Assuming we live for 85 years, we have about 60 years (discounting 15 years at the start and 10 years at the end) during which we have to travel to all the places we want to see before we die. Assuming again that we can take time off work/school an average of 3 times a year, that leaves us with 180 opportunities to travel. That’s not much – just less than 20% of the famous “list of 1000 places to see before you die”. Which means that if you have a travel bucket list and you’re serious about achieving it, you better get off your ass and get going! But society (and self doubt) has a way of nagging at your ear to put that travel bucket list on hold, most of the time indefinitely. Myths about the dangers, cost and selfishness of travel are perpetuated to deter those with less resolve. Here are some of the biggest myths which I will attempt to debunk:

1) No time 

Most working adults have some off day entitlements ranging from 2 to 6 weeks. And yet I’ve heard ‘no time’ for a sorry excuse to not travel many many times. The real problem is not ‘no time’ but not knowing how to use that time to travel when the opportunity presents itself e.g. when you’re suddenly forced to clear leave at the end of the year or when you’re in between projects. During these times, the excuse evolves from ‘no time’ to ‘I don’t know where to go’. Well, here’s how to get around that problem. They say luck is opportunity meets preparation and there is no truer statement in this context. Plan ahead: I keep an excel workbook which contains my travel bucket list with notes on the best month(s) to travel to each place, a 5 year travel plan and brief itineraries for each place. That way, when I suddenly have say 2 weeks in May freed up, I know exactly where to travel. Never let your lack of preparation hold you back on your travel goals.

2) No companion 

Here’s a revelation that my friends will find surprising about me: I like having travel companions and travel solo only when I can’t find anyone to come along with me. Humans are social creatures – we all crave and need companionship, some more than others. But we also have different schedules and life priorities and therefore cannot always be there for one another. Your friends/family members might not be available at the precise period you have to travel or even be interested in where you want to go. Don’t let the priorities of others dictate your’s. If you’ve never traveled solo, now is the time to try. You’ll feel scared, worried, liberated and empowered at the same time – these feelings are all very normal. If you’ve tried it and swear that it’s not for you, reconsider if you spent most of your time when traveling solo wishing your loved ones were there with you. If you did, that was a futile exercise and I implore you to try again. Extroverts may find it harder to travel solo but introverts can all identify with the inner peace and introspection that comes with solitude. Plus you’ll get to meet other solo travelers just like you!

3) No money 

Ah the no money excuse. Yes we can all do with a lot more money but until we find a way to have infinite amounts of money, we need to learn how to allocate the limited resources we have effectively. There are ways to travel cost effectively (see my previous post) and there are ways to save up (consider not buying so many handbags, clothes, tech gadgets etc. and not eating out at expensive restaurants). Some people have the idea of putting off all their travels until retirement when they expect to be sitting on a pile of cash. There are several problems with  this theory. Firstly, how do you know you will live to see retirement? Secondly, if you retire at 65, that leaves you with only 10 – 15 years to travel and there are many things you wouldn’t be able to do or do as comfortably at that age as compared to your younger days. Thirdly, ever heard of inflation? A trip that costs $2000 today will cost 2 to 3 times more later in your lifetime. Simple math.

And remember : It’s always possible to make more money but youth, once lost, is lost forever.

Prologue: Iceland, September 2015: 

It was raining rather hard outside and we were about to leave the cozy confines of the carpark building to walk 45 minutes to the Thrihnukagigur volcano. The walls of the building were lined with bright yellow, oversized raincoats and we were told by our guide to pick one and put it on. Walking in that raincoat would not be pleasant. It would be cumbersome and we would be all sweaty inside.

“We don’t need to wear this; we all have rain gear!”, we protested.

Our guide looked at us and deadpanned “this is Iceland. Nothing but rubber is waterproof.”

Rain jacket basics 

It is true that nothing but rubber is truly waterproof and that’s an important point to keep in mind when deciding on what rain jacket to buy. Almost every brand of rain jacket in the market touts itself as waterproof. Be skeptical, be very skeptical. Remember, nothing but rubber is waterproof. So are you supposed to wear a rubber rain coat for hiking in the rain? No. Because so much of your own sweat will be trapped beneath the rain coat that you might as well have been drenched by the rain (and risk hypothermia).

