mountain, dive amongst schools of fishes, or even trying to survive the night while stranded outdoors in the Alborz mountains of Iran, you realise that in the scheme of things, you are very small.

5) When you end up in a situation that requires you to put your emotions aside because you need to plan your next course of action. You realise that you have no time (and no point) to be angry, or sad or disappointed, because no one cares anyway. You learn to quickly pick yourself up, be objective and move on. Change course and move on.

6) When you travel to Country A and everyone there tells you that people from Country B are all vile, nasty inbreds, and then you travel to Country B and you realise that they are in fact all very pleasant and friendly. But then Country B tells you that people from Country A are all evil, baby-eating monsters. You learn to take what people tell you with a pinch of salt. You also learn that people’s perceptions are based on past history, from a generation ago and it is better to form your own point of views, rather than just agreeing.

7)You realise that sometimes, it is better to listen, gather information, process it yet keep the opinions to yourself. Because not everyone is interested in what you have to say. And some people will not agree to what you say. Forget trying to change their minds, it’s not worth the effort.

8) You get lonely if you keep to yourself for too long. Everyone needs friends. If you are travelling alone, go out and make some. If you are at home, catch up with old friends.

9) A little bit of stress, and regular exercise (in this case lots of walking) keeps you fit and healthy.

10) This last one is a bit tough for me to learn, still getting there: Don’t be so uptight. Planning is good, keeping to a schedule is good and to keep moving is good. But take some time to look up and enjoy the travel.

For more bits of wisdom, check out this list after I returned from travelling 4 months in Africa. https://www.thefuriouspanda.com//2010/03/96-bits-of-travel-wisdom/

in General / Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

A Fistful of Visas

Let’s talk about visa applications. Our little red passport is lovely, since many countries do not require a visa to visit. However, for most of where I will be going, a visa is still necessary. To avoid the hassle of running around hunting for the consulates and embassies for this next upcoming long one, I’ve started picking my way slowly through the visa jungle. I’ll update this post with the results.

Seems like I’m navigating through all the “visa needed” areas!

26th Jan

–          Dropped by the China visa application office at Raffles Place. Application took all of 5 minutes. Come back in 4 working days.

–          Then went to the Pakistan High Commission. Seems that visas can now only be applied in home country, with validity of 90 days. Not good news for me, because If I apply now, my visa would have expired before I cross the Pakistani border. KIV – will try applying in China.

–          Wrote in to submit application for Letter of Invitation for Uzbekistan from one of the travel agencies. 14 days required to process, upon confirmation of payment.

27th Jan

–          Decided to join in the North Korea tour. It’s the Great Leader’s 100th birthday, and I want an invite to the celebrations! Sent in my details so that they can apply for a North Korea visa.

30th Jan

–          Confirmed North Korea tour with deposit, visa application ongoing!

–          Apparently the Uzbek LOI can only be done closer to entry date, from mid-Mar onwards. Not good, since I will not be in Singapore by then. Wrote in to them to see if there is some way to get it done earlier.

1st Feb

–          Picked up China visa. Success! 6 month multiple entry China visa. *Dance dance!*

–          The Kazakhstan embassy. Dropped by the Kazakh embassy and applied for a 1 month tourist single entry visa. I was the only one at the Consular section, and after a brief interview by one officer, was told to come back on Friday.

3rd Feb

–          Doh! Kazakh visa not ready. Took half day off-work, travelled down to the embassy just to find out it’s not ready. What gives?! Come back Wedsnesday. OK.

–          On a more positive note, the tour agency wrote back and said they will be able to apply for my Uzbek LOI after all. Takes 10-12 days, after which I need to apply for the visa, which takes another 5-10 days.  I hope there are no unforeseen issues, I have no buffer days. =/

–          A Russian LOI is obtainable, and I can apply in SG. Should I? If I do I will enter up through the mouth of the Volga.

8th Feb

–          Got my Kazakh visa! Had a friend pick up the visa from the embassy for me. Thanks W! *Dance dance!*

–          Waiting for news of the Uzbek LOI now. Expected arrival in my email: 14th – 16th Feb.

