5 Essential Packing Items

Everytime you travel, there is probably a mental or paper checklist that you walkthrough to make sure you are not missing anything. Some travelers would rather pack light and buy along the way, while others like to be prepared. This blog post is mostly for those from the latter category!

What I have learned I should never travel without:

1. Working phone – I used it to take photos, access maps, order taxis, and Google top destinations I wanted to visit. I also kept in touch via WhatsApp with family and friends.
2. Hand sanitizer and toilet paper – So very important when I needed to sanitize any injury, when I found myself dotted with mosquito bites, and when I needed to use the bathroom!
3. Menstrual underwear (yes this is directed to women) – I wanted to make sure I did not leave behind a large environmental footprint and that I was travelling light.
4. Medication, including painkillers and cold medicine
5. Local currency cash, and a valid credit card – No matter what Google tells you, I have learned not everyone accepts US dollars!

Of all these, except for #3, you can find the others at local stores and at the airport.

My secondary list would include:

1. Universal adapter with a high quality USB cable – I have come across so many types of plug outlets around the world!
2. High-end portable charger – Smartphones run out of battery quickly. So annoying.
3. Synthetic fibre clothes that can wash and dry fast. Super helpful!
4. Excellent hiking backpack that won’t break your back
5. Healthy snacks for midnight hunger pangs!

Of course, as you begin your own travels, you may refine this list or find new items that are absolutely essential to your individualized trips. So, the best piece of advice I can give is Be Flexible.

Happy Travels!

How to be travel sensitive!

I thought this might be an appropriate post as we are nearing the holidays in parts of the world. In this holiday spirit which arouses in all of us a need to share and give, I have written a post about being travel sensitive while considering your options to give back!

One of the things that has been top of mind for me when I travel is the need to be culturally and environmentally sensitive.

True it may be a cultural shock traveling to a new country and the information overload is all too real when all we want to do is relax, enjoy and learn about a new place.

But trust me, a little bit of sensitivity goes a long way in building a relationship that will help you experience the country you are visiting in new and beautiful ways. 

Although, you may need to balance your appreciation of the history of the country with your own emotional balance, especially as you learn that every (or almost every) single city on this planet has had some conflict, loss, and pain. Because of this, I will of course also share with you some tips that have helped me to stay stable most of the time!

No, I am not perfect. But let's give this a shot shall we??

How to be travel sensitive:

I frequently find that many people travel to countries to volunteer and help out. I've been there and felt the need to help out whenever and wherever I can. 

Being from India, I can tell you that this is not wrong but there are ways to do it that can leave a positive impact instead of setting off a butterfly effect on the city residents, who may feel you are stereotyping them.

How can you approach your new city with sensitivity?

1. Taking photos

Ask the person whose photo you'd like to take for permission. This is a given.

Let them pose in ways that show their true identity and make them feel happiest. But also balance these photos with photos of people and parts of the city that are as or more modern than that your own home city.

When you talk about what you learned, remember, if you are surprised, you may have been prejudiced about their growth and intelligence.

Try to appreciate them as intellectuals and mentors. Trust me, I learned a lot this way and am indebted to those who taught me.

2. Donating money

If you want to offer your help, take out a day to talk to local NGOs and see what will benefit them. Or book an appointment with a local family after asking their permission to visit them and see what you can offer them.

You may be able to link them to local NGOs or giving them tangible products that will help them. Remember, they may not have time to meet you but you can always find a lot of NGOs online that you can verify as credible. 

This will show that you have a plan to execute your caring instead of adopting short-term solutions and feeling bad about being unable to help. You may also want to contact friends and family about the organization's needs.

Do your research though before donating! Not everything and everyone are as they seem.

3. Volunteering

Do your research before volunteering too. Research the negative effects instead of the positive.

If you volunteer at an orphanage for a short period of time, it will affect the children emotionally and not in a good way when you leave. If you volunteer with animals, too many short-term hands in the pot may not help them stay wild, which may be key to their survival. 

Remember that some organizations may not even allow you to interact with their clients because of your short-term involvement, so ask yourself are you ready to sit in an office and just prepare an annual report for them.

Are you willing to pay them to volunteer with them? Will you walk away frustrated if they are not as organized as you think they should be. After all, they are front-line in serving their clients.

Also ask yourself - are you going to walk away thinking that you helped them? Instead, you may want your goal to be filling an ad-hoc gap the organization has - did they advertise for a short-term gap they need to fill with expertise only you have and can provide?

There are many local volunteers who may be able to contribute so consider what is different that only you can offer. If there's nothing, you may want to just connect the organization with a local expert who can help.

