Tag: #travel

English articles

Well-Being

experiencetoday

“Beyond the satisfaction level of income, you can buy more pleasurable experiences, but you will lose some of your ability to enjoy the less expensive ones.” I read this quote from the book, “Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman.

I’m never rich but I can relate this idea to what I experienced when I travelled first time. I sat by the window seat, feeling excited to see the plane flying among the clouds. A simple experience was a mere pleasure when I saw Paris, Greece, or Italy. The enriched culture, exotic appearance of people, and even the night train had become very sexy! I could survive with baguette for a few days, or sample cheese and skip my lunch.

After years of travel, I start to look for something more “fascinating” to stimulate the senses, or just lie on the beach in a resort enjoying sunshine and good food.

The book talks about the measurement of well-being by U-index. What’s well-being? Health? Happiness? This index refers to the proportion of time people spend in a negative emotional state while commuting, working, or interacting with people around them. If you sleep 8 hours, you commute, work, and enjoy time with families for 16 hours. If your U-index is 25%, that means you feel emotional discomfort or pain for around 4 hours.

The measurement is solely a perception of how you feel rather than the actual health conditions. People who feel more positive and can bear pain might be better off in well-being. According to Kahneman, higher income can mean that you can buy more pleasures by obtaining luxurious goods or having nice vacations, but that does not translate to emotional experience. Therefore, better life satisfaction does not equal enhanced well-being.

Another interesting point he points out is that people with religious faith enjoy positive affect and stress reduction, but they cannot reduce any feelings of depression or worry. Nevertheless, the idea of perception is very powerful, not only in marketing but also in happiness and well-being. The next question is how can we generate positive energy and feel better in the long run.

English articles

The real price of dinner

experiencetoday


A 10% service charge is usually added to my bill when eating in a restaurant in Hong Kong. We expect to pay more for tipping. Fast food outlets and Hong Kong-style cafes are exceptions. In general, it is not too difficult to figure out the real price of my meal. My friends and I can sit down, eat our meals, and talk freely.

Dining in New Zealand and Japan is simple because I don’t have to figure out taxes, service fees, or tipping. What I see on the menu is what I will pay for. I like this practice as travelling on a tight budget may add stress when spending too much on meals. I prefer focusing on travel experiences such as enjoying the wonderful scenery, checking out an awkward rock formation, or visiting lovely penguins. 

Surprisingly, my friend told me that Kiwi restaurants may add a surcharge to the bill during public holidays, such as Christmas Day or Easter Sunday. This is 10% to 15% more to cover the higher manpower costs and operational costs of running a restaurant on a public holiday. A surcharge at the weekend is not common, but restaurants can do so.

Luckily, I didn’t come across this when visiting New Zealand. I was at the Agricultural Show and enjoyed good snacks outdoors. Prices were reasonable, and the tastes were fantastic.

Having to calculate the service charge and tip myself made me nervous about dining out in Canada and the USA. I felt embarrassed if I paid too little, and then I felt ripped off when I paid too much. I once ordered a coffee in a vineyard. When the waitress looked at me, I realized I had overpaid for the drink. I should calculate the service charge based on the pre-tax price. Well, I just smiled at her and wished her a good day.

English articles

How to enjoy your travel

experiencetoday

I am delighted to discuss travel with many others again on the Clubhouse platform. We’re not trying to compete with each other over where we’ve been; we’re sharing what we’ve enjoyed on our travels. 

Thailand seems to be a popular destination for Americans in Asia, as it’s got a lot to offer, beaches, tasty food, islands, and inexpensive shopping. 

Some people got the luck to travel as part of their business trips, so they were able to save a lot of money on their flights. Some live in a vast country where the West coast or Mid-West could be a lot different from where they live. 

In your 30s, Thailand was your favourite place, and Paris will be your favourite place when you are older. I disagree. I could imagine people having different reasons to travel to certain places. I travelled to Canada a few times because of meeting people and music. The flight is not that pleasant unless you are in business class. Then I came to Japan at different ages and each time, the experience was totally different. 

The first time I went to Europe, I was broke and had a limited budget. My friends and I survived on pieces of bread or food samples. We stayed in hostels, or even on night trains or on a beach. It’s such an experience that could hardly be replicated at my age now. 

Overall, I can see that new experiences, connections with nature, and friends are what make travel the most exciting for me. I could still remember the travel guide in Sri Lanka. He could only speak a little English but he did a great job driving us around and trying to arrange everything according to the itinerary. 

I could recall how excited I was seeing sheep in the Netherlands, Niagara Falls in Canada, and bathing on a high floor in a hotel in Shanghai. Definitely, the list could be expanded in the future. 

The planning process can be tedious but it can be fun and enjoyable as well, giving me some sense of uncertainty and great expectations as well. 

Hello, Europe. Hello, Japan. I’ll come to explore your heritage, your food, and your culture soon.