To my best travel buddy

You're outdoorsy. I'm a city gal.

You climb mountains. I take the lift. 

You built tents. I cook the food.

You make friends easily. I'm so shy. 

What will I do without you? I'd get lost, I'll be cold, I'll most probably get eaten.

You're my best travel buddy and thanks to you, I've climb my first mountain (although to you it's just a very small one), I went diving, I went on a helicopter, I went Bungy jumping, I went skydiving, and the list goes on. 

You encouraged me, held my hand and wiped my tears when I was afraid I'd get swept away by the river. Then you gave me a cookie and told me I was the bravest girl you ever knew. 

I know I'm not that brave. It took me many attempts to jump of the ledge. 

But.. 

What will you do without me? You'd forget things, you'll have crisis after crisis because you won't think about it until it happens or you'll burn all your food. 

We complement each other, and I'm so thankful for you each and every day. So this post to dedicated to you, my favourite travel buddy. 

Here is to you, more laughter and adventures to come.  

Happy birthday my love. Hope you had a blast in New Zealand. 

10 Ways to have a wallet-friendly vacation

Summer is here! It's time to travel, see the world and learn so much about this Earth and yourself! So many places to go, so little money though! Let's be real, we're not Paris Hilton and do not have an international hotel chain our dear Grandpops owns and stay at anytime we want. Here's how you can travel and still be kind to your wallet.

1. RESEARCH

It is always important to do your research properly. Do not book the first airline you come across or the first hotel you like. Compare prices across all online platforms and even with the airline/hotel directly because sometimes hotels offer a lower rate as compared to an Online Travel Agent (OTA) and are also flexible with your reservation (i.e. You need to cancel or postpone your trip due to unforeseen circumstances).

Read reviews on Tripadvisor and get feedback from friends who have visited the destination/hotel. The website may look lovely and really posh for the price you're paying, but in actual fact it's all Photoshoped.

2. CREATE A SPECIFIC BUDGET PLAN

I created this budget plan for my own personal use about two years ago when I wanted to keep track of my travel expenses. Being a poor student, every single cent counts. Give yourself a cushion of 10% to fall back on in times of emergency.

3. PLAN EARLY

Planning, NOT booking, in advance is always good. Give it room to be flexible and change. If you intend to embark on a big/expensive trip, plan from 4 months to a year in advance. This gives you enough time to find the right deal, the right destination and also to save for the trip.

4. SAVING

Once you've budgeted the rough estimate of your trip, start saving! I never liked the idea of dipping into your savings account (meant for education/rent/retirement), and created a new bank account solely for my travels.

Once I've settled on an amount, I will take a look at the time frame I have to save and divide it equally by the number of months I have to save.

For example, I will be travelling to New Zealand in October for a 10 day trip. My budget is $2,500 and I started planning (or rather, thinking about it) in January. Thus, I need to save $250 each month for my trip.

Next, ask yourself if the monthly amount is comfortable for you? If it's not, are you able to lower the budget (doing lesser activities or having a shorter trip) or are you able to move the trip to the following months to give you more time to save.

5. BOOKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

There is always a right time for everything. According to travel gurus:

• Book between 6 to 8 weeks in advance to get the best deal on international travel
• Book between 9-12 months in advance if you plan to visit a tourist hotspot during a “peak” holiday period (prime example: New York during Christmas/New Year’s Day)
• Book on a Tuesday or Wednesday at 1am due to airlines reloading their booking systems with the latest low-cost fares

Also be flexible with your travel dates. Try not to travel on the weekends because that’s when tickets can really jump in price.The difference a day or two make can equate to hundreds of dollars.

6. PACKING

Packing light allows you to hand carry your luggages and save money on buying check-in luggage. Budget airlines tend to charge check-in baggage separately. Toiletries tend to be the heaviest in the luggage and I will usually just buy it once I've landed at my destination at the nearest convenience store.

Wear your heaviest clothes to the plane like jackets, shoes and hats that would just weigh down your backpack.Checking in your luggages also increases the chance of your luggage getting delayed or missing too!

7. TRAVEL DURING OFF SEASONS

I always like to travel during off seasons if I can. There's lesser tourists and everything is just cheaper! Of course, there's a reason for it being off seasons. Is the weather rainy? Is it cold? All those factors actually play a big part, and if you're ok with that, you're set to go!

We visited Pulau Redang in March this year. Pulau Redang is usually closed (yes, the entire island) from October to February due to the Monsoon Season and will generally open from March onward. Peak Season is between May - July. When Redang opens once again in March, the island's experiencing the tail end of the rainy Monsoon Season and prices for accommodations are generally low. About 20-30% cheaper, and the accommodation prices usually includes full board meals! We were thankful that it didn't rain at all during our weekend there.

8. STAYING WITH FRIENDS/FAMILY (or you can couch surf)

Why not? It's free!

Always ask for permission before hand and it is always better if you are able to find someone that you're once close to, but have drifted apart. Use this opportunity to catch up and you will even have a local guide in that destination.

Of course you may not have a relative in every country you visit. You can try couch surfing or even hostels. You are able to meet plenty of people from all walks of life, gain new friends and experiences and even share an itinerary together!

9. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Need I say more? Trains and buses are always cheaper than renting a car. You get to immerse in the local sights, sounds and culture and get to travel the way they do! Unless you're in Jeju and renting a car is already very cheap and there are hardly any buses around.

10.SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS

I know in Singapore, we have this Personal Data Protection Act in which consumers love, but I don't. I love signing up for newsletters and receiving junk mail. Of course, I have a separate email account set up specifically for this. Numerous times I've saved 10-20% off accommodation because the newsletters comes with discount codes. In May, our air tickets to Hong Kong was half price because it was 1 for 1! I wouldn't have known if I didn't register for the newsletter!