Want to write a travel book of your trips?

Problem
Which system do I use?

Answers
Instead of writing a book and then trying to load it into a template, start with a template and load your work into the template.

But which template? If you are producing a book which is mainly pictures and captions, perhaps using your photos from your travels, especially a gap year, or retirement, you might wish to use a system aimed at producing photo books.

My first instinct, because I am on a Mac, is to use an apple system. The only problem is that I might want to send my book to be checked by somebody else who is not on a Mac? Will this work?

In theory, wherever you create your book it should be readable on other systems. I suggest that before committing yourself, and spending hours of time, you make a mock book and send it to your colleague or spouse and see if it works for you.

http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/multimedia/best-ebooks-creators/

Student and Senior Citizen Concession cards for travel and museum entry - what's in it for expats?

Problems
Many people work and live for years as expats overseas, eventually retiring, and don't realise that they are eligible for concession cards, don't get around to applying, or think the savings are too small to worry about and not worth the effort. But If you are interested in a concession card for yourself, a friend, relative or colleague, or member of your work or social group, it helps to know. How do you find out and apply for a Singapore concession cards - and who is eligible?

Pension Ages
UK age is currently 60 for women and 65 for men but it will increase gradually because the life expectancy is increasing. People are fitter longer, and living longer - more drain on the pensions. In Singapore the age is 60 for both men and women. (However, check the latest rules - they could change.)

In Singapore rules and regulations change fast, which is usually a good thing. In the UK changes usually happen slower, except of course the government's annual 'budget', which changes taxation.

One reason for the gradual change is that you can't have somebody preparing to retire at 60, then announcing on the day of their retirement that can't retire until 70, and their job, sale of their house and move overseas, cashing in of a pension scheme. The pension scheme, Personnel departments in companies deciding whether to employ older people or retire them, and families, need to be financially and psychologically prepared for major financial and social and work changes.

Answers
In Singapore most of what you need to know is on line or available at the larger mainline stations. After receiving a card you take it to the nearest MRT station with your NRIC (national identity) card to have it validated.
In the UK post offices have lots of application forms and knowledgeable staff.

Students
Students and schoolchildren, children under a certain height, might qualify for concessions in Singapore and other countries.If you are a mature student following a course, even though you are over 60, and not under 25, you may still be entitled to concessions by showing a student card, or another evidence of your studies.

Story
I found when I went to France and Europe many museums would not give me the concessions without a local pensioners card. I thought maybe concessions were only given to locals because local people had paid taxes, but tourists were a source of income. Equally, the person on the desk may be a rule follower, or constantly besieged by devious people with sob stories trying to bend the rules. In Hong Kong I didn't have my passport with me to prove my age, but a Hong Kong friend spoke to the ticket agent in Cantonese and obtained a concession ticket for my journey. I asked what my friend had said. It was something colloquial like: "You can see from her face that the old girl is no spring chicken. Do us a favour, love."'

Tips
Don't be put off by long wait times. The Senior Concession card in Singapore is said to take up to eight weeks. But two people in Singapore (Permanent Residents, known by the initials PR, and in the CPF (pension scheme for those who have worked several years in Singapore) and NRIC (national identity card) received their cards though the post in about a week.

Singapore
https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/public-transport/mrt-and-lrt-trains/train-fares-and-travel-cards/concession-cards.html

UK
http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass
Brochures on concession fares for the overground services are on many stations. You have to pay £30 for the card. The saving is worth it if you take several journeys.
You can also get family cards and concession cards for many museums, art galleries, and theatres, joining individual museums or getting a collective ticket covering many galleries and events.
https://www.artfund.org/national-art-pass
Other concessions are available if you are registered unemployed or disabled.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See my other posts and blogs, also Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram. Please like, follow and share my posts.