Bergen, Norway is among the country’s most popular destinations.
We’ve all been a hotel in a major
city and been shocked by the prices of items in the minibar and room service
like £4 for a coke, £5 for a small tin of Pringles, or £12 for a sandwich.
We often laugh off the prices and go
out and find food that is more suitably priced. But there is one country where
every shop is priced like a five-star hotel in a major city — Norway.
I had heard the rumours that Norway
is among the world’s most expensive cities. I figured something was up when the
hotel staff in Copenhagen complained that Norway was ridiculously expensive.
If someone from a Scandinavian
country tells you someplace else is expensive, you know it will be expensive.
Our first experience of this was at
the aviation museum in Bodø, Norway. After walking around this magnificent
museum, we still had about 45 minutes to kill before our bus ride back to the
cruise ship. Not having had anything to eat or drink since a mid-morning snack,
we went to the museum’s café and ordered three Coke Zeroes and a Fanta.
That came out to £16.
I believe I can buy two cases of 24
cans of coke for that price in Costco.
This made me look closer at pricing.
It is roughly 10 Norwegian Kroner to the pound currently. In one restaurant, an
order of toast cost £6.50 while a garden salad cost £16.50. Petrol cost about
£1.55 a litre.
Geiranger, Norway is one of the most beautiful natural areas of the country. It should be experienced from the water to appreciate the majestic surroundings of the fjords.
Norway is extremely expensive. Sure,
Norwegians are among the highest paid people in the world, but that is offset
by a high cost of living.
The real benefit comes from the
socialist benefits of high prices. The majority of the price of anything in
Norway is tax which is used to improve the country. The two biggest benefits
are the government-paid child care and education programmes. And, the education
is paid for for both local and international students from nursery all the way
to PhD in university.
This is one of the few countries
with an honest government.
Our tour guide in Bergen pointed out
a bridge that was built in the mid-1990s connecting the city to some suburbs.
The Norwegian government put a £25 toll charge to cross the bridge with the
promise of removing the toll charge once the cost of building the bridge was
paid off. And they did. I can’t see any other western governments removing a
tax. Remember, income tax was a war measures act, but someone forgot to tell
our governments the war is over.
A trip around Norway shows how the
taxation revenue has benefitted the country: excellent road surfaces,
reforestation programmes, education, child care, health care, and more are
evident in a country that has one of the highest standards of living with a
relatively low crime rate.
While I wholeheartedly recommend a
visit to this beautiful Scandinavian country, I would forewarn you to save up
for the high costs ahead.
How much extra-curricular research
do you do when booking airfares? By paying attention to news, you can alleviate
any heartaches down the road.
For example, my flight to Thailand
was on Qatar Airways. While all appears well with Qatar, which recently was
named, World’s Best Airline, geopolitics threatens the airline.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
Bahrain led a blockade of Qatar because they accused the Gulf State of
financing Islamic extremists in the region. This blockade means no access from
Qatar to the three countries by land, sea, or air.
It also means that airlines
registered in Qatar, such as Qatar Airways, are not allowed in Saudi or Emirati
airspace. They are allowed two routes in Bahraini airspace because Bahrain’s
airspace starts in front of Qatar.
This forces Qatar Airways to fly
their planes over Iranian airspace.
Recent developments in which America’s
amateur president has chosen Iran as his focus on the month (it changes all the
time), this has led to a no-fly notice by the American Federal Aviation
Association. However, Qatar Airways has no choice but to ignore the warning.
Add to this the fact that Pakistani
airspace remains closed after they and India were on the brink of war earlier
this year and Qatar really has very few options for the start and end of their
flights into and out of Doha Hamad Airport.
Unhappy unions mean strikes
Another consideration is for the labour situation at airlines. Today’s
early signs of labour unrest are tomorrow’s strikes.
I always double check the latest
news developments on airlines’ labour news. The last thing you want is to find
out the airline staff is on strike just as you are about to travel. It means
headaches as you try to sort out alternative arrangements for your travel
plans.
On my flights, I didn’t need to
check this information because Scandinavian Air Service (Manchester to
Stockholm) recently ended a strike last month so I knew it would be highly
unlikely there would be another strike. I also knew that Qatar Airways does not
allow its staff to unionise.
How financially healthy is your airline of choice?
In the past year alone, Monarch (UK), Wow Air (Iceland), Jet Airways
(India), and Primera (Denmark) have all shut down operations.