The aim, when choosing a rain jacket, is to select one that is water-resistant, breathable, lightweight + packable and as I’ve come to learn, durable.

Water-resistance is measured in terms of the water pressure beyond which the jacket will leak. A sufficiently water-resistant rain jacket should have a waterproof rating of at least 10,000mm. If water-resistance determines how much water (rain) is likely to get in, breathability determines now much water (sweat) is likely to get out. Breathability is measured in the amount of water that passes through one square metre over a 24 hour period. This page here discusses waterproof ratings and breathability in greater detail.

A durable rain jacket is one that will retain its water-resistance even after many washes. For years I relied on my Marmot Precip rain jacket to keep me dry but over time the fabric lost its water resistance and left me drenched after hiking in it in a downpour. Thanks buddy. A lightweight jacket goes a long way in reducing the weight on your body as you walk. You’ll also appreciate a jacket that packs really small and takes up little space in your bag. Trust me.

Good to haves: Most people forget about the zips on the jacket but water will leak through zips unless it’s sealed with a waterproof coating. Otherwise you’ll end up dry except with a strip of water down the front. Storm flaps also help to prevent water from leaking through the zips. A hood that extends beyond your face is good for keeping some of the wind-driven rain off your eyes. Pit zips are a very useful feature for venting those sweaty arm pits. Zippered pockets are highly recommended for stashing away your freezing hands and phone/small camera.

Comparison of the Marmot Minimalist and Mountain Hardwear Plasmic Jackets 

I’ve owned (and used) the Mountain Hardwear Plasmic jacket for 2 years now. I got it as a replacement when my old Marmot Precip failed. It’s the one on the right in the picture above. I like it because I’ve not encountered a leak so far even after sustained periods of rain and numerous wash cycles (points for water-resistance and durability!). It is also very lightweight and packable and rolls up into a small bundle the size of a bottle.

What I don’t like is that the zips are not storm-sealed, which means water can leak through the zips although I’ve only encountered that problem when I sprayed the zips with a showerhead. But be prepared for some leakage and a potential wet strip down the front if hiking in this jacket under strong windy and rainy conditions. I also feel sticky with sweat almost half the time I’m wearing it so I don’t think the fabric is all that breathable even though it’s supposed to have good breathability according to the manufacturer specs (15,000).

One thing I really miss about my old Marmot Precip is the storm flap over the zips. I just felt a lot more assured knowing that rain wasn’t going to leak through that way. But I didn’t want to buy another Precip knowing that the material is not durable (makes me feel like a sucker if I did buy!). And so I bought the Marmot Minimalist (left in picture above) which is constructed just like the Precip except with pit zips (hooray!) and with the Gore-Tex Paclite fabric which boasts a whopping waterproof rating of 28,000mm (vs. 20,000mm for the Plasmic) and a breathability of 15,000 (same as the Plasmic). It’s my first Gore-Tex jacket so I’m super excited. It’s heavier and packs bigger than the Plasmic but not much more. I can’t say anything about its breathability yet because I haven’t tested it on the trail but I sure hope that it’ll be better than the Plasmic even though they have the same breathability numbers (will update this post when I return from testing it on the West Highland Way next month!).

 

 

 

A good friend asked me today for advice on traveling cost-effectively so that he can spread out his travel budget over more trips. “Cost-effective” and not “cheap” is the word because you’re on vacation afterall. It’s utterly pointless to make yourself miserable by penny pinching on e.g. food by eating instant noodles and stale bread when you can be enjoying the local cuisine and knocking back a few margaritas. So here are my top tips on how to roll back on the excess and make use of your limited budget more effectively:

Ditch the hotels and embrace the hostels

After the age of 25, we tend to turn our noses up at hostels. Well, think again because many modern hostels are so well managed that they are no different from a cozy B&B. Sure, it’s nice to spend a few days at a luxurious seafront resort but most of the time, you just need a clean, safe and quiet place to crash. Private rooms are available at hostels for a fraction of the cost of a hotel room (Caveat: In my experience, this is true for Europe, US, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Not always true for South America and Asia). The trick is to book way in advance as there are usually only a few private rooms available (the rest being dorm beds). With reviews on Tripadvisor, Google and Facebook, it’s easy to separate the top-end hostels from the dingy ones. Which brings me to my next point.

