Been off the social radar in Singapore for a bit as I had been out of Singapore for several work assignments. On average, I travel once every month whether for work or for leisure, and here's sharing my top travel tips.
1. Always have food in your bag
Unlucky me always meet with the weirdest problems whenever I am traveling alone, just talking about the second quarter of this year, I had met with 2 flight issues due to weather hindrances. Instead of landing at my designated place, my plane landed at a foreign airport to wait for the weather condition to clear. As a result, I was forced to wait on the plane (no, you can't exit the plane to chill at the lobby of the other airport) for a dreadful 5 awful hours each time. You’re “lucky”, if they serve you some food (usually hard bread and dry biscuists) during the wait, but it is horribly hard to eat.
Credit: Extremecouponingcanada
So pack some snacks with you whenever you travel! Whether it is Subway's cookie, Bengawan Solo's Pandan Cake or some snacks you love, trust me, the food will come in handy.
2. Bring Vitamin C tablets!
It is the worst feeling ever to be sick on a trip, so build your immunity by taking daily vitamin C! Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients to protect against immune system deficiencies, eye disease and even skin wrinkling! I make sure I take my Vitamin C effervescent tablet in the morning to supply essential nutrients to my body.
Credit: Chemistwarehouse
Pills don’t go so well with me, so I’ve started taking multivitamins effervescent tablet instead. It’s easy to ingest and gives me the vitamins needed for the day!
3. Travel insurance
I took a Cathay and Dragonair flight last month and for the most ridiculous reason of an overweight aircraft, none of the passengers' luggages arrived at our destination. It caused so much inconvenience when I was in Zheng Zhou because it’s a place where you can’t even find a 7-11 on the street. :( But I am so so so glad I bought an annual travel insurance from my trusty Financial Planner, Alex Ang, that gets me covered for such glitches. I advise against getting insurance with the airline as I have heard from friends that they don't cover baggage delay. I am not sure how accurate my sources are, but make sure you are protected for all emergencies because sometimes emergencies, especially medical emergencies, can wipe out your savings - or even worse!
4. Stash Extra Cash!
Cash is king, I always bring extra cash whenever I travel to cover any emergencies. This year, I had been to Hoi An where Money Changer is so hard to locate; in the end, I had to exchange my currency with a local cab driver (which in my opinion is weird). The exchange rate was obviously much lower but I had no choice since the nearest local mall to me didn't even have money changer. So make sure you change more than you need and stash them at different spots because you don’t know when you need the extra cash!
5. Pack a lightweight waterproof jacket with a hood
It's great for sun, rain and cold protection!! I can't tell you how many times it has come in handy for me. If it is a drizzle, I put it on with the hood, and it becomes the most useful travel accessory for me.
6. Pre-plan your outfit
I plan my outfits before packing so I have an idea of what I want to wear during the trip. For most trips I pack a pair of jeans, some comfortable tops, a sweater and a LBD. I advise packing versatile pieces so you can mix and match! For me, I usually bring single-coloured bright tops so I can mix them with different bottoms depending on the weather. Your future self will thank you for pre-planning your outfit because you wouldn’t want to waste time choosing your outfit every morning. Plus, when you plan your outfit AND accessories, you can get the perfect look for your OOTD!!
7. Put Contact Lens Solution, Medications, Lotion and an Extra Pair of Contact Lens and Underwear in your Carry-on
A few important items should always go in your carry-on. They are going to be your life saviors when your contact lenses are giving you problems and when you are feeling unwell. You can buy most things if your bag gets lost, but having them in your carry-on saves you time and money if your luggage gets lost in transit. Especially for medications, I prefer taking the usual tablets that work for me. Sometimes it's just so hard to communicate with locals to get the exact medications you are looking for. Example: they may not have the brand of medications you would like.
With these tips, I hope everyone stays safe during their travels!
With lots of love,
Jacelyn