Travel tips and tricks – Part 1

Hello and welcome…

As you may or may not know we are currently residing back in the UK! This has given us some time to catch up with family, friends and start sorting through the thousands of photos that we have taken on our five month journey through Asia. We are both hoping to submit some of our photographs on stock libraries and also create some prints which will be available for people to purchase.

Whilst on our travels we heard tales of survival and health remedies from lots of fellow comrades and we wanted to share the hints, tips and advice which we now take for granted. Part 1 of 3!

A strong constitution?
We have no proof of this, however we were informed that Pro-Biotic yoghurts and drinks really help with the good bacteria in your stomach and gut, thus helping to combat travellers diarrhea! Just a spoonful or so each day keeps you topped up with these helpful bacteria. In Asia it can be hard to find Pro-Biotic yoghurt so look out for Yakult style drinks. David had only one slight “issue” so he swears by it. Helen had a few rough days and occasionally weeks, but it could be worth a try.

A weak constitution?
On the same topic as above we heard that flat Coca Cola can help with settling an upset stomach. Get a straw and blow bubbles through it to remove the fizz and then drink it down. Medicine never tasted so good.

The language barrier!
In China generally speaking the hostels are great, some of the best accommodation that we stayed in during the trip with the majority of staff speaking English, which you can easily take advantage of. Train and bus ticket sales people seldom speak English and having the translation written down from your hostel receptionist is a great help. Using websites such as Seat61.com and Chinahighlights.com give good indications of time tables in China but surely this technique can be used anywhere in the world.

Making the journey go that little bit faster!
When you are on a train or bus for sometimes over fifteen hours it can be tough to keep the mind active once the excitement of looking out of the window has faded. Therefore we would not set off without a good book (be careful of travel sickness, hold the book at eye level in front of you) and an MP3 player with both music and some podcasts from your home country. This keeps you, if you desire, in touch with current events and/or laughing along to your favorite radio comedians etc. Our favourite pod-casts are The Daily Bacon on 5live, Desert Island Discs BBC radio 4 and The Adam and Joe BBC 6 music show.

A sense of safety!
We fortunately had no real issues with safety at all throughout Asia. We travelled through rich and poor nations and the only problem we had was in Thailand with bus assistants riffling through the baggage in the compartment underneath the bus. This occurred on  the journey from Surat Thani to the boat crossing for the islands such as Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Ko Samui. The bus drove unusually slow and our bags were blatantly opened. On the boat people were talking and soon realised things were missing from a gold ring to 8000 Thai bahts (£160). Keep anything valuable on this journey and really any journey with you at all times in a locked bag, with vital items (passports, tickets, money etc) in a hidden money belt with your common-sense always in tune with your surroundings.

Lost and found?
We lost a lens cap for one of the lenses which we didn’t have a lens bag for as most of the time it was attached to the camera body. For some added protection when floating around in your bag use a sock to protect the lens, it actually works great!

Part 2 is here! Do you have any top tips? Comment below or drop us an email and we can add your suggestions to the next post.

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