Tag: travel

Just like any other post on Facebook or Instagram, everyone is free to express their own views, thoughts and opinions. However, one has to understand that one's two cents worth may not be accepted by everyone else. Clearly, when travel blogger, A Girl and A Bald Traveller, complained about Singaporeans being conformists, Instagram whores, and culturally ignorant, the nation did not take it so well. The original blog post has since been removed by the author, but we managed to retrieve a copy of it which you can read here. TL;DR: Unlike himself, the writer thinks Singaporeans aren’t well-travelled enough; we only visit mainstream places because we think 'visiting India or Bangladesh means possibly getting raped' and 'everyone in Africa has aids'. Singaporeans are not as sophisticated or culturally diverse as the writer because we choose to visit 'typical' Instagrammable places like Niagara falls and Eiffel Tower, and only because it's popular on Instagram. When Singaporeans heard the news of our passport being one of the most powerful, we “lord it around on Facebook groups congratulating each other how lucky we are that our passport is so impressive. And yet “how many Singaporeans have made use of their ‘powerful passport’ to visit any of these 180 countries?” While the duo has visited various African and European countries, Singaporeans wield our Singapore passport like an average mortal swings the Thor hammer – a useless weapon in our hands. So why do we still deserve to celebrate our passport?

Having A Powerful Passport

The Singapore passport represents something bigger than travelling. Our visa-free escapades don't just enable us to see the world, but also the world to see us ­– our passport boasts the nation’s progress and political stability, which are definitely worth celebrating. It is the ability to whip this little red book out in a duty-free shop and command some form of respect simply because we are Singaporeans.
Screen shot taken from A Girl and A Bald Traveller's original blog post
According to the duo, those who visit Bangkok and Johor aren’t maximising the passport’s full power because everyone else can easily access these places. Do you know that China grants visa-free travel for ordinary passports to very limited countries including Singapore? Or that Bangkok has an <a href=" immigration system exclusive to Hong Kong and Singapore passport holders? These are but a few perks that come with having a powerful passport. Perks that 'mainstream people' like me can actually enjoy. The power of Singapore’s passport is ever-present within Asia, yet because countries in Asia are considered mainstream and easily accessible to The Girl and A Bald Traveller, they have declared those to be of a lesser travelling experience.
Screen shot taken from A Girl and A Bald Traveller's original blog post
I still stand by those Asian states and countries. Bangkok, JB, Malacca, and Perth are still my go-to places for a quick getaway because of the sense of familiarity I get even while in a foreign place. I fall into the ‘typical Singaporean’ template that The Girl and A Bald Traveller has thoughtfully conjured, except it is not my fear of ‘black’ people or of possible death that deters me from visiting Africa, India, or any lesser-known places mentioned by them. The ‘boring places’ I go to offer what I look for in my holiday and the exotic ones don't. A ticket out of Singapore has always been a chance for me to run from responsibilities and recharge. I've been on holidays that left me feeling more drained than rested. The tedious research, booking of flight transfers, packed schedules, and navigating around a foreign place stresses me out more than work itself. So, escaping into somewhere more familiar (or mainstream) is exactly what I need.

Prostituting Ourselves To Instagram

If travelling was about Instagram, wouldn't a popular feed be filled with pictures of places less travelled? Wouldn't those posted on the duo's site, photos of 'rare' and 'unique' places, garner more likes than a photo with Taiwan’s floating lanterns?

"Simply put. If it's not "Insta-worthy", it's not "Singa-worthy"."