The toughest part is that you have
no recourse for refund if an airline goes out of business. If you are on your
holiday, then you either have to hope your government will charter flights to
repatriate stranded passengers or other airlines are in a generous mood to
offer you discounted fares. Otherwise, you will fork over a lot of money for a
new ticket home.
A quick Google News search will help
you find out these types of information before you book your flights. A little
extra planning now means a seamless experience when you travel. Well, other
than the usual delays on the day of travel.
Khao Phing Kan, or James Bond Island, in Phuket recently re-opened after it was closed because it became over-run with tourists.
By the time you read this, I’ll be
in Thailand. I’m here for two weeks.
One of the biggest questions I am
asked (not including lady-boy-related questions) is: “How much money should I
set aside for Thailand?”
Although Thailand is a cheap
country, current exchange rates are horrendous. Two years ago, I was getting 50
baht on the pound, a few weeks ago, the exchange rage was 37 baht on the pound.
Surely this is the result of Brexit, populism, Trump, or some such idiocy that
has thrown the world into chaos at the moment.
Although Thailand is a cheap
destination in Southeast Asia, it is losing the Cheap Charlie title to nearby
Laos and Cambodia where they are trying to attract customers with extremely low
prices such as three pints of lager for £1.
Affordability in Thailand depends on
many factors:
Where you plan to spend most of
your time;
What kind of hotels you choose;
Are you willing to eat in small
“mom and pop” restaurants as opposed to big name places?
How do you plan to get around
Thailand if you are going to more than one location?
Like anywhere else in the world,
Bangkok is the major city and it is more expensive than other touristy, smaller
cities. But by world standards, Bangkok is still a bargain.
Hotels: Luxury can be affordable
Several luxury five-star hotels overlook the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok including the Shangri-La Bangkok. Luxury accommodations are surprisingly affordable in this world class city.
You can stay in the five-star Shangri-La Bangkok overlooking the Chao Phraya River for about £150 per night. Compare that to London (£650) and Tokyo (£575) and the Shangri-La is a downright bargain.
But you can find luxury for less in
Bangkok. On this trip, I’m staying at the Dream Hotel which is a medium-sized boutique
chain with hotels across the U.S., UK, Belgium, Mexico, Qatar, Belize, India,
Philippines, and the Maldives. A night in this five-star hotel is a steal at
£50 per night breakfast included. And the best part is that it is right in the
thick of things around the Sukhumvit Road which tends to be the major destination
in Bangkok.
Outside of Bangkok, you can get by
in a cheaper room once it has air conditioning. Because it is always hot and
humid in Thailand, you really want a room with air con. These tend to start at
about £30 per night. Anything cheaper and they can be suspect with some
interesting roommates like bed bugs and roaches.
For example, I stayed previously in
the three-star R Mar Resort in Patong and it was an excellent hotel with a
super-king-sized bed, patio, and great pool views away from the hustle of the
nearby streets for about £35 per night. Similar property types in other
countries will cost you about two to three times this price.
Food paradise
Pad Thai is one of the many dishes you can find in all types of restaurants and eateries in Thailand from internationally recognised places to street food vendors.
The great thing with Asia is you can eat cheaply without having to sacrifice quality or healthy options.
It is true that they have the big
name restaurants from North America and Europe such as Sizzlers, Hooters, Pizza
Hut, etc., but they also come with North American and European prices. Besides,
did you really travel to other side of the world to eat over-priced European
and North American food?
You can find fantastic little
roadside, family-owned restaurants with excellent Thai dishes for incredible
prices. For example, a green Thai curry chicken with rice will cost about 50
baht (£1.50). Shopping Centre food courts are also very reasonably priced and
unlike the ones here that tend to be mass-produced junk food. Normally, you go
to a cashier and pay for a certain amount of tickets, which depends on how
hungry you are. Then, you walk around to the different counters and exchange
your tickets for what is being cooked. It isn’t unreasonable to pick up three
filling dishes for about 100 baht (slightly more than £3). Where in the UK can
you have a filling, healthy meal for £3?
Alcohol varies depending on where
and when you drink. In the popular bar districts, you can find cheap alcohol
between 5 and 7 p.m. Singha, Chang, and Leo beers are about 60 baht per bottle
(£1.75). Later on, there are specials such as buy-one-get-one-half-priced. It
is possible to budget less than £20 per day for your food and drink at these
prices.
