Travel Preparatiion Archives - EbonyTravelers | Tips From The Experienced Traveler

The long trip home to Singapore

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Oct 20, 2021 | 0 comments

I finally made it back to Singapore and my ex-pat life. I left Singapore for one of my routine trips back to the US. However, Covid and the many different guidelines set up by Singapore complicated my return. I hadn’t seen my husband or dog for over a year, and I finally made the long trip home.

Getting there

As an ex-pat, I am not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident. The first process for getting into Singapore is to get approval from the government for entry. Planning the trip home took several attempts as my arrival had to coincide with the dates given by the Singapore government, the availability of flights into Singapore, and the availability of designated stay-at-home quarantine hotels. Once all the pieces aligned, I could finally schedule my long trip home.

Travel options

As a former flight attendant and living in SE Asia for over ten years, I am accustomed to traveling long distances. My first attempt at getting to Singapore had me transiting through Germany. That route was ideal as an established travel lane between Singapore and Germany was established, and travel connections were perfect. As I could not coordinate all the pieces for my travel, I transited through Istanbul, Turkey. This route meant an 11+ flight from Dallas to Turkey, a 9-hour layover, and another 10+ hour flight from Turkey to Singapore.

Travel choice

With 30+ hours of travel ahead and my experience as a traveler, business class on Turkish Airlines was my preferred way to travel. The benefits far outweighed the costs for me. I was particular in this choice because it meant having access to the airline lounge where showers, private suites, meals, and luggage lockers were available. My preference is always to have a stopover as I do not have a tolerance for 18-hour flights. I can only say that a hot shower between trips can make a difference between a good or great travel experience.

For me, travel is more than getting from one destination to another; it is about the travel experience. If you ever must travel long distances, try to make it as pleasant an experience as possible. Investing in your travel experience will make a tremendous difference in long-distance travel. Have you taken long-distance trips? How was your experience? Comment and let me know.

p.s. I made preparations to spend my two weeks of mandatory quarantine at a designated stay-at-home hotel before being allowed to go to my home in Singapore. However, I was permitted to spend my quarantine at home. I will not be able to leave home for seven days and must wear a tracking bracelet. In Sunday’s blog post, I’ll discuss more on the arrival process of getting into Singapore.

Travel preparation

by Donna Hunter, PhD | May 19, 2021 | 0 comments

You can never be too prepared for travel. There are plenty of things to consider before you travel to make your travel experience a much more pleasant one. I discussed a few ways of travel preparation in a prior blog post. Here are a few more ideas to think about before you travel.

Cell coverage

When traveling internationally, mobile phone charges can be an unexpected expense. Remember to turn off cell service roaming before you leave the country to avoid roaming charges. If you try to do this in an international destination, you may be charged for the time trying to complete the effort. Try to arrange for a global cell service plan with your carrier before you leave the country. You can often use a phone for dollars a day rather than dollars a call if you choose an international package for the duration of your time out of the country.

Notify credit card companies

Without prior approval, using your credit card in another country can be problematic. Your card can be flagged for fraud, and you may not be able to use it. To prevent this, notify your credit card company before you travel to avoid the inconvenience and embarrassment of having your credit card declined. Additionally, getting in touch with your credit card company from another country and verifying yourself will be a hassle you can avoid.

Currency exchange

Try to have some local currency before you enter the country. Currency conversion fees can differ where you choose to convert your money. Also, converting before you leave on your trip will give you an idea of the exchange rate, so you know before you go. If you plan to take local transportation, having local currency can be helpful. Knowing and understanding foreign currency also prevents you from being taken advantage of as an unaware tourist.

ATM fees

Using an ATM in a different country can be expensive with built-in foreign conversion fees and daily changing exchange rates. Research what bank or system your bank card or credit card is affiliated with before you go so you can avoid unnecessary expenses.

Carry small currency

Having local or foreign currency in small denominations can be a lifesaver when you arrive at an international destination. Some businesses and people will prefer the US or other foreign currency rather due to instability with their currency. It is also safer to have cash in small denominations than trying to get the correct change back in your own or foreign currency.

Have you had any unexpected hiccups with forgetting to plan for international travel? I’d like to know.

5 Covid friendly hotel stay tips.

by Donna Hunter PhD | Dec 16, 2020 | 0 comments

Having flown as a career for over 20 years I have stayed in many hotel rooms and so the experience has taught me a lot about what to look out for in terms of cleanliness.

1. Check the hotel sheets. No one wants to sleep on possible dirty covid sheets. I can’t tell you how many different times I have gone into a hotel room just dying to shower and get into bed and found that the sheets have not been changed. If you do this when you first get into the hotel room, there is plenty of opportunity for the hotel to fix the issue before you are ready to go to bed.

2. Make sure the sheets are visibly dirty before you check out of the hotel and prevent any possible Covid spread. I think it’s just a matter of kindness to the next guest and just plain hygienic. Don’t feel bad as the hotel should automatically be doing this anyhow. I always wiped the bottom of my shoe across the sheets before I checked out.

3.Place a face towel or hand towel on the bathroom counter to place all your items on. Especially in this time of covid you do not want to transfer any germs to your face or hands. It’s also a visual reminder of anything placed on the counter and it helps in not forgetting items like jewelry in the bathroom.

4. Take an extra washcloth and wipe the toilet seats down. I think we all assume that the hotel room has been cleaned thoroughly but my experience has shown that the toilet seat is often overlooked.

5. Treat hotel room floors like airplane bathrooms and never assume it’s just water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed through hotel corridors and seen the remains of a hotel room party gone wild. Let’s face it, the hotel does not have the manpower or capability to thoroughly clean hotel room floors, nor do they often have time between checkouts. Covid can be easily spread through bodily fluids.

I hope my tips have been helpful, check back in for more of my lived travel experience.

5 must have items that stay in my carry-on.

by Donna Hunter PhD | Dec 10, 2020 | 0 comments

As an avid world traveler who has done this both professionally and personally, my carry-on is always semi-packed. Here are my tips and advice on the 5 items I consider must-haves and should always be in my carry on.

1. A lingerie organizer bag (details on another blog post). The one I use has two sides, one for clean underwear and the other for dirty. You never want to get them confused!

2. An electronic organizer bag (blog post coming). With people being so connected it is so inconvenient to lose connectivity and most hotels do not provide enough power outlets for the technology we use in our daily lives.

3. A toothbrush which in my opinion is even more needed than the electronic organizer. Many people pack this in their suitcase but with the chances of your luggage being lost, I like to always have this at hand.

4. A medicine bag with items like Tums, ibuprofen, cold medicine, etc. I tend to also have eye masks, face masks, prescription medications, band-aids, Neosporin, alcohol pads, and such (more on another post).

5. Finally I always have a small makeup bag with the basics like mascara, lip moisturizer, lipstick, makeup remover cloths, toner, and face moisturizer. These are always found at beauty supply stores and pharmacies in travel sizes.

You make have other priorities for your carry-on. If so, what are they? I’d love to find out.