FAQ

Where should I go?

This all depends on what you are seeking. Make a bucket list for starters of countries that interest you and then work with that list. Asian holidays during European winter is a good start if you chasing some warmth in between all the ski trips. Exploring further into Africa is the next level if Asia is already crossed off. The world is at your feet so it is all about making the first move.

Where do I go to get good deals for travelling?

The art of finding the perfect deal requires some work but it is not that hard. Use this link for booking resources to find the appropriate website to help locate a good flight, hotel or rental car.

What do I need to pack?

The question that every person asks themselves before each trip. A simple answer here will not suffice as the complexity of packing deserves its own article. Click here for the packing advisor. In most cases we over pack. I have asked female friends to restrict luggage into a hand luggage for a 2 week vacation, I guess after that request I am lucky to still be alive but the good part is luggage content was decreased by 50% from the female travellers. #winning

What happens if I miss my first or connecting flight?

Don’t panic is the number one rule. These things happen and in most case scenarios the airlines are understanding and place you on the next best flight. The important rule is to be polite to the staff as you are in the quicksand and they are helping you. The airline may have delayed the flight but the staff member helping you is not directly responsible so be nice.

Do I need travel Insurance?

Hell yeah. This is a must these days and no one should travel without it. Missed flights, sickness, and accidents are more common than one wants but it is better to be prepared for such an event. I have a few friends who are still alive because they had travel insurance. Most credit card companies have an insurance policy on travel booked on that card but it is wiser to have your own personal travel insurance.

Do I need additional car Insurance from car rental agencies?

When booking a rental car, they offer several excess cover packages. Usually it is a standard coverage or the full protection. The full protection is usually a good idea but some travel insurance companies do cover the standard coverage excess cost you might incur in a car accident, so please check with your personal travel insurance and you might save some money for the full protection. If you have the full protection and are picking up the car, be careful for the up selling tricks by local agents who try to sell you more insurance on top of what you have.

Do I need travel vaccinations?

Hell yeah. This is right up there with travel insurance. Hepatitis A & B, yellow fever, Boosters for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. Use this site regarding what you need.

What is this Frequent Flyer Club stuff?

You already paid for the flights and hotels so if you had the chance to accumulate points from this activity and reap the rewards down the track then you definitely should. You can read more about points on this link.

What happens if I lose my passport?

Don’t panic. It all depends on which part of the world you are in. Most European, American, Asian and Australasian cities would mean easier access to your local embassy to organize a temporary travel document. If you are stuck somewhere deep like Galapagos Island, try to get to mainland then focus on contacting your embassy.

What important information should I travel with?

Always have photocopies of your passport, driver’s license and travel documents. Try to have a paper copy and not just digital in case you lose your phone as well. Also store important phone numbers like embassy, friends contact etc. on paper. The days of memorizing all numbers is a lost art.

What should I not do in public as a tourist?

This is a tricky one and only gets better with experience. The cardinal rule is never pull out a big ass tourist map in a public square, you are setting yourself up for scam artists looking for easy hustle targets. Try to blend in and pre-planning on how to get to locations within cities helps if you walking. Otherwise take a taxi and don’t buy and wear the “I love Amsterdam” or “I ♥ City” souvenirs.

What do I do when I get sick while away?

It all depends on the sickness. Most common sickness while travelling is stomach bugs, altitude sickness, and the common cold. Your body is stressed from the travelling and the immune system can get weaker. The longer the flight and the further you go the worse the jet-lag. Here is a link on how to survive illness on your trip.

How to stay healthier on your trip?

Drink lots of water with lemon on the trip to retain more water in the body to stay hydrated. Take a good routine supply of zinc, vitamin C and other multi-vitamins before the trip and during the trip to keep your immune system stronger. Also use Insect repellent like it’s the new best lotion, avoiding mosquito bites helps avoid the itching and worse viruses in more critical regions.

What happens if I have an accident while away?

I have been down this road before. Had a quad bike accident in Morocco. Got banged up pretty bad with cuts and rocks/gravel stuck in the shoulder and back. Managed to get to a Bedouin village to get some help cleaning the wounds and getting patched up. Get back on the quad bike and made it to the next village where I needed to be to get to the city. Not everyone has a John Rambo patch up, a friend of mine had a similar bike accident in Dubai. She had to be hospitalized for 2 weeks and flown back to Europe by her travel insurance company once she was stronger. So the most important part is to have travel insurance to cover you away and get you back home safely.

How do I avoid tourist traps?

Time and experience makes you a better traveller and master the art of avoiding traps. I try to mention these in articles so that is a good way to have Intel on different locations. Best advice is to not engage and buy the first deal you are presented on a trip. For example a snorkelling trip in Thailand, the hotel price & deal will be different to the guys selling outside the hotel. So you will need to do some research to see what the price is and where the location is. Based on this research you can make a better decision. Avoid agencies that cater for big Groups as this will be very crowded excursions.

What type of fellow travellers will I encounter?

There are generally 4 categories of travellers I have encountered, you can read about them here. Then there is the scenario they are placed in, for example city getaway, Island Adventure, Jungle hike etc..

Is it safe to travel alone?

There are many solo travellers these days and I have met quite a few from around the world. So yes it is safe but do take precautions like any city or town including your own home town. Don’t go into dark alleys, flash money around in public, pop a map in public etc Often travelling alone you make friends quite fast so loneliness is not an issue as you make new friends along the way in each location.

How do I keep my data browsing cost and roaming cost low?

This is a money maker for Telecom companies so the best way to stay on top of this is to acquire a local sim card. So in Thailand for example I pick up a local simcard with data package and place it into an older iPhone/android to utilize the data by creating a local personal hotspot for me and my team. For phone calls you can use VOIP (voice over internet protocols) on your normal phone or call from your older iPhone/android. Alternatively if you are not after data since you are in a country with many wireless hot zones then get a cheap burner phone for local calls if needed outside of wireless zones.

How do I pack for short excursions?

Excursions like a small hike, fishing trip, or snorkelling trip is common scenario on holidays. Always carry a bottle of water (Mandatory requirement). If there is a lot of partying involved resulting in hangovers and fatigue, it is even the more important to hydrate. I once went on a hike in Fiji and forgot my 1.5 liter of cold water at the bar, tough lesson. On the same trip we (9 men) went on a fishing trip without bringing any water, beer, soda, or snacks. How do 9 men forget the beer LOL It was a very long 3 hour fishing trip. Always pack a protein bar or chocolate bar as well.

How do I pack for a road trip?

A Road trip is always fun and in most vacation scenarios, we land and pick-up the car from the car rental, we throw in the suitcase into the boot, lock in the GPS location, stop over at a supermarket or gas station to pick up some water, soda, and snacks before we hit the road. Important things not considered are what if the car breaks down. Always carry some fleece blankets for each person, extra protein bars, nuts, flash light & batteries. Road side assistance will come eventually but it can be a cold long wait.