Another great place for snacks, cold
drinks, and even toiletries are the many 7-Eleven and Family Mart shops. These
shops will sell pretty much anything you forgot to bring in your amenity kit
while you can pick up bottles of water for about £0.20, 500-mL bottles of soft
drinks for £0.50, and beers for £1. While they aren’t as good as their Japanese
counterparts, Thai 7-Elevens are great for the emergency items. They do have
whole meals like the Japanese ones, but not as much variety.
Safety issues in Thailand
The sunset splashes a golden hue across Sukhumvit Road as the Skytrain makes its way above the busy city streets in Bangkok.
Thailand for the most part is a very safe country. It does have the
usual headaches such as pickpockets and petty thieves. The best way to deal
with potential pickpockets is to be remain aware of your surroundings and make
use of your hotel room safe.
Taxi and tuk-tuk scams are rampant.
Either use public transit in Bangkok, baht buses in Pattaya, or walk in other
places where distances are not too significant. You can arrange for prepaid
transfers from the airport which save you hassle rather than money. While a
taxi should cost you about 400 baht (£10) from the centre of Bangkok to
Suvarnabhumi Airport. But some less ethical drivers will try to take advantage
of your tiredness by not turning on the meter and charging you at least double.
By using a prepaid taxi, you do pay a couple of hundred baht more, but there is
no hassle or danger of a scam.
Under no circumstances should you
play Captain Chivalrous and get involved in any kind of fight between Thai
people or Thai people and foreigners. While Thai people are the kindest,
warmest, and most welcoming people, if they are feel threatened, they come out
of the woodwork to fight and they bring weapons. Be warned. If you see
anything, just keep walking.
If you are in a bar, keep a track of
your drinks and their cost. It is easy to do because every time you order a
drink, the bar staff puts a bill in your little receipt cup so you can keep
track. Some bar staff are not averse to creative accounting methods if you are
too drunk to realise what they have done.
Red lights of the cities
I cannot finish a blog on Thailand without talking about it’s more
notorious side. It is sin city and has been that way since the Vietnam War when
American soldiers used to go to Thailand for R and R during the war.
While Thailand still has a
reputation for gogo bars and prostitution, it is slowly changing. Pattaya, one
of the more notorious destinations in Thailand, is starting to gentrify like
Amsterdam but at a slower rate.
You can’t avoid the red light
district because it is where the entertainment district exists. But you can
make it very clear that you aren’t looking for “business”. Body language plays
a big role in that as does the way you interact with staff in the beer bar. If
you are friendly, they will attempt to solicit you. But if you buy a drink and
sit at the counter facing the streets, then you are left alone.
The two groups that do not
discriminate are the massage parlours and the infamous lady-boys. They will
grab your arm, block your path, and generally harass you, but if you are firm
then they go away. They tend to work on the law of averages strategy. If you don’t
want their services there are many others who do.
But don’t be phased by the red light
district is part of the landscape. If you are easily offended, then you
probably shouldn’t go to Thailand in the first place.
So it is possible to see Thailand
and live quite comfortably on a shoestring budget. Thailand is a wonderful
country
The Motorcycle Diaries is a classic film about Che Guevara’s path to enlightenment.
A source of inspiration for our
travel ideas come from cinema. Hollywood and beyond have made an industry of
making road movies that inspire us to travel. Here are my top 5.
5. Lost in Translation (2003): Bill Murray, Scarlett
Johansson
Sofia Coppola’s critically acclaimed
movie follows the path of an aging actor (Bill Murray) who has been contracted
to star in adverts for Suntory, a Japanese drinks company. In Japan, the actor
crosses paths with a bored wife (Scarlett Johansson) whose is in Tokyo because
her husband is working as a photographer. Key sights in the film: Tokyo,
Daikanyama, Shinjuku Park Tower, Grand Hyatt Tokyo.
4. Easy Rider (1969): Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack
Nicholson
This road movie sees two bikers
drive across the U.S. from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The film’s true star is
the desert landscapes and towns the pair (Hopper and Fonda) ride through on a
drug-fuelled hippie trip across America.
3. Lost Horizon (1937): Ronald Coleman, Jane Wyatt
Lost Horizon is the film adaptation
of Jame’s Hilton’s 1933 novel about a group of plane crash survivors who landed
in the mythical valley of Shangri-La, a valley deep in the Himalayan mountain
range. The key sights in this film are the Gilgit and Skardu regions of
Pakistan.