Instagram isn’t just a platform to show off a lifestyle, it is also an informational platform. Before I visit a café, I check out their Instagram location tag to see their food, how the café environment is like, and what everyone else would recommend. It is an unbiased and collective opinion on the place. Before travelling to Taiwan, Bangkok, or JB, Instagram and Facebook help me get a rough idea of what I would like to eat, see, do, and even how to get there because of the photos and captions I see. Simply put. If it’s not insta-worthy, it’s not as easy to research on. An exotic country like Belarus and Ukraine will be a whole new experience to me, but getting there and planning my itinerary is not as easy as it is for the ‘boring countries’. Understanding their roads and deciding on my choice of transport is not as simple, especially for someone who is constantly getting lost even in Singapore.
Screen shot taken from A Girl and A Bald Traveller Facebook Page
The travel blogger has also admitted that most of the available resources for exotic travel are from sites owned by foreigners. Their blog can offer some help though (if you aren't put off by the writing style). Of course, I'd like to see the places that have been named in the article one day. As pointed out by the duo, I do agree that travelling and exploring a lesser-known place is a lot more inspiring. But at the moment, I’m not interested in investing brain juice on a vacation that is supposed to help me unwind. Living in Singapore is like a rat race – work is exhausting, school is stressful. Maybe just like me, most Singaporeans choose the 'mainstream countries' for vacations simply because it is easier to plan for and less stressful to visit.
Image Credit: A Girl and A Bald Traveller Facebook Page
If you can get past the triggering sarcasm and backhanded insults, The Girl and A Bald Traveler actually brought up really good points. And if you can ignore his arrogant remarks and sweeping statements, you might even find their blog a useful point of reference for those exotic countries you might visit in the future. But I'll just stick to my 'Instagram-worthy places' for now. Also read, Don’t Like To Travel? That’s Completely Fine. (Header Image Source: @eesonsnaps)
I love to travel. I’ve visited five continents and dozens of countries. I lived in the United States for about half a year. I’ve done all manner of crazy s*** in almost every type of place you can imagine. I’m telling you this right now just to give you an idea of where I’m coming from. I’m not a travelphobe who’s here to whinge and whine about why travelling sucks a bag of knobs. I’m a travel-phile who wants to tell you that it’s okay to not like travelling. It’s okay to be different from me, and all your friends trying to convince you that travel is the best thing ever. And I’m about to tell you why.

Superiority Complex

We all have that one friend. Yeah, you know the one. His/her Instagram is flooded with fancy shots of far-flung places no one ever goes to, and we-fies of himself with foreigners because “Singaporeans are boring”. He constantly brags about his endless travels in every way he can, from photo captions to travel blogs, and talks down to his less-travelled peers, constantly seeking to educate them or telling them to “get a life”. And don’t you dare call him a tourist, oh no sir; he’s a traveller! I’ll admit, I have on occasion had to remind myself not to be that guy. Because seriously, what an insufferable little twonk he is. Travelling is great. Against that I will offer no argument. But here’s the thing some “travellers” don’t get – it’s just a hobby. Sure, you can pursue a hobby as far as you’d like, making it almost a way of life, but at its core, it’s still just a hobby. I wholly reject the superiority complex that comes with travel, because being a traveller doesn’t make you any more superior to your peers than, say, being a stamp collector. You do what makes you happy, and let others do the same.

Bloated Rhetoric

Much of the hype and romanticizing of travel among young people comes from a culture of bloated rhetoric regarding the subject. “Travel broadens the mind.” “Travel makes you a better person.” “A ship is safe in its harbour, but that’s not what it was built for.” Calm down, Columbus. People aren’t ships. Travel broadens the mind? So does reading a good book. Once again, the acceptance and enforcement of this rhetoric in our culture about the wonders of travel boils down to the superiority complex held by its proponents. Travel is great, but it’s not the be all and end all of existence. Stop knocking everyone over the head with your self-important hyperbole.

Self-improvement

Speaking of being a better person, let’s do a little thought exercise. Who is the better person in this scenario?
  • The rich college kid who spends his parents’ money on long backpacking trips abroad.
  • The middle-class kid who spends his summer holidays holding down two part-time jobs to help provide for his family.
Trick question. The answer is neither. The goodness of a person’s being is an entirely subjective concept. Good for whom, exactly? We all see the world and its people through different, unique lenses. A good person to one may be a bad person to another. There is no definitive good, only subjective acceptance. The only person whose opinion of your goodness truly matters, is yourself. I know that sounds selfish, but let’s face it, you’re kind of stuck with you; if you don’t like yourself, you’re pretty f-ed. Ergo, the quest for betterment of one’s being is truly and above all a personal one. In other words, only you can decide what makes you a better person.

Privilege

But let’s get back to the rich kid. Why do people keep pushing the traveller’s agenda? Earlier, I said travel’s bloated rhetoric boils down to a superiority complex. Distil that a little further, and I’d argue that the superiority complex comes from privilege. Historically, travel has always been for the elite. From Marco Polo to Magellan, Columbus to Drake, exploration of the world was inhibitively expensive, and reserved for the upper echelon of society. You can say that international travel is now much cheaper, but most of the world’s population still cannot afford it, making it still an activity of the wealthy. Therefore, travel is essentially a status symbol. It’s a way of saying, “I can go here, why can’t you?” I’m not saying travellers intentionally look down on their less-privileged peers, I’m saying that the privilege is so baked into the superiority complex of travel that it makes them do it by default. Don’t feel bad that you can’t afford to ride the Trans-Siberian railway or hike the mountains of the Norwegian fjords. Maybe you will someday. Maybe you don’t even want to.

