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always bring comfortable
footwear. When I was in
Vienna in early winter, I was
so excited to wear my leather
high-heeled boots that I didn’t
even bother to bring any
other kind of shoes. I’m fond
of taking tours of museums
and old castles, which take at
least three hours to complete.
At the end of a tour, my feet
would hurt so much that I
couldn’t even walk straight!
4
It’s good to be with
family
Take your parents on a holiday
and fill up your albums with
fun family photos. Your parents
will be grateful. Every time I
look at our travel photos, I feel
a genuine sense of fulfilment
because I shared something
special with them.
5
Pack a keepsake
Buy something unique
that will remind you of the
wanderlust
Rachelle’s top eight
places you’ve been. I have
a hobby of collecting horse
figurines from different places.
My favorite is the small silver
one I got in Florence.
6
Make it a learning
experience
Bring a good travel book
about the place you’re headed.
Not only will you learn new
stuff, you’ll enjoy your travels
more if you’re well-informed
about the culture and history
of your destination. I’m more
interested in understanding
the culture and lifestyle of the
people than in just doing the
rounds of the sightseeing and
entertainment spots. Reading
travel books gives me an
opportunity to learn and
connect with other cultures.
7
Take precautions
Bring all the necessary
medicine you might need.
They might not be available in
1
Get a guide
When going on a trip to a
foreign country whose language
you don’t speak, always bring a
good and practical dictionary; I
recommend Lonely Planet. I travel
to Europe a lot and most of the
time I’m on my own, so I always
need help with ordering food or
just asking for directions. It also
helps to memorize a few important
phrases like “Where is [the name of
the destination]?” and “help”.
2
Keep yourself occupied
When traveling alone, always
bring earplugs or a mobile device
like an MP3 player or iPad. I can
never sleep on planes and since
I'm always busy once I’m in a
foreign country, a restful flight is
very precious to me. It’s also to
make sure I won’t be disturbed.
3
Comfort is key
If you want to make the most
of your experience, you need to
take good care of your feet. So
certain places, so you’d better
have them with you already.
When I was in South Korea for
the Daegu International Opera
Festival, I ate something that
gave me a stomachache.
Unfortunately, I forgot to bring
medicine. It was already late
and my friends had already
gone home. I was left at the
hotel, where nobody spoke
English. It took a while before I
could find someone to buy the
right medicine.
8
Be open-minded
Embrace the world and
everything it has to offer.
Just be ready to have a great
time! Traveling gives me a
better perspective on life. It
opens doors of opportunity
to learn, feel, sense and
experience things. Reach out
to the world and make the
most of your travels. It’s the
only way you can enjoy it to
the fullest.
At the
Olympic Stadium
in Beijing with
her parents
In front of
the Petronas
Twin Towers
in KL
Paying tribute
to her favorite
opera star on the
Hollywood Walk
of Fame
With best bud
and international
baritone Andrew
Fernando in NYC
At the
Johann Strauss
Monument in
Vienna
