Wisdom from the Road #41

On weather

Check the weather forecast.

Including the little details.

Living in the Philippines more years that I can count on my fingers and toes, I don't remember ever being concerned about the weather. It was either sunny or rainy. Either way, I can go out in shorts, shirt, slippers; just bring an umbrella when it's the latter. Knowing the weather forecast climbed 10 rungs up my to-do ladder when I started traveling. But sometimes, old habits die hard, and I simply take the weather for granted.

Exhibit #1

Beijing, China

I figured I'd leave my waterproof hooded jacket in the hostel because it looked sunny and, the day before, it was just light rain. That was my basis for the decision. I did not bother to check the weather forecast. The day went on fine without the need for the jacket. It was at night, when we were leaving Beijing 798 Art Zone, the bus stop still miles away when it started pouring cats and dogs. (The bus stop was maybe just one mile away, but seemed like 10 miles when caught in the rain.) It was either run like The Flash or find shelter. We decided on shelter and waited an hour or so for the rain to calm down before venturing out to the bus stop.

Exhibit #2

Seoul, South Korea

On a spring day in Seoul, I checked the weather forecast and the temperature. It would be sunny with a temperature of 13°C. I wore a light jacket. The wind blew throughout the day and I was shivering whilst shuffling along the streets. I had neglected to check for winds, gusts, and real feel temperature.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

Wisdom from the Road #36

On energy

Do not tire yourself out, else you get cranky.
Have proper sleep before a long day of wandering.

Do not let yourself go too hungry, else you get hangry (hungry+angry).
Have some snacks handy; food is fuel for the body.

If you get too tired and too hungry and transform into the evil travel buddy, pray your travel companions have the patience the length of the Great Wall of China, else they dump you in the middle of nowhere.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

Wisdom from the Road #34

On Gut Feel

Trust it.

We arrived in Beijing Capital International Airport tired, sleepy, and four hours late. It was at least two hours until the first bus out to downtown. We just wanted to get to the hostel and sleep.

I followed my friend out of the airport to the taxi stand. The first cab guy showed us a card listing down the rates: 450 to 580 RMB for our destination. We said no. (We had already been informed by the hostel personnel that it would only cost around 130 RMB by meter.) As I was telling my friend that we should go back inside the airport and ask around, another guy approached us saying that his is a metered taxi. He put our bags into the trunk and we got in. Once in, I checked if there was a meter, but there was none. He was busy getting something on his left side, then turned to the right and connected that something to some wires. After some seconds of tinkering, he showed us his "meter." I had a bad feeling about it and wanted to get out of the taxi and get our bags from the trunk, but was stupidly too tired to persuade my friend. True enough, it was a scam. His "meter" ran up to more than 300 (and on the way, when we passed a toll booth, he said that toll is 80 RMB).

He did take us to our destination but stopped a few meters away from our hostel. It was a little after 4AM and the street was deserted. There was nothing else we could do, but pay up.

Lessons learn: Trust your gut feel. Walk away when you can. If you have failed to do so (like we had), learn from it, but don't let it ruin the rest of your day (and the rest of your vacation).

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.