2. The Darjeeling Limited (2007): Owen Wilson, Adrien
Brody
One year after their father’s death,
three brothers unite to take a train trip across India to try and
re-established their tattered relationship. The film takes the viewer across
India on a fantastical journey through barren landscapes and mountain regions. The
film takes the viewer through Jodhpur and the Himalayas.
1. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004): Gael Garcia Bernal
I have written about this movies previously.
The film is two types of road trip: a literal one across South America and a
figurative one as Che Guevara begins to form the foundation of his
transformation from middle class citizen to revolutionary. The sights on
display in this film include the Andes, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Machu Picchu,
and the Atacama desert.
Searching for the best prices for airfares is a personal preference. Go with what you comfortable doing.
A simple internet search today
inundates our browser with offers for similar products. For example, a flight
search suddenly fills your social media with advertisements for things like
Jack’s Flight Club or Cheap Holidays all promising you unheard-of discounts.
Are they worth it? I decided to have
a try at Jack’s Flight Club which I am sceptical about considering how many
positive reviews they seem to get.
Does it work? Yes and no. It all
depends on how you book for fares.
Jack’s scours the internet looking
for fares and then passes them on to you when you sign up for a subscription.
You then are instructed how to find those fares which usually seem to be going
through an aggregator like Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Kayak and booking the
cheapest flights.
The problem for me with this setup
is that I only book flights directly with airlines. There are too many horror
stories of someone seeing a great deal only to find out that it was fake
because suddenly the offering tour company no longer has that price, suddenly claims
foreign exchange has added so much that it is no longer a deal, or doesn’t
actually put through the sale properly and by the time the issue is resolved it’s
no longer the price.
Booking directly with the airline
means you have problems.
While I am sure the complaints are
the exception rather than the norm, I believe those of you who can find real
value and have problems booking with online travel agencies may find deals with
aggregators.
There are no sure answers to the
question of where to find guaranteed cheap rates for flights. There are only
factors that can help you to find cheap flights:
Time of year: Flying to
somewhere during their offseason will save you money.
Day of the week: The day of the
week of your flight influences the cost. The best days of the week to fly are Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Thursdays tends to be when people who take long
weekends travel; Fridays and Mondays are prime days for business travellers,
and; Sundays are when people tend to return from holidays.
Legacy versus low cost carrier:
That’s up to you too. Remember, you get what you pay for so cheapest may not
always be best.
Technology has become an integral
part of our lives to the extent that some of us feel extremely inconvenienced
if the wifi is out of order or the mobile data system is disconnected for
repairs.
We rely heavily on our gadgets when
we go on holiday as aids to help us navigate unfamiliar surroundings, find
off-beat places to see, or to find restaurants that come highly recommended.
In this post, I will explore five
must-have items you need for your travel:
Gadgets: If nothing else, your
mobile phone can act as your multimedia device as a GPS system, internet, and entertainment.
Any of the known brands of mobile phones is fine. There aren’t too many
advantages of using, for example an iPhone, over a Huawei. An iPad is also a
good device to have. If the airplane charges you for entertainment (as is the
case on some regional airlines) or there is nothing you really want to see, an
iPad is handy because you can download your content and watch anywhere you are.
Portable charger: Have you ever
noticed that you never have enough battery power? On my first trip to Japan, I
did a day trip to Hiroshima. I got back to Shinagawa Station and took the wrong
exit and realised I needed to go back to the station and go to the other side
of the station. I also noticed I had 1 percent battery left. Now, I pack a
Poweradd Pilot X7 20,000 milliamp Hour battery pack. It has two USB ports so I
can charge my phone and modem at all times. Word of warning, airlines do not
allow external chargers on the plane that are more than 20,000 milliamp Hour
power. I found that charging an iPhone X from 50 percent to full takes about an
hour if I am not using the device.
Travel wifi hotspot: I have
written about these on many occasions. If you don’t have an unlocked phone
which can accommodate a new sim card, then a modem is for you. All airports I
have flown into have kiosks set up to sell you sim and modem data plans for the
duration of your trip. These are worth it for European travellers in Asia
because most European providers allow for local service in other parts of
Europe. For example, O2 users can use their phone as normal in most European
countries.