4. Acting local

If someone offers to do your hair, wear local clothes, or eat local food, you may want to consider, first ask yourself whether you're exoticizing their culture and building stereotypes in your head about how it looks and feels, or are you learning something new that you will appreciate and share with others.

Recognize that what you are experiencing may not be daily life in the country or city you are visiting. You may have restricted yourself to the tourist hubs. The food you are coming across may be cooked in many different ways by different people, just like at home. The clothes may be worn because of weather or personality, not just because of tradition, and many youth in that country may be wearing western clothes.

Also consider whether what you are eating or wearing or doing has a religious significance that you may want to understand before any misinterpretations.

Remember to experience the culture you're visiting in it's variety and recognize that it is as modern and as historical as your own.

5. Following instructions

Practice attentive listening and observing. I am sure the readers here already do this, but a reminder never hurt, right?

There are large signs in most places about how you can respect the local culture - no footwear in temples in India; no climbing rocks that the indigenous mark as respectful or dangerous; no approaching wild animals.

Don't know the language, ask your guide or another tourist there.

Still not sure? Err on the side of caution and stay on your side of the fence or follow the trails. Do not venture off as it may damage the local flora, scare the fauna, or it may be a sacred place that should not be affected.

Tip - Research the place you're visiting to understand it's cultural significance in advance.

6. Leave the city cleaner or as clean

Do not leave behind garbage!

In fact, when you camp in the wild, rake the place to leave it as it was before.

Use biodegradable toiletries. You're visiting someone else's home - their city - it may already be suffering from pollution, so try your best to not add to it even if it's a tiny bit more costly for you.

Plus, some places may need you to throw your used toilet paper in a dustbin instead of flushing them down the toilet. Read the sign posted on the toilet doors.

And don't forget to take some time to rest in a public park or at an open festival; lie on the beach by the sea; sit on a mountain, in the desert sand, or by an old fort and listen to the wind; and just breathe it all in! 

4 tips on travelling solo in Asia

In my last post, I talked about my top 5 suggestions for travel in Asia.

This post gives specific tips for how you can visit thiese and other countries that you may not be familiar with, or for which you may need refreshers. Some of this information is similar to my blog post on How to Plan a Trip, but a reminder never hurts!

My tip 3 tips for travelling solo in Asia:

1. Arrange your flights

First things first, you can either arrange a round trip to one destination - which may be cheaper. Or multiple one way trips if you plan a multi-city tour. My best piece of advice for multi-stop trips?

Use Google to find the best days (i.e. cheapest days) to fly on. For that, you will need to use the following phrase "(starting city) to (ending city) flight fare". And, you will only be able to check one flight at a time. But, the savings will be well worth it!

2. Pick your local mode of transportation

After you research your top destinations on Google, Lonely Planet, and Trip Advisor, you try and grab a map from the airport. What's next? How do you get there?

In Hong Kong, I preferred trains, while in India, I felt more comfortable using the app OlaCabs and justdial.com for intercity and intracity transportation.

In some cases, like in Siem Reap, Cambodia, rickshaws are the only available and reasonably priced option, if you have done your research on prices.

Or, you can book a hotel tour, like in Malaysia which helps you see an entire city within a day.

3. Pick your accommodation

Listening to stories of how Couchsurfing is misused in some countries, I preferred the safety of hotels in India, which you can find through goibibo.com or makemytrip.com.

In other countries, you can do what our parents did - ask an agent at the airport for the best area to find hotels, reach there, and ask around for the cleanest room and reasonable prices. But, what if you have heavy backpacks or bulky luggage?

As I wanted to save time, I asked for suggestions from a trustworthy travel agent, or used booking.com for Asian countries outside India. I focused on the ratings, prices, and always reviewed the negative comments. Then selected my best option, and booked it online.

4. Rest-play balance

When I have had a hectic few weeks, I always find I need a week to rest. Otherwise my knee starts cramping, my breath gives away, and I fall prey to the evil cold!

Tune into your body and its signs. If you are travelling solo, listen to what your body wants to eat. In the heat, I prefer salads and curds, or juices. In the cold, I prefer noodle soups, and then of course my body tells me if I want a local delicacy like mango shakes in India, or dumplings in Vietnam.

If you are balancing work with travelling, dedicate a few days to do just that. Or build a routine so you do not feel like you are working more than you are travelling.



For tips on 5 essential items to pack, you can also read my other post. Oh and don't forget to roll your clothes - your body will thank you for it!

