Since I was a kid, my parents would bring to different places in and out of the country. I basically grew up in a family who loves to travel. We would go on annual vacations as a family – no excuses, everyone must go. This is probably the reason why I have this intense desire to travel – ALL THE TIME! There was a year I travelled every month for 12 months. It was quite intense that I haven’t even unpacked my things from my last trip and I was already packing for my next. For me, travelling is an investment itself. It’s never a waste of money. It’s my way to keep on learning, meet new people, and even gain friends. As St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
But when travelling, what are the important things you should actually invest on? Here are my top 4.
1. Insurance. I usually get insurance when I’ll be gone for 10 days or more or when I plan to go on intense activities, just like my Nepal trip when I trekked for several days.
2. Shoes. Proper shoes is very important, especially when you anticipate long walks. Well, who doesn’t walk when travelling?! You don’t want to ruin your trip because of sore foot or sprained ankle. Make sure to research on the places you’re going too so you can bring proper footwear.
For example, if the plan is a shopping trip in Hong Kong, a pair of comfortable slip-on will do.
If you need a footwear that can be soaked in water or can easily be washed wherever you are, wear something like a pair from Native Shoes.
A pair of boots is not just for fashion’s sake. It’s a must to protect your feet (and legs) from the cold weather.
Of course, if you plan to go up the mountains, invest on a pair of hiking shoes. Trust me on this. Honestly, I wanted to scrimp on this before I went to Nepal, thinking that would be my first and last trek anyway. I was decided to just bring a pair of running shoes. It was really a blessing when this pair of Salomon landed on my hands (or should I say, feet). My 4-day trek in Nepal wasn’t that easy. Most of the time, it was raining so it was muddy. My footwear saved me a lot of times from slipping. With its proper cushion too, the soles of my feet were well-protected. I didn’t feel the rocks as I trekked. My friend who wore running shoes somehow complained how she felt the rocks as she walked, especially by the end of the day when we were extremely exhausted.
Proper pair of shoes makes a lot of difference when travelling – remember this.
3. Clothes. I don’t mean you invest on trendy clothes for photo purposes. I mean, spend on pieces that could affect your health. If you’re going to a cold place, invest on thermals and jackets. Cheap thermals can be too bulky or do not really keep you warm. Getting a warm coat is also a must!
But of course, if you’re hiking, you’ll need an all-weather light jacket.
As I shared earlier, it rained for the most part of our trek. This jacket from Columbia is indeed a good investment! I stayed dry all throughout the hike. Take note, the rain showers were quite heavy and I was really worried that my thermal inside will get wet. But no, this waterproof jacket is really waterproof! I’ll be bringing this in my next trips from now on and I can finally save myself from toting a heavy umbrella! Haha!
4. Luggage. For me, luggage should be invested on. Besides, you’ll carry it with you for several years and will travel with you to different places. We all know how our luggages are treated in the airport. They’re just thrown here and there. I’m quite sure some of you have seen broken luggages on the conveyor belt with clothes scattered around. And I’m also sure, when you saw that from afar, you were wishing it’s not your luggage. This, ladies and gentlemen, is my reason why you should invest on durable suitcase.
Recently, I’ve come across the new luggages at The Travel Club, a concept store for travel bags and luggages. They carry top-of-the-line brands from all over the world.
Delsey has the 55cm Solution Cabin Trolley Case for those looking for a high capacity suitcase with a foldaway compactness. It’s lightweight and it can be a foldable carry-on luggage with TSA lock system, and a cover.
For those travelling on business trips, Delsey has the 77cm Montmartre PRO Trolley Case (photo on the top left). This is made from ballistic nylon with an ultra-resistant Teflon coating, which means your things will be protected from knocks and bumps. Oh, and this is the first time I’ve heard of a luggage that has overweight indicator! How cool is that?!
If you want style and durability in one, The Travel Club has Briggs and Riley. Taking center stage for the Baseline collection is the Upright luggage selection including the Commuter Expandable Upright, Domestic Carry-on Expandable Upright and the Large Expandable Upright varieties.
Each of these designs feature the CX Expansion-Compression technology, wherein it allows an increased packing capacity of up to 33% then compresses back to the original size for easy overhead storage. Hmmm… Sounds great for shopaholics, huh? 😉 They also feature the Outsider Handle technology to provide a more flat packing area to lessen the wrinkling of clothes. Key features also boast of the Gusseted front pockets, Built-in Suiter, Spinner Wheels, and SmartLink Strap.
Now, if you’re into luggages with a lot of compartments, you’ve got to see Genius Pack! The Genius Pack 22” Carry On Spinner features the unique patent pending Laundry Compression Technology which not only expels unwanted air through an air valve but is also removable for easy disposal. Plus, the luggage bears unique and thoughtful features such as a Jacket Strap, an Umbrella Pop-Out and organizational compartments such as the Water Bottle Access and Magazine Access.
For more travel bags and luggages options, you can visit The Travel Club store nearest you.
That sums up my top 4 important things to invest on when travelling! I understand how others would rather spend the money for the trip itself, like activities or food. Remember though that there are things you also need to invest on so you can fully enjoy the trip and for your own safety too. How about you? What are the things you invest on when travelling?
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