As travel addicts, we are often prone to suffering from financial crisis. And we like having all the fun our tourist destinations to offer so we try to cut on the logistics. Often it means preferring cheaper flights over the more comfortable ones. And so we decided to look for cheap flights to New York when we traveled there. The one we took had a five and a half hour layover at Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London.
Now we know that, like most normal people, you hate layovers, but we love them – they provide such an easy opportunity to have some fun. There are of course several ways to survive these long layovers. You can just pick the book you had brought specifically for times like these and start reading or write something (we always carry our notebooks with us, though you can use mobile handsets we are old fashioned that way) – of course both reading and writing might be difficult in thenoisy environment of the airport but once you get used to noise you can focus much more easily. Or you can play some mobile game or you can just start listening to music on your headphones. You can just catch up on your sleep (of course you must make sure not to lose your luggage). You can also just Google about your destination or about anything else. Some airports also have fitness centers which let you exercise (if that is your thing, we recommend only doing relaxing and light exercises) or you can use a combination of all these things ….. but those are the kind of things you can do at home too. Right? I mean we were in London. That is L. O. N. D. O. N. We wanted to spend our time doing something that can only be done in London – having a real adventure in London.
We would have left the airport and tried some local restaurants but then you have to go through the whole security procedure once again on return in time to make sure you have completed the procedure and are in your seat in good time. We hate security procedures. And with such a fast ticking clock, we decided all in all it won’t be worth it. So we did the next best thing we could.
Now as you know how we love connecting to new people – especially people from other countries and other cultures.At Heathrow Airport, we made friends with an English family. We were introduced to the family by their little girl, Suzanne. The eight-year-old won our affection with her smile. And we just couldn’t help talking to her. She was so innocent and well mannered that we couldn’t be congratulating her parents for raising her so well. They thanked us and asked us a few questions. Next thing we know we were chit-chatting while sipping on our coffee. They are a lovely couple, finishing each other’s sentences and all. We ended up making friends with them and clicking several snaps – a perfect Instagram story you know. We shared several stories with each other. They told us about their love story, about what fund they had when they were together in college etc while we shared our travel adventures with them. Unfortunately, they were traveling in a different class so we had to separate when it was finally time to board. We were actually disheartened when we got the boarding call. We took our leave kissing Suzzane on her cheek. We just love layovers.
Travel Blogging is made out to be such a glamorous job and we constantly get emails asking us what it is like and how can people set up their own travel blog. What people don’t understand is the work that goes behind keeping up a travel blog. It may not be a regular 9 to 5 job but it still requires a lot of hard work and working all the time whether it is weekend or holidays. So this post is to let you guys take a peek behind the curtain and let you see what each day is like in the life of a travel blogger.
Our day begins at 7-7:30
Though we aren’t much of morning people unless there’s an agenda like catching a beautiful sunset or an early flight. But the day does star with a short walk and a cup of tea or coffee afterwards. This is also the time when we check our schedule for the day or sometimes the coming week. It includes the daily social media content we must put up among other things like the places to visit that day, some basic details about the travel plans.
We plan the trip and have all the details regarding it saved. It becomes necessary to glance it over early in the morning to get a fair idea of how the day would pan out for us.
Social Media Plan
Being a Travel blogger requires one to have an impactful and consistent social media presence and while we do take pictures on the go and do live tweeting, it is still essential to plan out certain things in advance. Some posts are scheduled in case there is weak wifi connectivity where we are travelling. Whether it is India or travelling abroad, sometimes it gets hard to find internet connectivity except for in the hotel, so we keep a social media plan in hand.
This includes posts and pictures about our previous trips, some basic guides about the place we are travelling to and when there is internet available, live updates as well as personal experience write-ups. Though we prefer to write these things at night, we type out certain memorable instances on the go along with pictures so it jogs our memory when we actually start to write.
Our social media plan is also planned beforehand in the same way as our travels. And the bulletin is scheduled keeping in mind the destinations of our travel. It is really helpful but we also keep updating it according to circumstance, keeping it flexible.
Working on the go
That’s one of the things about being a travel blogger. You have to learn how to work on the go. This doesn’t require much of internet connection unless we need to research something. Otherwise, basic document software works fine for preparing the posts. Though we do live in the moment and enjoy the travels, the thought of how to present a particular place is always in the back of our mind. Preparing a blog post is not as easy as it sounds and more often than not requires research to be done, thorough knowledge and a unique style is needed to make the blog stand out from all others.
Real Time Travel:
No matter what it looks like, work isn’t ALL we do. That is why travel blogging is fun because you also get to travel to amazing places and know the stories related to that place. Being in the moment, doing things that fill you with adrenaline on one hand and peace, on the other hand, is worth it. We leave the real travelling and visiting places part for the afternoon because of perfect lighting and the day just keeps us refreshed. Meanwhile, as we work and travel, it is almost time for sunset. And that isn’t something we s travellers ever want to miss.