–         On another note, I don’t understand why customs officers chop all over the passport page, the entry and exit chops can take up the full page. Normally if they are prudent, 6 chops can go in one page. At the rate they are using up my passport, I won’t have any free pages by the time I reach the Middle East…

13th Feb

–          Wrote in to ask about the LOI, and voila! Got it tonight. Early by a few days. Woohoo! Next up, a visit to the embassy!

16th Feb

–          Armed with a passport, LOI, a couple of passport photos and the visa application form, this intrepid traveller wannabe made his way to the Uzbekistan embassy. The embassy guy is friendly, and tells of the Uzbek government which has just opened a new solar energy research facility in Tashkent. And they are interested in visiting the plant I work. Wow!

Travel Info: my visa applications for central asia

The below applies to Singaporeans, and was correct at time of writing.

Application for 6 month multiple entry tourist (L) China visa. The process is pretty straightforward. Fill up an on-line form at http://www.visaforchina.org, and make an appointment. On the appointment day, bring the form, a photo and your passport. The lady issuing queue number will just check to see whether the form is filled up correctly. No return ticket or hotel booking was required. Regular collection will be 4 working days. Fee for a 6 month multiple entry visa is 70 SGD. Each entry for a maximum of 60 days.

Application for Kazakhstan visa. The Consular services require that you fill up a downloaded form, affix 1 photo, and a letter indicating your purpose of visit, places you will be visiting, type and period of visa, and contact in Kazakhstan. Also, you need to provide proof of employment (a letter from your company should suffice). No onward ticket required. You can apply for future dates of travel. (Mine was 5 months in advance). Cost is 25 USD for a single entry tourist visa. You can either pay by inter-bank transfer or by cash deposit. The latter option is better, since there will not be any extra charges. Going by inter-bank transfer will add at least 50 SGD of bank charges.

Application for Uzbekistan visa. What’s required: 2 passport photos, 2 copies of the application form, a copy of the Letter of Invitation. To get the letter of invitation, you need to contact an agent. I went through Stan Tours, which is probably the most convenient way to do it. The LOI takes 10-12 working days and costs 40 USD, to be paid through Auctionchex (which is the cheapest method with 8% service charge). The visa cost is dependent on how long a visa you need. My 1 month single entry visa costs 75 USD. Also, visit I Have Travel Lust for more useful information. Same thing as the Kazakh visa payment, do it by cash deposit through any HSBC account.

in Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Airport Hubs in Indonesia

Indonesia is made up of more than 17000 islands. And besides commonly visited places like Jakarta and Bali, there are many, many fantastic places to visit. Navigating your way through to these locations is a potential headache though. There are so many airlines and so many routes to consider.  Indonesian domestic airlines do not exactly have the best reputation for safety. But that’s not an excuse for not exploring what the Indonesian archipelago has to offer.

I’ve been flying in and out of Indonesia, visiting little enclaves of paradise and historical and natural wonders over the last few years, flash traveller style.  This meant travelling out of Singapore, taking flights that no sane traveller would even consider taking, either because I was trying to keep costs low, or simply because the bigger airlines don’t fly to the destination. It used to be a nightmare booking flight tickets through local agents or at the ticketing counter. However, over the last year, local airlines have started using online ticketing, to my relief.

Online Ticketing

First, let’s take a look at the different airline ticketing methods:

LionAir – I’ve tried booking online for Singapore to Bali (this route no longer exists). Verdict: Successful.

AirAsia – No problem with online booking here. Very reliable, though they only cover the major hubs.

Sriwijaya Air – Site goes down sometimes. But I just booked Jakarta to Ternate just now. They email you the ticket/itinerary. Someone will call to confirm your credit card user info. Verdict: Successful.

Batavia Air – Selecting the destination may stump you. There’s a field for “Departure city”, “Destination City” and “Return City”. So your return city technically can be completely different from your departure city. Weird. Leaving the Return City field empty will allow you to book one-way ticket. Worked for me. I didn’t get an email, but you can print out the ticket after payment confirmation. No idea how you can access your ticket if you don’t have a printer at that time though. Verdict: Successful.

