ET BureauRakshit Desai, Managing Director, FCM Travel Solutions India, Flight Centre Travel Group Australia’s Indian subsidiary, answers your questions on Travel — howtos, trends, recommendations and more. Send in your questions to: askrakshit@in.fcm.travel.
I am planning a trip to Kenya in the second week of September 2018 to experience and witness 'The Great Wildebeest Migration'. However, we have a limited budget and have senior citizens travelling along with us. Could you guide us if our budget is sufficient? And will the trip cause physical fatigue to our senior travellers?
The best wildlife viewing months in Kenya are during the dry season from late June to October, so September is a good time to witness the great migration. Concerning the budget, it all depends on the duration of your stay and category of accommodation you choose.
A safari vacation is an ideal holiday option for senior travellers, as there is no strenuous activity or extensive walking included in the itinerary. The only caveat would be to ensure that your trip manager/guide ensures that the places you visit are compatible with any mobility limitations of the senior travellers.
Can I carry home-made food on my international flight. Are there any norms I need to follow?
While consuming homemade food on board an airline is not a problem, be careful of how you pack it in your hand baggage. Any solid foods like fruits, dry fruits, salads can be carried easily but food with a high liquid content (for instance, food with curries or sauces) is only allowed in containers of 100 ml regardless of the quantity inside.
Just to be safe, carry any edibles in transparent, resealable bags so that there is no confusion during the security check.
We are planning a family trip to the US and are considering renting a serviced apartment instead of a hotel. What are some of the things I should keep in mind?
Renting an apartment instead of a hotel is a viable option if you're planning a holiday with your family, especially for a longer duration. Most apartments require a minimum stay of at least seven days and do not entertain bookings for shorter stays. I would recommend booking an apartment simply because it offers the luxury of flexibility: You can cook your own meals in the kitchen, bring pets along (apartments are more likely to allow them) and get access to a living room, lounge area etc for the whole family. Plus, apartments are ideal for families who value privacy.
I'm travelling to Singapore on a business trip for 3 days. Can I just buy some US Dollars for my expenses instead of the local currency?
US Dollars are no good in Singapore unless you exchange them for the local currency - Singapore Dollar.
None of the shops, restaurants or local transport services in Singapore accept the US Dollar. By exchanging US Dollars for Singapore Dollars, you will end up compounding the loss already incurred while exchanging Indian Rupees to US Dollars.
Even using US Dollars from a multi-currency card will invite an extra cross currency charge. I would recommend taking only the local currency on any trip abroad to avoid additional charges.
Flight Centre Travel Group, headquartered in Australia, is one of the world’s largest travel management companies. In India, the group operates an extensive portfolio of corporate and retail travel brands including FCM Travel Solutions and Corporate Traveller (corporate travel management),Travel Tours (leisure travel), FCM MICE (incentive travel and events) Travel Money India (foreign exchange), FCM InComing (inbound travel) and Travel Air Representations (travel wholesalers).
I am planning a trip to Kenya in the second week of September 2018 to experience and witness 'The Great Wildebeest Migration'. However, we have a limited budget and have senior citizens travelling along with us. Could you guide us if our budget is sufficient? And will the trip cause physical fatigue to our senior travellers?
The best wildlife viewing months in Kenya are during the dry season from late June to October, so September is a good time to witness the great migration. Concerning the budget, it all depends on the duration of your stay and category of accommodation you choose.
A safari vacation is an ideal holiday option for senior travellers, as there is no strenuous activity or extensive walking included in the itinerary. The only caveat would be to ensure that your trip manager/guide ensures that the places you visit are compatible with any mobility limitations of the senior travellers.
Can I carry home-made food on my international flight. Are there any norms I need to follow?
While consuming homemade food on board an airline is not a problem, be careful of how you pack it in your hand baggage. Any solid foods like fruits, dry fruits, salads can be carried easily but food with a high liquid content (for instance, food with curries or sauces) is only allowed in containers of 100 ml regardless of the quantity inside.
Just to be safe, carry any edibles in transparent, resealable bags so that there is no confusion during the security check.
We are planning a family trip to the US and are considering renting a serviced apartment instead of a hotel. What are some of the things I should keep in mind?
Renting an apartment instead of a hotel is a viable option if you're planning a holiday with your family, especially for a longer duration. Most apartments require a minimum stay of at least seven days and do not entertain bookings for shorter stays. I would recommend booking an apartment simply because it offers the luxury of flexibility: You can cook your own meals in the kitchen, bring pets along (apartments are more likely to allow them) and get access to a living room, lounge area etc for the whole family. Plus, apartments are ideal for families who value privacy.
I'm travelling to Singapore on a business trip for 3 days. Can I just buy some US Dollars for my expenses instead of the local currency?
US Dollars are no good in Singapore unless you exchange them for the local currency - Singapore Dollar.
None of the shops, restaurants or local transport services in Singapore accept the US Dollar. By exchanging US Dollars for Singapore Dollars, you will end up compounding the loss already incurred while exchanging Indian Rupees to US Dollars.
Even using US Dollars from a multi-currency card will invite an extra cross currency charge. I would recommend taking only the local currency on any trip abroad to avoid additional charges.
Flight Centre Travel Group, headquartered in Australia, is one of the world’s largest travel management companies. In India, the group operates an extensive portfolio of corporate and retail travel brands including FCM Travel Solutions and Corporate Traveller (corporate travel management),Travel Tours (leisure travel), FCM MICE (incentive travel and events) Travel Money India (foreign exchange), FCM InComing (inbound travel) and Travel Air Representations (travel wholesalers).
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
...moreDownload The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
...more
Get Unlimited Access to The Economic Times
