One of the most-asked questions on my book tour was: “What comes next?”
Now that I’m back from Paris and have moved out of New York City, and now that my book tour is over, what are my next big plans?
Well…
Not much.
Right now, I’m back in Austin. I have to finish moving into my new apartment (why do couches take so long to arrive?) and, beyond a couple of trips to NYC and DC for weddings, I don’t plan on leaving Austin for a long time.
My passport is staying in my drawer. I’m not moving back to New York or Paris or some other city. I’m not working on a new book. There’s no new big projects. Nothing.
For the foreseeable future, all I see is Austin.
And I’m very excited about that.
A tree only grows when it has roots, and now that the madness of all this year’s projects is over, those roots can finally start to weave their way into the earth and provide the foundation for further growth.
I can finally get into the one thing I’ve been craving all year: routine.
I’m going to get into a better workflow, go back to the gym, start cooking again, take up some hobbies, sleep more, and maybe even start holding monthly meet-ups.
Who knows!
I used to think that I had to rush my travels, that there was too much of the world to see, and that that was why I couldn’t stop traveling — because, if I did, I’d never see it all.
And to me, that was a crime.
That’s why it was always “just one more trip.”
Part of me still feels that way.
But, in reality, there is no rush. You can never see it all. There will always be something else to see or do, or something new.
And it will still be there in a few months.
So, right now, the world can wait. I’m tired of being on the move. I’m tired of staying in spaces not my own. I’m tired of wearing the same three shirts over and over again.
So I will stay put and recharge the battery named “travel.”
I don’t know how long it will take. I don’t really care.
I’m in no rush to go anywhere right now.
I always define travel as something that pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you grow as a person. Being home and learning to stay put will be a new adventure. This is something I’m going to have to learn how to do (it was really tough passing up on super cheap flights to the Seychelles).
So, in a way, I guess that is what comes next is a deep dive into this concept called “home.”
I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!
Hello, all! I wanted to share my experience with KKday, as I ordered a SIM card through them for my solo summer trip to Taipei, Taiwan. Having a SIM card with unlimited data allowed for effective public transportation and street navigation, saving precious time during my short stay in the city. Please note that this product review for the KKday SIM Card is not sponsored and is limited to my experiences.
About KKDay
KKday is a travel platform that connects travelers with local tours and activities. They make it easy for travelers to find fun and authentic experiences online in numerous countries, including Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. I found them through a quick Google search when researching SIM options in Taiwan.
I was able to easily navigate to Elephant Mountain in Taipei thanks to my SIM card!
SIM Card Process
The process was relatively straightforward and hassle free. Here are the basic steps to get your SIM card if you’re flying into Taoyuan International Airport (TPE):
Place the order specifying the approximate pick-up time.
Locate the KKday booth in the terminal arrival area when you land at TPE.
Show staff your passport and boarding pass to collect your SIM.
Install your SIM card. Make sure you check it works before leaving!
Use your SIM card for the desired number of days.
Pros of KKday SIM Card
Easy: SIM cards can be purchased in advance online with a credit card.
Inexpensive: I paid ~$10 USD for my 3-day 4G SIM with unlimited data.
Convenient: SIM cards can be picked-up in Terminal 1 and 2 at the Taoyuan Airport in Taipei. The Terminal 1 booth is open 24 hours while Terminal 2 is open 5:30 am to 1:00 am. You need to specify which terminal you will be picking up your SIM from upon placing your order.
Reliable: Chunghwa Telecom is the carrier and provides fast, reliable service throughout Taipei. The only place with slightly spotty service was in the mountainous Jiufen area outside of the city center.
Cons of KKday SIM Card
Purchase limitation: You can only purchase one SIM card per person.
Non-reloadable: To my knowledge, this specific SIM card cannot be topped-up or loaded with more data after it expires. (I would have preferred to re-use the SIM card upon future trips to Taiwan.) If you would like a reloadable SIM option, you would need to purchase from a provider shop rather than KKday.
Processing time: Orders must be placed by 4:00 pm two days prior to the day you plan to pick-up your SIM. For example, if you wish to pick up your SIM card on November 13, you must complete your online booking before 4:00 pm on November 11.
Travel Tips
It is easier to purchase a SIM card in the airport compared to in the city. I recommend purchasing from KKday or other providers before leaving the airport.
Make sure your phone is unlocked. If it is not, you will not be able to use the SIM card.
Starting in 2019, your phone will need to be 4G compatible for the SIM to properly operate in Taiwan.
As a woman who frequently travels solo, having a phone with data relieves some travel anxiety and makes me feel safer. Although I do not always opt for SIM cards, they make short trips much easier. I recommend using KKday if you’re visiting Taipei because their SIM service is easy, cheap, and convenient! For more detailed information, visit this webpage.
We are writing this Klook review article to help our readers get a better understanding of what is Klook and to answer the question of whether Klook is legit. We have personally made many bookings through Klook over the past year and have been working with them as an affiliate partner since April 2017, so are well positioned to write this review.
We have personally used Klook to book a wide range of travel activities in multiple countries, including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, and are very happy to continue to book our travel activities with them into the future.