Merpati Air – I’ve only tried buying from counter (Denpasar to Tambolaka), but there is an online booking option on the website now. However, there is a line saying that only Indonesian issued credit cards can be used. Plus the session keeps timing out each time I tried booking. Tell me if you managed to book Merpati tickets through their ticketing system. Verdict: Unsuccessful

Trigana Air – I can’t find any online ticketing service. And the page is in Indonesian. Verdict: Not Available

Express Air – The site is in English. But there is no online booking. You need to call, which means if you are not somewhere in Indonesia, it will be very tough to book. Verdict: Not Available

Air Transport Hubs of Indonesia

Depending on where in Indonesia you actually want to go, there are some routes that make more sense than others. I don’t profess to be an expert, but let me try to share what I know. This next section assumes you have a good geographical knowledge of the Indonesian islands, or at least have Google Maps opened in another tab right now. If not, please open one and type in Indonesia. =)

Jakarta‘s Soekarno-Hatta airport is obviously the main transport hub to the rest of Indonesia. (Side note: all the airports have unique funky names I love!).  You can’t go wrong if you start from here. It’s the main international airport where most airlines end up.

On Java, Surabaya‘s Juanda airport is another hub that serves east Java. Conveniently, AirAsia flies there from Kuala Lumpur, and Batavia Air and Jetstar flies there from Singapore. Both are convenient entry points if you want to avoid Jakarta.

Further east, of course Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar, Bali is well known, going out to many International destinations, and probably the destination we Singaporeans end up at. But did you know you can actually go beyond Bali to places like Dili, East Timor through Batavia Air, for example? Ngurah Rai is also the hub for destinations to its east, covering the Nusa Tenggara  Timur / Barat (East/West Nusa Tenggara) provinces, which covers attractions like Lombok (the Gili Islands! Rinjani!) and Flores (Alor diving/whaling! Komodo Islands!).

While Denpasar covers the western end of Nusa Tenggara’s two provinces, the eastern end’s hub is served by Kupang’s El Tari airport. I’ve never been there myself, but it’s somewhere to start if you want to do an overland crossing to East Timor.

Over on Sumatra, Polonia Airport in Medan is a hub serving the land mass. Its close proximity to Malaysia and Singapore means airlines such as Jetstar, AirAsia and Firefly make frequent flights there. Medan itself is an interesting destination (Lake Toba! Bukit Lawang Orang Utans!)

Balikpapan‘s Sepinggan Airport is the hub for sights around Kalimantan. Diving in Derawan and Sangalaki is to the north. Surprisingly there are no connections from the north side. (Borneo’s Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia). AirAsia flies here from Kuala Lumpur though.

Recently the Indo government is trying to make Makassar (Sultan Hasanuddin Airport) the major transport hub leading to destinations in East Indonesia. So now Garuda, Indonesia’s national carrier flies direct from Singapore. Makassar is the start-off point for adventures up north in Sulawesi (Tanah Toraja!) though a connecting flight is oft needed elsewhere, even on Sulawesi since travelling overland is not easy. Makassar would serve people wanting flights to Manado, and elsewhere on the Maluku islands (Ambon, Ternate etc)

Lastly, all the way to the east is Papua. Jayapura is the capital of the province (Sentani Airport) leading to Cenderawasih Bay and overland crossings into Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. Sorong (Domine Edward Osok Airport) is where you start for Raja Ampat diving. I haven’t been on Papua myself, so I do not have much information on these airports.

There you have it. So in summary, you have Jakarta for destinations all over Indonesia including western Indonesia, plus Makassar as the main hub to destinations in eastern Indonesia.Then you have the seaports and the Pelni boats. But that would stretch this post to twice the length, and I doubt you want to spend 48 hrs sitting on board boats. If any of your reading this is an expert on the sea network, you can educate me. =)

If you found this entry useful, do share the post! Do comment or drop me a note if you need help with these routes. I’ll share what I know.

in Indonesia / South East Asia / Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Travel Footwear in Southeast Asia: Quirky & Cool

Forget your Crocs and your Tevas, when travelling in South-East Asia, there are more fascinating brands worth mentioning. This post will tell you all about some of the footwear I’ve come across or worn while travelling the neighbouring countries.

