As a tourist it’s easy to get caught up in the fun and glamour of traveling, but to balance the glitzy view of Singapore, I will leave my readers with this thought: most of the skyscrapers—built since the 1990s when Singapore transformed from a third world nation to the third-wealthiest in the world, based on per capita GDP—were constructed by foreign migrant workers who earn low wages and typically live in substandard housing. These include company dormitories, crowded shop-houses in Little India or the Chinese and Arab quarters, or even converted shipping containers down at the docks. The workers are the human cost of Singapore’s phenomenal growth.

So how do you keep that sense of wonder? Here are some practical ways, excerpted from The Passionate Traveler iBook that will enhance your travels—before, during and after the trip.

Before the Trip:
* Learn about the history of the region for a better understanding of the people and their culture. There’s good information on the Internet. You can also browse in bookstores and search online for guides you might like to buy.
* Check on the recommended highlights you should visit in each place, and interesting places off the beaten path.
During the Trip:
* Use all your five senses to soak in your new surroundings.
* Observe with an open mind—empathize, don’t judge—whether it be local foods or customs.
* Watch what is going on around you with fresh eyes.
* Search for insights where they are least expected.
* Look beyond the obvious and seek inspiration in unusual places.
* Listen to the experiences of fellow travelers and then share your experiences with them.
* Engage locals in conversation where appropriate.
* Capture the moment in whatever way you can. Make notes, sketches, take pictures, make a movie, write down unusual snatches of local conversation, inscriptions on monuments or signs.
After the Trip:
Bring home a memento (a book, flowers, paintings, even a little shell), which will enable you to relive your travel experiences.
* Create a Slide Show of your photos
* Create a Book, using online services like iBooks
* Select photographs and mementos to decorate you home
* Create a travel video
* Write or blog about the trip
* Do additional reading and research
The Passionate Traveler will inspire you to get more fun, more adventure, and more interest out of your travels—no matter where they take you. We hope that our guide will arouse your curiosity before you leave, and help you to enjoy your travel adventures more keenly once you reach your destination. Another bonus, this guide will enhance your pleasure after you return home and begin to savor the memories of your trip.
We need to mention that The Passionate Traveler makes entertaining reading for those armchair travelers who enjoy being transported to far away places in their imagination.

Bon Voyage,
Boris and Claire
P.S. Our personal goal is to visit as many National Parks and World Heritage Sites as possible. The World Heritage List includes 962 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage, which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. These include 745 cultural, 188 natural, and 29 mixed properties in 157 State Parties—or countries that have adhered to the World Heritage Convention.

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