What You Need to Know Before Flying with a Budget Airline

 For those who have never try budget airlines before.

So you are excited to start your vacation. The airfare seems to be good to be true. With a small luggage you arrive at the airport. You look at the Arrival/Departure screen, hmmm, can’t find your flight. Ok, I am too early, they do not have my flight details yet. So you wait and wait…and wait. Still no flight. Anxiously you approach the counter staff only to be told there is no flight and the airline tried calling you many times to no avail and had emailed you about the flight cancellation. The staff then ask you to fill up a form for the refund of the credit card bill. Your blood pressure shoots up while you check your phone and email and there is no such email or missed calls! Arggggh!!!!

See, this happened to me. So what are the lessons learned?

• Check you email that the airline have received your booking and there is a bill confirmation of our booking.
• Check your email daily for any update on your flight. It is important to use your regular email as you may have forgotten to check the less frequently used email accounts.
• Check your credit card if the airline has billed you.
• Two weeks before departure, call the airline to check if the flight is confirmed. This may be a fruitless exercise as the airline does not usually confirm flight till the very day of departure.
• The day before departure, check again. Yes, it may be another useless call because you may hear the same answer.
• Call again on the day of departure.
• Arrive at the airport and immediately go to the counter if you do not see your flight schedule.
• If flight is cancelled, check if the airline will re-schedule another flight. If not, demand your money back!

This is not a diss on budget airlines. I don’t mind cheap travel – I get what I pay for. An informed customer may not complain if there is a mess-up and and the reasons explained. This goes for any service provider, not just airlines. A first time customer will either come back or be totally turned off by the experience. Needless to say, I am into the later category.

 

Island Discovery in Langkawi

Beautiful dawn in Langkawi, Malaysia.

Early morning, the breeze is blowing. Flutters of seagulls in search for breakfast while rolling waves crash to shore signaling the change of tide. In the forest, monkeys scream a warning and squirrels fling from branch to branch. All the while, the sky blush with indigo, vermillion, yellow and all the colours in between as the clouds play “peek a boo” with the rising sun.

Such sweet solitude.

 

Deadlines, Deadlines, I am DEAD!

Tips in surviving the rat race and managing deadlines.

Organise

Arrange files in sequence of deadlines, either left to right or right to left. The project with the closest deadline will be placed either extreme left or right, depending on preference. Some may prefer organising alphabetically by project name or project serial number (if any). Whatever works for you. I find it easier to manage time when the deadlines are clearly displayed in their order of urgency.

Develop a Schedule

List the number of tasks needed for each project and indicate their estimated timeframe of completion. If you are behind schedule, decisions have to be made whether to delay the project delivery or carry on to speed up the process.

Budget Allocation

For all projects, budget is an important aspect. Keep track of progress and the bills accumulated. There should be a budget projection for each stage. An example :

Advertising budget  – $10,000

Cost of event              – $50,000

Clean-up                      – $5,000

Total budget                 $65,000

Clean up the Clutter

A messy workstation means a messy brain. Unless you strive on chaos and that is how you like it and it works for you! 😉

Air Freshener

It works wonder in improving your mood. Feeling angry and frustrated? Spray on lavender air freshener – it will calm your mood. How about citrus? It keeps you awake. Of course all this advise is useless if you are allergic and have no sense of smell. 😉

Eat Brain Food

Munch on nuts, raisins or even bananas. Get the vitamins and minerals to energise your brain, especially after a heavy lunch when it is so tempting to doze off.

Have a great working day!

 

[This writer is counting deadlines and in serious need of a vacation.]

 

Close Up and the Big Picture

I love winter even though I live in the tropics. Snow-capped mountains reflection on crystal clear lakes – so soothing for the soul.

While I love taking panoramic landscape pictures, it is often during close-ups that fine details are shown. This picture was taken at Niederhorn – Beatenberg, Switzerland. The wide angle shot highlight the cliff boulder against a backdrop  of mountain while fog smothers the valley.

Upon close-up, amidst the foggy backdrop are wooden huts laden with snow on the rooftops – I like the ethereal effect.

By the way, the fog is a natural phenomena in Beatenberg.

 

The Rustic Life

A moment in time.

My parents are my greatest inspiration. They married late in life – father was 34 and mother was 26. It was hard to get jobs those days. When father lost his job, he turned to fishing. Fresh fish and tapioca – so yummy.

