General Travel Tip - Advice on how to lug liquids

With more airports adopting stricter regulations on carrying liquids, it was time to look at the whys and what’s of hand luggage security.

Ferrying liquid-based items abroad these days has become a complicated and confusing business. Especially as there have been discrepancies in airport regulations. But most countries prefer to err on the safer rather than sorrier side of precaution these days and are complying with global security standards.

The banning of certain liquidized items onboard airplanes began in 2006 when a major transatlantic aircraft plot involving the detonation of liquid explosives was foiled in Britain. Immediately after the incident, strict regulations were imposed on bringing liquids and aerosol products on board. Most of these regulations are still effective today, with the majority of airports adopting American Transport Security Administration (TAS) protocols.

According to TAS regulations, the basic rules are these: All liquids in containers exceeding 100ml are prohibited on board planes with the only exception being liquid baby food (including milk) and prescription medications. Popular banned items are everyday things such as drinking water, butane lighters, hair gel, hand lotion, perfume, toothpaste, moisturizing lotions and any other liquid-based products. To bring liquids on board, all items must come in containers less than 100ml and fit into quart-size re-sealable, transparent plastic bags.

Most major airports in Asia implemented the US security standards on liquids this year including Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi, the world’s newest airport. For many travelers in Southeast Asia – particularly Bangkok – the newly implemented regulations came as a surprise.

So, in order to avoid losing valuable goods, Here’s a series of tips to prepare you for take-off:

1. Create a checklist before you pack which highlights items that you are prohibited from packing in your hand luggage (check the travelinsider.info for useful tips on packing or go to the TSA website for an easy-to-read brochure);

2. Pack all toiletries into your check-in luggage rather than hand luggage;

3. When purchasing duty-free items, check with the sales staff about how the products have been sealed and what regulations will apply after you have opened them;

4. When bringing ‘essentials’ in your hand luggage make sure they are under 100ml and packed in a ziplock bag. It may be handy to purchase travel-friendly toiletries to avoid the hassle of packing individual items. To travel in style, try Khiels travel packs for guys or beauty packs by Ren or Crème De Lamer for women.

General Travel Tip - The Tipping Point

What is your tipping point? If you're like us, you'll be staring at the strange, colorful denominations in your palm, unsure what you should be giving the driver, porter, waiter, hairdresser, barista, police officer as they smile patiently. Tipping etiquette varies across cultures, generations, locations, and occupations. In North America it's become so ubiquitous, pretty soon they'll have "tip jars" in emergency rooms. So where and what should we tip? Here are some ideas we came up with:

1. Research where you are going. In some places like mainland China or Japan tipping can be considered insulting. So do a little reading, save your cash and don't get labeled a rude tourist. For general ideas on tipping in prospective countries we've put together a brief list:

- If you travel in Australia: generally tipping is not expected.

- If you travel in North America: 10–20% depending on level of service (15% is a generally a good guideline), but if the service is terrible, don't feel obliged to leave anything.

- If you travel in China: tipping isn't required (outside of Hong Kong).

- If you travel in Egypt: tipping is expected everywhere, so it's good to have small change available at all times. For restaurants/taxis 10–20% is the standard.

- If you travel in France: service charges are automatically added to the bill, generally 15%.

- If you travel in Hong Kong: read your bill, as a service charge (generally 10%) has probably already been added by restaurants and hotels. For taxis, just round up to the next Hong Kong Dollar.

- If you travel in Japan: don't tip. Some places will actually find it insulting if you do.

- If you travel in Malaysia: tipping generally isn't expected.

- If you travel in Thailand: traditionally tipping hasn't been expected, but it is becoming more prevalent. Many restaurants/hotels have already applied a 10% service charge, so check your bill. For taxis, provided you are using a meter, 3–5 Baht is plenty, 10 Baht if the total is over 100.

- If you travel in Mexico: similar to Egypt as tipping is expected everywhere, so it is best to have some small change on you.

2. Remember to read the bill. As previously noted many restaurants and hotels will automatically add a gratuity and should be giving the tips to the staff.

3. If you're unsure what to tip, just ask. Most people will give you an honest answer and let you know what is adequate.

General Travel Tip - Surviving the Festivities

Whether it is a corporate party or a gathering with friends, the human body and mind take quite a beating during the holidays, and the first few weeks of January are often spent fighting colds, hangovers, bloating, and memories of drunken embarrassing behaviors.

During the holidays it is important to plan ahead. Make a list of events that are taking place and decide which ones you have to attend and which you can skip. Before you leave your house decide how much you are going to eat and drink at each party. Remember that hors d’oeuvres will not keep you satisfied all through dinner, drinking on an empty stomach will ruin the evening for you, and it’s perfectly okay to eat before you leave.

If you are going to be drinking alcohol make sure that you eat before the festivities begin and keep drinking water throughout the night to prevent the hangover from hell the next morning. Arrange for a designated driver to get you home safely, keep friends close so you don’t stumble into dangerous situations, and never, ever drive drunk.

Sleep is important for your body to recover from whatever damage it has been put through, so make sleep a priority, even if it means cutting your night short. Studies have shown that people who do not sleep enough are at a higher risk for heart disease, obesity and a number of psychiatric disorders.

Remember that it is OK to say no. Turn down food and drinks without feeling guilty. It’s okay not to consume alcohol at parties if you don’t want to, and you should never feel pressured into it.

Finally, remember to laugh. Do whatever it is that will make you happiest, whether it involves attending six parties a night or staying in with a good book and a glass of wine. Understand your body’s limits and respect them, and remember that the holidays are when you get to take a break from all the stress of everyday life, not add to it.

General Travel Tip - The passion of Sunbathing

I had lived in Australia for almost 6 years between my highschool days... when I firstly arrived in Australia I was pretty exciting about how my life is gonna be from there on.. new environment.. new culture.. different lifestyles.. especially the communication which was very bad of my English skills. However, so far so good, I finally got my certificates and I learns how to lived in different places, different culture and different lifestyle by my own. but I'm still a little concious about the different of Human Habits I might say...

I was very surprised when I went to Bondi Beach and Surfer Paradise for the very first time. Thousands and thousands of people lied down on the sand along the beach, confronted with burning sunlight and very hot temperature in a very sunshine day. People seem to be loved it though, and lied down for hours. It's so strange habit for Asians as if any head-cutting circumstance they will avoid the sunlight. So I tried, lied down on the sand for hours then 2 days after I found that my skin was peeling like a snake!!

So what should be the passion of this habit? because it's just a tortured moment while we got a dried skin waiting to peel off.. it's very hurt though..eieie.. and people loved to do that though.. people from the west e.g. Eupore, America, Australia. Just wondering why? why?? and why??