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There is something magical about day trips during winter until you realise that there are a number of things you will need to be mindful of. Sure, you do not need to worry about the heat or sweating and that itself is a very charming proposition but you would still need a few essentials that will make sure that the trip goes as smoothly as possible.

Appropriate layers

We know Dhaka winters are not as cold as their Western counterpart but that does not mean you do not need proper layers. Plus, the wind can be really nasty during day trips. So, we would recommend a jacket with a comparatively thin layer of sweater underneath it.

A beanie

Sunlight, although scarce, would still be a prevalent theme in your day trip. Couple that with cold wind and suddenly a beanie seems like an absolute lifesaver. Not only will it protect your hair from the sun, but also your ears from the cold wind. A win-win!

Boots and socks

Good footwear can carry you a long way during a day trip and boots are ideal for winter. Couple that with a funky pair of socks that’s visible through the fold of your pants and you are bound to be the most fashionable person on the trip.

Gloves

Keeping your hands warm during winter is just as vital as keeping the rest of your body warm. Winters outside of Dhaka can get notoriously cold and honestly cold hands can be really uncomfortable.

Chapstick

If there is anything more annoying than cold hands, it’s chapped lips. They are uncomfortable, they hurt, and they make you look bad. A tiny chapstick will create a world of difference.

Moisturisers

Moisturising is more vital during winter than at any other time of the year. A pocket-sized moisturiser is exactly what you need to prevent your skin from drying up too much.

Sunscreen

Just because the sun is covered up, does not mean it’s not there. Harmful UV rays are always present so keeping sunscreen on you would be handy for everyone on the trip.

Thermos

No winter trip is complete without tea and you should always have some on you in your trusty thermos.

Blanket

Winter and blanket, just thinking about it makes you feel warm. A blanket would honestly be your best friend during the trip and you can wrap yourself up unapologetically and be cosy whenever you want.

Powerbank

An essentials list will not be an essentials list without a power bank. It’s an absolute godsend as it gives much-needed juice to your devices when you need it the most. Everyone on the trip would thank us for this entry.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

That is sound from the Chinese Communist Party’s memorial service that was held this morning for one of its former leaders, Jiang Zemin, who died last week at the age of 96.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Jiang helped to oversee the country’s economic transformation during what is now seen as a time of relative freedom.

MARTIN: NPR’s Frank Langfitt covered Jiang when he was China’s president in the ’90s and watched the memorial service from London. Hey, Frank.

FRANK LANGFITT, BYLINE: Hey. Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: Good morning. Explain how the party is remembering this leader.

LANGFITT: Yeah, well, Xi Jinping came out today as the current leader, of course, and eulogized Jiang sort of as this defender of the party in the country. He cited Jiang fighting what he called the risk of succession by Taiwan. And, of course, Jiang also oversaw the return – it was a smooth return back then – of Hong Kong to Chinese rule back in 1997. And Xi added this, which is translated into English.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT XI JINPING: (Through interpreter) He also led China to join the WTO, thus forming a new pattern of opening up to the outside world.

LANGFITT: And of course, joining the World Trade Organization was a huge step for the country. It really boosted China’s integration with the world economy and also set the stage for sort of the turbocharged economic growth that we’ve seen since.

MARTIN: So as we noted, you covered Jiang. You even met him. You also covered Xi. How different, Frank, is the China of Jiang Zemin from the one we see today?

LANGFITT: It’s really dramatic, Rachel. You know, this China now that Xi oversees is vastly wealthier than the China that I first covered. And lives have been transformed in many positive ways. But Xi’s China also is a lot more repressive. Back in the ’90s when it was under Jiang, it was a much more relaxed society. And I’ll just give you this personal example because I was reminded of it when Jiang passed away. Back in ’97, there was this impromptu press conference at the Great Hall of the People, where this memorial is actually being held, and a bunch of American reporters came down, and Jiang was heading to the United States to meet President Clinton. He wanted to make a good impression on Americans. He wanted to get China into the WTO. So we just asked him questions. It was very relaxed – unusual situation.

And afterwards, he came up to me. And it was this rare human moment – I could see he was nervous. He was practicing his English for the trip. And he said, you know, once Americans get to know me, they’ll understand China more, and they’ll feel more comfortable. And I want to contrast this with Xi Jinping. I mean, he doesn’t chat with foreign reporters. His government, frankly, more often threatens them and in some cases – many cases – has kicked them out of the country.

MARTIN: Why the difference? Why was Jiang’s era more – so much more relaxed?

LANGFITT: I think Rachel, in Jiang’s era, China needed more from the West. They needed trade investment, needed to get into the World Trade Organization. There was also a sense at the time in the late ’90s that China would probably become more tolerant and be able to get along reasonably well with the U.S. and the West, still be authoritarian. Now, when Xi took over a decade later, the party was facing mass corruption. He cracked down on that. He also really crushed dissent to prevent criticism of the party at a vulnerable time for its leadership. The image of the West really declined in China the last couple of decades. Now Xi and China, as we see with his “zero-COVID” policy and these street protests – they also have a lot of challenges they have to deal with.

MARTIN: NPR’s Frank Langfitt. Thanks, Frank.

LANGFITT: Good to talk, Rachel. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.