Electronic accessories case:
Our devices come with chargers and cords. Sometimes we use earphones, we have
other devices or external storage units such as USBs or hard drive. A case
allows you to put everything into one bag that you can put in your carry-on bag
so you aren’t rummaging around your bag for a cord or a USB stick.
Headphones: Unless you’re
sitting in first or business class, the quality of headphones in economy is substandard
at best. A set of noise cancelling headphones can make your journey a little
more bearable by creating an oasis for you where you can shut out the world
around you. The key manufacturers include: Bose, Dr Dre, Sony, Harmon Kardon,
Bang & Olafussen, and Bowers & Wilkins. All of these companies make
some excellent noise cancelling headphones. The most important quality you want
from a set of headphones is comfort. You don’t want those things hurting your
ears halfway through an eight-hour flight. I have a pair of Bowers &
Wilkins PX Noise Cancellation headphones. A pro tip is to buy your headphones
at the airport. An app can be downloaded
that allows you to use presets for the noise cancelling feature. When I was
shopping for mine, the cheapest price I saw was £350. I had the brainwave to
check the price at Dixons at Manchester Airport. The price there was £270.
Dixons at Manchester Airport allows you to click collect shop. You can choose
what you want, have it set aside, and pay for it when you are at the airport.
Air travel is expensive enough as it is. Here are some tips to keep your costs down.
Today’s air travel is a pain in the
arse. You have to show up two to three hours early, check in, go through an
invasive security screening and then sit there airside in the terminal building
with nothing to do but sip on overpriced drinks because you still have 2.5
hours to kill before your flight leaves.
So how could we travel effectively
in the modern era to take advantage of the best deals and small hassles? Here
are five tips to help you keep your costs down:
Some carriers and low cost
carriers, such as BA and EasyJet, are offering carry-on only deals at lower
prices than it would cost you to check in a suitcase. So why not travel with a
carry on and a backpack? Shops like H&M, Zara, Mango, and The Gap are
global brands. Chances are that there will be at least one branch wherever you
visiting. Why not pack lightly and pick up a few things when you get there? At
the end of your trip, donate your purchased or even your older clothing a local
charity. Wherever you are going will probably have convenience stores and
pharmacies where you can pick up shaving gels, deodorants, toothpaste,
mouthwash, etc. And they are probably much cheaper than your local shop. For
example, on a visit to 7-Eleven in Thailand last year, I picked up these
amenities for about £7. In Boots in the UK, shaving gel alone can be £3.50.
Just carry our toothbrush and razor and pick up everything else.
Many airlines charge you for
seat selection. Never pay for seat selection unless there is a specific seat
you need or several of you travelling which means sitting close to each other.
The other time I would pay for a seat selection is if I have a short connection
time and I need to get off the plane quickly then I will pick one as far
forward as possible. Selection becomes free when online check in opens. If you
aren’t bothered about where you want to sit in an airplane, then wait and save.
Invest in a water bottle. The
going price of a 600 ml bottle of Coke airside is about £3 which is the cost of
6 cans in most supermarkets. But you aren’t allowed to take liquids through
security so they have you. Or do they? Investing in a nice sturdy water bottle
means you can fill up for free at water fountains when you are airside. After
all, medical experts say that you need to keep hydrated when flying.
Airlines charge you for food
especially on short flights and low cost carriers. Pick up some food from your
local supermarket. Food items are permissible at security unlike liquids, so
pick up a sandwich and some snacks for the flight. Airside food is much more
expensive.
Invest in a travel wifi
hotspot. We love to post photographs of our travels when we are away on social
media. While wifi is common in most locations, it tends to be pretty basic and
cannot accommodate heavy uploads. Companies like Tep
Wireless will rent or sell you a modem. If you travel a lot it is better to
buy a modem. For example, if you have a 10-day trip to Thailand, Tep offers a
1GB 3G unlimited service at US$8.95 per day and a 3GB 4G unlimited service for
US$10.95 per day. On a 10-day trip, that works out to between $89.50 and
$109.50 for your holiday. If you buy a modem, Tep charges $129 for the device
and $7.95 for 1GB or $9.95 for 2GB per day on a pay per use deal. If those are
still too expensive, local providers can be cheaper. Smile Telecommunications
in Thailand has an offer of US$6.50 per day for 4G service which works out on a
10-day trip to $65 including the device rental price. You just go to their website,
and fill in your details including which airport you want to pick up your
device. Dropping off the device at the end of the trip simply means returning it
to where you picked it up. The kiosks are open 24 hours a day so you don’t have
to worry about closure.