Comfort

One very good reason people prefer staying home to travelling around the world is a very simple one – comfort. “Why should I squeeze into economy seats and dirty budget hostels when I can just stay home for a fraction of the price?” If you reject travel on the grounds of comfort, you’re not wrong! Comfort is the brain’s way of telling the body that it’s doing the right thing. While I can personally attest to the validity of propositions for the case of leaving one’s comfort zone, I think it’s necessary to recognize that there is no law of the land for whether comfort should be pursued or avoided. Again, only you can decide, regardless of what others tell you. So, go, see the world and experience its wonders. Or don’t. It’s your decision, and yours alone.
We millennials are a restless bunch. We dream of cities beyond the borders of our tiny country and quaint little towns with their quaint little shops. We fantasize about hiking up mountains and taking a dip in crystal clear seas. We're restless for travel and are constantly in wait for our next big adventure. And when that time comes, when the tickets are booked and the arrangements have been made, we tend to go about the trip in a way that compromises on our experience. We don't get the most out of the trip we've saved long and hard for. There's a ton of advice out there on how to make the best of your trip, but not all of them are great--at least not to me. Here are some choice ones I think you're much better off ignoring.

1. "Plan plan plan."

Planning in itself isn't bad. In certain situations, it can be absolutely necessary, like when there are a million things you want to accomplish but only 2 days to do it in. If that's the case, plan away. Don't let me get in your way. But if you have the time (and money) to spare, ditch the detailed itinerary that tells you where you should be at exactly what time, and exchange that for some good ol' spontaneity. Between going to all the attractions you already know are good and eating all the food you already know are the best in the country, there's very little space for this new city to surprise you. In a time when there's an app or a website that give you reviews and ratings on every part of your travel experience, it might feel like an experience is only worth having if it's the best--or at least, really good. But you don't need to experience the best of everything. If what you're seeking is an authentic, live-like-a-local experience of the country, the best things to eat, best places to shop at, or best things to do in a country are not necessarily a true reflection of the place (*cough* Marina Bay Sands, *cough*). For a truly authentic and memorable experience, get lost. Literally get off the path well traveled. Try things, even if there's a chance it won't be good. Who knows, it just might be the most memorable part of your trip. After all, the best things in life are rarely planned.

2. "Take lots of photos."

Whenever we take a trip, one of the first things to go into our luggage are our cameras, followed by our chargers. That, or we clear out space in our phones to make way for new photos and new memories. You can't go on a trip and not take photos, right? I think if anything, taking photos takes away from our experience and hinders us from making memories. These days, it seems like we experience every special moment through some type of screen. We spend more time photographing a beautiful landscape than we do just reveling in it. We take pictures of food without appreciation of the culture surrounding it. We visit beautiful places only to take photos of it. You didn't come all this way and spend all that money just to experience a country through a screen. Set aside your phones. It's more important to capture these memories in your head than it is to have them stored away in your phone.

3. "Always go with someone."

People often say to travel in a group--the more the merrier. I disagree. Not only do you waste precious time in a new, exciting place waiting around for people to wake up and get ready, you constantly have to accommodate other people and there's always the possibility of conflict when you're all in each other's faces all day, for weeks. Instead of spending time grabbing a bunch of people to go overseas with you, consider traveling solo. Not only do you get the time and space to contemplate your life and yourself, you also get to meet new, interesting people, and soak up a new culture at your own pace.

4. "Always trust what the locals tell you."

While it's probably safe to trust a local to tell you where to get great food, you might want to think twice when it comes to places to visit. Many locals assume tourists only want to visit the same few places and recommend only what they think you like--which may be far from what you're actually looking for. Always give places a quick check online or ask around more before jumping on a local's recommendations!

5. "If you can’t speak their language, you shouldn't go there."

It can be daunting to visit someplace where you can't communicate well--or at all. How do I order food? What if I need to go to the restroom? While these are real concerns, don't write off a travel destination out of fear you'll be completely helpless once you get there. There are many ways to work around this problem--you just have to be creative about it. You can do your homework in advance and figure out what apps would be handy to have while there. Translation and travel apps are usually a big help. If all else fails, there's always pointing. Just make sure you have something to point to, like an address (hotels and places of interest), pictures and logos. There's always a workaround. It just takes a little more effort.