General Travel

Public Holidays in Singapore in 2017: How to Maximise Your Annual Leave For Trips

December 7, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

As 2017 draws near, it is once again time to check out the official publication of Singapore public holidays from the Ministry of Manpower. You know the drill each year. Look out for the dates of the 11 standard holidays, see if the date for Deepavali is confirmed and then determine whether there are any potential long weekends for the coming year.

It is shaping up to be a wonderful year if long weekends are your thing. Jetstar has even planned ahead and rolled out a package offering flights to seven destinations during the seven long weekends for 2017. It’s a great idea but options were only limited to their network.

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American Express Centurion Card – A Look at the Benefits of the World’s Most Exclusive Credit Card

November 12, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

With its anodized titanium finish, the American Express Centurion Card is usually recognized as the most exclusive credit card in the world. It has no credit limit. Membership is supposed to be by invitation only and some channels have reported a seemingly endless number of perks with the card. A member had reportedly used the card to buy a painting for over US$100 million from an auction house.

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Casio WSD-F10 Android Watch : Travel Gear Review

November 11, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

A couple of months back, Casio released the WSD-F10 android smartwatch. Geared towards outdoor enthusiasts, it came with a host of nifty features such as an altimeter, compass and barometer all within a durable and waterproof casing. I recently went for a series of trips and took the Casio WSD F10 with me.

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Aurvana ANC Headphones by Creative : Travel Gear Review

October 29, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

Creative recently launched the Aurvana ANC, the latest in its line of Aurvana headphones and its most wallet-friendly noise-cancelling option so far. As an urbanite and a frequent traveler, this was a most welcome feature as it gives the ability to have a more personal listening space in an ever shrinking and increasingly noisy world. I went for a series of trips recently and took out the Aurvana ANC for a spin. These were my impressions:

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Guide to Tipping in the United States of America

October 3, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

Tipping is a way of life in the United States. Most waiting staff are paid below minimum wage and rely on tips to make a living. This practice is different from many other countries where servers are paid a living wage and where a “service charge” is added to the bill. For most visitors, it can be confusing – and even embarrassing – trying to decipher whether a particular service warrants a tip. Despite having lived for a period of time in the United States previously, I was likewise stuck in situations where I pondered the merits of a tip during a recent visit. Of course, I could have played it safe and just tipped every server that took care of me but it would have been excessive not to mention detrimental to the tipping culture of the United States.

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Creative Muvo 2c Portable Bluetooth Speakers : Travel Gear Review

September 27, 2016 by Bino Leave a Comment

Bluetooth speakers are often a dime-a-dozen affairs with just about every electronics brand churning out their own version of this highly popular travel gear. Creative Technology is the latest to update their colorful Muvo line of portable speakers by introducing the Muvo 2 and 2c. The two differ in size with the Muvo 2 being larger and the 2c being the smaller and more portable option (though both are light enough to be considered portable). Recently, I had the opportunity to try the Muvo 2c during one of my trips and I must say I was impressed.

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5 Travel Destinations That Will Offer Better Value in 2016

January 3, 2016 by Bino 1 Comment

For 2015, I listed Japan, the Eurozone countries, Russia, Poland, Australia/New Zealand and Singapore as countries that will become a whole lot cheaper throughout the year. These predictions turned out to be mostly correct, though at varying degrees. I was wrong about one (find out which one below!). Here is a summary of last year’s predictions and outcomes:

Singapore Dollar ended 7% cheaper in 2015 and is now at its lowest level since the global financial crisis of 2008-09
Russian Ruble plummeted by more than 20% in 2015 after already suffered a 50% loss in 2014, offering even better value to tourists in 2015
The Euro became 10% cheaper in 2015
The Aussie and Kiwi dollar sank in tandem in 2015, by around 10 to 12%
The Polish Zloty also sank by 10% in 2015
Despite a popular notion on a weaker Japanese Yen, the Japanese currency ended in 2015 almost unchanged, but was at its weakest in April when it touched 5% weaker compared to the beginning of the year — I was wrong on this one when I predicted that the Yen would continue to get weaker in 2015

You can revisit last year’s list here.

As what I have done for the past two years, here is my fearless prediction for 2016’s countries that will offer better value as travel destinations, as well as my reasons for citing them.

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7 Airport Hacks to Remember Before Your Next Flight

December 14, 2015 by Bino 3 Comments

Raise your hand if being at the airport is your favorite thing about going away. Nope? Anybody? I didn’t think so! Airports can be hectic and are a bit of a necessary evil if you want to get from A to B. Having said that, airports don’t have to be a complete nightmare. Keep these airport hacks in mind before your next flight and being at the airport won’t be such a terrible experience:

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