My friend, the time has come. You bought that 15-hour flight to Bangkok, Hanoi or Bali. The 60-litre backpack is already staring at you from the corner of the room and you're dreaming of paradise beaches and mountains of Pad Thai.
Going to Asia for the first time is one of those life-changing experiences, but let's be honest: the culture shock is real and it hits like a truck the moment you step out of the airport over there. The heat, the noise, the scooters... it's authentic organised chaos.
So you don't spend the first three days holed up in the hotel room crying in the foetal position, here's the ultimate survival manual for your first Asian adventure:
1. Crossing the Street is an Extreme Sport 🛵
Forget zebra crossings. In Asia, zebra crossings are just urban art on the ground.
When you find yourself facing an avenue with 400 scooters coming straight at you, the trick is to close your eyes (kidding, keep them open) and walk at a steady, predictable pace. Don't run, don't step back. They'll part around you like a school of fish. It's terrifying the first time, but by day three you'll be doing it while sipping a mango smoothie.
2. The Spice Dictionary 🌶️
Asian food is divine, but their concept of "spicy" is very different from ours.
- If you order "Spicy": Get ready to lose feeling in your tongue for two days.
- If you order "Medium Spicy": You'll sweat from your moustache and cry a little.
- If you order "Not Spicy": Your food will only have that basic spiciness which to them is like salt, but which will have you asking for three bottles of water.
Pro tip: Water doesn't put out the spicy fire. Drink milk, eat plain rice or have an ice-cold local beer!
3. The Famous "Bum Gun" (The Bathroom Sprayer) 🚽
Get ready for a reality check: toilet paper is a luxury item in many public places. What you'll find is a little hose next to the toilet. Yes, it's for what you're thinking. After the initial shock, you'll realise it's incredibly hygienic. But just in case, always carry a roll of paper and a bottle of hand sanitiser in your backpack.
4. Haggling is the Law, but Use Common Sense 🤝
In the markets, the first price they give you is always the "tourist gullible" price. Haggling (negotiating the price) is part of their culture and they love the game. Always reply with a third of the price and meet halfway.
But careful: don't be that tourist who's been arguing for half an hour over a 50-cent difference. What's the price of a coffee for you, makes a difference at the end of the month for them.
5. Tap Water? Run Away From It! 🚰
Asia's golden rule: never, but NEVER, drink tap water. Use bottled water even to brush your teeth. As for ice in drinks, most touristy places and restaurants buy purified factory ice (the kind with a hole in the middle), so it's safe. When in doubt, drink beer or coconut water!
Your Backpack Doesn't Fit on the Bus (Or in an Uber)
You're all set for the culture shock, but you forgot a small detail back home in Portugal: how are you going to drag that 15kg backpack (or your giant hold suitcase stuffed with stuff) to the airport?
Are you going to sweat your soul out on public transport before the trip even begins? Or are you going to call an Uber at 4 in the morning and pray its boot isn't full of a gas canister?
Mate, simplify!
Asia is going to be plenty of adventure, the trip to the airport doesn't need to be. Take your car, put your music on, throw the backpack in the boot and drive off.
When you reach the Departures terminal door, the Multipark team is there waiting for you. You hand over the key and... off to check-in. We park your car in our secure, monitored car park.
When you come back, 15 days later, full of souvenirs and with serious jet lag, your car will be at the same door waiting to take you to your bed.
Don't start the adventure stressing about the bags. Get your Valet Parking quote at Multipark and save your energy for haggling at the markets out there!