The Bara Imambara complex is a tribute to the Mughal architecture brought to the area by the Awadhis.
About a 90-minute journey by air
from Kolkata, we come to the city of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh and the
home of the Awadh culture.
Lucknow is the northern Islamic city
in India which has a rich culture and a deep history. The art, cuisine, dance,
and music of North India can trace its roots to the Awadhi culture. It was the
site of the 1857 First War of Independence from the British. The Lucknow
Residency, which housed the British Raj in the city, still bears evidence of
that first battle with pock-marked buildings where cannon fire hit the walls.
Getting in
From air, you can arrive in Lucknow at Chaudhry Charan Singh Airport
with flights from Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, and other major Indian cities. Flydubai
(Dubai), Oman Air (Muscat), Saudia (Jeddah, Riyadh), and Thai (Bangkok) fly to
international destinations.
By rail, Lucknow Train Station is an
important one with trains from the capital through to the northeast. Allahabad,
the location of the Kumbh Mela the largest gathering of people on the earth,
lies on this train line.
Sightseeing
The Awahdi culture gives way to many significant Islamic sites in
Lucknow. Key is Bara Imambara complex which is an impressive tribute to Mughal
architecture that was built in the late 1700s. The complex includes the Chhota
Imambara, a mausoleum built for the third Nawab of Awadh in 1837. Foreigners
must pay 500 rupees (£6) to enter the complex.
La Martineriere College is a
boarding school with a rich history. The boys school started in 1845 while the
girls school opened in 1865. La Martiniere is the only school in the world to
have been awarded battle honours for its part in the defence of Lucknow during
the war in 1857. While you cannot really go into the school, you can walk the
school grounds and the outside hallways which go by the classrooms The children
are well disciplined and will stop to greet you as you walk by their
classrooms.
Gomti Riverfront Park is another
nice place to go for a wander near Gomti Nagar. Concerts are held in the park
some evenings. This is a great place to see some spectacular sunsets.
Where to stay
The Taj Mahal Lucknow is a majestic hotel highlighted by the domed tower than sits atop the reception area. In the back of the complex is a large swimming pool and rest area.
On this trip, we stayed at the Taj Mahal Lucknow which is a colonial
building on 10 hectares of land with a domed tower over the reception area. The
in the offseason and shoulder season, a two-night stay costs about £180 and
£300 in the high season. The Taj Mahal has two restaurants with the Oudhyana
serving traditional Awadhi cuisine which has four dining options: a la carte
menu, Awadh Dastarkhawanse which is a selection of small plates, Ganga-Jamuni
Zayeka which is mixture of contemporary and traditional tastes, and the put
your hands in the hands of the chef where you leave it to the chef to create
your dining experience based on the ingredients in the kitchen and what is at
its freshest.
One of the things you will find is
that you tend to eat many of your meals at your hotel. If you stay at a
five-star or four-star hotel, these are most likely where the best restaurants
in town will be found. Prices in these restaurants tend to be slightly cheaper
than Indian cuisine in your home country but vastly more expensive that in
India. Chances are you tour guide will take you to a tourist-oriented
restaurant for lunch where prices are much lower but it is still a somewhat
sanitised experience as you are eating in a restaurant filled with other
tourists. The reason is that your tour guide wants you to spend your time
seeing the country rather than doing a toilet tour of India. The one time you
do get a more authentic experience is on the roads when you stop at truck stops
or roadside restaurants where it is the locals who dominate the landscape.
Safety:
Lucknow is a very safe country and you will be unlikely to encounter
problems. The usual warnings do exist such as being aware of your surroundings.
One of the biggest turnoffs for
travellers is a scam. Locals see unfamiliar tourists as opportunities to make
money.
A few tips can help you to become
savvy travellers and make it more difficult for scammers to take your
hard-earned money. After all, you worked all year to afford your holiday, why
should someone ruin that for you?
Taxi scams
This one tends to be prevalent in various forms in Europe and Asia.
In Europe, it tends to occur at the airport because there are so many
government regulations that mean trying to scam passengers in the city becomes
difficult.
Always be wary of someone
approaching you in the arrivals lounge asking if you need a taxi. Always say no
and go to the official taxi stand. There have been cases of people being left
on the side of highways because they refused to pay an extortionate rate to
travel.
While taxi stands tend to be where
legitimate taxi drivers wait, it does not guarantee you will not be scammed in
some way, especially in Asia.
India is notorious for taxi drivers
to lie to you that your hotel closed/burned down, the sight you want to see is
closed, or the restaurant or shop you want to visit is closed. They do this
because they get commissions from some hotels, shops, and restaurants to bring
in unsuspecting dupes.
The best way to deal with these
people is to insist on going where you want to go or just getting out of the
taxi.
In Thailand, you have to insist that
the driver turns on the meter or else they get creative with the cost. Taxis in
Thailand are very cheap. A fare from Suvarnabhumi Airport to central Bangkok
should cost about no more than 400 baht (£10, CAD$17, US$13, or AUD$19).
Drivers will conveniently forget to turn on the meter so they can charge you
two to three times this price. If they don’t turn on the meter, get out of the
taxi.
In Patong, never use a tuktuk
because they will all scam you because all of the drivers collude and set
extortionate prices. According to the government of Thailand, you should never
pay more than 40 baht/kilometre (£1) in a tuktuk. Yet, these drivers will quote
you at a rate of 100 baht/km. The nice thing about Patong is you are most
likely going to stay in a hotel that is close to Patong Beach and the nightlife
so you are not more than 10 to 15 minutes from anywhere.
A good way to avoid transportation
scams is to prepay for your transport and use public transit to get around.
Yes, you will take longer on the bus or tube but the price is firm. You pay
more for prepaid transport but you won’t be asked for more money.
General scams
The objective of the scammer is to separate you from your money.
They do this by offering you too-good-to-be-true opportunities. Single men will
often be targeted by the honey scam in which an attractive woman or two will
approach the man with suggestions of romance to follow.
They usually lead the dupe to a bar
where drink and have a good time until an extremely expensive bar bill shows up
accompanied by equally intimidating security demanding payment which includes
being accompanied to a cashpoint where they will wipe out your daily balance.
Other scams include someone smearing
something on your shoe and the partner comes along and cleans it for a
ridiculous price.
Gemstone scams also exist where you
are shown beautifully stones and the price is very cheap for the stones. These
turn out to be nothing more than beautifully painted rocks. Instead of a nice
piece of green jade at 90 percent off the market price, you got yourself a
green pebble.
How to avoid scams
Whether you are a seasoned veteran
or a rookie tourist, someone will attempt to scam you. How well they do depends
on you. As I said, you’ve worked hard to save for your trip, don’t give it away
to anyone.
In all cases, a scam begins when
someone approaches you. My take is, anyone who approaches me is treated with
suspicion. The worst is you’ll be wrong, but the best is you’ll be right.
Children are used to rob people so I
must include them in my list. But context needs to be considered. For example,
if you visit the Peace Park at Hiroshima where there are hundreds of school
children who are friendly and want to try out their burgeoning English language
skills with you then they aren’t a risk. But if you’re on the steps of the
cathedral in Milan and some children run up to you with a newspaper, speaking a
language you don’t understand that is when you should move away as quickly as
possible.
Sometimes people genuinely want to
help you but there are many indicators that will be evident that the person is
just being nice and does not pose a threat. My experience shows me that if I’m
walking and someone approaches me then it is suspicious. But if I’m walking and
I have my phone out trying to track where I am going and looking for landmarks
and I am asked where I want to go, chances are that person wants to help. Some
scammers will start this way of being helpful before launching into the scam. I
just walk away saying no thanks. It will anger them but I believe the law of
averages works in your favour. By law of averages, I mean for every nine people
who don’t fall victim to a scam, there will be one. So a scammer won’t waste
too much time on you if it is evident you aren’t falling for the act because,
as the saying goes, there’s a sucker born every minute.
Another easy way to avoid a scam is
to check your bill and change closely. After a few drinks, staff in some places
may try to get creative with your tab. The lesson here is don’t drink to the
point where you don’t care about the price. Always ensure that the bill
reflects your orders and that the change you receive in bars, restaurants, and
shops is exactly what you should receive.
All it takes is one scam to be
successful to turn people off holidays, countries, and cultures. The best way
to have a successful holiday is to plan and that means planning for scams. If
you plan for scams, then you know how to avoid them.
Taking the road best travelled 