Stripe-rubber-shoes. Photo from outdoor-gear-malaysia.com

First you have the Kampung Adidas. This is from Malaysia. It is 100% rubber shoes, with rubber studs and the distinctive 4 yellow stripes. Used by plantation workers and eager locals doing weekend hikes, the shoes’ grip is much better suited to slippery Malaysian rainforests than thick hiking boots. They bend easily to the contour of tree roots. I’ve got my first pair in Malaysia and can swear by it. Really fantastic for short hikes. True, you look slightly silly with thick socks and these black shoes, but hey, deep in the jungle, no one cares. Cost: < 5 SGD (about 10 Malaysian Ringgit)

Chu Chi tire sandals

Then there are Vietnamese tire sandals. These are novelty souvenirs popular in the 1960s in Saigon. I got mine at the souvenir shop in Chu Chi War Tunnels. They are made out of old tires and inner tubings. While not exactly a fashion statement, these sandals are surprisingly comfortable and you wouldn’t look out of place wearing it on the MRT train. Cost: 4 SGD (around 70 Vietnamese Dong).

Eiger sandals

Eiger slippers

There’s this brand of outdoor gear, Eiger. Made in Indonesia, it’s the local alternative to international outdoor brands. I’ve a pair of slippers, their basic black model, with good soles. I wear it everywhere. My first pair was bought in Mataram shopping centre in Lombok. After I lost that one (stupidly left it behind after a game of football), I was compelled to buy a replacement pair when I was in Batam. Yes, that’s how I love the, Eiger slippers. Cost: around 10 SGD.

My model with his Sandugo

My model with his Sandugo

In the Phillipines, I came across a local brand while window shopping in Tagbilaran City. Sandugo outdoor gear, specializing in sandals. Sandugo also means One Blood in Visayan. There’s actually a Sandugo Monument in Bohol dedicated to the blood compact signed by two parties, a Spanish explorer and a Bohol chief. But I digress. It’s a decent looking brand and cheap too. Cost: around 15 SGD.

Lastly, I need to give a shout out to my trusty Chaco sandals. From Nov 2009 to Mar 2010, I travelled using only this pair of Chaco sandals (and my Eiger slippers during downtime). No shoes, no problem. The Chacos works just as well, plus they are a whole lot more comfortable. Cost: 180 SGD but I’ve recouped that investment long, long ago.

Do you have any footwear that you swear by? Comment below!

Chaco sandals by the edge of the Siwa desert, Egypt

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 by Red

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:

  1. 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!
  2. 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.
  3. 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!

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 by Red

My List of Essential Travel Gear

Flash traveling with Red. That is the name of the Facebook page associated with this site. Flash traveling alludes to two things: First, the fact that my traveling trips are short and they are over in a flash. Second, it also refers to my flashpacking style of traveling. This post will talk more about the latter. So what is flashpacking?  According to knowledgeable websites out there, flashpacking is the same as backpacking, but with fancier gear. Some other sites define it as backpacking on a bigger budget. Wikipedia’s take on it: Flashpacking.

Today’s post will then talk about what kind of gear goes into my pack. What are the must-have items and what are those I can do without. Hopefully, you will get some good ideas on what to carry with you when traveling. At the very least, you will have a right laugh discovering how obsessive I can get with my packing habits.

  • Asus EEE PC. This sleek little piece of work is a netbook to die for. It comes equipped with Intel dual core processors, a video card (on a netbook?!! meh) and enough juice to run for up to 5 hrs.  It is an upgrade from my 2.5 year old trusty Lenovo S-10. Back then, I was deciding between this Asus EE PC and the Lenovo S-10C when the HK service staff remarked, “I’m wondering why you would prefer to pick a Chinese brand over a Taiwanese brand.”

