Travel Fair

In view of the up and coming NATAS travel fair, here are some tips that I have personally acquired throughout the years of listening to post-travel tales of my friends and a little small traveling myself:

1) Always pre-plan what are the kind of activities you would like to do before deciding on the destination. Example: shopping : Hongkong, Thailand, Taiwan. If you can't decide on the activities you want to do, decide on a few countries you would like to visit then borrow a 'Lonely Planet' book and check out the places in that country you wanna visit then decide.

2) Get a pair of walkie talkie that can go up a certain distance and of course some batteries so that you can get updated with your pals in case you got lost.

3) Do not bring your whole wardrobe or packets of instant noodles for your holiday and bring appropriate clothes for the season. It is not as if you are going to an isolated island with no shops that sell clothes and food. Besides travelling to a new destination is to soak up the culture and that includes the food and fashion of the country. The extra space is saved for your shopping 'trophies'.

Free & easy tours

1) Plan to go on a trip with no more than 4 people. The last thing you would want to do is to have a small squabble over who wants to go where and waiting for each other to arrive at the specified spot. Best part is you may have a partner going to this certain place with you (so you won't be bored to tears since you can only mumble yourself if you are alone) and chat or discuss about stuff. If you are alone in deciding to go this certain place, either go yourself or compromise to the rest of the group; later super persuade them to go with you.

2) Save on the expensive five-star hotel fees and check yourself into the cheapest and clean motel, backpackers' hotel. You would rather spend your hard-earned cash on visiting the 'always crowded' tourist attractions or shop. Besides, the only time you will spend in a hotel is to sleep; that is if you are not going to a resort like Bali just to get away from the 'human traffic'.

3) Budget your expenditure and bring cash and credit cards. Credit cards for emergencies and cash for daily use. You do not want to have to worry about how to pay your credit card bills or loans after your holiday break, in which case, you will regret going for this holiday and tend to forget the good parts of it. Why make yourself suffer when the well-deserved holiday break is to refresh you mentally.

4) Hit the anti-tourist routes aka the local places for food and clothes, they tend to be much cheaper and better tasting.

5) Some places for shopping in some countries do not take to bargaining very well so check on the net or your borrowed 'lonely planet' before attempting to get chased down the block by chopper waving vendors.

6) Make some friends with some locals who speak English and are generally nice (you will know who they are but do not trust them too much since they are your new-found friends). They will help you soak up the essence of the country and when you visit next time you will have a friend there to hang out with.

Package tours

1) Pick out the best bargain package as in you get to visit tonnes of places with that miserable amount of money you have.

2) Do not be an ass and embarrass yourself , get back to the group when the time is up.

3) Rest early after the long day since you have to wake up early for the itinerary that has been set for you the next day. Have a night cap at the local night spots before hitting the sheets to help you sleep better.

4) Do not buy stuff from the shops that the tour guides bring you to since the same things can be bought at a much cheaper price at other stores that you walk in yourself. They will 'chop' up your wallet. Unless you really like the stuff and you will not have time to shop by yourself.

5) Do not get typical souvenirs like key chain, stuff toy, mugs and stuff. Get something that is special and made in that country.

6) Help out other people in the group when they need, it's only nice. Who knows you might get yourself a new traveling pal.

Well... I think that's it for now.... ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS !!!!