Meetings on the go:
Checking up on our family, friends as well as responding to emails, messages and blog comments, it is all done during the travel. We generally find a secluded coffee shop or any nice quiet space to deal with all that. This is also the perfect time to reach out to people. We generally find evenings more comfortable to have a cup of tea with locals and get chatty. It also is a great time to visit heritage places or beaches.
Night
Night time is perfect for two things depending on the place you have been travelling to. If it is a serene place, we like to go for a long walk beneath the starry sky and if it is more of a modern place with a good nightlife, then, clubbing and going out for drinks comes on the agenda. Night time can often be just as good to have a full experience of place and absorbing its beauty as daytime. We are kind of night owls so instead of spending the time recuperating in our hotel rooms, we prefer to roam around.
An Hour before sleep
Usually, by this time, we are already exhausted and ready to get cosy in bed. But before we fall asleep, we check if there is anything left on our checklists, something we forgot to do or any urgent proposal to consider. It is also the time to process and post any pictures we found intriguing. If we didn’t get time to write or work during the day because of some reason, we finish it up before sleeping which can be hard because of exhaustion but one has to fight it.
So that is all. That shows you how we live our lives while on the move, managing travelling and blogging at the same time. But when we aren’t travelling and are back home, we relax and spend time with our families and friends, try to indulge in other things like catching up on books or TV shows or do our favourite thing- plan for our next travel adventures.
For a Trekker, Monsoons are no excuse and there is a different kind of joy in enjoying the beautiful sceneries and lush grass with water droplets accumulated on them. Rain just makes even the normal places look beautiful. But trekking in Monsoon requires a lot of care and thus I present a list of Tips that every trekker who wishes to go on a Monsoon Trek should know.
Proper footwear is a must
Invest in some good shoes that have a strong grip and are comfortable. It is a one-time investment in some branded shoes that prevents you from slipping or falling. Rain makes the ground slippery, so proper footwear is essential to a monsoon trek. You must wear shoes with lugged outsoles that provide good ventilation. The off-road mud terrain inspired shoes would help you walk even on slippery surfaces and the mud won’t easily gather beneath it.
Rain coat and poncho
An umbrella on a trek is useless. It just ties up one of your hands and is harder to handle with the winds continuously tugging at it. Go for a raincoat and a poncho to protect yourself from the rain. Either go for a two piece rain coat or a poncho for ease.
Wear the right clothes
You would want to avoid wearing denim or cotton clothes as it tends to get heavy after getting wet. Wear a full sleeves shirt, to avoid sunburns, mosquito bites, thorns etc and quick drying trekking pants. Avoid wearing shorts because a slip in shorts would give you frayed skin and pants or trousers provide more protection.
Take care of your feet
It is essential for a trekker to take good care of his feet, especially during monsoon treks. Keep your feet dry and take off your shoes and socks at any rest stop where you will stay for more than 20 minutes. Change socks at least once every day. Apply Vaseline to your feet at night before sleeping.
Follow existing trails
Sometimes trekking trails become prominent over time. Walk only on existing trails and do not stray from the path. It is easier to get lost and these permanent trails are safe. You never know which path would be slippery or dangerous.
Pack outside
Opening your backpack again and again during the trek for things like water, snacks and other essentials can get the moisture to fall inside the bag and that you will have to carry with you. Instead, pack things in outside pockets so they are handy and your bag doesn’t get wet.
Water
Humidity makes you thirstier, so it is better to carry extra water or a water supply source like a water filter that will turn a non-potent water source to a potent water source.
Some additional tips:
(a) If you wear specs, wear a baseball cap to avoid water from falling on it.
(b) Take extra care of your electronic items and it is better to carry phones and GPS with a keypad instead of touch screen. The touch screen doesn’t work when it is wet. So either use keypad gadgets or carry micro fibre rags with you.
(c) Even in rain, you have chances of getting a sunburn, so don’t forget to carry sunblock with you.
(d) Monsoon tends to attract mosquitoes. It is advisable to carry mosquito repellent or mosquito nets.
And that’s all. Stay safe while trekking during the monsoon and enjoy the trails. Monsoon is the best time to trek, with great temperature and landscapes at their greenest and freshest point. Just take good care.
Rani, a homely girl, of Vikas Bahl’s award-winning movie ‘Queen’ finds self-confidence and independence, which reflect how character building solo travel for women.
Solo Women travelers are the new hot trend as women have grown more career-oriented, they have found financial independence, thus having money to go traveling and there is nothing so good as traveling when one wishes to feel the liberation. Moreover, housewives are coming out of domestic lives more often now and going a-traveling. Two-thirds of the world’s tourists these days are women travelers. The technology (such as the internet, hotel booking sites, internet banking, and Google maps) and financial independence have encouraged women to backpack and travel alone.
