The Hindu Business Line : Plan your dream holiday

Foie gras in France; pizza in Pisa; ghoulash in Hungary! It would be sinful to miss out on such delicious dishes that have near cult-status in certain parts of the world. The trick is to identify where you get good food at `kind' prices. The same applies to all travel inputs.

Remember, travel brochures rarely tell the whole story. So prepare yourself the best you can and expect the unexpected.

Heavy suitcases not only tie you down but also drain your budget. So pack your bags carefully, choosing only essential items.

Baggage: Overweight baggage and bulging suitcases not only tie you down but also drain your budget. So pack your bags carefully, choosing only items that are essential. If you're travelling on business, you do need suits and ties, but if you're holidaying, avoid them as they take more space and don't carry well.

Choose your suitcase with care. While soft suitcases are lighter and easier to carry, they don't ensure any cushion effect, so they aren't useful if you're carrying breakables. In such cases, a hardtop suitcase is your best bet. Having a large one always helps, as packing space is always at a premium.

It is amazing how all suitcases resemble one another on an airport conveyor belt. Ensure that your piece is well marked with either a colourful belt, or even a ribbon to help identification. And always lock it because airlines don't take responsibility for your possessions. But just locking it isn't enough. Always have a belt around your suitcase, especially if it is bulging. Don't trust the lock. Remember, your suitcase will be tossed, and locks often fail. There's nothing more troublesome than a ripped open suitcase. Always make it a point to put a sticker with your address and phone number both outside and on the inner side of your suitcase.

With lost baggage a reality, it's wise to pack a few essential clothing items along with your hand baggage. This way, you don't have to go out shopping for clothes if your bag fails to show up along with you on landing.

Take along: Two types of clothing: woollens and light linen. This is because the same place may feature two types of weather conditions, and high day-night temperature variations.

Good walking shoes are essential, and they should be comfortable.

Also ensure you have a bottle opener, can opener, and screwdriver (a Swiss Knife is ideal), a flashlight, matchbox, candle or portable mini lamp, and a sewing kit.

A few food items always help. The best things to carry along are biscuits of your choice, savouries and chocolates. If fond of your coffee, a mini percolator will prove invaluable.

Medicines should always be an important part of your baggage — especially paracetamols,aspirins, digene and mild tranquillisers. This is because different countries have different norms for selling such drugs and it's always better to have some of your own brands handy. Also, many pharmacists won't sell anything without a local prescription.

When changing money, keep in mind that hotels charge the maximum commission, followed by airport and rail station counters.

Foreign exchange: Foreign exchange needs should be addressed carefully. If possible, buy it here itself so that you can pay in Indian currency. Buy 80 per cent of your requirement in traveller's cheques, as they're much safer. Keep a cash component only for paying taxis, meals at small cafes and tipping. When changing money, remember that hotels charge the maximum transfer commission fees, followed by airport and rail station counters. In some countries, fees are charged ad hoc per transaction. This means you pay approximately the same for large or small transactions. So, try to buy your required exchange at one go and avoid multiple purchases or you'll end up paying more commission. If necessary, pool in with your companions in order to make just one transaction.

It's important to buy the right currency. The entry of the Euro has greatly simplified matters for travel within most of Europe, but some European countries still have their own currencies. If travelling across several countries, buy the Euro in bulk and change these into individual currencies if required, on arrival. The Pound Sterling is also a good buy, but try to avoid bulk-buying of US Dollars as you stand to lose out on exchange rates in most regions outside the US and the Caribbean.

City news: What's happening and where? Once you've done your day sightseeing, what do you do in the evenings? Every city has something going on throughout the year, and the best way get to know about local events is through the "local" pages of newspapers. These will give you the best discount sales, concerts, plays, films and so on. City magazines found in hotel rooms are also useful.

Shortlist what appeals to you, make a few phone calls and you're set for the day. It's also worth checking what's going on in your very own hotel, as that saves you commuting and also entitles you to good entertainment at discounted rates.

City/Travel Cards: Make sure to buy the local `city card', which comes in various versions. This has normally all-inclusive deals that include unlimited travel on all forms of local transport excluding taxis, entry to museums, theatres, galleries and shopping and dining discounts. The cards come in various forms, so choose the one that suits your needs.

If you're in Europe on a Sunday, you'll find the streets deserted and the shops closed, though tourist places will be open, and service staff on duty. So spend the whole day sightseeing, and save the shopping for week-days.

