Travel Packing List

If you're a budget backpacker/traveller and do not wish to carry so much in your backpack, here's a list of things for you to check. You can cross out those which doesn't apply to you.

• Passport
• Print-outs of flight tickets, bus tickets, train tickets, confirmation email from the hotels / AirBnb
• Credit cards (remember to inform your bank the country you're going)
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste (bring the small tube)
• Facial wash
• Shampoo
• Soap (for body wash, some prefer to bring shower gel)
• Small towel (because it's easier to dry and lightweight)
• 4 T-shirts (the 1st one to wear, 2nd one for the next day, 3rd one is for spare and the 4th one in case the one you wash doesn't dry the next day)
• 4 pairs of underwear
• 4 pair of socks
• One pair of jeans (usually it's the one I'm wearing on board)
• One pair of shorts
• Sleepwear (some like to sleep in pyjamas, or an old T-shirt, so bring whatever you prefer)
• Sweater / Jacket (in case the weather is cold)
• Hand gloves / mittens (if you're travelling during winter)
• 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of sandals (shoes for walking out sight-seeing and sandals for walking to the nearby convenience store)
• Smartphone
• Phone charger
• Universal adapter for the charger
• Power bank (for your phone)
• Money belt (to carry your cash and to be worn inside your shirt, not outside)
• Medicines (if you need)
• Contact lens casing & contact lens solution (for those who are wearing contact lens)

Now the following items are optional depending on the needs of individuals:

• Deodorant / Cologne / Perfume 
• Map (if you need one)
• Travel guidebook (like those from Lonely Planet)
• Camera (if you're an avid photographer, either an amateur or a professional one)
• Small blanket (I do bring one to cover myself when I sleep because in some countries, the temperature may drop very low at night)
• Cutlery set (some prefer to use their own fork and spoon when they travel)

CouchSurfing

Have you tried using the CouchSurfing when you travel?

For those who do not know what it is, let me explain briefly what's a CouchSurfing is all about. I'm sure most of you have already know about AirBnb, right? Well, CouchSurfing is almost like AirBnb but without payment.

Yes! You heard me right. No payment. No charges. It's like a local offering you a place to sleep at their home but there are a lot of differences from AirBnb. In CouchSurfing, you will be staying together with the host or the host's family in the same house. As for AirBnb, most of the time, you could rent a private room or the entire house/apartment to yourself but in CouchSurfing, you will stay with the host under the same roof.

A major difference is in CouchSurfing, you may not get a private room for your stay. The host is allowed to offer you anything from just a couch in the living room, or an air mattress in the same room as the host. Now you know why it's free of charge. Although some may offer you a private room with a proper bed, but most of the hosts I checked are only offering a couch in the living room or asking you to sleep on an air mattress.

Another factor that I do not feel comfortable and safe with CouchSurfing is that many of the hosts do not show the photos of the place or sleeping area for you (the guest/traveller) and so, you do not know what you're getting until you reach their house on your first day. Some don't even specify in the description section on whether you are sleeping on a couch or there is a proper bed for you. Well, if you're not fussy and adaptable to any situations and environment, then it won't be a problem but for me, I have to at least know if I will be sleeping on a couch or on an air mattress.

Speaking of sleeping, some hosts do specify that you have to share the bed with him, meaning that you will be sleeping on the same bed with the host. Err... I don't really feel comfortable doing that. I don't mind sleeping on a couch but it's a big no to share a bed with a stranger.

I have read quite a lot of good references by travellers about their hosts whom cook breakfast or dinner and share the food with them while others will take the effort to bring you to some good restaurants for dinner. Apart from the good hosts, there is a huge shocking part in some hosts in which they specify that they are nudist and they expect you to be naked too when you stay in their home.  I have read one whom he requests traveller to sleep naked on the same bed with him even though he mentioned it's not a sexual intention.

I'm actually in the midst of looking for accommodation for my upcoming trip but up till today, I have yet to receive good news because most of the hosts declined to my request as some said it's too early for them to know if they would be around at that time and others said they won't be around as they are going somewhere too.

On the last note, most of the hosts do not provide you with the key to their house and they specify that you leave the same time as they go to work in the morning and you're only allowed to come home after they have reached home from work. So, this is another disadvantage compared to AirBnb where you will have a set of keys to the premise.

If I still fail to get a host, I will have to resort to book AirBnb. So, what do you think of CouchSurfing? Would you try? For those who have tried, let me know how was your experience in the comment.

New Tax For Travellers Departing Japan From 2019

Starting from 7 January 2019, all travellers departing from Japan by ship or plane will have to pay a 1,000 yen (RM36) departure tax named as the "Sayonara Tax", (What a cute name, though!). This tax applies to both Japanese and foreign travellers. However, children under the age of two and transit passengers leaving Japan within 24 hours of arrival will be exempted.

The tax is a part of an effort to raise 40 million yen annually in tourism sector. Japan's Parliament, or the Diet, enacted on Wednesday (April 11) a Bill to introduce the departure tax which will be charged at the time the travellers buy air or sea tickets.

The revenue generated will be used to improve on tourism infrastructure, promote travel destinations of rural parts of Japan, technology advancements such as the facial recognition at airport gates, electronic payment options, free Wi-Fi on public transportations, and to fund global tourism campaigns

Japan attracted a record of 28.69 million tourists in 2017, 19.3% increase from the previous year. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe aims to increase that figure to 40 million by 2020, when Tokyo will be hosting the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to 60 million by 2030.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), travellers from Singapore made around 400,000 trips to Japan last year. China and South Korea are the top two tourist sources for Japan, each accounting for around 25% of the total number of visits last year.

Within Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Osaka Prefectural Government charge a lodging tax of 100 to 300 yen per person per night respectively to finance local tourism promotion and other measures. Kyoto plans to follow suit from October this year.

Some critics fear the new tax could dampen the travel appetites of budget tourists but Japan is not the first country to charge a departure tax on travellers. What do you think? Would you visit Japan lesser after this?