We lived in a village, on an island. Boats ferried passengers to the mainland island, where most jobs were found. Boys and girls cycled to school and some walked.

There was no electricity and kerosene lamps were the main source of lighting. When our family well dried up, buckets of water had to be fetched from the village public well, one hundred metres away. Cooking was done over firewood. When it rained, water seeped through the attap roof.

Chickens fought, birds sang their melodies while the forest floor trembled with life. Catching spiders, climbing trees, playing hide and seek, jumping from the pier – fun memories.

No running water, indoor plumbing, tv or plush surrounding. But it was home and the way of life back then.

 

A View from hiking Queen Charlotte

When I need inspiration.

Today …….

is another difficult day in a tough week. This picture always make me smile and feel inspired. It takes over two hours hiking in Queen Charlotte, NZ, to get that view. Step by step, no matter how impossible it seems, there’s something wonderful at the end.

 

Chasing rainbows in New Zealand

To see a rainbow once in a lifetime is such a joy. To see so many rainbows, on separate locations, on multiple days… the pot of gold is all mine. 🙂 

Day 2 – 1st sighting – Doubtful Sound 

Doubtful Sound

 

Day 3 – 2nd sighting – on the way to Glenorchy (morning) 

on the way to Glenorchy

 

Day 3 – 3rd sighting – opposite Dart Safari’s office, Glenorchy (afternoon) 

opposite Dart Safari’s office, Glenorchy

 

Day 5 – 4th sighting – Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown 

On the boardwalk, Queenstown

 

close up, Queenstown

 

Day 7 – 5th sighting – kayaking in Nelson 

kayaking in Nelson

 

 A memorable vacation to this very day.

 

Don’t Blow My Top! 5 phrases to calm or agitate a customer

Working in customer service can be such trials…some days it is so easy to lose your temper . So this is a reminder to myself on what to do and not to do when facing an angry customer.

5 phrases in calming an angry customer

1. “I understand your situation”

2. “I’m listening”

3. “I empathize”

4. “hmmm…aha…”

5. “…I see..”

5 phrases in agitating an already angry customer

1. “I’ll call you, don’t call me”

2. “please calm down”

3. “Its not my problem”

4. “we are closed” 

5. “come back another day”

Just another day in a working life.

 

Five Easy Steps for Achieving that Dream Vacation and more besides

Life lessons – once learned, never forgotten.

 

1. BREAKING DOWN FIXED EXPENSES AND VARIABLE EXPENSES.

 

 Every month the bills start rolling. Look at each bill and see if you need to pay this type of bill every month. In that case, this is your fixed expense. It can be the same amount or fluctuate month to month. Such expenses like rental or mortgage bills, utilities, insurance or car maintenance. Variable expenses are miscellaneous items like emergency hospital treatment, shopping bills for handbag, jewellery or new fridge. It is easier if you use a computer software program like Excel or Open Office Math to tabulate the total expenses for Fixed and Variable Bills. My personal preference is to write it down on a piece of paper and calculate manually. Longer process, yes, but it just reinforce the situation.

 

2. NET SAVINGS

 

 Your monthly salary less fixed and variable expenses will give you the Net Savings. This is where you can channel net savings in various ways. One way is to use some of the net savings to buy an endowment plan.

 

3. ENDOWMENT POLICY

 

 Insurance policy comes in many forms. Even if you don’t believe in insurance, an endowment policy works to your benefit. How? An endowment policy is an insurance plan and also a savings plan. Two for the price of one deal. The basic insurance coverage could be for death and permanent disability with a rider like critical illness if you wish. You will pay a premium for the first two years or so, depending on the policies taken, then the savings function kick in. Suppose you pay a monthly premium of $150. On the second anniversary, you will get a cheque of $1500 from the insurance agency. Again this depends on the endowment policy you have signed up. That is extra earning. You can go on holidays, buy a new wardrobe or whatever you wish. If you don’t need the money, leave it to grow and earn more interest.

 

4.OPEN ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT

 

 Why do I need so many bank accounts? First, the bank account where you draw your salary is now called the Expenses Account. A separate account will allow you to save each month regularly. Once you have bought an endowment policy, re-classify this expense under fixed expense. The Net Savings will show a reduced amount but that is ok as you still have some balance. Every month, without fail, upon receiving your salary, transfer the Net Savings to your new Savings Account. Better yet, open a savings account where the bank can transfer the Net Savings automatically from your monthly salary. For the first few years, it may be better that the bank has no restriction policy in case of withdrawal. Emergency does happen. You never know if one day the fridge breaks down and you need a new one immediately. Any bonus at year end, first thing to do is transfer the bonus to the Savings Account.

