[The following post is from the archives of my In Search Of Incredible blog, originally published on 2 June 2012. Minor edits have since been made from the original post to update some links and info.]
THINGS TO BUY AND DO BEFORE THE TRIP
With the flights booked, the trip was definitely on. I like to be as prepared as possible, so I drew up a list of items to buy and things to do.
THE BACKPACK
Being a rookie backpacker, the first thing I had to get was a good backpack. At a friend’s recommendation, I bought an Osprey Farpoint 70 from Sports Connection, which is the sole distributor for Osprey bags in Singapore.
Sports Connection Pte Ltd
Address: Shaw Leisure Gallery, Shaw Towers, 100 Beach Road, #01-19/20/21/22, Singapore 189702
Telephone: (65) 6298 9435
Click here for the map
They carry a huge range of Osprey bags and other brands like High Sierra, Vertikal, Bodypac and Peak Designs, so you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice. They’re apparently open for business from Monday to Sundays, 11am to 9pm, but do give them a ring to confirm that they’re open before making the trip down.
Back to the Osprey Farpoint 70, it’s a little pricey compared to other brands (I paid S$199 for it), but it comes with a lifetime warranty.
I like it because it comes with a detachable daypack, so it’s 2-in-1, giving you the flexibility of using it as handcarry luggage in the day or combining it to check in as one item for your flight. The main backpack volume is 55 litres and the daypack is 15 litres, making it 70 litres altogether. It’s actually not that big and probably won’t be enough if you’re going on a long trekking trip in the mountains (with thick winter clothing and trekking gear), but it suited me just fine.
I also like that it loads from the front via a lockable zipper, instead of loading from the top. So it’s much easier to pack and organise my stuff, without having to empty all the contents or to dig for something that’s buried at the middle or bottom. It’s like a suitcase shaped like a backpack.
The Farpoint 70 also comes with a back zipper panel that allows you to tuck in and hide the shoulder carrying straps, so it becomes very neat when you check it in at the airport, with no dangling straps. There are also top and side haul handles for easy carrying, so the airport staff won’t just grab the bag anyhow and ruin it. Very neat.
The bag also comes with a LightWire frame so it’s sturdy but light, weighing only 1.8kg. And of course, it has the usual hipbelt to help relieve the weight on the hips.
In summary, these are the things I like about my Farpoint 70:
– lifetime warranty
– detachable daypack
– front loading with lockable zipper
– back zipper panel to hide the shoulder straps for easy check-in
– lightweight
I highly recommend it, but it will still be wise for you to do your own research and make a trip to the shop to see the actual product before buying it, as you might have different needs or budgets.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
The second most essential thing for any trip is travel insurance. No matter how prepared you can be, there will always be the chance of something unexpected cropping up, so don’t ever scrimp on travel insurance, even though you can save on a couple hundred dollars if nothing happens in the end.
For my 30-day trip, I bought a Superior policy from Travel Guard Chartis via my insurance agent, which cost me S$127.80. [Update: Chartis Singapore is now known as AIG]
There are plenty of insurance companies in Singapore, like NTUC Income Travel and Aviva Singapore, so take your pick.
VISAS
Besides having a passport with at least six months validity, you’ll also need to check on the visa requirements of each country you’re visiting, and ensure that you have enough time to apply for the visa before your departure.
For Singaporeans, you can check the visa requirements via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website here.
The following information refers to the visa requirements for the six destinations I visited:
Visa Requirements (applicable for Singaporeans only)
– SRI LANKA: Not required (up to 30 days)
– THAILAND: Not required (up to 30 days)
– VIETNAM: Not required (up to 30 days)
– CAMBODIA: Not required (up to 30 days)
– NEPAL: Yes
Where to apply
The most convenient way is to apply for visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.
To save time, you should download, print and fill in the visa application form beforehand, so you can jump right to the queue at the airport. You can download the form here. [Update: The link is no longer valid]
The visa application is done at the same time as your passport is being stamped at the airport. The whole process takes less than five minutes (not including queuing time), so it’s as good as getting it done on the spot.
Be sure to have your cash (US dollars preferred) and a coloured passport size photograph ready.
How much it costs
There are several types of Tourist Visas, all are multiple entry:
– 15 Days: US$25
– 30 Days: US$40
– 90 Days: US$100
For my trip, I got a 15 Day visa, which cost me US$25.