Note that this article is sponsored by Klook but our opinions are our own.
What is Klook?
To get started a common question is what is Klook? Klook is a travel tech startup which is headquartered in Hong Kong. Klook Travel Technology Limited is the proper company name and it is a private company which is expanding quickly since it was founded in 2014.
Klook focuses on providing within destination travel requirements, such as attraction tickets, day tours and local attractions for over 120 destinations around the world. Klook do not offer flights or accommodation. Klook do not run tours themselves, they work with local providers in each destination to offer a large range of tour, ticket and transfer options.
The Klook website focuses on providing their travel activities in the native language of each reader and has tailored activity pages for each nationality.
Is Klook Legit?
Klook is a legit company which has been very successful so far and has successfully raised significant capital investments to help to build and expand the company worldwide. They receive over one million bookings per month and are growing rapidly.
Is Klook Reliable?
As you can probably tell from the scale of Klook’s activities described above they need to have very reliable systems to manage all of their bookings and provide customer service.
Our Klook Travel Review
We have now made 37 bookings through Klook, ranging from day tours, attraction tickets, airport transfer, pocket wifi rentals and sim card purchases. Our Klook bookings have been made for Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Japan for travel over the past year.
Out of those 37 Klook bookings, one was cancelled shortly after booking due to lack of availability of the tour and was quickly refunded.
The only booking we made which did not work out was one of our airport transfers in Singapore. When we realised that our driver was not arriving we were able to work out a plan B to get to the airport. We engaged with Klook customer assistance using the Klook app on my phone and they quickly responded and refunded our money within one week.
The other 35 Klook bookings all occurred seamlessly – we have collected tickets, rented pocket wifis, sim cards, passes, received items by mail and used both printed and Klook app QR codes on our phones to gain access to various attractions, all with no issues.
We have also worked with Klook as an affiliate partner since April 2017 and their system has been very good to track bookings made by our readers and they pay our affiliate commissions every month on schedule with no issues.
Overall we are satisfied that Klook are a very safe and reliable company to use to book your travels and would definitely recommend them.
Disneyland Tokyo Castle
Klook Customer Service
An important part of making your bookings through Klook is understanding the Klook customer service model.
After you make your booking you will quickly receive an email to confirm your booking. Some items are instant confirmation so you should receive a ticket for these items within a few minutes. For other items they may take 24-48 hours to confirm your booking. You will then receive another email to confirm your booking and to provide all of the details you need in terms of where to go and how to use your booking, as well as cancellations conditions.
While you are travelling you can use the Klook app to track all of your bookings and to see your confirmation details. The Klook app is very easy to use and keep track of your trip bookings, and it also provides you with reminders for each activity.
You can also use the Klook app to contact customer service on the go, confirm information, ask questions and ask for support if something is not working they way you expected. They usually respond quickly and are very helpful.
Klook Contact Number
Klook does not have a contact phone number prior to making a booking, the easiest options to contact them are either by email to support@klook.com or their online chat function which is easily accessible via the Klook App – go to ‘Account’, ‘Help Center’, and on the page is a popup to ‘Ask Klook’, which then has a range of options.
You will see the help number in the check out page once you are ready to complete your order. Also, after you have completed your bookings you will have a Klook contact number provided in your booking confirmation emails.
How to Use Klook
Klook is very easy to use, either via their app or on their webpage. Each travel activity has a detailed description of what you can book, including any limitations and the cancellation policy. Make sure you read this information carefully before you make your booking, then select your preferred options and then add the item to your Shopping Cart. You can then keep on shopping until you are ready to finalise your bookings.
Once you are ready to finalise your bookings, Klook will then ask for any additional information required to complete your bookings, which may include information such as passport details, flight arrival and departure information etc depending on what you are booking. Once you are ready, add your payment information and click to proceed and your booking should quickly be finalised.
Payment options include either Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Alipay.
On the Klook Home Page you can select your destination o start exploring the options
Klook App Review
As mentioned above, the Klook app is a great option to both make your bookings, and also to be able to track all of your bookings while you are on the go. You need to ensure you have access to data for this app to be useable during your trip. The Klook app is available in both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. Make sure you download the app and set it up before you depart on your trip.
I also suggest you also set up Whatsapp on your phone prior to departure if you are booking any day tours or private transfers. Most drivers will reach out to you the day before to confirm your booking and pickup location.
In our case where our Singapore driver did not arrive we had not received a message prior, so really should have followed it up earlier. Make sure you set up Whatsapp prior to departure as the app requires confirmation from your local phone number, so if you plan to use a prepaid sim card during your trip you may find that you cannot confirm your Whatsapp account.
Klook Discount Code
Klook also offers some great discount code deals from time to time which will be emailed to you if you have set up an account with them.
Another really popular option is the Klook first time promo code, which enables first time users of Klook to get a discount on their first booking. Our Klook promo code is MDE8G to get a $A5 discount off your first order. You add the code just prior to final payment in your Klook Shopping Cart.
Klook App Bookings Page
Klook Credits
Klook also has the Klook Credits loyalty program. For every item you book and complete in Klook you receive Klook credits, which you can use to get discounts off other bookings through Klook.
