The November/December period is the most optimal for travel. Not only do the school holidays start ushering in positive vibes, but work also starts grinding to a halt. Travel group chats start getting created as we finalize plans, and even the most cantankerous of us start getting excited at the prospect of a quick escape.
And before you start planning your next trip, take a 10-minute break. Specifically, take 5 minutes to look through this article for travel hacks you might not have realised, then spend another 5 minutes doing a quiz that might net you and a +1 a free trip. Because the only thing better than a quick getaway is a quick getaway with free flights.
To celebrate the release of the movie, Klook is giving away Jumanji: The Next Level-themed holidays to Switzerland, Japan, Phuket and Dubai, and all you have to do is find out your Jumanji character spirit. More details at the end of the article.
1. Use checklists made by pros to ensure you’ve brought every essential item
It’s human to panic, thinking you’ve forgotten something, right as you lock your house door, passport in hand. To master that panic and start your journey on a good note, you need a 100% foolproof checklist. Thankfully, checklists like these exist online, as long as you know where to look.
These checklists include basic essentials such as passports and visas, and more than that, will also include reminders like getting your SIM card or wifi device before you fly.
2. Send passport details to your group chat as a contingency plan
You can never be too safe while travelling. Other than checking for standard travel advisories, you should also be aware of where your passport is at all times. And while you should keep it on your person as much as possible, you can’t get any safer than also storing a digital copy in your phone.
The best option here is to send a photo of your passport and other important documents into your travel group chat. This ensures your travel buddies have proof of your identity, in the event you lose a bag with your wallet AND your phone.
3. Use specialised apps like Klook to streamline itinerary planning
Technology has given us advantages and upgrades over our parents’ generation. This includes not having to print our boarding passes, not worrying about losing our itineraries and using specific apps to level up our trip planning experience.
Instead of having to sift through multiple websites to look for activities, before having to wade through emails to find your booking confirmation, you can use functional apps like Klook to search for, find discounts for, and book attraction tickets.
Klook’s wide array of travel planning options include basic services like airport transfers, and also has lower prices on tickets like Japan’s country-wide JR Passes. Plus, check out Klook’s social media pages too, for timely promotions to theme parks like Korea’s Lotte World and Everland.
4. Back-up plan: Bring a spare pillowcase from home to double up as a portable pillow
If you’re the sort that needs a travel pillow for long haul trips, this tip will save you 1 day’s worth of clothing space in your bag. Rather than lugging a bulky neck pillow around, pick up a fresh pillowcase before you leave your house.
Not only will the pillowcase serve as an extra covering for dubious-looking pillows on the trip, it’ll also transform into a makeshift pillow everywhere else you go. Just stuff 2-3 clean shirts into it and tada you’re good to go!
5. Ziploc bags have hidden strengths to save you from unexpected situations
How do you tackle unexpected situations? Unfortunately, although we’re already living in 2019, weather technology isn’t yet 100% foolproof. Even weather forecasts 1 week in advance could be wide off the mark, and sometimes – just sometimes – we’d find ourselves soaked in the rain just as we expect a sunny beach day.
In the event of inclement weather, just bring a couple of ziplock bags along. They take up really little space, and you’ll find uses for them soon enough, whether for power banks and phones in wet weather or for your DSLR cameras at events like Holi Festival in India or Songkran in Thailand.
6. Bounce straight to your hotel upon landing with a chartered airport transfer
Flights drain a lot from most of us, and the last thing we’d want to have to deal with upon touching down is scalpers trying to overcharge you as you get to your hotel. It gets even more draining if you don’t speak the language.
If you’re the sort to do cost-benefit analyses when making decisions, you’ll realise that airport transfers in recent history make more sense. Because of economies of scale, prices of airport transfers, like those booked on Klook, are now pretty competitive. Plus, the drivers are generally pretty friendly, and you might be able to wrangle a few local tips from them before you reach your destination.
7. Mark your luggage as fragile so they come out first on the conveyor belt
As it turns out, having your luggage labelled as fragile when checking them in serves a dual purpose: not only will handlers be more careful with your items, they’ll also place them on top of the pile of bags.
This ensures your “fragile” bag won’t be under undue weight, and also means that handlers at your destination airport will bring your items out first, leading to them being the first on the conveyor belt!
8. Parents at theme parks can “tag out” while in line to watch their kids
A lesser-known feature at recognised theme parks like Hong Kong Disneyland and Universal Studios Singapore that adrenaline junkie parents will appreciate is the ability to “tag out” for your partner while in line. This is especially useful when you have a child who’s either too young or too short for the ride, and both parents really want the full theme park experience.
This is an established policy at these theme parks, although they’re termed differently at each theme park – Child Swap at Disneyland and Rider Switch at Universal Studios – so the staff should be fully briefed on it. Just approach any theme park assistant and they’ll be happy to guide you through the process.
9. Check the hotel TV for USB ports to charge your electronics
Smartphone, portable charger, and now Bluetooth earphones. These are just a few essential gadgets that we bring on trips that compete for often-limited power point slots in the hotel room. To get around this problem, check the television in your hotel room and see if it has USB ports.
With hotels pulling out the stops to be more appealing to travellers, more of them are investing in smart TVs. And that means spare USB ports you can use without asking if room service had multi plugs to spare.
10. Know what to do if your flight gets postponed or cancelled
We don’t want to think about the worst that could happen right as we embark on our trips, but sometimes the universe has different plans for us. It’s always better to be prepared than being caught off balance, so here’s what you need to do in case your flight gets postponed or cancelled:
- Call your airline and ask for the next available flight. You’ll want to do this ASAP, before other passengers do the same.
- Get meal and accommodation vouchers from the airline
- Keep all luggage tags and flight receipts
In an ideal world, you’ll have purchased travel insurance for your trip. But in the event you didn’t, chances are that the staff won’t be nice enough to give you step-by-step instructions on how to secure what you’re owed.
Holiday life hacks for your next adventure with Jumanji: The Next Level
Getting revved up for your next holiday takes more than a fleeting sense of wanderlust. With Jumanji: The Next Level hitting the theatres in December, you’ll be reminded what it’s like to supercharge your wanderlust into a thirst for adventure.
In an exclusive collaboration with Jumanji: The Next Level, Klook is giving away a free holiday for 2 to any of these destinations:
- Switzerland (7D6N)
- Dubai (6D5N)
- Japan (Any city; 5D4N)
- Phuket (4D3N)
Head over and complete a quick 5-minute quiz on the Jumanji: The Next Level microsite to find out your Jumanji character spirit, and you might be able to find a way to utilise these travel hacks faster than expected. Good luck!
