Challenge Pull Out Nov/Dec 2013 - The Travel Issue

NOV/DEC 2013

the challenge pullout The Travel Issue 20 PACK A SUIT WITHOUT WRINKLES Look smart without having to sweat over the ironing.

22 FATIGUE-FREE FLIGHTS Tips to avoid jet lag which can spoil your trip.

24 “OMG, SOMEONE STOLE MY PHONE!” What to do if that happens to you.

26 THE TOUCHDOWN COMEDOWN How to cure your postholiday blues.

Research & writing by Dai J. Y. Edited by Chen Jingting Design & Illustration by Ryan Ong

8 pages to help you

be a travel pro!

The year’s flown by – and chances are, you’ll also be flying off in a jet this month or next. ‘Tis the season for holidays after all. Whether you’re food-hunting on the streets of Hong Kong or exploring the ruins of Myanmar, our eight-page guide will give you the lowdown on everything travel-related from sussing out fake online hotel reviews, taking the best travel photos to how to deal with post-holiday blues – since after all, we all must come back to earth some day. But before that day, here’s wishing you happy holidays.

LITTLE-KNOWN PERKS AT HOTELS The extras that make your stay sweeter.

Sleeping aides Check if the hotel provides ear plugs, eye masks or even a “pillow menu” that lets you select pillows made of different materials or stuffings, free of charge. The Crowne Plaza chain offers special “quiet zone floors” where children and leisure groups are barred.

Phone and other electronic chargers Some rooms in W Hotels’ properties are outfitted with a universal charging station, known as the “Sanctuary Charger”. This nifty device is compatible with over 1,500 devices, including most smartphones, tablet computers and laptops. Plus, the multiple ports let you charge all your gadgets at one go.

Souped-up fitness centres Some hotels are beefing up their exercise facilities to attract the fitness-conscious yuppie. The JW Marriott in Seoul boasts an impressive three-storey fitness centre, which includes an indoor running track, golf range, climbing wall and scuba diving pool.

WORST HOTEL IN THE WORLD – AND PROUD OF IT

“Awesome location!”

“Superb furnishing!”

“Unbelievably posh!”

HOTEL ###

BUS

!

TED

“Best hotel!”

“Love the room!”

“I can see the sea!”

WHAT A FAKE! Does an online review of a hotel sound too good to be true?

It may be if it...

An Amsterdam hostel which targets backpackers warns guests of its horrible facilities that include filthy rooms and non-existent hot water supplies. Its tongue-in-cheek website and promotional materials advise people to use the building’s curtains to dry off after showering (no towels are provided) and boast about how the hostel is “excellent in losing your luggage”. Strangely, guests still flock to the hostel (it has three out of five stars on tripadvisor.com) – maybe they liked the management’s off-kilter sense of humour and the low rates of around S$40 a night for an eight-bed dorm. bit.ly/worsthotel

#01

#02

#03

Glosses over specifics “Great view of the mountains” and “centrallylocated hotel” – these are generic comments that could’ve been taken off the hotel website. A credible review includes specifics of the person’s experience, such as how the concierge staff made his stay more comfortable.

Has too many superlatives If a review gushes about how the place was “extremely posh” and “tremendously comfortable”, take it with a pinch of salt. Genuine reviews tend to be more moderate in their praise.

Be on guard against marketing speak such as “an oasis surrounded by landscaped gardens”.

Was posted just after another glowing review... and another Look at the date and time of the review. If there was a rash of positive reviews being uploaded around the same time – and using suspiciously similar language – your alarm bells should go off.

PACK A SUIT WITHOUT WRINKLES 1

2

lapel

Lay your jacket flat on the table and straighten the front. Make sure the lapels are also folded neatly.

3

Fold in the edges and “arms” of the suit.

5

Flip it over carefully to avoid creasing the front.

4

Fold your trousers into thirds and place it at the top half of your jacket.

SHORTCUTS TO PACKING LIGHT AND SMART

Downsize your toiletry bag Decant your shampoos, gels, lotions and soaps into leak-proof, samplesized bottles. And if you’ll be with your family or a partner, you could consolidate your toiletries to save space.

Choose versatile clothes Pack clothes that you can easily mix and match – it’s best if they all fit a colour scheme, like neutrals such as cream, navy, black and white.

