Preparation D-day 4

Salam,

Preparing for two weeks travel may be cumbersome and burdensome.

These are what we normally do:

1. Unpack the bag from the last trip.

Usually most of mystuff from last couple of months are still in the bag which I use for overseas travelling. My bad.

2. Browse azan website for prayer times in the cities to be visited.

If possible download the software. Always have a print screen copy just in case there's no internet connection, if you don't want to download.

3. Have print screens, jpeg and hardcopies of all your important documents.

Passport, credit cards, immigration visa, paper acceptance letter, hotel bookings,
registration payments, metro and lrt maps, hotel and venue maps etc. (I am referring to conference attending mostly). If possible the hardcopies should be kept by a person travelling with you and vice versa.

4. Start counting the forex.

If you are going to a more developed country than Malaysia, the expenditure will be twice as much the rate, even for the stingiest person. If you are heading for lesser then, an approximate rate should apply. WE want to SHOP too, right?

5. Dry food preparation.

Unless we are going to an Islamic country practising halal-food-only production, then it is best to bring all the Brahim products along. They might taste a wee bit yucky here, but they are going to be heaven sent in Japan or Sweden or Mexico.

6. Browse halal food outlets or butchers in the cities to be visited.

It is much more sustainable to the thin pockets if we cook our own food. It would be more convenient if the place you're staying provide cooking facilities. I normally choose youth hostels (sometime they accept mature adults who don't possess Youth Hostel member Card). If things are shared between our fellow travellers, a 250ml cooking oil, 1 kg rice, a dozen eggs and simple veges will elongate our preseverance to the absence of Malaysian foods. Halal chicken and beef/mutton parts can be kept at the hostel/hotel feezers, but make sure the cleaners do not find them around the latter's shift.

7. Prepare all sanitary products in smallest of quantity and packaging.

The types you prefer may not be found in the cities to visit or if found, can be pretty expensive. Chuck out the small packets/bottles/jars when you finished them because they will only add to the ever increasing size and weight of your luggage. Might not be too good if you are flying with low-cost carriers that generate incomes out of this potent tendencies many ladies are so inclined to make.

Seven steps to heaven. More will be coming up.

Thanksfor reading.

Salam

Yaya