The biggest consideration for Women aspiring to travel alone is still, unfortunately, their own safety. They still have to deal with evils of eve-tease and other sexual crimes. It is no wonder that websites giving tips to solo female travelers are full of tips on how to deal with sexual predators, but women are willing to fight these evils rather than just give in to their fear.
Some tips for women wishing to travel alone:
1. Choose a safe destination. Some of the destinations considered safe within India are Shimla, Nainital, Varanasi, Khajuraho, Pondicherry, Rishikesh, Sikkim, Udaipur, Goa, Kaziranga, Sikkim, Ladakh, Hampi, Pondicherry, Mysore etc.
2. Plan your accommodation for nights in advance – particularly the first night as you will be tired from traveling and in a new place. You may want to reach you’re the place of your accommodation and time to change it if needed while there is still daylight.
3. Travel light. Have a light adjustable backpack while traveling. Carry only as much as you can on your shoulders – you may not always find someone to carry your luggage for you and remember your bag will be heavier on your way back with things you buy during your journey. Cut on makeup and other accessories you can do without and focus on what is necessary while packing.
4. The bags that have to be out-of-sight (while on the bus, or which you will leave behind in the hotel), should be lockable. The locks should preferably be combination locks so that you don’t have to run the risk of losing your key.
5. Pack paper soaps and sanitary napkin just in case the same aren’t available around places of your stay.
6. Protect your money and financial and identity documents. Preferably keep them in a cross-body strap bags – since they can’t be nicked in a grab-and-run. Always keep this bag with yourself. Have photocopies of same with a friend or relative back home.
7. Make sure your mobile batteries are charged enough all the time. Consider having a power bank.
8. Prefer using registered taxies
9. If you are lost, enter a crowded restaurant or café and ask for directions with confidence.
10. Most importantly, remember to have fun.
We often plan Solo trip for Women. Have Query related to Solo Travel for Females? You can reach out to us at ghoomophirosisters@gmail.com
Being a travel blogger requires one to be organized and have a schedule ready for everything. Be it our social media content, blog posts, everything works according to a calendar. So amidst all these, there’ an even more important calendar that has to be managed right and that is the travel calendar which basically means when will we be travelling where. And the planning goes on not just for the next month or week but the whole year, including all the places we want to go. Planning this travel calendar is in fact, the most important thing a travel blogger has to, before we set off on the road, living like nomads and experiencing the world and its beauty. In this post, we will share some tips on how to plan your travel calendar.
What’s your budget like?
Everyone knows that you can’t start travelling without money (except for the freebie trips, but you don’t want that to take up your entire schedule). So one has to look at the finances first and foremost. You might want to start checking off places from your wish list, but that is not always easy. Start with an overall travel budget that you have and then decide on domestic and international trips. We usually spend 50% of our total earnings on travelling because it is our passion and so the budgeting depends entirely upon your earnings and what part of it you wish to spend on travel. Travel blogging is a business so for us, investing this money into travel is the right thing to do.
Travel off-season and save huge bucks
Planning offseason travels has its own perks. Not only the flights and accommodation are cheaper, but you would get great service, less crowded places and would be able to enjoy the place in its entirety. It’s hard to take in the beauty of a place with too many tourists cramming up. One doesn’t even get a chance to click a good photograph. And almost all places have a peak season and an offseason. So travelling to places like Croatia or Sikkim during the off-season can be just as good as during peak season. So, start by making a list of the places that you can afford to travel to and then arrange them according to their offseasons on your calendar.
The Bucket list Travel
Everyone has a list of travel destinations that he/she wishes to visit. While planning for your travel calendar, include at least one of those bucket list places, whatever fits under your budget. Another option is if you get a FAM trip offer for a place already on your bucket list. That works out great. No matter how many destinations you cross off, of course, there’ll always be more added to it.
Travel to attend festivals and events
There are some festivals and experiences that one needs to see with their own eyes to enjoy it. And in India, especially, there are a lot of festivals going on in a lot of places. Figure out which festivals you are keen to attend and plan travels accordingly beforehand. Like we loved the Rang Mahotsav in Kutch, it is a sight to behold. There are many such international events as well that one can plan for. These festivals not only give you a unique experience but also help in generating great content for blogging.
Travel for business
As a travel blogger, networking is very important. So often, we choose to plan some of our travels to enhance that. If there are some travel events going on around the world, we will try to see if we can make it there. It is more like an investment than expenditure like that to learn more about travel blogging. It’s all about quality at that point. You have to decide whether that event will help you generate more business. So think carefully about investing in these trips and always keep an eye out if one is happening near you.
