singapore hotel: The Tripologist

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Date

September 1, 2013

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Bodiam Castle: Visitors to the UK can buy a National Trust Touring Pass for entry to historic houses and other attractions. Photo: Alamy

WE ARE A COUPLE IN OUR 60s TOURING BRITAIN IN SEPTEMBER. WE GET CONFLICTING ADVICE ON THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY OF USING A MOBILE PHONE AND WISH TO AVOID HORRENDOUS FEES. WE DO NOT NEED INTERNET ACCESS. WOULD WE BE BETTER OFF TO BUY A BASIC PHONE OR SIMPLY A NEW SIM ON ARRIVAL AND ADVISE OUR FAMILY OF THE NEW NUMBER? AlSO, WHAT IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY TO BUY TICKETS OR A PASS TO HISTORICAL SITES, VENUES, REGIONAL GALLERIES AND SO ON? K. BARWICK, SYDNEY

It’s very simple to buy a new SIM card in Britain and use that in your existing phone, provided it’s unlocked. When I was in Britain in April, I bought a prepaid Vodafone SIM card that gave me 100 minutes of talk time to numbers throughout Britain, plus 250MB of data, for just £5. If you have Skype or Viber installed on your phone, you could use that data allowance to make cheap or even free calls anywhere in the world, whenever you have a Wi-Fi connection, which is widely available in cafes and hotels. Keep your data roaming turned off at all times to avoid excessive fees.

As for passes, it depends on what you want to see. The historic houses and other attractions that are part of the National Trust are obvious candidates, and overseas visitors can buy a National Trust Touring Pass valid for seven or 14 days (nationaltrust.org.uk).

For other kinds of passes, try the local visitor information centre in whichever town or city you’re visiting.

WE ARE TRAVELLING TO EUROPE SHORTLY ON QANTAS VIA DUBAI. AS OLDER AUSTRALIANS, WE REQUIRE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION. I’VE BEEN TOLD THE UAE IS STRICT ABOUT WHAT MEDICATIONS ARE ALLOWED — THE WEBSITE LISTS MORE THAN 300 BANNED MEDICATIONS. IS THERE A SAFE WAY TO TAKE PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION AND THE NORMAL EXTRAS, SUCH AS PANADOL, WITHOUT WINDING UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A CUSTOMS OFFICIAL? K. AHLBURG, BALGOWNIE

You need a letter from your doctor on headed notepaper listing your prescribed medications and confirming they are for you. The medications should be in their original packaging. Although the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a formidable list of controlled medications, there is no need for alarm. According to reports from travellers, the strict procedures outlined on the website of the UAE’s Canberra embassy are never applied on the ground. You are not required to declare your medications on arrival, only produce the letter if asked.

If you want to reduce the risk of running foul of customs officials even further, common medications such as paracetamol are available in Europe.

I AM CONCERNED THAT IF I PURCHASE BUNDABERG RUM BEFORE WE LEAVE BRISBANE FOR BANGKOK ON THAI AIRWAYS, IT MAY BE CONFISCATED. HOW CAN I FIND OUT? I HAVE EMAILED THAI AIRWAYS, BUT NO ANSWER. WE WILL PROBABLY BRING BACK FROM VIETNAM SOME “PRETTY” BOTTLES FOR THE BAR. FROM WHAT I AM READING IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE I SHOULD EVEN BOTHER. RETURN IS BY JETSTAR FROM HO CHI MINH CITY, CHANGING AT SINGAPORE TO QANTAS TO BRISBANE. ANY IDEAS? SHEREE HARVEY, BUNYA, QLD

If Bangkok is where you will be leaving your flight from Brisbane without any onward connecting flights, you won’t have a problem getting your Bundy rum in. On the return leg, you will only be permitted to board your flight to Brisbane with duty-free liquor purchased from Singapore’s Changi Airport. Anything you buy in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport and carry in your hand luggage will be confiscated at the gate in Singapore.

As for pretty bottles from Vietnam, there is nothing to stop you purchasing liquor on the street and bringing it back to Australia in your check-in. The typical souvenir in this part of the world is Mekong whisky, with the snake inside. This will probably not make it past customs.

CONVERSATION

OVER TO YOU …

“What’s your favourite airport, and why?”

“My favourite is OR Tambo, Johannesburg,” frequent contributor R. Silber writes. “It’s bright, shiny and the staff are friendly.”

“Vancouver is at the top of my list,” P. Welsh writes. “It’s my home town and it’s welcoming and polite and spacious, just like Canada. It even smells sort of fresh and piney.”

“Terminal 5 at London Heathrow,” T. Lim writes. “Super slick, and best shopping of any airport terminal anywhere.”

“Hong Kong Airport,” K. Lamson says. “It’s efficient, security is not too onerous and the Airport Express connection to the city is like a glimpse of the future. I love the fact that you can check your bags in at the city station, too.”

My favourite is Singapore. It’s clean and efficient, there’s free Wi-Fi everywhere and the pool on the roof of Terminal 3 is a gift from the heavens. However, I must confess to a great affection for African airports, and the smaller the better. Top of the list is Maun, in Botswana, where the woman on the immigration desk who stamped my passport as I was leaving said: “You are departing so soon? Why? Do you not love it here with us?”

Next question: What’s the best trip you’ve done? Send a response, or your travel question, to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. All published responses will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.

SEND US YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

Include your name and your suburb or town and send it to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. Questions appearing in print will be answered. All published questions will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.