 

5. NEXT YEAR OPEN ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT

Why? Because now you are ready for the next step and it is always wise not to put all the eggs into one basket. Look at the Savings Account. By now, it has build up quite nicely. Next, open another bank account. This time, the purpose is not to withdraw any money at all from this account, if all possible. Call it your Retirement Account or Reserve Account, if you will. Banks and insurance agencies have various plan. Shop around. If you don’t want the hassle, just open another Savings Account. To avoid temptation, choose an account with a lock-in period. This usually means that should you withdraw money before the maturity date, a penalty will be charged. A two-year lock-in period may be ideal. You decide. After the maturity date, either transfer the money to the regular Savings Account or let the bank automatically renew the account for another two-year period.

 

Open as many new accounts as you wish when you have more Net Savings. This way, you never need to owe money for the credit card bills. Going on that dream vacation is guaranteed and there is always spare change for emergency.

 

Rainy Serenity in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

[Disclaimer : I am not an employee of  Real Journeys nor am I paid to write this. I had such wonderful memories for every trip in New Zealand. This is dedicated to all the friendly Kiwis and the people I met on my journeys.]

The rain poured relentlessly while the boat glided amidst the valley of green mountains and hills. White and grey clouds blanketed the sky while occasionally the flap of wings criss-crossed the horizon and a melee of excited calls reverberated in the rain forest. Long, wispy white clouds tentatively touched the water while a short distance away, a grey head bobbed to the surface. Cocking its head to the left and wrinkling its whiskers, it started to bark – as if to say – “Welcome to my domain”. No traffic sounds or brilliant city lights – just the air of expectancy while nature called to one another. Remote and as far away from civilization as it could be. Come along and join me on a journey to the Doubtful Sound, New Zealand.

It was May when I arrived in Queenstown – a good time to avoid the summer crowd and winter skiers. Between May to September, Real Journey has discounted offers for their day tours to the Doubtful Sound. From Queenstown, current price is NZ $257 instead of the usual NZ $342 for adults. More expensive than a Milford Sound trip (NZ $198 during May – September) but was worth every penny, in my opinion. From my hotel, it was about a 2-minute walk to Real Journey’s office for my check-in at 6.30am. Bus departure would be at 6.55am. The signboard at the opposite hotel read “3 degree celsius”. Brrrrr….It was not even winter yet! When in New Zealand, please bring along a base layer, a jacket and a rain jacket as spare. It can be bright sunshine during the day but the temperature cools at night time. Rain and snow can come in any season.

The first part of the journey on bus was shared with the people going on the Milford Sound trip. Part way, those going on the Doubtful Sound trip would alight and join a smaller bus heading to Lake Manapouri. A couple from Australia and I were the only people heading there from Queenstown. Before alighting the first bus, the driver reminded us to leave something on our seat : a plastic bag, pamplet, whatever, to let others know that the seat was taken. There would be others joining the bus from Te Anau and the same bus would be picking us up at the end of our trip. Do remember to bring along something extra to “reserve” your seat!

Lake Manapouri – tranquil and quiet in the early hours. 9.30 am and nary a blue sky to be seen. A boat trip across the lake would bring us to the next chapter of our journey. As the boat crossed the lake, brilliant sunshine broke through the clouds – we were on our way! About ten minutes later, thick rolls of menacing looking clouds quickly covered the horizontal. The water took on a grayish sheen, choppy sprays of water rocked the boat and the rain poured! This is a good time to forewarn anybody with weak stomachs to please take an anti-nausea pill before stepping into a boat. Bon Voyage!

The first lake crossing was done, so onwards to a waiting van for a short journey on the Wilmot Pass – the sub-alpine road heading to Deep Cove. Midway, we stopped at a lookout. Down the valley, between sheer walls of mountains and hills, the ribbon of water was the Doubtful Sound. The van slowly nosedived and hands quickly gripped the head seats in front. Pebbles crunched underneath while the van twisted left and we caught brief glimpses of a blue and white ship. “Is anyone having fun yet?”, our driver asked when we stopped at the pier. Hehe….funny fellow.