The FAM Trip travels
FAM trips are the ultimate dream of travel influencers. SO it is good to have as many sponsored trips as possible. FAM trips make it possible for you to constantly be on the road and be recognized for the work that you do. But still, one has to be picky about which trips to take and what kind of work you CAN do, because, in the basest sense, they are work trips. It’s better to be travelling because of an assignment or a campaign than a FAM trip. But if you already have some offers, remember to add them accordingly In your travel calendar. And also leave some gaps in your usual travelling routine to adjust some of FAM trips if one suddenly arises. Because who doesn’t like free trips?
Travel in your own city
Sometimes we are so hell-bent on going and exploring the world that we forget to look closer. Often when we are either running low on budget or just have no motivation for long distance travel but still want to explore, we travel in and around our own city and often come across spots and places we haven’t seen yet. These journeys are quite ideal and necessary as well.
Travel to escape
In the end, when you’re done planning all your travels, do keep a couple random days off as holidays for yourself. Just because we are travel bloggers, sometimes too much travel turns out to be mainly work-oriented so one needs some time off to just stop with the work and let loose. That’s the time to skip social media, leave the camera at home, no more thinking about posing, sharing and interacting with people. It’s a normal weekend getaway, or longer if need be to spend time in solace.
So, that’s it, folks. Plan your travel calendar wisely. Make good decisions, plan months ahead, pack light and travel the world.
The trans-Himalayan feel that grips you as you travel across this remote mountain desert is somehow halted when you see the ecosystem being damaged by irresponsible tourists who give more importance to their own comfort and luxury than to the fragile place and the locals.
Though Ladakh is now connected by flights, it is still hard to find internet, running water here. It is a desert area of extremely hot or cold temperatures and as such, one needs to take certain measure while traveling in Ladakh.
Eco-footprint
Instead of choosing to travel in your private car, choose to ride in public transport or taxi, sharing stories with fellow travellers. Yes, it is the easy option to have your private car, and if you do choose that option, be nice enough to help locals or hitchhikers. After all, the journey is the most important part of travel, as if drive amidst the snow-hooded mountains and beautiful roads. Ladakh is one of the safe places in India, where you can hitchhike without worrying about your safety.
Water
People seem to forget that Ladakh is, in fact, a desert and most of its drinkable water come from melted glaciers. Water conservation is one of Ladakh’s higher priorities and travellers who expect fresh running water all the time and flash-style western toilets would be disappointed. Learn to settle for buckets of water for bathing. And take fewer baths if you can. The idea of dry composting toilets may seem unusual to a first-time visitor but it is hygienic.
With the increase in tourism in Ladakh and higher demand for water, the glaciers are melting away fast, making it more troublesome for the place to keep up with its water needs.
Plastic Land
There is nothing worse than going to a beautiful lakeside and seeing plastic bottles or Chips wrappers spread around the place tarnishing its beauty. The litter that takes away the beauty of the hillsides is turning this hill station into a garbage dumpster like so many others as well. It is better to practice recycling and taking the non-biodegradable trash back with you. Use a single plastic bottle that you can refill instead of buying new ones and laying waste to the previous one. The easiest thing you can do is carry a small trash bag with you. Don’t ruin the natural beauty of the place with your garbage. The usual thinking is that one little wrapper wouldn’t hurt much but the truth is that the single wrapper by countless other tourists is what in the end ruins a good spot.
Run havoc
We had been warned by the locals about the obnoxious tourists who play loud music by the lakeside and run havoc after getting drunk. We were shocked to hear of such an instance. So instead of being a nuisance to the locals and other travellers, try peacefully enjoying the scenery and let others enjoy it as well. Try the local food and flavours and befriend the people instead of shoving your camera everywhere and being choosy about your meals.
In the end, if you are using a travel company for your trip to Ladakh, research on how much they care about Ladakh’s ecosystem. What methods they have of recycling waste and water conservation, how much they support the traditional way of living.
Prefer the home-bred organizations for stay or eco-camps that use solar cells and leave a lesser carbon footprint. Try to let go of your luxurious urban lifestyle and go all organic and traditional. It will be a memorable experience and you will feel good about yourself afterwards.
For travelers, there are many options available for carrying money internationally. It may be in the form of cash or debit and credit cards, traveler’s cheque, and prepaid cards. We are here to discuss how to minimize your spending by adopting better conversion practice. Even avid international travelers find currency exchange to be a pain. And even the best of us are sometimes unable to do the math right. When you see your hard-earned money getting deducted by transaction fees and bank charges, it is a problem.
Say no to Airport conversion.
NEVER exchange currencies on Airport outlets unless it is an emergency and you desperately need money for visa fees or cab fare, in which case, convert only the amount you immediately need. These outlets charge the highest exchange rate and you lose a lot of money.
How much cash do you need?