  • The Elecom Grast wireless laser optical mouse is useful for when I need to surf. At 9x5cm, it’s easy to store inside my pack. I suck at using touchpads, and a mouse is always useful when I’m on the road playing games
  • Bass speaker from Lifetrons. One needs to have a little bit of music when alone in the hotel room. Plugged into my HTC or netbook, this Swiss designed mini bass speaker blasts music that adds some life to an otherwise quiet room. Of course I have my earphones too for those long bus rides.

  • Durable anti-damage camera. Olympus U-tough. I use this because it is 1.5m shockproof, 5m waterproof and in general can withstand a great deal of punishment.  I can probably use it as weapon to smack potential muggers too. The only drawback is it’s lousy shutter lag.
  • Together with the Olympus camera, I bring along the underwater casing PT-048 whenever I might hit up a diving spot. It goes up to 40m depth. It’s a bit bulky, and since I’m a stickler for light gear, I leave this behind unless I know I’m going for some dives.

  • LED headlamp from Soundtech Electronic. It’s from a consumer electronics company and I got it at Challenger. Why they sell headlights is anyone’s guess, but at a third of the price of other brands, it’s a sweet deal.
  • HTC Tattoo. OK, I’m not proud of this, it’s not the latest gadget available out there, but it functions well enough. It’s due an upgrade soon though. =)
  • Multi-plug adaptor. This is essential and I got a nice portable one from MSD. All those electronics above need charging up and so I normally have a couple of these.
  • Mini compass and thermometer. I can be a klutz finding my way around, but I am pretty good with maps. Give me a map and a compass and I’ll get from Point A to Point B. So this Coleman compass is essential and one of my most important pieces of gear.

  • Collapsible bowl and utensils from Tupperware. For those longer trips where I end up cooking my own meals. It’s compact, fits snugly into my backpack pockets and mighty useful whenever I need a container.

  • Electric kettle. Again, for extended trips, this ends up being my best friend. Boil water? Check. Make tea? Check. Cook noodles? Check. I even use it to boil eggs.

  • Number coded Ziploc bags. To prevent losing things when I move from one place to another, I pack my stuff by putting them into Ziploc bags. Besides keeping things waterproof, it also gives me a quick way to keep track of everything. Pack 1: Clothing (Tops & undergarments). Pack 2: Clothing (Bottoms ).  Pack 3: Dirty clothes. Pack 4: Wires and charging appliances. Pack 5: Miscellaneous items like nylon rope, mosquito coils, mini sealed bags. Pack 6: Toiletries bag. Pack 7: First aid kit. Whenever I pack, I will do a roll-call of all my packs. I should have 7 at all times, and if you have traveled somewhere with me, you will probably know that it’s almost obsessive compulsive the way I keep counting my packs!

So that’s it. Some other things that I cannot live without are: Dental floss, a USB drive, trunks & goggles. Other must-haves for extended travel are sleeping bags, windbreakers and either the 36 or 50 litre backpack.

What are your traveling must-have items?

in Gadgets & apps / Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

The Budget Airlines Guide to Flights out of Singapore

You are the cost-conscious traveler. You are travelling in South-East Asia. You don’t want the frills, you don’t want the bells the whistles. All you want is to get from Point A to Point B at the cheapest price possible. How do you do it?

Budget airlines rule the roost here when you are travelling within the region. They are cheap, safe and the choice for anyone watching the dollars. Of course, your air miles can bring you further, but for travel within the region, nothing beats the budget airlines.

So which are the budget airlines offering the most routes, and the cheapest prices? For the latter, it is very much dependent on the offers put up at the period. Booking an air ticket during a promotion can get you crazy prices.

This article assumes that you are flying out of Singapore. If you are flying out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, then AirAsia is your best bet for cheap, unbeatable prices. In fact, if you have the time, taking a bus, train or flight out to KLCC (AirAsia’s low cost airport) and flying to your destination from there could actually net you lower prices than if you were to fly out of Changi, Singapore.

