As a new year begins, it would be interesting to share some valuable lessons that I learnt while travelling, instead of sharing my new year resolutions. You may be able to relate to some of these lessons too. You may also be able to learn a few tips from these lessons when you plan your next trip.

1. Travel Buddy Matters!

2. It's important to plan your itinerary for some countries.

3. Don't trust the weather forecast.

4. It's ok to ask for help.

5. Go with the flow.

I used to say that I was ok to travel with anyone since I am quite easy going and just happy to travel overseas. Most of the time, I would go with the flow, since I have no idea what's happening. After travelling with different types of personality, I have to say the people do matter!

All of us had different personalities and needs when we travelled. All of us do behave differently when we travel - at least a small extent in differences - based on my observation. Some turned bossy, particular to specific details, lazy, etc. It is a side of your travel buddy which you did not see it coming.

Imagine this scenario, both of you just checked in to the room, and he made a massive mess within the first night by having his articles of clothing all over the bed, seats and toilet. Would you be able to tolerate the scene?

Let me tell you; I can't.

If more than 1 person is sharing the bathroom, you jolly well respect the other person by giving him space to put his toiletries and also take out all your dirty laundry after you showered! No one likes to use a filthy washroom. NO ONE! Of course, you could be nice and tell your travel buddy about this, but if he is to say to you, it isn't a big deal as room service is available the next day. Well... you know you can never share a room with this person again that is if you travel together again.

Now, think of this second scenario, both of you planned the itinerary together, which included sight-seeing and leisure time to do some shopping. However, when it was the actual trip, most of the time was spent on shopping. Your buddy spent most of the time window shopping, going to another place of interest to do more shopping, and there wasn't much time available to go to do sight seeing. Obviously, only 1 person enjoyed the trip more than the other.

The above were just some examples. Honestly, anything can be a deal-breaker on a trip. I learnt this one important lesson which is to manage your expectation throughout the trip. Let your friend know that there are places that you have to visit, if he doesn't fancy it, it's best to go separate ways. It's perfectly fine to do different things on the same trip. However, if both of you decides to stick together all the time, you have to work things out. Communication is key.

I learnt this the hard way. I did not know that there are limited train rides to the Narita airport in Japan. I almost missed my flight because I was clueless about it. Japan is one of the countries that you would need to do planning, right to the minute. Their trains arrive and depart on time. If you can't catch a train, sometimes, you would need to wait for hours for the next train, but this is not the worst part. You may need to get another train ticket! You wasted both your time and money. So, it's good to do a little bit of research on each country before you depart.

The weather forecast predicts the weather. I repeat - the weather forecast PREDICTS the weather. It can be quite accurate at most time, but it must not be trusted.

I went to Taiwan in spring 2014; the predicted temperature was around 25 degrees C. However, the temperature dropped to an average of 14 degrees C when I was there. I had to bring along my jacket on most day. I went to Japan during the summer 2018, and guessed what? The temperature fluctuated from 10 degrees C to 22 degrees C. Thank goodness I bought a few pieces of jackets for the trip. I went to South Korea in autumn, the predicted temperature was around 18 degrees C, but you could go out in a tee-shirt and jeans.

Are you now convinced that the weather is unpredictable?

How do you prepare for such an occasion? I always have a jacket and 1 tee shirt in my luggage for all my trips. If the temperature drops, you can just layer. If it gets too warm, you have a tee-shirt. If you don't have a tee-shirt, roll up the sleeves, drink more cold beverages and hide from the sun.

It is especially true when you are lost in a foreign country. Ask a local for help. Language may be a barrier, but you have your phone with you. Use google translate to communicate. Or show him a photo of where you want to go, and use body language to ask for direction. Most of the time, it works.

Alternatively, ask a tourist for help. You are a tourist, and so is he. He may have gone to the place of interest before you, so he may be able to point you in the right direction. Who knows you may find yourself another travel buddy too?

Life happens. You fall sick, and you do not feel like doing any touristy stuff. It's perfectly fine to stay in the comfort of your hotel room and rest. You do not need to force yourself beyond your means. However, you may feel bad for your travel buddies who are with you on the trip. You can give them the assurance that you can take care of yourself and encourage them to have fun! Some other unexpected incidents that may happen during a trip are like roadblocks and protest, know that these incidents are out of your control. If it's a roadblock, it's easy, wait for the traffic to be smooth again. If it's a protest or riots, don't do anything stupid and find a safe place. Your safety is a priority.

Here are the 5 lessons that I have learnt from my travel experiences. Share with me your exciting experiences too!

x, Esther

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