Get a vague idea of how much money you will need for the whole trip and carry only 30% of the amount in the currency of the country you are visiting with you. The rest of the amount can be withdrawn from ATMs, you can use credit or debit cards or load up your Forex travel card.
Compare exchange rates
There are sites like extratravelmoney.com that let you compare exchange rates quoted by authorized money changers. This will give you a fair idea of what to expect so you won’t be cheated into a higher rate.
Forex card over Debit card
Your debit card contains the currency of your home country and when you withdraw from an ATM overseas, it gives you money in the foreign currency after deducting currency conversion markup up to 5 percent as well as bank charges of 3.5 %. On the other hand, Forex travel cards contain money in the local currency so you won’t have to pay any additional charges.
All you need to know about Forex Card
You can get a Forex card from your bank by paying a fixed price but make sure that your Forex dealer is authorized. Always keep a spare card with you and while some dealers won’t charge for a spare card, you should pay minimal fees if they require it. Just to be on the safe side.
Avoid traveler’s cheques
These were the old Forex cards but have become outdated in today’s age. Most overseas banks charge 4-5% commission on en-cashing these cheques. Better to stick with the cash you brought with you and your Forex card.
Better exchange rates:
It is better to plan ahead and convert your money a few days before your trip. Wait to see if the exchange rates are dropping or rising and buy at the right time to avoid any losses. And keep it simple. It is good to carry a little amount in US dollars since it is accepted in many countries and is a strong currency but doesn’t convert all your money into one currency. Keep in mind the place you are traveling and act accordingly.
The credit card is your friend
For international shopping or any heavy spending, use your international credit card. They give you a better exchange rate and are reliable even in a foreign country. You don’t have to worry about carrying too much cash on the person. Plus many credit cards offer additional benefits that might come in handy.
And that is all. Hopefully, your currency exchange problems will be a little resolved after reading this. Some additional tips for you are: Don’t count your money in public, stay away from black markets and use currency converter apps to know the latest rate and the exact conversion.
We had already shared a blog about how to save money with appropriate financial planning to achieve your Travelling goals, so this post would be different. Here, we’ll tell you how to get good value out of the money you spend on your travel. It won’t be about saving money and getting to travel more, but getting more value for the money you spend.
Choosing the right month to travel to a destination:
Suppose you end up travelling to Mumbai in the month of April. Mumbai is a terrible place to be in April since you would be sweating all over. It is incredibly hot and there would no festivals or special occasions for you to see. You would spend the same amount of money as you would in any other month but deprive yourself of all value and enjoyment. But visiting Mumbai during the Hindu Festivity season- Janmashtami or Ganpati Visarjan would show you a completely different side of the city. The weather would also be better. So, planning the Mumbai trip for the months of August and September would be preferable. You can also plan the trip for February and enjoy the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. The main highlight is that you get to experience all these festivals free of cost and protect yourself from the April heat and humidity. The same goes for other cities as well, visiting Allahabad during Kumbh Mela and Munich at the time of Oktoberfest would make more sense and give you more value for money. The main trick is to keep yourself aware of these festivals and plan. We are already planning to travel during some of the festivals this year.
Do your Research. No matter what one says:
Though we consider ourselves to be somewhat impulsive travellers, landing in a place first and then letting the city reveal itself to us, we have started changing that approach for some obvious reasons. Going to a new place without having any idea about it might make you waste precious time and money while you also get to see lesser places, simply because you didn’t know what places there are to see and where. So, while travelling to a new place now, we research the top attractions, some off-beat places and then decide what we want to see, which is often a mixture of both. It has happened that we have been unable to see a spot or simply walked by it, just because of lack of knowledge. Well, we learn from our mistakes and so if we are spending the same amount of money travelling to a place, we might as well see as much of it as possible and that is only possible if we do the research beforehand.
Making the best out of the travelling experience:
Who among us, has not at some point gotten stuck into an unavoidable trip? Whether it is for a wedding, visiting relatives, work trip, heading off to an interview in a different state or something else, one can always make the best out of an experience. When we were forced to attend a boring wedding in Udaipur, we made the best of it by slipping out at intervals and visiting the city. We went to see the Kumbhalgarh Fort which was just nearby. It had the world’s second largest wall.
Similarly, occasionally we would plan a family vacation to nearby places when nothing big was happening work-wise, to fulfil our travelling desires and make incredible memories with our loved ones as well. Their chosen destinations always turned out to be some religious place, but we always found something that was of interest to us by doing some research beforehand. See, second tip helping with this one. The combined experience trip can be helpful to people working in the corporate sector. If work is taking you to a lot of places, might as well make the best of it. Since we live in Delhi, we took occasional short trips to Nainital, nearby hill stations and road trips to Mussorie, Kasauli, Shimla etc. They were the perfect getaways and there was always so much to see.
Compare. Compare. Compare!