Ok. Let’s begin. The two largest operators out of Singapore are Tiger Airways and Jetstar. They fly to the most places, and the difference between the two is that Tiger Airways flies out of the Changi Budget Terminal, whereas Jetstar flies out of Terminal 1. Both charge extra for check-in luggage. Jetstar has many onward routes from Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, from its Jetstar Pacific arm in Vietnam. It also flies to various destinations in Australia, from the parent company Jetstar Airways.

Tiger on the other hand has its subsidiary Tiger Airways Australia, based in Melbourne, flying to various destinations around Australia. Thai Tiger, its joint venture with Thai Airways is scheduled to begin operations in May 2011, so expect onward flights to various Thai cities from Singapore. At the end of 2010, Tiger also has an agreement with Philippines’ South East Asian Airlines, to set a base in Clark Airport.

The third major budget airline in Singapore is AirAsia. Though not based in Singapore, it is nevertheless the largest operator in Asia, and has flights to major cities in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, with the latter two being subsidiaries operating out of Jakarta, and Bangkok respectively. AirAsia’s sister company, AirAsia X, flies long haul budget flights to faraway places like Paris (Orly), London (Stansted) and other destinations in China, India, Australia and New Zealand. These flights involve a transfer at Kuala Lumpur’s LCCT airport, but with its revamped on-line ticketing system, travelers can book flights from Singapore, transiting in LCCT on a single ticket. It’s great really. I’m a big AirAsia fan, and my only bone with AirAsia is that it’s flights from Singapore are often priced higher than elsewhere. However, once you get to Kuala Lumpur, you will revel in the dirt cheap prices! The discerning traveler with plenty of time at his hands would find some way to get up to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore.

Those are the three major players. If you have time, then AirAsia is hands down the cheapest. But if time is a factor, then Jetstar and Tiger Airways are your best bet.

Next, we talk about the other lesser-known airlines flying from Changi. With a little research, these airlines could actually net you cheaper prices on some well-known destinations that the three airlines above fly. For example, did you know that Indonesia’s Lion Air does flights from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam? It’s a stopover from Jakarta, and it’s worth checking out, prices are competitive, and unlike the three abovementioned, there is a 20kg baggage allowance that comes with the ticket.

Since we are on airlines based in Indonesia, a couple of Indonesian domestic airlines flying to Singapore are Sriwijaya Air and Batavia Air. These fly to a few destinations in Indonesia, chiefly Jakarta, from where you can take one of the multitudes of airlines to an onward destination in Indonesia. All three, including Lion Air, has online booking facilities, unlike many other domestic airlines. There was a fourth airline, Mandala Air, but they filed for bankruptcy recently, though there is a high chance they may resume operations.

Ok. Malaysia. Besides AirAsia, there are a couple of other players. Firefly is the budget arm of Malaysian Airlines, operating out of Subang Airport in Selangor. They fly to a few places from Singapore, namely Subang, Kuantan and Ipoh. Then there is also Berjaya Air, flying to the northern Peninsula Malaysia resort islands of Tioman and Redang.

Next we have destinations to the Philippines. The main player is Cebu Pacific, and they fly out of Singapore to Clark, Manila and Cebu. From these airports, you can easily get to further destinations in the north, or even east (Palau?!). However, there is a second smaller airline flying to Singapore. AirPhil Express is a domestic airline based in Manila, and Singapore is their one and only international destination thus far. They fly from Changi to Cebu and Manila.

Another interesting destination is Koh Samui, Thailand. Bangkok Airways, while technically is not a budget airline, flies to the holiday getaway, and is worth mentioning.

Lastly, an airline to note  is AirIndia Express. While AirAsia X flies out to Mumbai and New Delhi, and Tiger flies to Tiruchirapalli and Trivandrum, AirIndia Express adds other destinations, flying also to Tiruchirapalli, and to Chennai and Kolkata. With this airline, it is also possible to get to Dhaka, Bangladesh, via a stopover in Kolkata.
So that’s it. A list of budget airlines to help you, the cost-conscious traveler, make an informed decision. Online flight search engines often leave out the budget airlines when their search results come out, so with the information above, you can go to the airline’s website and compare prices for your destination.

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