How to Plan a Trip

This blog has been a long time coming. I guess it was the perfectionist in me that didn't want to miss any tips for you, and also the possibility I'd be called out if I did!

As I have been providing tips over the past year to close friends and family though, there are some tried and tested checklist items that I can share with you.

I hope you can share your own checklists in the comments section as well for those of us who are embarking on their first, fifth, or tenth trip!

What to think about when planning a trip to an unknown destination:

1. Anything specific you'd like to experience?

If, for example, you are going to the Serengeti, you may want to look at what you may see in different seasons during the safari. Point in case - a wildebeest migration in Tanzania takes place at a different time than one in Kenya. The dry season may have less foliage so animals may be more visible but what kind of animals do you want to see?

On the other hand, are you more into active traveling? Cycling tours, snorkeling and scuba diving, skydiving, hiking and camping? If so, you may want to check out popular routes and see whether you want to be on a well populated hike through the city or are comfortable alone. If so, you will also want to inform others where you will be and when in case of emergencies. 

You could also group different countries together as a package such as some  countries in Asia. Or, if in Europe, stop over in Iceland coz it could be free on Icelandair on the way to the Americas. 

Finally, do you want to visit a place that will soon restrict the numbers of travelers such as Barcelona or Machu Picchu? Or that you've heard may change how its cities are built such as Cuba.

You can use other travel bloggers stories and Lonely Planet guides on Google to help you decide!

2. What kind of weather would you like to travel in?

If you're going to the Sahara desert or Rajasthan in India, summer days may be very hot and winter nights cold. Are you prepared for this? Does the weather matter or can you take some extra clothing and reflective blankets to bake the cold at night in your tent?

3. How much are you willing to spend and what is your luxury threshold?

Can you afford a trip to Antarctica on a ship or would you rather go to Iceland or Alaska on a cruise? Would you prefer to sleep in a tent in a safari camp without fences and hot water or do you want a hotel room with doors and windows?

If you're not on a tour package and don't know anyone you can stay with, book in advance using booking.com. Or you can visit the tourist office at the airport if your landing airport has one. In some situations I wanted to fly by the seat of my pants, and I searched for hostels during my layover, but that is not a guarantee if you're traveling during tourist season and hate surprises! Ergo - booking.com.

The other aspect of finances is related to your flight - Google the reviews for your airlines before booking and Google used to also show the approximate price on different dates in a calendar. Then use a website for flight booking that you're sure will give you a good rate - sometimes it's the airline's website itself. At other times it could be expedia.com or another search site.

4. What are your absolute no-nos?

Where would you feel safe? If it is in your own home and need, let us rephrase the question! How uncomfortable can you accept feeling? 

For me, I am fine with a hostel in countries like Australia or a riyadh or hostel in Morocco, as long as it has no history of bed bugs and I have read reviews about the safety of the neighborhood and the reasonable cleanliness of the rooms (dirt is fine by me depending on how it got there!).

I also looked at how far it was from the attractions I wanted to see and whether I could get there easily, low money, safely.

But, I prefer tents on safari tours and calling excursions of course, and hotels or known family/friend's homes in countries on the African continent and Asian subcontinents. Why? I learned from close friends of a few sour apples in the couchsurfing bunch that are not easy to notice or pick out!

Know your pet peeves!

6. The three landing tips I can't live without!

When I land I look for three main things. It helps to limit the overwhelming anxiety of how to explore a new place, sometimes without knowing the language! - How will I get to where I'm staying? Where can I buy a cell phone sim? Do I have enough money?

The first question about how to get there can be sorted in advance by googling how others travel in the city you will visit and how much it should cost/ how to negotiate/ what do cabs there look like and how to know they are actually valid taxis. In India, the airport may have a country where you can book government taxis. In fact, if you are nervous, you may want to print a sheet of quick language words and phrases you can use right away. Also, print a Google map route to help you feel at ease. But how to get around can also be answered by an airport tourist office and they should have a map of tourist hotspots - double win! Some airports may even have free shuttles that drop you close to where you want to go like in Hong Kong! Still scared - Google cab prices in advance, keep a language sheet, print a route map. 

For the second question about cell phones some airports allow you to buy a sim while for other cities you need to get into the city to find one. A cell phone with data is key - you will be able to Google translate, Google maps, Google restaurants, Google tourist destinations, call emergency lines, get access to lost travel documents you should have scanned and emailed yourself in advance. Do not travel without a phone!

Lastly, don't forget to convert your money at the airport and then mostly in the city at a recognized (cheap) currency rate exchange office. Check out the currency rates on Google in advance to see how much you're willing to lose of the exchange rate isn't fair and how much you need to get to your residence before searching for a local exchange office.