Also, pick clothes that can be easily “repurposed”, like a wrap dress that can be dressed up or down, or a black polo tee that can be worn with shorts or paired with a blazer and jeans.

Pack only what you need If you’re bringing supplements or medication, pick out only the tablets you need and put them into a pill case. Pack no more than a week’s worth of clothes and be prepared to do laundry along the way.

6 Maximise your carry-on luggage Fill up your handbag or backpack with a couple of heavier items such as books, your camera or toiletries (in 100ml bottles, of course). That frees up space in your check-in luggage.

Fold the bottom half of your jacket over the trousers. bit.ly/packasuit

Place the entire package into a zipper bag, sealing it with some air inside to “cushion” your suit against pressure.

Bulk up for the plane ride Wear your bulkiest pair of shoes or jacket onto the plane to save space in your luggage. You can always slip the shoes off and don thick socks to get more comfy.

FATIGUE-FREE FLIGHTS

ON THE PLANE...

Jet lag can kill the first few days of your trip. Here’s how to avoid it.

THREE DAYS BEFORE YOU LEAVE...

12 HOURS BEFORE...

Stop taking coffee. Caffeine dehydrates you and disrupts your sleep cycle. Plus, it intensifies your nerves, increasing any pre-travel anxiety.

Gradually set your bedtime a few hours earlier or later, depending on your destination, so you can ease your body into a new time zone.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.”

THE BEST “NON-TOURISTY” THINGS TO DO IN...

– Saint Augustine of Hippo TRIVIA Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, says...

“I have found that the best way to deal with jet lag is to simply live in the moment. Try not to worry too much about being in a different time zone. On a few occasions this year I’ve ended up going to five countries in three days, facing a packed schedule in each.

I’ve concentrated on having plenty of fun in each destination, and time has flown by.”

PENANG

TOKYO

Malaysia

Check out art. The contemporary arts scene is growing, boosted by the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Visit China House, a lifestyle complex popular with yuppie Penangites.

SEOUL

Japan

South Korea

Get a hair wash at a salon.

The Japanese are known for their intense scalp massages and pampering service – salons would place a piece of gauze over your face so you won’t be splashed by drops of water.

Grab a cup of coffee. The city has a booming cafe scene, populated by the young and the hip. Try a cup of sweet potato latte, found in most major coffee joints.

OTT WAYS TO KILL TIME AT A LAYOVER Duty free shopping? Bo-ring. Try these instead.

Go “omm” with oxygen If you need a detox from the stale air of the airplane cabin, Tokyo’s Narita Airport has an Oxygen Bar. You can suck in the fresh fumes in different “flavours”, including lime and cinnamon.

Tee off Fancy some golf? If you’re transiting at Hong Kong International Airport, there’s the Skycity Nine Eagles Golf Course next to Terminal 2. The nine-hole course is open to all passengers 24/7.

Get soaked ...in a swimming pool. Or a jacuzzi. Take your pick at Dubai International Airport’s G-Force health club. Don’t like either?

There’s a professional in-house masseuse who can give you a good rub down.

Get nip and tucked Check into a nearby hospital or clinic in Seoul for light aesthetic procedures like Botox or fillers.

There is no downtime and the expertise of the doctors means you can check in and out within a matter of hours.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE...

Avoid alcohol, which can worsen jet lag and drink plenty of water – ideally, 250ml for every hour in the air. Try to get some sleep: pack an eye mask and noise-cancelling headphones. Before dozing off, listen to soothing music instead of watching an inflight movie – the light from the TV screen stimulates your brain, keeping you awake longer.

LATER IN THE DAY...

If you touch down in the day, walk around outdoors: the fresh air will invigorate you, and sunlight helps reset your body clock by suppressing the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Try to stay awake till nightfall. You’ll feel better if you consolidate all your sleep at night. If you really must nap during the day, keep it short – less than two hours – and set an alarm.

INDIA

DENMARK As the Danes take punctuality very seriously, call in advance if you’ll be more than five minutes late. Send over a meeting agenda early and cut the small talk as Danes like to get straight to the point. Shake hands with the women first.

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE AROUND THE WORLD

Pressing your palms together and saying “Namaste” shows understanding of the culture. Exchange business cards with your right hand – the left is considered unclean.

Never be confrontational or forceful in negotiations.