The trick to cheap and quality travelling is to always compare. There are many websites that compare flight prices and similarly with hotels. So, if you can get a decent room at a lower price, then why pay more for it? This trick comes in handy when you decide on where to eat at the destination. A popular eating joint or fancy restaurant would often charge more for similar food. If it is a rare delicacy then, we didn’t mind paying more. But for common food, often ambience ends up costing more than the food even if the taste is nothing to brag about. On our trip to Leh, we saw the difference in the price ranges of common dishes like Thukpa, Tingmo and even Masala Dosa at different places. Many restaurants served similar-tasting Tibetan food at different prices. We often just had our lunch by eating local cuisines at street joints. They often give you the best taste at the lowest price and save you a lot of time which would be lost in a sit-down meal at a proper restaurant. Sometimes we do spend lavishly on food if we wish to try out a restaurant that has been raved about, but mostly for dinner.
Insurance is quite important.
Imagine a scenario of having a health issue in a foreign country and having to pay huge medical bills in pounds and dollars. That is the worst-case scenario that you must protect yourself from by getting life insurance beforehand. We are often travelling to high altitude places or foreign countries which increase the risk of getting sick. I specifically have low immunity to diseases and often keep getting sick and as a freelancer and travel blogger who doesn’t earn a lot, I understood the importance of life insurance and health insurance. The insurance should also be bought from a trustworthy brand after using online tools such as Human Life Value Calculator. That is basically just a tool to help one ascertain the Human Life Value to be able to get adequate Life Cover. You can use it free of cost online as it will help in choosing the right policy. Better to be cautious beforehand than to see yourself stuck in an unforeseen circumstance later.
About Aegon Life
Launched in July 2008 with pan-India operations, Aegon Life Insurance Company Limited has a vision to be the most recommended new age life insurance company. As a joint venture between Aegon – world’s leading financial services and Bennett, Coleman & Company – India’s leading media house, Aegon Life Insurance adopts the power of global expertise to facilitate a direct to customer approach, leveraging digital platforms to bring transparent solutions, and to prioritize customer’s needs. Our product portfolio includes term life insurance plan, pension plans, unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs), health insurance plans, child education plans, and more.
Traveling solo is the most liberating and incredible experience that one can have. It feels you with so much self-confidence and you feel empowered. But the only con is that you have to tackle everything on your own. From finding the travel destination to making plans and solving any problem along the way, the only person you can truly depend on is you. This needs a lot of guts but one can always balance courage with smartness. That is why we the #ghoomophirosisters bring you tips that will help you in your solo travelling adventure. These tips include everything from budgeting tips, packing tips etc
Before you leave:
Start saving up: Instead of having the constant burden of knowing you’ll have to catch up financially after your trip, save up beforehand and create a budget. It is so much better to know that your trip is all paid up. And creating a budget is very important. Decide your travel destination and then plan accordingly. See what’s your biggest expense, transportation or accommodation. Book in advance and allot money to shopping, carrying along money, travel insurance, food and casual expenses. But also keep a limit for how much you want to spend on the trip totally and try not to go over budget. It is okay to carry your credit card and pay with it but don’t go overboard on the trip and then get crushed under debt.
Destination: Whether you are traveling to your dream destination or still searching for where you want to go, it is better to research the place and then make your plans accordingly. Search for solo-travel friendly accommodations like Bed & Breakfasts or small inns. If it is your first solo trip, do not go somewhere overcrowded or a very popular place. You might get overwhelmed and want to do a lot of things, most of which you’ll end up rushing through. Instead, choose a low key place that has many day excursions but also leaves you time to interact with the locals.
Packing: This is the most important part because you don’t want o pack a lot of things but forgetting important things can also be a hassle. Packing light can help you a lot since you wouldn’t have to wait in long queues at the airport and it leaves you more mobile. Do not carry things you never use thinking that you might need them sometime because you won’t. Just get the essentials: Travel paperwork, important documents, credit card and cash, the gadgets that you definitely require, personal items and toiletries, small first aid kit, clothes. Pack only pack-worthy things that are multipurpose and not only for one-time use. It is better to travel with a backpack instead of a suitcase but it all depends on how long you will be traveling for and where. And instead of packing bulky things, wear them while on the flight.
On reaching your destination:
Depend on people: Guidebooks may be handy but nothing beats real-time experience. Talk to locals and stay low-key. Observe how people are behaving and try to fit in. Don’t be too afraid to ask for help or talk to people. The first time travel can be a scary or confusing experience but as long as you smile and treat people politely, there will be many people willing to help you out. And solo travels are best for making friends. People make the best memories more than places do. Just because you are traveling alone does not mean you have to be lonely. Be curious and learn a few words in local languages. Visit coffee shops and explore off beaten paths. You might come across other travelers like yourself.