The Patea Explorer would be taking us on a three hour cruise in the Doubtful Sound. Our driver joined the rest of the crew on board. Together with the crew, there were twenty-three people on that trip. Tea and coffee were served on both ships. Sheets of rain continued to pour. Some of the clouds were stretched so low and almost touched the water. I guessed that was why New Zealand was otherwise known as “Land of the Long White Cloud”.

Misty clouds played hide and seeks amidst the mountain and hill tops. Now and then, the melody of bird calls could be heard while the boat glided through the fiord.

Too excited to explore, I climbed the upper deck. “Whoosh!”. The wind chill was incredible. Kneeling, my fingers gripped a railing while I searched for my gloves. Luckily my yellow, white and blue knitted cap was already covering my head. It was time to pull down the edges, cover my ears and zipped up my

blue rain jacket. My skin was turning numb so it was time to head down to the lower deck.

“If you are lucky, the dolphins will make an appearance,” our guide enticed. “Not in this weather”, a white-haired lady laughingly replied. Not true I thought. I had been on wet weather trips and spotted dolphins before. But that was another story altogether. Sadly on this trip, the playful dolphins were on vacation too. But something else was in store for us.

“Up ahead. Seals Island”, our nature guide announced. At first, I cannot see anything. Then, moving shapes swayed fuzzily in than outcrop in the far distance. I had a Nikon 8700 at that time and zoomed in. Wow! Seals, hundred of seals, pups and adults, either moving about or lazily dozing on the rocks. Ohhhh….babies! The camera clicked crazily. How appropriate that the seals were at home on an island shaped exactly like their namesake.

White-greyish clouds covered the sky, drops of rain rapped a beat against the water surface and the boat while the engines droned on. Then…..a sudden dash of violet caught the corner of my left eye. Incredibly, a rainbow was slowly forming. Its light arch touched the water about 500 meters on the left corner of Seals Island – as if guardian to the seals. Few people were aware of the rainbow at the time. So I had the second deck bow (front end of a boat) to myself before someone shouted “A rainbow!!”. Time to change spot.

About ten minutes later, it was time to get to leave Seals Island and the boat headed to a sheltered cove. The captain announced “This is the best part of the journey. I am going to shut off the engine for three minutes. Everybody if you could just shut off your mechanical equipment – like the camera – and enjoy the silence”. The rhythmic murmur of the engine spurted to a stop…………blissful quiet ascended…………

Water trickled and splashed on the opposite cliff wall. Green moss and ferns lunged to sheer rocky edges. The sky shed gentle tears while wildlife crescendoed a nature symphony. Birds chirped to one another and somewhere in the rainforest, a tui sang a beautiful melody to its mate. A splash in the water and a fish surfaced briefly before diving back to the murky depth of the water.

Alas, the engine coughed to life and the boat speeded home. Heading to the back of the boat, the stern, I watched as white froths of waves bubbled – a bit sad as the journey was heading to an end. Up front, beams of sunlight broke through the dense clouds and put a glow on a spot of water. Too soon, we were back in Deep Cove, where the van awaited.

Climbing up, instead of down, on the Wilmot Pass was a whole different perspective. We actually stopped midway to appreciate the road travelled. The cliff walls were now on the left side while anyone leaning too close on the right edges could have gone skydiving without a parachute. The rainforest took on a misty outlook with the rain clouds as backdrop and green canopy of trees paraded in abundance. Seeing that I was alone, a kind lady offered to take a picture of me. That was sweet of her and I discovered later, she and her family were from Germany.

The van headed for one more stop, the Power Station. All too soon, it was time for a return trip across Lake Manapouri. True enough, the bus was waiting for us at the junction as promised. By the time we reached Queenstown, it was 8.30pm.

Tired and well-satisfied with the journey, I contemplated my next adventure. Little did I know the rainbow glimpsed that day, was just the beginning. It was practically rainbow season in New Zealand.

For a nature lover, New Zealand offers endless landscape to ease the soul and feast the eyes. Doubful Sound fits the bill and then some….

How to get there

Real Journey runs daily tour to the Doubtful Sound. There is also an overnight cruise during the warmer months from October to April. Winter months are colder but there is the incentive of discounted prices from May to September. http://www.realjourneys.co.nz