MYANMAR Avoid touching anyone, especially on the head, as it is considered the most sacred part of the body. As the Burmese do not have surnames, simply address them by their first name. Even if it contains multiple syllables, don’t shorten it or create a nickname for them.

COSTA RICA Be on time, especially for lunch meetings as Costa Ricans only allow themselves a limited time for mid-day breaks. If you are invited to an associate’s home for dinner, bring a small gift like chocolates or flowers, but never calla lilies as those are reserved for funerals.

STRANGE CUSTOMS AROUND THE WORLD...

Bathroom ban After the wedding ceremony, a newlywed couple among the Tidong people of Northern Borneo is not allowed to bathe, urinate or defecate for three days. It’s believed that this will ensure a long and happy union.

The grape gorge On New Year’s Eve in Spain, people cram 12 grapes into their mouths – one for each stroke of midnight – and try to finish them before the clock stops chiming. If you succeed, it is said you will have good luck in the coming year.

One, two... toss my shoe?

In the Czech Republic, single girls throw one of their shoes over their shoulder towards their front doors on Christmas. If the shoe lands with the toes pointing toward the door, it’s said that she will be married within a year.

Upping the ant-e In the Satere-Mawe tribe in Brazil, a boy is initiated into manhood by placing his hand into a glove full of bullet ants for 10 minutes – the ant has the worst bite among insects.

This excruciating ritual is repeated, sometimes up to 20 times.

PICTURE ME PERFECT How to take great travel photos of yourself and your pals.

MUST-HAVE TRAVEL APPS TO TRANSLATE FOREIGN LANGUAGES Jibbigo. It’s a language translator. You can speak into it, or type out phrases you want translated.

TO RECORD YOUR TRAVELS Trip Journal. It’s like a mobile travel diary that lets you type notes, upload photos and geo-tag places you’ve visited.

TO CREATE PACKING LISTS Packing (+To Do!). You can create a customised packing list on this, as well as check items off so you know how much progress you’ve made in your packing.

Watch the light Avoid photographing people in bright sunlight, especially not with the sun shining in their face – they’ll end up squinting or blinking. Ask them to stand in a shadier spot and use your flash to eliminate shadows.

Get some perspective If you’re taking photos of a mountain, canyon or a large natural feature, include a smaller object, like a tree or person, to give a sense of scale.

Get rid of distractions Pay attention to the edges. If you’re taking a photo of your sashimi platter, you wouldn’t want to see a napkin peeking out at the corner of your shot.

Zoom in or position your camera to cut out distractions.

Details matter Even the lushest and greenest meadow can look boring when photographed. When snapping static landscapes, try to include an element of “action” in your shots – a couple of grazing sheep, or a girl strolling by.

Lose a few kilos – on camera Ask your friend to stand or sit at an angle and rest her hand on her hip or upper thigh to give the illusion of slimmer upper arms. With her eyes trained on the camera, ask her to jut her head out and lower the chin slightly. This gives her face greater definition and lessens the appearance of a double chin.

Go off-centre For more interesting photos, never place your subject right in the middle. Imagine that your photo is divided up into thirds, then place your subject either within the leftor right-hand section, or just at the imaginary “line” that demarcates the start of these sections.

THANKS FOR THE INSTA-MEMORIES From albums to posters, here are three different ways to make your Instagram travel photos last.

Photo albums Printerous (www.printerous.com) lets you design a 10- or 15-page photo album of your Instagram photos with captions. They’ll ship it to Singapore at no extra cost. We love the thick card stock, customisable options (you have a choice of four fonts) and sturdy hardbacked covers.

Poster prints Printstagr.am (yes, that’s the URL) lets you select between 50 and 400 of your Instagram photos to be arranged and printed on a poster.

Photo cards Portagram (www.portagram.com) is a Singapore-based service that prints your photos on 3 by 3-inch cards which come in three different finishes – the standard, made of recycled paper; the classic, which boasts a glossy finish; and “pearl shine”, the most expensive with a silvery finish.

“OMG, SOMEONE STOLE MY PHONE!” And other speed bumps you might have to deal with on your trip.

Problem #2

Problem #3

YOU’VE LOST YOUR SMARTPHONE

SOMEONE IS TAILING YOU

YOUR TAXI DRIVER HAS TAMPERED WITH THE METER

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

If alerting security fails, file a police report.