Check-in: It is essential that you leave an itinerary of our travels with your family back home and to connect with them from time to time. It will not only keep you less lonely but is also essential for your safety. Also if you are leaving the hotel, might as well let someone on the front counter know where you are heading and ask them about the place.
Go out of your comfort zone: If you are traveling solo, learn to say yes to small adventures and doing things that you wouldn’t normally do back home. Whether it is a cup of coffee or paragliding, trying a unique dish, hiking, you can opt for anything. The best part about traveling alone is that you can enjoy these instant moments and make on-spot plans without having to worry about your companions.
Transportation: Instead of using cabs or renting transportation, chose local transports and choose to travel between destinations. The basic reason for solo traveling is that you love to be on the road discovering places to learn the overview of the city and any passes or offers for tourists. If you are traveling alone at night, plan your transportation carefully. If you are going somewhere during the day, local transit is advisable but while returning during the night, it is better to get a taxi.
Have a backup plan: Whether it is your accommodation or transporting back, always have a backup plan in case things don’t work out like they were supposed to. Keep some cash handy for emergencies hidden in your shoes or clothes in case you get lost.
There’s only so much you can learn by reading stuff online. The only true way you will know about solo traveling is by experiencing it first hand. While it is okay to be careful and plan ahead, you should also go with your gut and have fun. Because that is what traveling is all about, broadening your horizons and enjoying life in its truest forms. And just because you are traveling to a place you haven’t been to before doesn’t mean you should exhaust yourself by trying to see it all and check things off your list. Being in an unfamiliar place can be unsettling so give yourself some time to relax. Since you are already there, you have taken the first brave step and it is just the beginning.
For latest solo trip planning, reach out to us at ghoomophirosisters@gmail.com
Being such avid travelers and wandering around India, exploring places has taught us one simple thing and many life-long lessons about travel planning. There is no such thing as free travel. Being a traveler means knowing how to cut costs and making right investment planning. It is simple economics when it comes down to it. The more we save, the more we are capable of traveling. But just saving isn’t enough unless you also invest that money in profitable ways. Sometimes friends who are quite well to do in jobs and earn in lakhs ask us how we can fund our travels, even while earning as less as 20000 INR per month. Yet, we still managed to continue traveling extensively across India. The basic details on how we can do that and how you can do it too are with these ten decisions:
1. Start a travel fund and actually save:
No matter how little you earn, starting a dedicated travel fund and putting away some money expressly for travels is always a good option. Savings is the first step towards funding travels and even though we have earned very low salaries, we could still save enough to be able to travel in India and some other countries easily through our own money. It is all about little pennies and nickels that one day fill up a jar.
How did we create a Travel Fund?
Starting a travel fund is quite easy but the problem comes in maintaining it. For as long as we have known it, travel has been our sole passion and as such, we saved a large chunk of our salaries and stashed it away in the travel fund. This constituted of cutting down majorly on unnecessary costs. But that doesn’t mean we had to lead a dull life on a daily basis apart from when we were traveling, we kept smaller funds for everyday fun things like parties and movies, but there had to be a balance. If we spent too much on, say a movie, then the next travel destination would be a cheaper one instead of an exotic location. This was we were able to live an interesting and exciting life while also fulfilling the travel dreams.
2. Travel in public transport:
Traveling in public transport is actually a big transport and when it is just us, we prefer traveling by public transport. Though it can be sometimes inconvenient and take more time, it reduces the cost a lot. Take the example of traveling from Bhopal to Bhimbetka, while a cab would probably charge around INR 3500, a Government bus would probably charge around INR 50. That is seven times the saving. We actually prefer the govt. buses because along with being really cost-efficient, they are also quite punctual. Same with traveling in sleeper class in trains and metros etc.
Even in abroad travel, public transport is the cheapest way to travel, so we only took metro trains when we were in Dubai and Australia. Traveling in cabs at such expensive places would have emptied more than half our traveling budget. Same was the case when we travelled in Tashkent.
3. Choose a budget accommodation wisely
The two major expenses that occurred in traveling are the transportation and accommodation. Everything else is just an add-up cost. So, choosing the right budget accommodation is very important. As a traveler, we rarely spend our time stuck in a hotel room, no matter how luxurious it might be. And unless you are being sponsored, there is no point in spending on an expensive hotel room. We always pay for the most basic accommodation, since the point is to stay out all day and just come back to the room to sleep or often work.
Most of our efforts are in finding a hotel room or a homestay which falls within a price range of INR 500 or below. And it is a fact from experience that often such places are in fact, clean and serve good food and even are located centrally sometimes. But the main problem is that since they aren’t available for booking online, most travelers don’t know about it. We have often had good memories in spending time with local families at places like Fort Kochi. It just cost us around INR 400 and the place was within walking distance of all major points in Fort Kochi.