Hotels: Choose your hotel with care. Remember, local commuting can be expensive, so your hotel's location can make a vital difference in your holiday's overall budgeting. If you are travelling with your family and plan to stay for more than two days, choose a downtown hotel to save those taxi rides to dining and entertainment areas. If travelling alone, choose a location that suits your personal taste. Don't let the distance from the airport be a factor as most hotels have discounted shuttle services.

Dining out: There's always a wide choice available. Ask the hotel reception for tips on eateries located close by. If you're weight-conscious, avoid dining on multi-course meals every day, especially when the meals are part of a tour package or are served at fixed prices. Have a light noon meal, if your main meal of the day is in the evening. Order salad plates and open-faced sandwiches in cafes or pastry shops. (Most also happen to be located in downtown and tourist areas, so you can kill two birds with one stone).

In the UK, try Irish stew (500 calories) rather than fish and chips (950 calories); in France, ratatouille (450) instead of canard a l'orange (900); and in German-speaking countries, Forelle blau or blue trout (480), rather than a calorie-busting pork-sauerkraut-and-potatoes dish (1,100).

Select vegetarian. It's normally lighter and healthier. And it's now available almost everywhere. But make sure you specify you're vegetarian while placing an order, to ensure that even meat stalks aren't used for your serving.

Order a la carte, not prix fixe. Go for broth-based soups and tomato-based pasta dishes rather than cream-based items, and choose entrees that are heavy on vegetables.

For good, wholesome food including Indian, just stop by at the food section of large department stores, which serve hot dishes at half the prices charged by standard eateries.

Shopping: This is a very important travel input and one indulged in by almost all travellers, be it for leisure or business. For best value, scan the local papers for seasonal or stock-clearing `sales', which can save you up to a whopping 50 per cent. Large department stores also have similar deals through which they sell clothes and footwear at `special' rates.

For one-stop shopping, try any of the standard department stores that stock a huge variety of items on separate floors. Debenhams, Asda, Marks & Spencer, Migros, C&A, and Safeways have outlets in the UK and several European countries, and offer fixed, middle-level pricing.

If you are interested in antique or art shopping, head for the designated districts that deal in these. Most European cities have a select quarter with small shops that sell art ware, old books, antiques and memorabilia.

Best buys: Dubai for gold, Singapore for electronics and watches, Thailand for handicrafts and fabrics, Italy for leather ware and fashion items, France for perfumes and herbal oils, Nepal for audio and video cassettes, Sri Lanka for ceramics and gemstones, Pakistan for onyx, South Africa for tribal goods such as masks and beadwork, Oman for dates and dry fruit, Australia for wines and Hungary for paprika.

Duty-Free shopping: Each airport offers different shopping opportunities and prices. Pick up a shopping guide and seek the bargains of the week. These apply to alcohol, tobacco products, perfumes and even electronics. It's worth asking for special offers, which can result in up to 30 per cent savings.

Unlike alcohol and chocolates, normally the perfumes stocked at airports are mostly premium brands, so try to buy them in the city. And if you are transiting via Dubai, save your duty free shopping for this destination.

At the Dubai airport, if you are rushed for time, head straight for the department store on ground level, where you will find the best of chocolates, alcohols, nuts, spices, and the like. Remember that the other transit passengers too have a similar agenda, so grab a trolley as soon as you find one!

Etiquette: All countries have their own distinct cultures and social norms, and it's important to know and abide by them in order not to offend anybody.

Europeans, for instance, tend to be formal, never invite you home, and likewise, expect a certain degree of formality in all dealings.

Even if they do give you their home contact details, it's still considered polite to contact them only at their workplace, barring emergencies.

Punctuality is respected and expected, especially in Germany, all Scandinavian countries, and Japan.

While giving ladies flowers is a popular social mode, it's considered really good breeding if you send the flowers to the lady's home through a courier, rather than presenting them yourself.

In Buddhist countries, the Buddha image is very sacred. Be careful when buying one, and ensure it doesn't get closeted along with other knick-knacks. The shopkeeper will respect you if you ask him to pack it separately and nicely so that it doesn't get desecrated.

In Thailand, touching someone's head or hair is considered very impolite.

In Japan, interrupting someone's conversation is considered rude. Let the person finish what he's saying and then put in your own opinion.

While `smart casual' dressing is fine at most occasions, it's important to ensure one doesn't wear sneakers or rubber shoes at any outing. One isn't expected to wear a business suit at a lunch meeting, but proper footwear is important, and some clubs and sports institutions will even refuse entry because of this.

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