Use phone tracking apps like “Find my Phone” for iPhone or “Locate my Droid” for Android phones to help wipe out all the sensitive data on your device. But just to be safe, change all your passwords on your email and social media accounts in case the thief got to these via your phone. If it was a work phone, notify your company’s IT department. And don’t forget to inform your mobile service provider so that you’ll be cleared of all phone charges incurred while the phone was lost.

Keep calm and head towards a place with other people – like a nearby cafe or a shopping mall. Ignore him if he calls out to you. Call the local police or the number of a cab company that can pick you up. If your stalker picks up speed, start running and yelling to attract attention. Run up to the nearest house and bang loudly on the door and scream – your follower may be spooked by the attention you’re causing and back off.

This is not the time to be nice – call him out on it immediately. Note down his name and license plate number and threaten to lodge a report with his cab company or the police.

Next time, ask your hotel to recommend a reliable taxi service or always queue at “official” cab stands, which can sometimes be found at airports.

Problem #1

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”– Marcel Proust YOU’VE BEEN (TOURIST) TRAPPED! How to tell you’re stuck in one.

01

There are menus available in English, Chinese, German, French... but not in the native language.

Oh, and they hawk English breakfasts even though you’re like, nowhere near England.

02

Amid the hordes of tourists, the only locals you see are the guys manning the reception and security areas.

03

There’s a souvenir shop selling at least two of the following: keychains, emblemed shot glasses and decorated photo frames.

04

The place is selling itself with big, shouty signs that say “Number One!” or “Best ever” or “World famous!”. You’d know that if they were that good.

Oh no, it’s a trap!

WARNING! PRECIOUS CARGO From the bulky to the easily bruised, here’s how to pack these tricky items into your suitcase.

Carg

o #1

Carg

o #2

Carg

PLAN YOUR LEAVE FOR 2014 If you’re travelling during the below periods, check out these festivals...

o #3

JANUARY Ati-Atihan Festival Philippines, January 10 – 19

SOFT EDIBLES

A BULKY HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

A FRAGILE ITEM

Think fruits like peaches and bananas, cheeses and chocolates. If you bought in bulk, ask the supermarket or store owner if they have spare cardboard boxes around – you could pack your edibles in the box, secure it with duct tape and check it in at the airport.

Think a frying pan. If you can’t ship it back and the item isn’t that fragile, see if you can remove the item from its box, which usually takes up space. Wrap it in foam or bubble wrap, or even some of your clothes to protect it from scratches.

Flatten the box and pack it into your suitcase.

Like a bottle of wine or porcelain plates. Wrap it in bubble wrap or with your clothes – fill any holes with socks or T-shirts before wrapping the whole thing with some sweaters. Place it in the middle of your suitcase and add layers of clothing on top and below until the item has no space to shift around.

Held in honour of the infant Jesus, it’s like a Mardi Gras parade with musicians and dancers thronging the streets.

APRIL Coachella Music Festival US, April 11 – 13 & 18 – 20 A huge music festival that has seen both established names (think Madonna, Rihanna and Kanye West) performing alongside new and upcoming artists.

JULY

THE TOUCHDOWN COMEDOWN It’s that sinking feeling you get when you return after a long holiday. Good news? There’s a cure.

Boryeong Mud Festival South Korea, July 13 – 22 Visitors flock to the town of Boryeong to experience the supposedly healing properties of its mud flats. You can wrestle, slide and even swim in the mud – or just get a relaxing massage.

AUGUST UNPACK IMMEDIATELY The continued sight of your suitcase will remind you of what you came back from, and will make you feel even more depressed.

TAKE IT EASY Don’t volunteer for major projects at work the minute you get back. Take an extra day off to recover from jet lag and settle down before returning to work.

GET OUT INTO THE SUN MORE One reason why we feel great during holidays is that we spend plenty of time outdoors in natural daylight. Prolong the feeling by going on brisk half-hour walks once you’re back.

International Regatta of Bathtubs Belgium, August 15 Bizarre homemade “boats” race each other down the Meuse River – they’re actually bathtubs which are lavishly decorated according to a theme. The 2013 edition’s theme? The ‘80s.

OCTOBER Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta US, October 1 – 12 At this annual festival in the US, over 600 colourful hot air balloons take to the skies, while thousands of onlookers watch and cheer them on. The launch field is the size of 54 football fields put together!