MoHd HazARuddin MuhAMmaD

Travel Insurance: Most of us never think about this. Well, if you are about to travel to Bali for 3 days and 2 night, this kind of thing will never ever cross in your mind! Am I correct? Especially to those who has their own medical insurance at home country, they will ignore about this travel insurance. I always ensure that I will have a travel insurance before I travel abroad even I have my own medical insurance. You might have to spend for at least RM50 to cover you and your belongings when you travel. I suggest to those who has their own medical insurance to check back the term and conditions with your agent either they will cover you during your travel abroad or not! Makesure that you know the procedures and what are the documents needed when there is a case of claims for theft, missflight/delay, medical, evacuation and etc. This will avoid the misunderstanding and to avoid you yourself uncovered and pay for nothing to the insurance company. I may suggest this we...

Travel Universal Adaptor: Nowadays most of us will bring our mobile phone, notebook, iPod and maybe a DSLR during our backpacking. The socket type and size are normally slightly different from our home country. So, by bringing this along your journey it will help to free your mind without having trouble on how to charge your gadget in a strange country! My adaptor as I shown here is very usefull and I used it since last two years! You may get this at most of the electrical shop and the price is just less than RM25! Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

Cash Money: Don't travel if you don't have this! :) Backpacking is not about annoying people and not about taking advantage. If most of the readers here backpack/travel for a week I think you will have enough money to support your one week travel. And, of course you will bring enough money for it! How if you travel for a-month? Or maybe a-year? You can't bring a lot of cash at a time, yes, its a matter of safety! So far, when I travel for a long time (last year I travel for 45 days non-stop) I will bring my debit card, credit card and cash money! For those who travel to various country along your journey, please ensure to have at least a small amount of money for each country you will visit! Prepare the currency at your home country prior start your journey. Generally, most of the countries will accept USD. About how much amount you can bring and how to keep it, I will explain on my next post. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via...

Credit/Debit Card: This is very important but not really essential! Bring to much cash money at a time might be risky! Money is like a sugar! Try to imagine that a sugar have a leg and can walk around. There must be a lot of ants will be chasing after it! Credit Card and Debit Card has the same purpose. To make you able to shop and shop until you die! The differents and the pro and cons between these two cards you might want to refer it from other source, which I will not explain here. However, you have to consider about these things when you decided to use these cards: 1. For Islamic Card, It can't be use in every shop especially bars. (It doesn't mean you drink and drunk when you went to bar!) 2. The charges for withdraw money are differents between these two cards. 3. If you use bank card, ensure to call your bank at least two weeks before! 4. If you increase your limit (temporary increase) you might seek advice from the bank first! 5. Makesure you have en...

Toiletries: This is another important thing! Please bring enough toiletries for you yourself! Body shampoo, hair shampoo, deodorant, face wash and tooth brush and paste are the most basic things! When I was in China, I have lack of supply for body shampoo. I went to big shopping mall and bought one bottle of body shampoo which is well known in Malaysia. I just use it for one time and what happen, I get a whole body itchy and rash! This last longer for a month until I reach Indonesia and get a medical treatment there! Well, I suggest you guys to bring enough toiletries for your own sake! Some more why you have to waste your money for these? We are backpackers and we need to save our money and use it wisely! Besides to avoid wasting money and allergy, you really need this to keep your body fresh and clean! Its not nice to wander around in strange place with a bad smell! Yurk! Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

Your Personal Medicine: If you have diabatic or hypertension for example, please bring enough medicine for your own sake. I remembered when I was in Taipei in 2006, I got flu and went to the pharmacy. I asked them to give me paracetamol with the help of my chinese friends, it was so difficult! I have no idea either the wrong term we gave them or the different term they used! Please bring enough supply of your personal medicine. I may forgive you if you don't bring the supplement, but big no-no if you forget this. Put in specific bag/compartment so when you travel it is easy to tell the immigration/customs/police etc officer either the one you bring is illegal drug or vice versa. It is adviceable if you could bring a document that prove that the drugs/medicines you bring is for your health and legal. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

Supplement: I may say this is another essential stuff to bring in order to keep our body in good condition. Especially for muslim, you may find these supplement are really helpful. When travelling to a place where it is difficult to get Halal Food, sometimes you will have to be vegetarian. This will indirectly effect your body when you only consume veggies. On the other hands, this is a preparation, you know the cost of medical is extremely high abroad. Even if you have a travel insurance covered, you still need to use your own money first. But then, no one love to travel when they are in bad health! *For the time being, this is my favorite brand for multivitamins and vitamin C! Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.