Although this blog does not detail the logistical preparation once you plan your trip and before you land in your chosen destination, some tips for your information - look at insurance based on your age and countries you will be traveling to, do you need to put a hold on your health card, informing your credit cards about your travel stops, finding a credit card that doesn't charge for out-of-country payments, taking an e-copy of travel docs and taking photos of expensive items you are carrying with you, do you need vaccinations and does your current health insurance reimburse you, create a financial plan for your trip, apply for travel visas in time, prepare a comprehensive packing list you will use to buy missing items and forever onwards use for all trips (depending on what's relevant of course on the list), download the apps that you will need such a weather and maps, and create a family/friends whatsapp group to keep in touch and share your daily memoir!

If you have any questions or would like to add some tips, please respond in the comments below!

How to overcome your fear of solo travel

I have decided to start a new "How To" series as a way to respond to many of the questions you have asked me along the way. This is my way of sharing my tips, asking for yours in the comments below, and also a means to support your own travel dreams.

To the moon and back my fellow travelling enthusiasts!

The one question I am asked frequently is whether travelling alone is scary and how do I do it? As I have now travelled to quite a few countries, can safely say my tips are now more informed as I understand your challenges better.

But, I would like to hear from you about whether your have other tips and challenges I may not have considered.

#1. Travel with a group

Okay, let's say that you are just not ready to take on the city by yourself. Preplan a group tour that picks you up and drops you off at your home, hostel, or hotel!

Some tours even arrange for a one night stay at a hotel before your tour.

You get to meet others who may share your interests, visit the places that you would like to, and no worries about getting to and from there.

Great way to start. Just like I did!

#2. Share a room

I find that when I am in a dorm room with other active travellers, I want to explore myself.

Yes, sometimes, I seem to share rooms with travellers who prefer to stay in bed or keep to themselves. But looking outside at the sun and sky and seeing my fellow travellers staying inside is just as much a motivator for me to leave the room!

#3. Your base, your entry strategy

What's that?!!

Well, we may be all gung-ho to start our trip - we got frustrated, we know what we want to see and how, or we booked a group tour. But we are still frightened as woah!

Why? Because we aren't used to living by ourselves and knowing how to get there in a foreign city.

No worries - There are tried and true ways to find accommodation. Canada - Hosteling International; Australia - YHA; Asia - Reviewed hotels; South America - Reviewed hostels! Use booking.com or makemytrip.com to find your accommodation, and before booking look online for negative reviews.

Make sure it has free WiFi, laundry, and a shared kitchen to save you money. And, they sometimes even help you get to their place with an airport pickup.

#4. Get frustrated

When I found it easier to depend on others rather than face my fears travelling solo, I found that my best bet was to get so bored and frustrated that I picked myself off that cozy bed and stepped out into the open.

The reason ranged from the fact that I had spent so much money to get there, or I was hungry, or noone else was available to accompany me but gave me directions to meet them somewhere at a certain time.

Whatever the reason, use your frustrations and plan an exit strategy!

#5. Plan an exit strategy and destination

My favourite exit strategies?

Google - Find which destinations you would love to visit in your tourist city. Does your city map draw you a route from one tourist attraction to another?

Arrange your transportation - Do you need a city pass that you use to pay for public transport? Do you need to get off at certain stops? Or, can you book a cheap taxi ordered straight to your door via a mobile app or your hostel or hotel.

#6. Find your biggest supporters

Who are the people (or person) in your life who support your dreams, no matter how scared they themselves are?

Sometimes it's family, sometimes friends, sometimes coworkers, and sometimes fellow travellers. These are the people who tell you - you are the champion, you got this!

In fact, they get so excited that they even research activities, destinations, and hotels for you to enjoy your trip.

One cheerleader is all you need!

#7. Ready to do it without a plan?

Once you have a bit more experience, book just one day of accommodation. You will realize flights, accommodation, and tours are cheaper found on the go. And sometimes you get the best tips from locals.

Use booking.com for hostels and reviews along the way, flights can be found by googling and choosing the best dates and airline companies, and tours can be found by asking travel desks and tour companies physically located in your vacation destination.

Sometimes friends can be a great resource if they have visited the place or live there, and sometimes Google is your best friend. I mean, I recently booked a 3-day tour the night before I had to leave for it, and I had a great time and learned a lot.


I hope these tips help you as they helped me. Please share your own tips in the comments below, and share this post with others who may find it useful.

Enjoy your trip!!!