Always research accommodation, tour providers and airlines before booking 

Researching accommodation, tour providers and airlines before booking allows you to select only businesses you (and others) trust, potentially saving a lot of headache during the trip AND costs due to e.g. vendor defaults, unacceptable lodging situations and airline schedule changes. Sure, there are a lot of “rant posts” on review websites that only reflect the peculiar experience of one individual. The crux is to identify patterns and key messages among the list of reviews in order for you to make your own decision on whether or not a business is to be trusted.

Stretch your mileage 

I enjoy collecting airlines miles on my credit cards and frequent flyer program and enjoy redeeming them to get major savings on my flights even more. But that’s not always the case. You still have to pay airport taxes and surcharges after using your miles to redeem the ticket fare and with airfares at an all time low, sometimes you only end up saving a measly $300 after spending tens of thousands of miles. Use your mileage to redeem flights for which there is a low airport tax to airfare ratio and which still works out to be better off for you financially compared to your next best alternative flight option.

Some people like traveling to places of historical significance. Some people like to spread themselves out under the sun on a private beach. Some like to go anywhere where a hard bargain can be driven and a Tshirt can be gotten for $5. I like to go to places that I read about as an eager geography student in secondary school.

Until 2 years ago, I never knew it was possible to visit Krakatoa. All I learned as a teenager was that Krakatoa was a super volcano that erupted in 1883, killing loads (36,000 according to Wikipedia) and causing the most extensive worldwide climatic change event in modern times. Then I came across an article online (the original article can no longer be found but this is a good alternative) chronicling a 2D1N camping trip on the island. Getting there wasn’t easy. It’s 3 hours drive from central Jakarta to Carita Beach and from there another 3 hour harrowing boat ride on a fast boat to the island. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me! After much cajoling from me, 4 friends agreed to indulge my insanity.

And was it worth it? Damn, it was. Turns out we were going to Anak Krakatoa, literally the “child of Krakatoa” which rose like a phoenix from the depths of the Earth when the original Krakatoa blasted itself apart violently (that’s an understatement), leaving only 3 land masses behind as a reminder of its existence. Here’s Anak Krakatoa:

We went snorkelling right where this picture was taken and were marvelling at tiny bubbles in the water. Turned out they were sulphuric acid bubbles that left painful red gashes on the skin. Yikes!

We were the only campers on the island so it was exactly like having our very own private island (at a bargain I must say!)

Dinner was a sumptuous meal characteristic of Indonesian hospitality. Grilled fish, stir fried veggies, steamed rice, tempeh, cut fruits! I am always amazed at what you can whip up in the wild with some determination.

We hiked up the volcano to catch the sunrise the next morning. The furthest we could go was about 2/3 way up because Anak Krakatoa was at Alert Level 2 which means mama’s not happy and you don’t want to get near the fumes at the top. The view from high was stunning and here you can see 2 pieces of the old Krakatoa:

Later that morning, we packed up and went back the same way we came. The short 2D1N trip felt more like a very compressed week with so much action and sights to take in.

And of course, a very good geography lesson.

How to go: 

Fly to Jakarta and stay overnight. Be up at 4am and drive/be driven 3 hours to Carita beach. Hop on a fast boat and it’s another 3 hours to Anak Krakatoa. There are many tour providers who pick up from Jakarta. We went with these guys who are reasonably priced and know their stuff. But bring your own snorkelling mask.

Whenever I’m asked about the most memorable trip I’ve ever been on, the first and only answer that comes to mind is the National Parks Loop on the Green Tortoise bus that visits Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Arches, Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon National Park plus several off-the-beaten-track gems in 16 days. I will forever remember that grand road trip in the summer of 2007 with a bunch of hippies/crazies from all over the world, some of whom I remain friends with till this day. Here are some photos from that time that speak for themselves: