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.

            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

            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 jewels in the Southeast Asian crown has to be Singapore, the tiny city-state that has been described as Disneyland with the death penalty.

            I had the opportunity to spend a few days in the Lion City in the summer of 2018. Without compare, Singapore is the cleanest country I have ever visited.

            A big part of that cleanliness is due to draconian laws that exist in the country. Heavy fines and sometimes caning with a thick, rattan cane are the punishments for littering, jay-walking, spitting, or drinking or eating on public transport.

            The result has been an immaculate country where you probably could eat from the ground.

            Chewing gum is banned except for medical purposes (nicotine gum) and other than a pack of cigarettes you aren’t allowed to bring in duty frees.

            Although enforcement tends to be lax, the lore of Singapore law is enough to ensure conformity especially among tourists who have heard of the country’s reputation.

Getting in:

            There are three ways into Singapore: by air at Changi Airport, by land at the Malaysian border, or by sea on a cruise ship. The vast majority tend to fly into Singapore.

            In addition to having the world’s best airline, Singapore Airlines, Singapore also boasts the world’s best airport. For the past twenty-plus years, both the airline and airport have topped or nearly topped best airline and airport lists.

            It is very easy to navigate through Changi and be landside in minutes. When I went last year, my flight arrived at about 10 p.m. and I was landside and in a taxi by 10:15 p.m. But it is all about timing. The other time I transited through Changi, it took about an hour to just get through passport control which was mid-afternoon.

Getting around:

            Singapore has a comprehensive bus and tube system to get you around quickly. You really appreciate how small Singapore the nation is by the fact that you can take the tube to the Malaysian border.

            There are several lines to move you around the city which can be a relief with the air conditioning because Singapore is always very hot (30 to 35C).

            You can pick up a visitor ticket that lasts for a few days at most major stations and simply tap in and out as you navigate the area.

Hotel:

            You can find bargains or spend a fortune on hotels in Singapore. For example, the quintessential Singaporean hotel is the Raffles Singapore which is the home of the Singapore sling. A room for a night will cost more than £500 a night. The iconic Marina Bay Sands (pictured above) charges more than £300 a night. When I stayed in Singapore, I stayed at the Naumi Hotel which is about £150 per night for a room in a five-star boutique hotel located in the shadow of the Raffles.

            Accommodations tend to range in price depending on the area of Singapore you are staying.

Food:

            Food prices in Singapore can be a big bargain or a bank-breaker. I would highly recommend eating at Hawker Stands located throughout the city.

            Hawker food is street food but you don’t need to fear stomach bugs as you would with street food in other parts of Asia because Singapore has even higher health standards for food vendors that Europe or North America.

            Hawker stands are set up to look like food courts and are found in Chinatown, Little India, and the Malay Quarter. Laksa, Chili crab, and satay are the national dishes of Singapore and found anywhere food is served.

            One recommendation I make is to get to Hawker Chan at the Chinatown Hawker complex. It is the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal. Hawker Chan sells soy chicken and rice. It is a simple dish but excellent. You can get this one-star Michelin dish for about £2.50. Hawker Chan is easy to find. Head to the Hawker stand in Chinatown and look for the long line. When I went, I got there at about 11:30 a.m. and there were probably about 15 people ahead of me, but a few minutes later, there were about 100 people behind me. So get there early.

Safety:

            Next to Japan and Iceland, Singapore is one of the safest places I have ever visited. Not once did I need to worry about suspicious looking people or potential pickpockets.

Bring a light cardigan:

            As I said, it is 30 to 35C everyday in Singapore, but you need to have a cardigan or light jacket handy every time you go indoors.

            That is because most buildings set their air conditioning about about 20C so it feels like you have entered a fridge every time you go indoors.

Things to do:

            For years, Singapore was only a business centre, but now the country is diversifying into tourism thanks to the additions of the Esplanade and the Marina Bay projects. The areas are centres for tourism.

            Even if you cannot afford to stay in the Marina Bay Sands hotel, the site has many attractions open to the public. The most iconic is the 191-metre infinite pool that sit atop the three towers like a surf board. It also houses the Formula One race circuit, a casino, shops, restaurants, and a canal complete with gondola rides similar to The Venetian complex in Las Vegas.

            Singapore is also a mecca for shopping with several shopping malls with everything from affordable brands like H&M to luxury items from Louis Vuitton, so it has something for everyone.

The world’s best airport

            Changi International is a mainstay at the top of best airports in the world surveys. If you have a long layover, Changi is one of the best places to stay. In addition to the usual hotels, lounges and shops in most airports, Changi also has two cinemas that show movies for free, a tropical garden, and an aquarium.

            The new Terminal 4 building is the most technologically advanced airport terminal in the world. Other than security, it is possible to get from landside to the plane without having to interact with staff. You can go to a check in kiosk, scan your passport, and receive your boarding pass and luggage tags. After you affix your tags, you take your bags to an automated counter where you place it on the scale/conveyor belt and it moves on to the luggage area. If you had your biometric data recorded on entry (and you would have unless you are a child), then you go to the automated passport control and follow the directions to clear immigration. You will interact with staff at security as that part is still operated with a human presence. When you flight is called, you can use the biometric gates to scan your boarding pass and the machine takes your retina scan and clears you to board your flight.

            Singapore is probably my favourite city in the world to visit because it is safe, clean, and has a variety of options that meet all budgets. You won’t want to spend more than a few days in Singapore as it is an expensive country and you can see the main sights within two to three days. Singapore is a good add-on to any holiday that takes you to Southeast Asia.

            So now you have an itinerary in mind and have booked your flights. You are firmly committed to your trip at this point.

            Up next is not hotel reservations, but rail pass purchasing. Intercity travel in Japan — by land, air or rail — is very expensive. You should invest in a Japan Rail Pass.

            These passes are sold outside of Japan to foreign nationals and cannot be purchased in Japan. JR Passes are available in 7, 14, and 21-day packages and will cost you £211 (7-day pass), £336 (14-day pass), and £430 (21-day pass).

            You should consult the go-to Japanese website for train prices and schedules, Hyperdia. This site allows you to plot travel based on date, time, and train type.

            To give you an idea of how valuable the JR Rail Pass is, consider that a return train journey from Tokyo to Osaka will cost you £200 if you bought a ticket in Japan. That is almost the price of a 7-day rail pass.

            Bear in mind, the JR Rail Pass cannot be used on the superfast Nozomi Shinkansen trains that operate from Tokyo to southern points. It is valid on the superfast north and westbound trains, the Hyabusa and Kagayaki respectively.

What happens after you order a pass?

            A few days after your purchase, an exchange order will be in your post box. The exchange order is NOT a pass. You cannot arrive in Japan and start using it. You will need to visit a JR Rail office where you can submit the exchange order which will be processed into a rail pass.

            Passes expire at midnight after the last day. For example, a 7-day pass expires at midnight on 8 July if activated anytime on 1 July. By this, I mean you can use your pass on 7 July until just about midnight. After that, it will not work. The same idea works for the 14 and 21-day passes.

            If your trip is going to be longer than the pass you have, you may need to be a bit strategic, especially if you flew into Narita and plan to use the Narita Express to the airport instead of paying 3,500 yen for the ticket. For example, you have planned a 10-day journey to Japan to visit Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima which will put you in the country from 1 to 10 July. If you flew into Narita and wanted to save 3500 yen and use your pass on 10 July to get back to the airport, consider sightseeing in Tokyo first and activating your pass on 3 July which will make the 7-day period end on 10 July.

            Another bonus with the JR Pass is that you can use it for travel on the JR Yamanote line in the Tokyo Subway or the Osaka Loop Line in Osaka. In both cities, most of the must-see sights are within reasonable walking distance of stations on the lines.

Tips and tricks

• Do not lose your pass. It cannot be replaced and you will be stuck paying for train tickets if you lose it.
• The pass is valid not only on the circle lines in Tokyo and Osaka, and the Shinkansen, it is valid on any train system owned by Japanese Rail. You will know this if the service begins with the letters JR.
• If you choose to use the north and westbound trains, seat reservations are mandatory. They are not mandatory on the southbound trains but if your trip falls on a Japanese holiday, you may need to if you don’t want to stand.
• Go to any Shinkansen office in the train stations and you can make your reservations. A perk of being a JR Pass holder is that seat reservations are free.
• When you reserve a seat, you will receive a printed green card with your train letter and seat number on it. If you look at train timetables in Japan, you will notice that trains tend not to stop for more than a minute. Do not despair. The platforms have demarcations that tell you where to stand if you have a reservation. Trains normally run with 7 or 9 carriages. So you will see demarcations for 7 and 9-carriage trains. Signs will tell you where your train car will stop and you can line up in the demarked zone. It makes boarding very efficient and the quick stop is not an issue at all.
• Unlike English trains that have luggage racks, Shinkansens and other trains in Japan do not have them. But the overhead rack is sturdy enough to hold a large suitcase. You can place your bags there.
• Train tickets and passes are available in standard and first class. There is no need to splurge on first class unless you want a carpeted carriage and a plusher seat. Legroom in standard is about two to three times of standard in British trains. You have enough room to sore a suitcase at your feet and still be comfortable.
• The seating arrangement on standard class Shinkansen carriages is 3 on the left side and 2 on the right. If you are travelling in groups, it is possible to spin one set of seats around so everyone can face each other.
• TIP: If you are travelling south from the Tokyo region, try to get a seat reservation on the right side of the train. About 40-45 minutes outside of Tokyo, you will have a glorious view of Mount Fuji. These seats tend to sell out quickly so if you are efficient try to book them a few days ahead of your journey.

Etiquette, food, and drinking

            Japan is a country that is built on order, conformity and politeness. While no Japanese person will yell at you for social faux pas, they will judge you with their stares. Here are a few things to consider:

• It is perfectly OK to eat and drink on the trains. In fact, every station has many food stalls serving prepared foods. One of the most popular is the eki-ben. Eki is the Japanese word for station while ben is the abbreviation of Bento Box. So an Eki-ben is a Bento Box you can buy in the station and enjoy on the train as you watch the countryside whiz by at speeds of more than 275 km/h.
• Japan is a clean society so remember to take your rubbish with you when you leave the train. There are rubbish bins on the platforms so you can get rid of your garbage there.
• It is considered rude to chat on your mobile in the seating areas. Go to either end between the carriages if you need to use the phone.

            In the next section, I will write about accommodations which can be a challenge considering Tokyo is among the world’s most expensive cities. I will introduce you to capsule hotels, business hotels, and ryokan hotels.