#travelopedia

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Whilst I don’t exactly have a jetsetting lifestyle (not yet!), I do get around a fair bit both for work and leisure. Here are some of my personal travel tips to make your life easier when on the road:

1. Travel on warmer months

I personally have nothing against the cold, but traveling on warmer months allows you to bring fewer and thinner articles of clothing, which translates into lighter backpack and/or more baggage allocation for shopping!

2. Wear as little metal as possible

I personally dislike having to fumble about removing my belt and watch when going through airport security. It can be distracting and I would sometimes leave stuff behind accidentally. Therefore, my solution is wearing a plastic watch (Baby G and Swatch) and wearing a pair of compression tights instead of jeans. Compression tights are great! They (the thicker, non see-through varieties) keep you warm, they’re versatile for both outdoor and indoor itineraries, and they double as compression socks for your calves while flying.

3. Invest in traveling fork and spoon

Some Japanese specialty shops sell these cute mini fork/chopsticks and spoon sets that come in small pouches. I find these so valuable, especially when you plan to eat instant noodles in the middle of the night. You also cut back on unnecessary waste by not using plastic forks and spoons.

4. Bring a lightweight scarf with you

A lightweight scarf is a simple, low-commitment way to keep cosy when traveling. I sometimes find bringing a jacket a little bulky and troublesome to carry around, especially when you find out you don’t need it. With a scarf, you can wrap it around your body for warmth, and simply tuck it inside your handbag when you’re done.

5. Find out the local translation/writing for places you want to go

For countries like China and Taiwan, sometimes the English name for a place isn’t the same one that the locals recognize it as. What you can do is, Google the place in its original language/text, get the contacts and address, and screenshot it for future reference. It’s most useful to be shown to bewildered taxi drivers who may speak little or no English.

6. Wear your oldest, most comfy sneakers

Coz the last things you need on holiday are feet full of blisters.

7. Invest in wet wipes!

I adore wet wipes! They do everything from removing makeup and quick freshen ups (when the water heater is not working) to removing stains and cleaning your hands before/after a meal.

8. Trim your toenails before your trip

Assuming that you won’t be wearing flip flops throughout your trip, long toenails would feel excruciating after hours of walking around in toe-covered shoes. So, do yourselves a favour and trim them before you leave.

10. Find out if the accommodation you’re planning to book has a lot of Mainland Chinese guests

This is just practicality – and something that everyone knows but never write about in a travel article. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, know that Mainland Chinese tourists are known to be a little ‘feisty’. They may rub you the wrong way, as is the case with many others, therefore, avoid staying where they are if you can.

11. Use up all your small changes before going home

Coz most of the moneychangers don’t accept coins.