Even in expensive places, such as Goa it is easy to find inexpensive huts for less than INR 500 and while we were there we found a cool and cheap beach-facing hut with the help of a friend.The same thing happened in Andaman and we found a hut on an island as cheap as INR 300. Everyone knows that Andaman is not a cheap destination and yet, with some will, we could find a place. Though things aren’t the same about staying outside India.
4. Travel during off season and save money
Usually, off-season means bad weather conditions and not a right opportunity to see a place in its most magnificent self but that is not always the case. Sometimes off-season is because of prime time for salaried-employees or exams for students which calls for low hospitality services. In case you don’t have these reservations, this might be the best time to travel in luxury and yet at cheap cost. One can easily take advantage of the lesser crowd, negotiate prices and find cheap flights and accommodation easily. It might even mean better service in restaurant just because of low crowds. But sometimes the off-season is specifically due to bad weather conditions like in the case of Ladakh or Goa. In such cases, it is better to book at the far end of season. The good weather would still be there and accompanied by better services. We went to Nubra Valley Leh around October and got pretty good deals. Weekdays are even better options along with-travelling off-season. We have been to Ladakh in both on and off-season and we certainly preferred the latter.
5. Plan travel well in advance:
This is something we don’t really do ourselves but it is probably a good option for cost saving. We just consider ourselves to be more impulsive travellers and as such never plan things beforehand. The only thing that wed o always remember to do is book rail tickets in advance since those are generally sold out quite quickly. A better option is to do the bookings 3 months in advance at least.
Even if the trip ends up not panning out, the most we would lose would be little money in cancellation fees. While buses and flights get pricier every passing day. It is better to book in advance. The expensive tickets to exotic locations like Andaman and Ladakh etc can be quite cheap if booked like a year in advance. And our friend has done that plenty of times.
6. Free things to do in a new country saves cost
Every tourist wishes to travel first to the most known locations and most known popular spots of a country they are visiting but things like this cost money. Australia and UAE are both expensive countries, and so it was hard for us to decide how we would be allocating our budget while we were there. We did not want to spend too much out of our travel fund. We played it smartly and only indulged in free to do things. There is just so much to do in both U.A.E and Australia. Our only expenses turned out to be food and metro charges. Mostly the places of interest were at a walking distance from the metro station so we did not have to take a single cab ride throughout our whole trip.
All fit and healthy travelers should opt for walking and metros. Main places in Dubai like the Burj Khalifa are accessible to metro station, same with the opera house in Sydney. You can always read blogs about the freedom to do things in both nations and come up with an extensive list of options.
7. Traveling with a company also saves money
Though we do prefer our own company while traveling, going solo is not always the most cost-efficient option. We have often traveled with other groups and people with a similar mindset and during those trips, we were able to save a lot of money. The main saving comes from splitting costs of accommodation and food and we were even able to try out more cuisines at restaurants that we usually would have been able to. Moreover, a good company offers more than just cost benefits, it is usually more fun and the enjoyment is manifold.
8. Avoid unnecessary expenses
There is a kind of joy in minimalism and though we don’t suggest shunning everything and leading a boring life, for we know that we don’t, it is still important that one cuts down the costs of unnecessary expenses.One must know how to strike a balance between usual means of entertainment with the common movie-watching and occasional restaurant visits to enjoy it all. Minimalism is not about shunning all expensive things. We have an expensive camera and a laptop and can still be called minimalist. The main objective is to avoid hoarding things. Never have more luggage than what can fit into a small van. Minimalism is not about sleeping on a mattress or being frugal about it. We give away our old clothes and often gifts as well to maids and poor people, even the ones we meet during travels.
But even more important from not hoarding and letting go of the additional baggage is the shopping habits. We make it a rule to never buy anything that we do not need. Sometimes we do buy stuff for friend and family, some gifts or handicrafts mainly to support the locals but never a souvenir for ourselves that we know would be sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust in the days to come.
9. Backyard Tourism
Sometimes in our quest to explore new regions and go off see distant lands, we forget to consider our own cities. There is this treasure house of wonderful experiences sitting right in our backyard that we do not see.Delhi is such an interesting place. We often go exploring different parts of Delhi on weekends. It costs even less because you know the place like the back of your hand and there are always perks of being a local- Metros, lots of walking, local food stalls and bookstores. Even the popular places that we usually avoided going to, just because it is right there, we finally went sightseeing.
10. Buy Term Insurance To Safeguard from unforeseen events during travel
This is one of the most important things, where one must think about savings and financial security. A traveller must know where to save and term insurance is one such thing. When we started, we were rash and careless and didn’t know where to save but over the years we have gotten more careful. Moreover, now we understand the importance of saving in term insurance. With a term plan , you can safeguard your loved ones’ finances from unpredictable circumstances in case something untoward were to happen while travelling.
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