… as Yeoh Siew Hoon discovers on a recent business trip to Kuala Lumpur

It's only when you are forced to travel without that you realise what you can do without.

I had this epiphany not after thirty minutes of meditation but due to my increasingly leaky memory – I forgot my wallet on a recent business trip to Kuala Lumpur.

It was one of those dreaded early morning flights. Being one of those who has a love-hate relationship with mornings – I love the promise of a new day but I hate the thought of having to do something about it – I left my apartment in my usual haste.

My flights had been booked by an agent who's not heard of e-tickets (always insist on those if you can) and I had been told to collect my ticket at least two hours ahead of departure.

This is the usual story – I call it the airport conspiracy theory – to get passengers to arrive at airports early so they will spend more time shopping. Being a smart traveler, I know better, of course. I'd rather spend half an hour more in bed than shopping for things I do not need. The irony is, I always end up buying things I do need because I have forgotten essentials such as hairbrush, lipstick or toothbrush in my usual madcap dash for flights.

Anyway, there I was in the taxi, rummaging through my bag for my wallet to pay the fare when I realized its absence. I had everything else –iPOD, mobile phone, old chewing gum wrappers, notebook, pen – but no wallet.

In panic, I rummaged through the pockets of my jeans. I always have spare cash hanging round in pockets of my jeans and, true to habit, I found a crumpled $50 note.

I did a quick mental stock-take. Should I go home and get my wallet? And miss my flight? Do I really need my wallet?
I thought through the items I usually keep in my wallet – which took at least 10 minutes because it's a long list. I do not clear out my wallet, believing that every receipt, every scrap of paper tells an important story.

I concluded that I really didn't need my wallet. Surely for one day – I was returning in the evening – I could live without my credit cards, ID, bank card and four types of foreign currencies.

I mean, what else does a girl need for a one-day business trip to Kuala Lumpur other than a passport and loose change?
Determined to prove I could do it – I had no choice really – I checked in for my flight.

I longed for a frothy latte but settled for free cappuccino in the Singapore Airlines lounge. I had to be careful with the $42 I had left.

I walked past MAC, turned around, walked in and bought a lipstick. I had forgotten to pack one and a girl simply cannot do without colour. Now I had $28 left.

This was turning out to be KL on a shoestring.

Thankfully, my trip was hosted. Transfers had been arranged between airport and the newly-rebranded Crowne Plaza Mutiara where I had been invited for a press event to announce the launch of the new brand.

At a loose end for lunch, I called my friend at the Shangri-La. Rosemarie Wee is known for her kindness to penniless travellers and we had a sumptuous dim sum lunch at the Shang Palace.

I boarded the return flight with $28 left in my pocket. I felt pleased with myself. I had survived without my wallet. I had proven that if you have friends in the right places, you don't really need more than a passport and loose change when you travel.

I tell this story because I believe we always pack more than we need when we travel, even when we know we will shop and end up with more stuff.

In general, we lug around more baggage than we should, in our travels and through life.



The SHY Report
A regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry by one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, Yeoh Siew Hoon.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her company's mission is "Content, Communication, Connection". She is a writer, speaker, facilitator, trainer and events producer. She is also an author, having published "Around Asia In 1 Hr: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries". Her motto is ‘free to do, and be'.
Contacts: Tel: 65-63424934, Mobile: 65-96801460