Photo was taken on my first morning in Tokyo.
1.Not everyone can backpack. Please, please, please do not overestimate your ability and strength or you might injure yourself in the process. If you want to test your backpacking ability, try making a trip to anywhere in Malaysia first and then you'll know.
2.Please, please, please invest in a quality backpack. Trust me, this is for your own good. If your budget only allows you to buy a moderately-priced backpack, don't buy the first backpack that catches your eye. Go to as many shops as you can so you can compare prices and functions.
3.Please ask shop assistants on which backpack suits you the best or if you're unsure about anything. Note that you need to buy a backpack based on your torso length that and fits your hips comfortably, not your overall height or how much weight you can carry. And please choose a backpack that has some form of a load support on the back. Some backpacks I've seen have aluminium rod stays and some have springs. Mine has a plastic frame board because it was the lightest of all load supports I've tried on.
4.If you decide to backpack, you need to be prepared to forego a few comforts and iron-able outfits (that include your tudung and selendang too). You don't want a backpack that weights more than you can actually carry when you're walking more than 10 km per day.
5.You need to remind yourself that the reason you choose backpacking is to minimise your spending on a trip. Oh your extended family members and not-so-close friends and acquaintances are asking you to buy souvenirs for them? Grab a postcard. Some places give postcards for free so you can take those instead. You don't need those extra weights of souvenirs slowing you down. Or if you're like me and have a not-so-pleasant personality, you can ignore those requests instead. I usually do. Plus, I travel because I want to see the world, not because I want to buy a fridge magnet you goddamned want.
6.Free snacks and food samples are the best ways to taste something new. You want to taste something that is out of your budget? Ask if they have any sample, because trust me, most food shops usually do.
7.Please, please, please do a quick research before you buy a flight ticket to anywhere. Cheap flight tickets are not worth it if you're not having fun during your travel.
8.Ask hotel staff for directions before you go out. I stayed in 3 hotels in Tokyo and holy hell all of them were very helpful even though their English was limited. The staff of the second hotel I stayed in were the best though. They printed train routes, train schedules, the maps of the places I needed to go and all the interesting places in each place. I'll tell you more about the hotels in my next posts.
9.It pays to be polite (I feel like an ass for typing that but I've seen far too many rude people in my travels). People will feel compelled to help you if you're polite. And if you've mastered the "lost and clueless look" like me, people will feel the urge to help you more. I mean, why else would anyone offers me money for a cab ride everytime I ask for the direction to the nearest train station (which is usually only a 10-minute-walk) if I didn't look lost and clueless, right? And I refuse to think negatively about people, especially the ones who have helped me.
10.I added the above because on my last day in Tokyo, I met many Malaysians who asked me where to buy fridge magnets so I gave them as many details as I could la sebab kesian tapi macam cilake je a few of them were very rude to me. After a few rude encounters, I just answered, "taktau" sebab malas aku nak layan.
11.Have fun in your travels. Like I said, I travel because I want to see the world, not because I want to berlagak to people and update every little thing I do during my trips on Facebook.
Now that I've let everything out of my chest haha I can finally start telling you about my trip. Next post! I promise.
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