– INDIA: Yes
For more detailed information, visit The High Commission Of India (HCI) Singapore’s website here. [Edits have been made to this section to reflect the changes]
Where to apply
You may apply the tourist visa at the following two Indian Visa Application Centres (IVAC):
1) BLS International Services S Pte Ltd
International Plaza, 10 Anson Road, #30-08, Singapore 079903
Call Centre Number: +6531635611 / +6531632615
2) BLS International Services S Pte Ltd
Sim Lim Tower, 10 Jalan Besar, #14-02/04/05, Singapore 208787
Call Centre Number: +6531635611 / +6531632615
How much it costs
A Tourist Visa costs S$45 plus an additional S$3.05 service charge, so it’s S$48.05 altogether. You can find more information about the fees here. (The service charge used to be S$9) [Update: Effective 1 September 2017, the cost of the visa for Singaporeans is now S$49]
Validity
A Tourist Visa is valid for six months (180 days) and you can enter multiple times, but note that you must keep a gap of two months between an exit from India and re-entry thereafter. Essentially, it means that if you enter India on Day 1 and exit on Day 2, you can only return again on Day 62 (two months gap in between visits). So the maximum number of times you can enter and re-enter with a single Tourist Visa is three times (within 180 days).
Note that there is a Tourist Visa-on-Arrival scheme in place for Singaporeans and 10 other nationalities (see HCI Singapore’s website for the list of countries), but this is only for special cases where you are unable to apply for a visa at the designated Indian Missions due to some reasons. And this T-VoA visa is only valid for up to 30 days instead of 180 days for the regular Tourist Visa, and it is more expensive (US$60).
How long it takes to process
It takes about three working days to process the Tourist Visa. You’ll need to leave your passport with them during this time. And remember to bring along a coloured passport size photograph (non returnable).
For the Nepal and India visas, I spent US$25 + S$54 = approx. S$86 altogether.
VACCINATIONS
Another important thing to do is to get your vaccinations. Like insurance, it’s something better to be safe than sorry. And when it comes to health matters, it’s always safety first for me!
For my trip, I decided to get my vaccinations done at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Travellers’ Health and Vaccination Clinic(THVC). You can also get your vaccinations done at other clinics and hospitals, but THVC is a specialised clinic for travellers.
For general enquiries, you can call them at (65) 6256 6011 or email them at contact@ttsh.com.sg. You can also schedule an appointment online here.
They’re located within Tan Tock Seng Hospital, at 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433. The nearest MRT station is Novena, five minutes walk away.
You’re advised to make a consultation about 4-6 weeks before departure, as some vaccinations require more than one visit. I only paid a visit on 18 February, three weeks before departure, but it was still alright.
When you’re there, you’ll fill up a form with your details and specify the countries you’re planning to visit. This is followed by a face-to-face session with a consultant, who will ask you for more details, like the specific areas you’re visiting, because different geographical areas within the same country might have different diseases at risk.
For my trip, I got vaccinations for Influenza, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Tetanus. The cost breakdown is as follows:
– Nurse consultation: S$12
– Influenza vaccine: S$18
– Typhim VI: S$17
– Hepatitis A-Havrix (Adult): S$68
– Boostrix Injection: S$30
TOTAL = S$145
If you’re afraid of needles, tough luck, but at least the process was quick. It took less than five minutes to get the four jabs done, and I was out in a jiffy.
Next, I proceeded to the pharmacy to get my anti-malarial pills. The nurse had recommended Mefloquine oral tablets, and I had to start taking them two weeks before my trip, every week during travel and for four weeks after leaving the malarious area. The eight 250mg tablets cost S$30.30.
The purpose of taking it two weeks before entering a malarious area is for your body to test the drug, to see if there are any negative reactions. If there are, you can still go back and switch to another type of anti-malarial drug. That is why it’s important to make a consultation in advance, 4-6 weeks prior to departure recommended.
The nurse also recommended getting insect repellent spray with at least 25% DEET, so I bought one can at S$9.90.
All in all, the total cost of my visit was S$186.30 – for the four vaccinations, anti-malarial pills and insect repellent.
REGISTER WITH MFA
Before you travel, you should also eRegister with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here. It is a voluntary and free service provided by the MFA, where you inform them about your travel itinerary abroad. Should any crisis, natural disaster or emergency occur (touch wood), it allows them to contact you and provide consular assistance.
Upon registration, you will receive an SMS/SMSes containing details of the Singapore embassies in the country/countries you’re visiting – their address, phone number, email and opening hours. The information is stored as an SMS in your phone and you have it with you at all times, so it’s really very convenient and useful.
REGISTER WITH MINDEF
For Singaporean guys (NSmen) only, don’t forget to notify Mindef if you’re going overseas for more than 24 hours. If you’re going overseas for more than six months, you’ll need to apply for an exit permit. You can do so via the ns.sg portal here.