b'IVTRAVELLING around the WORLD. of small bills in the local currency. These If you are not travelling in an organ- can be used for tips or incidentals.ized group, and you have the option,.hire local guides. They certainly knowTipping should be at your discretion, the area you are visiting, and it givesand many countries do not require it. you an opportunity to add to the localTour guides and drivers however, will economy. expect a gratuity. The rule of thumb is $10 US per person per day, for guides JONATHAN VAN BILSEN and half that for driversI have had the pleasure of visitingMost cities have free walking tours, more than 100 countries, and most ofofwhichyoucantakeadvantage.If what I have learned about travellingthey are not available, there is usually a has been through making mistakes,hop-on-hop-off service available, which some of which I will share with youwill help you familiarize yourself with a here. city .Neverleavehomewithouttravel. It is important to learn about local insurance, no matter what form of travelMany of us have credit cards withculture before you visit a location. What you are following. If you have a policy intravelbonuses.Beingabletocashto wear, how to act and how not to of-existence read thene print, especiallythosepointsinforhotels,airfareorfend locals, is extremely important both with a pandemic in effect. meals will save you money. Quite often,for your vacation, and the reputation of there are additional bene ts, such asCanadian travellers.upgrades,insuranceandtripcancel- .lationcoverage.Whenusingcards,On a recent trip to South Korea, I always pay in the local currency. Retail- discovered English was seldom spoken. ers will sometimes want to convert toThankgoodnessforGoogletranslate, US dollars, at a much higher rate thanwhich helped me every time. To save banks. costs of purchasing local SIM cards for . your phone or pay expensive roaming Since the pandemic, cash is almost obsolete, but it is good to have a numberPlease turn to page 64FOCUS - DECEMBER 202263'